Larry included them on his list of 10 CRO Truth Bombs. nexus-security’s clients are successfully using them to generate a ton of leads. They’re inexpensive and highly effective. With incredibly diverse and accurate targeting choices, discovering new customers becomes simpler than bullseyeing womp rats back home in your T-16. I’m talking about Facebook lead ads. If you aren’t already acquainted, lead ads are Facebook’s solution for the jaw-dropping amount of time people spend on their mobile devices. It’s widely known that conversions from paid channels often suffer on mobile. So, the team at Facebook decided to eliminate one of the biggest obstacles for potential converters: having to visit your website. Instead, lead ads simplify the process. Choose from a huge array of targeting options, create your lead form, and watch the stream of (much cheaper) high-quality leads pour in. These ads can help you gather all kinds of information from potential customers at various stages in the sales funnel.

Lead ads are particularly effective for generating leads on Facebook in a post-iOS 14 world. The best part? You can utilize the contact details collected through lead ads to build new audiences – both custom and lookalike. This enables you to modify your paid advertising efforts based on a prospect’s position in your funnel or discover new, similar prospects. Convinced yet? You should be. Before I explain how to make your Facebook lead ads incredibly appealing, let’s outline the six easy steps to create your first one (assuming you already have a Facebook Business Manager account).

Facebook Lead Ads Made Easy

After logging into your Business Manager account, go to the Power Editor section.

Click the “+Campaign” button located in the top left corner of your screen. This will open up a long list of potential campaign goals. You’ll recognize many of them (some more practical than others), but the one we’re after is called “Collect leads for your business.”

Let’s get specific. Define your intended audience, targeting factors, placements, budget, and scheduling. Discussing this in detail could be a whole other blog post, so I won’t try to squeeze a thousand words into twenty. Just remember, you understand your business, your objectives, and your target audience better than anyone. Once you’ve fine-tuned everything, let’s continue. The Power Editor interface will prompt you to create a new lead form or duplicate an existing one. Since we’re assuming you’re new to this, you’ll only have the option to create a new one. In the future, make sure to reuse forms whenever appropriate, but avoid using a single form for every lead campaign you run (especially when targeting those already in your funnel).

The next step is to include a context card. While it’s labeled as “optional,” take my advice: create one. Essentially, a context card acts as a bridge between someone viewing your lead ad and actually filling out the form. Spend time crafting compelling copy for your context card (or consider hiring a professional). Distill your message into its most concise form, making sure to explain your offer, who you are, and why the person on the verge of giving you their valuable contact information should go ahead and do so. Nothing more. Once you’ve finalized the context card, it’s time to create the lead form itself. You’ll be presented with a plethora of field options…

…don’t worry about being overwhelmed. For your first lead ad, we’re going to concentrate on just two fields: email address & full name. Why request the full name instead of “first” and “last” as separate fields? The more boxes a prospect has to fill out, the lower the conversion rate. You can always use a bit of Excel magic after obtaining the data to split names into separate columns. Finally, complete the privacy policy and disclaimer sections, and you’re good to go.

Getting the Most Out of Your Facebook Lead Ads

Good news: now you know how to create a Facebook lead ad! Bad news: so do your competitors. Since your competitors are also targeting your potential customers with ads, it’s crucial to make yours stand out. Now that you understand how to create a standard Facebook lead ad, let’s explore how to design one that’s truly exceptional (meaning it drives high conversions).

Refining Targeting for Facebook Lead Ads: Lookalike A Paying Customer

Build lookalike audiences based on customers, not just prospects. If you create a lookalike audience using everyone who submits a form, you’ll definitely reach a wider audience, but it will also be less qualified. By generating lookalikes based on those who convert instead of everyone who submitted a lead, you build a more precise profile of the type of person likely to make a purchase or become a client. This method is inherently more valuable to your business than a rough guess of someone who might be vaguely interested in what you offer. Remember, narrowing down your focus is beneficial.

Facebook Offers More Targeting Options Than…

…well, you get the point! Use them strategically! Get as detailed as possible with your campaigns and ad sets, and don’t hesitate to experiment. I personally like to take any available customer data and look for trends. This allows you to begin layering the uncovered traits using the almost limitless targeting options available on Facebook. Some factors to consider include:

• Job titles
• Education level
• Relationship status
• Age range
• Hobbies and interests
• Average income
• Languages spoken
• Entertainment preferences By utilizing these and other factors, you can develop highly focused campaigns with lead ads that speak directly to the specific traits you’ve pinpointed. Are you a driving instructor searching for new students? Consider targeting parents residing in affluent areas (driving lessons are an investment). Running a flower shop or selling high-end chocolates? Focus on people in new relationships, present them with a lead ad, and watch them join your email list.

