Generating leads isn’t enough; you need high-quality leads prepared to purchase your offerings now. While low-quality leads are inevitable in lead generation, striving for improved lead quality is crucial. This article outlines strategies to enhance lead quality and attract revenue-generating leads.
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6 methods to boost lead quality
Let’s explore six effective methods to enhance your business’s lead quality:
1. Expand your form fields
A simple yet effective tactic is adding more fields to your lead generation forms. This requires users to provide more information, deterring those who are not genuinely interested. Consider your current forms. How many fields do users need to complete? There’s usually room to incorporate additional fields for enhanced qualification. Start with simple questions like job title, company name, and website. Serious leads won’t hesitate to provide these details, while less serious ones might be discouraged. The key is to add relevant fields that effectively filter out unqualified leads.
Conditional logic, which introduces additional fields based on initial responses, can further refine lead qualification.
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2. Pose more challenging questions
Besides increasing the number of questions, making them slightly more challenging or probing can enhance lead quality. Similar to the time investment aspect, less qualified leads are less likely to share more personal information. Consider asking about project timelines, budgets, or the scope of their project. By incorporating such forward-looking yet relevant questions, you not only discourage low-quality leads but also provide your sales team with valuable information for follow-up. If you’re unsure about additional fields, consult your sales team for insights on what information would be beneficial for lead conversion.
3. Introduce additional steps
Depending on your generate leads platform, you can introduce extra steps in the form submission process.
For website lead generation, employ CAPTCHAs or form verification tools to ensure information credibility and deter bots. Such software is readily available and easy to implement.
Lead generation forms on platforms like Meta Ads can utilize the higher intent form type, providing a review screen before submission. This acts as a confirmation step, reducing accidental submissions.
Many low-quality leads arise from users unknowingly submitting forms on platforms like Facebook or Instagram. A review screen makes users aware of the information they are sharing and with whom.
4. Implement precise targeting
While seemingly obvious, the importance of targeted user acquisition cannot be overstated. It significantly influences the quality of leads generated. A common challenge is the discrepancy between platform-suggested targeting and perceived target audiences. Platforms often promote automated high-volume targeting options, but these suggestions, based on aggregated data, might not yield the highest quality leads.
Guiding these targeting options, by providing search themes for Performance Max or example audiences for Advantage+ Audience, is recommended.
If ineffective, consider shifting to manual targeting or refining your audience. This could involve using more specific keywords, legacy lookalike audiences, or job title targeting. Prioritize lead quality over quantity, as some targeting options might not be beneficial.
5. Disable extended networks
Extended audience networks impact targeting by influencing ad placement. While they increase reach, they rarely produce high-quality leads.
Examples include Google’s Search Partner Network and Microsoft Advertising’s Partner Network. Though potentially beneficial for expanding reach, they often generate subpar performance. Regularly review the performance of these networks if utilized.
Similarly, for LinkedIn advertising, lead generation forms yield leads only on LinkedIn. However, sponsored content in the newsfeed likely targets users on the LinkedIn Audience Network, enabled by default for new campaigns.
Review the performance of these placements and consider opting out by unchecking the box in campaign settings if necessary.
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6. Craft highly targeted calls to action
This suggestion involves introspection rather than external factors. Assess your current offer and call to action. Are they broadly appealing or highly focused on your target audience? A common issue is using generic assets like whitepapers or infographics that attract a large audience but result in low lead quality. The broad focus attracts even mildly interested individuals. Consider industry reports. While widely used, they often attract users with varying levels of purchase intent. Some might be comparing tech stacks, researching competitors, or even working on academic papers. While reports can be effective, if they attract numerous low-quality leads, revisit your calls to action. Make them more specific to your buyer personas. Address the questions your sales team frequently encounters. Highlight the challenges your product solves that competitors don’t. Develop technical and focused calls to action that resonate with your specific buyers, not just those broadly interested in your industry.
An example of an effective call to action.
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A note of caution: adjust your lead quality versus quantity expectations
When you shift your focus to quality, expect a decrease in lead volume. Strategies aimed at deterring low-quality leads naturally reduce the overall number. However, the ratio of high-quality to low-quality leads should improve. Discuss potential outcomes with your marketing, leadership, and sales teams to ensure everyone is aligned and prepared for a potential decrease in lead count. Establish a minimum lead volume threshold to avoid jeopardizing business operations. If lead volume becomes unsustainable, reassess your qualification tactics and adjust accordingly. Monitor the ratio of high-quality leads to total leads as a key metric. Assess if quality is improving despite a decrease in volume or if only volume is declining without a corresponding quality improvement. This analysis will guide your next steps.
Enhance your lead quality now for more customers in the future
Regardless of your industry, improving lead quality benefits your business. Adjust your lead count goals accordingly to achieve a balance between quality and quantity. If these tips aren’t sufficient, explore how our solutions can maximize your lead generation success! Here are six key ways to elevate your lead quality:
- Increase form fields for comprehensive information.
- Ask challenging questions to filter out less serious leads.
- Introduce additional steps to confirm user intent.
- Utilize precise targeting to reach the right audience.
- Disable extended networks to focus on high-quality platforms.
- Craft highly targeted calls to action that resonate with your buyer personas.