LinkedIn is a staple in B2B marketing. It's where you go to prospect, network, and share how potty training your toddler inspired a breakthrough in your go-to-market strategy.
But what really makes LinkedIn shine, is its lead generation opportunities. 59% of B2B marketers generate leads on LinkedIn successfully - more than double any other platform.
At the heart of this success is a little tool known as LinkedIn lead gen form ads.
In this post, I’ll break down everything you need to know about LinkedIn lead gen form ads and guide you through creating your own. By the end, you’ll be ready to start filling up your CRM with more high-quality leads than you'll know what to do with. Just 2. Ready to tap into LinkedIn’s top-performing ad type? kidding. You're a pro marketer - of course you'll know what to do with them!
Let’s get started! 👇
Table of Contents:
1. What Are LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms?
LinkedIn's lead gen forms are popup lead gen forms that are integrated directly within a LinkedIn lead gen ad.
When viewers click the ad, the lead gen form will appear to collect the required information. These forms can easily auto-populate using information from your account, such as name, company, email, etc. This feature makes it incredibly quick and easy for people to convert on a paid ad.
Once the conversion is complete, LinkedIn’s advertising UI captures the lead’s information, allowing you to export their data, along with other leads, into a handy spreadsheet for easy access.
2. Why Use LinkedIn Lead Gen Form Ads?
LinkedIn lead gen form ads are highly targeted and consistently outperform other LinkedIn ad formats. Unlike the traditional approach of directing users to an external landing page, lead gen form ads deliver superior results with average conversion rates of 10-13%, far surpassing the 2.35% achieved with external landing pages.
Here's why LinkedIn lead gen form ads are so effective:
Better Lead Quality: When it comes to B2B targeting, LinkedIn is second to none, offering marketers the ability to reach people based on criteria like industry, employer, job function, seniority, and more.
Seamless Conversion: Users can submit their information effortlessly without leaving LinkedIn, saving time and avoiding the hassle of navigating external websites or manually filling out forms.
Data Accuracy: Forms are pre-filled with data from users’ LinkedIn profiles, which helps limit bogus form field inputs that can be commonly found with landing pages.
Less Cumbersome: Skipping the hassle of building tedious landing pages for ad campaigns is a win. Even better, you can still A/B test your ads directly within LinkedIn’s platform.
3. How to Set Up LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms
Before you start, you’ll need Admin access to your LinkedIn Page and a LinkedIn Campaign Manager account. Got those? Great! Let’s go!
Step 1: Create a Campaign
Open LinkedIn Campaign Manager and click on Create Campaign.
Select Lead Generation as your campaign objective. This will ensure your LinkedIn ads are optimized to gather leads.
Step 2: Choose Your Audience
Here’s where you can get really specific with your targeting. LinkedIn offers a variety of targeting options and filters that let you zero in on your ideal leads by setting parameters such as:
Location
Industry
Job title or seniority level
Member Skill
Company size and more
Get as specific as possible. LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads are on average more expensive than ads on other platforms, so you’ll need to make sure your money is being spent on leads you have an actual chance of converting.
Note: You can’t filter based on things like exact age or race as they violate LinkedIn’s policy.
4. Build Your Lead Gen Forms
Now, let’s get into creating the form that will show up in your ads.
Choose an Ad Format
LinkedIn offers different ad options that integrate with Lead Gen Forms, such as Sponsored Content and Message Ads. Sponsored Content typically appears in a user’s feed, making it feel more organic, while Message Ads appear directly in their inbox.
Configure Your LinkedIn Lead Gen Form Details
Here’s where the magic happens.
Form Title and Description: Everyone has a million things to do, and no one has time to read a mini novel in your LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads. Keep it short and compelling. Think of it as your 5-second elevator pitch.
Form Fields: LinkedIn lets you choose from several pre-set fields (e.g., name, email, job title) or add custom questions to gather specific information.
Privacy Policy: Don’t forget to link to your privacy policy (a LinkedIn requirement). It assures users that their data is being handled safely and responsibly.
Thank You Message: The thank-you message that appears after users submit a form isn’t wasted space. Use this section to give an extra boost to your sales and marketing with a strong CTA. Something like 'Visit our website' or 'Download your free guide' should do the trick.
5. Set Your Campaign Budget and Schedule
With that setup, you’ll need to decide on your LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads spend.
Budget Options: You can set either a daily or lifetime budget. A daily budget is ideal for campaigns that run over an extended period, while a lifetime budget works better for shorter campaigns with a defined end date.
Bidding: LinkedIn offers options for automatic and manual bidding. Expert marketers should go for manual bidding as it gives you more control over how your money is being spent. If that’s not you or your time is limited, automatic bidding is still an effective option. For lead gen, consider starting with automatic bidding and adjusting based on campaign performance.
Schedule: Set a start and end date for your campaign. If you’re unsure how successful your campaign will be, consider running it for a short period and extending it later based on the results.
6. Review and Launch Your Campaign
As the saying goes, measure twice, cut once. Give yourself some time to double or triple-check everything before you launch. While you can make adjustments later on, certain things can’t be changed. You also want to give yourself the best data to work from, and changing things mid-campaign might interrupt that.
Final Checklist
Confirm your target audience, budget, and ad content.
Check for misspellings, misalignments, and typos in your ad and copy.
Preview your Lead Gen Forms to ensure they include all the necessary sections.
Launch It!
When you’re ready, hit 'Launch.' Your ad will go through a quick review on LinkedIn, and then it’s live! Expect the ad review to take a few hours, though it can occasionally take longer.
7. Analyzing and Optimizing Your LinkedIn Lead Gen Form Ad Campaign
Your job isn’t done once your campaign is up and running. To ensure everything is running smoothly and that your money is being spent properly, you’ll need to monitor your performance.
Key Metrics to Track
Click-Through Rate (CTR): This is the easiest way to see if your LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads are engaging. If you're seeing low or no clicks, you may need to update your ad copy, design, or adjust your audience profiles.
Lead Quality: Clicks are great, but leads are what you're after. Track the quality of the leads you're getting and confirm they align with your target audience.
Cost Per Lead (CPL): Check how much your ad is costing per lead. This helps you understand your ROI and provides insights for areas of improvement.
Optimize Based on Performance
You’re not going to hit it out of the park every time. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change things up. A/B test different ad copy, form fields, and audience segments to find the best combination.
8. Integrating LinkedIn Leads with Your CRM
With your LinkedIn lead gen form off and running, you’ll want to integrate the results into your overall strategy by syncing with your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool.
Integration Options: LinkedIn easily integrates with CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce, allowing you to automatically transfer leads.
Automation with Zapier: While most CRMs integrate with LinkedIn, if yours isn’t one of them, tools like Zapier can connect your LinkedIn to your database.
Best Practices for Follow-Up: Once integrated, respond to leads promptly to give yourself the best chance of converting. A quick follow-up email or call can build on the success of your lead gen form.
Final Thoughts on LinkedIn Lead Gen Form Ads
With LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms, you can connect with potential clients on the platform turning your outreach into a lead magnet on the site where professionals network the most. LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads simplify the process, allowing you to find prospects naturally, without relying on complicated email marketing strategies or hoping they stumble upon your website. With this guide in hand, you’re ready to create high-impact, converting lead-gen forms.
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