Collecting leads via LinkedIn without the hassle? This is how Lead Gen Forms work
Many B2B companies see LinkedIn as the channel to reach their target audience. Logical, because nowhere else can you find so much up-to-date data on positions, sectors and companies. Still, many organizations struggle with generating quality leads: campaigns are often expensive, and as soon as you send people to an external landing page, many visitors drop out. LinkedIn came up with a clever solution for this: Lead Gen Forms. In this article, we explain exactly what Lead Gen Forms are, why they work so well and how to best use them within your campaigns.
What are LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms?
Lead Gen Forms are forms that open directly within LinkedIn when someone clicks on your ad. So the user doesn’t have to go to your website first. The form is pre-filled with data from the LinkedIn profile, such as name, email address, job title and company. This lowers the threshold considerably: often a single click on “submit” is enough.
How does a Lead Gen Form work?
A Lead Gen Form is basically an ad with an integrated form. When someone clicks on the ad, the form opens directly within LinkedIn. Visitors therefore do not have to go to an external website, which significantly lowers the barrier to leaving data.
Attached to the form may be downloadable content, such as a white paper, manual, tips, a case or other valuable document. In exchange for this content, the user fills in his data, such as name, e-mail address, job title and company. This way, the user immediately receives something valuable in return and, at the same time, you collect qualitative leads for your sales or marketing funnel.
Why do Lead Gen Forms work so well?
- Less friction
Visitors stay on LinkedIn and don’t have to fill out lengthy forms on an external website. This lowers the chances of someone dropping out halfway through. - Higher conversion rates
Because filling in data is easy and quick, more people leave their details. In our experience, conversion rates are sometimes two to three times higher than traditional campaigns with external landing pages. - Reliable data
The data comes directly from LinkedIn profiles, so you often receive more structured and up-to-date information than with manually filled out forms. - Direct integration
Lead Gen Forms can be linked to your CRM or marketing automation tools so that leads can be followed up immediately and enter your sales funnel directly.
Practical tips for successful Lead Gen Forms
- Keep the form short: Ask for only the information you really need. Avoid superfluous fields such as phone number if not needed.
- Offer a valuable offer: What you give away should be attractive enough to exchange contact information.
- Make the call-to-action clear: Make sure someone immediately understands what happens after they fill out the form.
- Follow up immediately: Leads that come in should be followed up quickly, such as with an automated email or phone call.
- Test propositions: Try different wording, visuals or offers to see what works best with your target audience.
- Combine with retargeting: You can retarget people who don’t fill out the form right away.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms are a powerful way to easily and effectively collect new leads without your target audience having to leave your website. Especially for B2B marketers who focus on quality leads, this ad format offers many advantages: less friction, better conversions and reliable data.
Want to know how to optimally use Lead Gen Forms within your LinkedIn campaigns? Contact us, we’d love to think with you!
