Using LinkedIn ads for lead generation is a marketing process that is rapidly raising steam across the business-to-business sector, and with good reason.
In recent years LinkedIn has leap-frogged its competition as the most important social media outlet for companies and professionals selling their services to other businesses.
That being so, it makes sense to make the most of LinkedIn ads for lead generation for your own company, but how best to go about it?
Here are some of the best ways to optimise your results.
LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms
Let’s start with a recent innovation from LinkedIn itself: their new Lead Gen Forms. These can be easily added to Sponsored InMail and Sponsored Content campaigns, offering a convenient way to incorporate them into your marketing strategy.
These are intended to narrow the gap between content and lead data and have been shown to result in a two to threefold increase in lead conversion.
The Lead Gen Forms are hidden behind the Call to Action button in your sponsored content, making it simple to highlight offers and promotions for prospective leads.
Much of the form is pre-populated from the member’s profile, offering accurate and quality data for your marketing team.
Aim for the decision maker
So you’ve created your LinkedIn ad for lead generation – wonderful! Now comes the important part: converting that advert into a positive outcome.
Even at the lead generation stage, you should be thinking in terms of the entire sales cycle, all the way from generating the lead to closing the sale. With that in mind, your top priority should be targeting the people who matter – in other words, those with the authority to finalise a deal.
Directors of HR, marketing, and sales are usually your best bets for successful contact, but be sure to do your homework beforehand.
Show them what you’ve got
When discussing LinkedIn ads for lead generation, we mustn’t forget its publishing platform, LinkedIn Pulse. Whether publishing solely on LinkedIn, or re-blogging from your own website, it is an effective strategy for lead generation.
This content-based marketing allows you to demonstrate the extent of your expertise to would-be clients while shortening your sales cycle.
After all, people who are already familiar with your credentials through Pulse content will be more receptive to direct marketing down the line.
The long walk
When using LinkedIn ads for lead generation, you should think in terms of relationships rather than sales.
While a more long-term strategy, by engaging with prospects, rather than pitching at them, your chances of conversion increase.
Go LinkedIn premium
Many of the most effective lead generation tools on the site are only available to its premium members, so it’s a worthwhile investment.
This includes advanced search options and access to people who view your profile. It also includes the powerful InMail tool, which allows you to contact people who are not yet part of your LinkedIn network.
These are just a few tips on making the most out of LinkedIn ads for lead generation. With LinkedIn accounting for 80% of B2B leads, it is an essential part of your corporate strategy and one that should be leapt upon at the earliest opportunity.