Don’t Waste Money on Duplicate Audiences

Having numerous ideas right off the bat is fantastic. However, trying to test them all simultaneously on the same audience isn’t. Patience is crucial. According to Facebook, targeting the same audience with multiple lead ad campaigns can lead to “under-delivery issues.” If you’re following the previous suggestions (narrowing down those lookalike audiences) and taking advantage of Facebook’s other robust targeting options, you’ve effectively taken that initial pool of billions of Facebook users and transformed it into a focused stream. Your ads are now reaching smaller, more qualified audiences. Remember, under-delivery is not an option!

Your Customers Need Sleep. Your Ads Do Too.

If you’re selling a SaaS product to major corporations, it’s unlikely your potential customers are awake at three in the morning on a Tuesday. However, this changes if your product targets garage-based startups or if you’ve monopolized the market on those illuminated, pulsating rave gloves. Ad scheduling is a great way to prevent wasting time and money showing your meticulously crafted lead ads to people who are sound asleep. Once your campaigns are running, you can further refine your ad scheduling. If your data reveals specific times when prospects are highly engaged, increase bids during those periods (or even better, create a new campaign that utilizes this insight within the ad copy itself). Conversely, if data shows that prospects are generally less inclined to provide their information during dinnertime or an hour before their mid-morning snack, reduce your bids accordingly.

Optimizing the Visual Appeal of Your Facebook Lead Ads

Context Is King…

Lead ads require people to take immediate action. Unlike traditional ad formats, there’s nothing between the initial click and the form (except for the context card, but consider that more of a supplement than a barrier). Therefore, your creative needs to be visually appealing and do a lot of the heavy lifting.

Make sure your compelling image is accompanied by clear and engaging copy. Take this Land Rover ad, for example. It uses concise yet powerful language (the rhythmic consonants suggest this tagline wasn’t a first draft). The image is captivating. And look at that call-to-action button. It clearly tells the prospect what they’ll get by clicking.

Everyone Loves a Good Deal

Some people won’t click on your ad regardless of how well-written or visually appealing it is. For the skeptical folks in your target audience, you need to incentivize that click. Determine where the audience you’re targeting with your lead ad falls within your sales funnel. Are they at the very top, somewhere in the middle, or closer to the bottom? For those at the top or middle, offer free information or a trial subscription. For those closer to converting, provide a coupon, free consultation, or a personalized quote to encourage them to take the next step. No matter your value proposition, it needs to be clear, bold, and impossible to ignore, like a dazzling neon sign. Think of it as the irresistible allure of someone offering $5 pizzas at a busy intersection.

The Context Card: Embrace the Screen Time

As mentioned earlier, the context card isn’t really optional. The “optional” label is just a forgotten April Fool’s joke from the Facebook Business Manager interface. Context cards are absolutely essential. They allow you to provide more information about your offer to potential prospects in the brief moments before they decide whether or not to give you their valuable information. Use the context card to:

• Emphasize the benefits your business offers
• Promote a limited-time offer
• Create a double opt-in (qualify prospects further with an additional confirmation button)

Keep Your Prospects in the Loop

Let people know how and when you’ll get in touch with them. And always follow up. This might not be crucial if you’re simply asking for an email address to add someone to your automated funnel. However, if you’re advertising a free quote or audit, reaching out is a must. Failing to do so not only wastes your resources but also makes your business appear unprofessional.

Craft Your Copy with Care

Avoid simply copying and pasting the same text for every new lead campaign or lifting content directly from your landing page. Treat the context card as its own unique piece of writing with a specific purpose. While you can certainly draw inspiration from your existing content, directly rehashing it is never a good idea. Consider the specific audience you’re targeting with each lead ad. What information would they find valuable? Take it a step further and consider what kind of language and tone would resonate most effectively with them. Experiment with different approaches, and always have someone else review your work for clarity and impact.

‘I’m Getting Tons of Form Submissions, But Where’s the Data?’ – Everyone Trying Out Facebook Lead Ads for the First Time

You’ve created amazing, irresistible ads. People are sending you their contact details faster than your autoresponder can keep up. Just one question remains…

Currently, there are three ways to retrieve lead information from Facebook:

1. The trusty CSV file. It may not be fancy, but it gets the job done. Simply go to your Ad Set tab, locate the “Results” column (as shown below), and click the “Leads(form)” link. It’s important to check this frequently, as there isn’t a notification system for marketers yet.
2. If you utilize a CRM that integrates with Facebook (currently, this includes: Marketo, Salesforce, Driftrock, Oracle, Maropost, and Sailthru), your leads will automatically appear in your CRM system!
3. The third option is beyond my expertise, but it involves creating a custom connection between your backend system and the Facebook API. Talk to your developer to understand the details. There you have it! Now you know how to create a Facebook Lead Ad, make it incredibly effective, and access those valuable prospect details. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter or leave a comment below. Now go out there and start attracting those future customers!