How to use LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms for B2B lead generation campaigns

Author:

LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms are a powerful tool for B2B lead generation, allowing businesses to collect high-quality leads directly within LinkedIn without requiring users to leave the platform. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to effectively use LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms for your B2B campaigns:

1. Set Up LinkedIn Campaign Manager

A. Create a LinkedIn Ad Account

  • Go to LinkedIn Campaign Manager and create an ad account if you don’t already have one.
  • Set up your billing information and ensure your account is ready to run campaigns.

2. Create a New Campaign

A. Choose Your Campaign Objective

  • Select “Lead generation” as your campaign objective. This will allow you to use Lead Gen Forms.

B. Define Your Audience

  • Use LinkedIn’s targeting options to define your audience based on job title, industry, company size, location, seniority, etc.
  • Consider creating audience segments to test different target groups and optimize your targeting.

3. Design Your Ad Creative

A. Choose Ad Format

  • Select an ad format that best fits your campaign. LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms can be used with Sponsored Content (single image, carousel, or video ads) and Message Ads.

B. Craft Compelling Ad Copy

  • Write a clear and engaging headline and description that highlights the value proposition of your offer.
  • Ensure your call-to-action (CTA) is strong and aligned with the lead gen goal (e.g., “Download Now,” “Get Started,” “Sign Up”).

C. Create Eye-Catching Visuals

  • Use high-quality images or videos that resonate with your target audience and support your message.

4. Set Up Lead Gen Form

A. Create the Lead Gen Form

  • In the ad creation process, select “Create new form” under the Lead Gen Form section.
  • Name your form for easy identification.

B. Customize Form Fields

  • Choose the fields you want to collect from the prospects. LinkedIn pre-fills data from user profiles, making it easy for users to submit forms. Common fields include:
    • First Name
    • Last Name
    • Email Address
    • Company Name
    • Job Title
    • Phone Number

C. Add Custom Questions (Optional)

  • If necessary, add custom questions relevant to your business to qualify leads further (e.g., “What’s your company’s annual revenue?”).

D. Privacy Policy and Custom Confirmation

  • Add a link to your privacy policy to comply with data protection regulations.
  • Customize the thank you message that appears after form submission. Consider including a link to a resource, such as a whitepaper or case study.

5. Optimize Your Campaign Settings

A. Set Budget and Schedule

  • Define your daily or total budget and set a schedule for your campaign.
  • Determine the bid type (e.g., cost per lead or cost per click) and set your bid amount.

B. Enable Conversion Tracking

  • Set up conversion tracking to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns. This involves placing a LinkedIn Insight Tag on your website to track conversions from your ads.

6. Launch and Monitor Your Campaign

A. Review and Launch

  • Double-check all campaign settings, ad creatives, and lead gen form details.
  • Launch your campaign.

B. Monitor Performance

  • Regularly check the Campaign Manager dashboard to track key metrics such as impressions, clicks, cost per lead, and conversion rate.
  • Use LinkedIn’s reporting tools to analyze performance and make data-driven decisions.

7. Optimize and Refine Your Campaign

A. A/B Testing

  • Conduct A/B tests on different ad creatives, headlines, CTAs, and audience segments to identify what works best.
  • Continuously refine your ads based on performance data.

B. Lead Nurturing

  • Integrate LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms with your CRM or email marketing platform to streamline lead nurturing.
  • Follow up promptly with leads through personalized emails or calls to maximize conversion opportunities.

C. Analyze Lead Quality

  • Evaluate the quality of leads generated from your campaign by tracking the progression of leads through your sales funnel.
  • Adjust targeting criteria and form fields if needed to improve lead quality.

8. Retargeting and Advanced Strategies

A. Retargeting Campaigns

  • Create retargeting campaigns to reach users who interacted with your ads but did not convert.
  • Use custom audiences to target users who visited your website or engaged with your LinkedIn content.

B. Lookalike Audiences

  • Build lookalike audiences based on your best-performing leads to reach new potential customers with similar profiles.

C. Content Marketing Integration

  • Integrate lead gen forms with your broader content marketing strategy. Promote webinars, whitepapers, and case studies through lead gen forms to capture high-quality leads.

By following these steps and continuously optimizing your campaigns based on performance data, you can effectively use LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms to generate high-quality B2B leads and drive successful marketing outcomes.