Social Media Lead Generation
What if I told you that there are social media lead generation strategies that will work best for your business in 2019-much more than the tips you've been using, will you buy that?
It's unlikely you would believe me, especially if you're a fan of outdated marketing techniques, such as cold calling.
But do you know that cold call marketing is dead? Yes, it is!
In fact, a recent study revealed that "cold call" marketing is dead. Why?
This discovery makes other digital marketing strategies like social media, blogging, and email marketing more reliable platforms to generate leads.
Hence, social media as a formidable marketing channel, it offers marketers a phenomenal platform not only to network with other marketers and build relationships but also to exponentially grow their businesses.
How can marketers use social media to generate more leads?
In this article, I'm going to reveal 7 steps that will help you generate leads from your social media campaigns.
1: Pick the Right Social Media Channel
First-things-first! Before you start applying your lead generation strategies, you need to pick the right platforms for your campaign.
If you can pinpoint the perfect channels right from the start, definitely you'll have success.
But with so many social sites available, how can you choose the right social site for your lead generation strategies?
Simple, find out where your target market is hanging out-the platforms where they're consuming content.
Facebook might be the platform of choice, or Twitter, Instagram, etc. It's not about the numbers, it's about identifying where your buyer persona is, then you can choose the right channels. For example, a study by revealed that LinkedIn is 277% more effective for social media lead generation than other social sites.
Further studies show that 80% of all B2B leads are from LinkedIn, while 79% of B2B marketers say Linkedin is the most effective source of B2B leads.
As you can see, the social platform that seems promising to you might not be your perfect one for your lead generation campaign. Hence, to make it easy for you, use social media analytic tools to find your buyer persona-where they're hanging out on social and so on.
2: Use social media advertising
Boost your social media lead generation tactics by running social media advertising campaigns. Why? Because social media advertising campaign has the capability to target a highly specific audience. It also helps to improve social engagement.
This will enable you to effectively put your brand offer or message in front of your target market and convert them to leads.
Hence, with the effectiveness of social ads and the importance of lead generation, social media platforms are offering ads that are specifically designed for lead generation purposes, and this is a good thing for us (marketers).
Here are some social sites that are offering lead generation targeted advertising:
These ads platforms work in similar ways like a gated content. They automatically fill out the form with information from your social media profiles once you click on the ads link. It is a simple process that makes it easier for your audience to submit their contact details and increase your leads.
3: Share Quality Content Frequently Across Social Sites
Like I said earlier, the use of social media is to network and build bonds with like-minded individuals and to grow your business.
How do you build relationships you can convert to leads and grow my business?The best rule of thumb is to consistently create, curate, and share quality content your target market loves to engage with.
Posting frequently at the best time of day will help your audience to see and interact with your content, drive traffic back to your site, and generate more leads.
For example, my top referral traffic source besides organic search traffic is Twitter. Why? Simply because I tweet often at the best time of day when my target audience is online.
This has enabled me to grow my followers, build trust with my target market, and of course, increase leads.
The bottom line for using social media as a marketer is to sell your product or services.
Therefore, if you are not generating new leads, you're leaving money on the table, because the best way to prove the value of your marketing campaign on social media is through lead generation metrics.
As a result, make sure to add value to your target market and potential customers by sharing well researched, informative content regularly on social media.
This strategy will definitely enable you to generate more social media leads.
4: Share Links to "Gated Content"
One of the best social media lead generation tactics for 2019 is to share "links to gated content."
Gated content simply means any type of online content that require website users to fill out a form before they are allowed access to the content.
It usually asks users for their names and email addresses as a way to generate leads.
This lead generation tool comes in different formats, including, but not limited to:
In the study mentioned earlier, eMarketer also found that white paper, webinars, and case studies are the top performers.
A content format that demands the user's email and other personal details before granting him access is called "gated content" because what you have gated is more valuable than the regular content on your blog and other marketing channels.
The usefulness of a gated content makes it a phenomenal marketing tool for capturing leads because it will offer you the contact information of prospects you can convert to buying customers. Logically, if prospects were not interested in your product and services, it is obvious they would not fill out the form. Thus, applying this social media lead generation technique means that you will frequently share links to gated content with your followers on social media sites. In that way, when a lead signs up, you can link him to your social media accounts and put him in check.
5: Carry Out Social Media Contest & Sweepstakes
Did I just mention "social media contest?" Yes, I did! It is one of the most effective tools for generating leads on social media.
In fact, a social contest does not only help you generate more leads, but also enable you to increase your followers. Hence it drives traffic back to your site, and improve website engagement.
These tools will streamline the process of running a breathtaking social media contest. As I said earlier, social contests are remarkable for generating leads. But as the name denotes, it's a contest where you give away prizes.
Consequently, for an optimal lead generation strategy, make sure you give away quality prizes-items. Items that people need to win and that will add value to their lives.
This will move many to give up their email addresses and sign up for your campaign.
6: Use Twitter Lead "Generation Cards"
Twitter added a new tool specifically for lead generation in 2013, the "Twitter Lead Generation Card."
Shortly after it was open to the market, Users began seeing a tremendous return on their investments (ROI) from using the tool.
Adobe also used Twitter lead generation cards to boost the conversion rate for their client-Mount Washington College (MWC) to over 100% at a lower rate of 55% per lead.
The campaign also helped them triple their followers. But how can I use this tool, you may ask?
Here are just a few tips to use Twitter Lead Generation Card:
- Use statistical data to boost your campaign.
- Use high-quality images and other visuals to make your boy more appealing
- Now Twitter offers users 280 characters, make the best of it-use it wisely.
Honored to be included: Top 55 Social Media Marketing Influencers to Follow in 2018 https://t.co/CNpox4RQpF via @Statusbrew @jeffbullas @annhandley @MadalynSklar @Lisapatb @RyanBiddulph @mike_allton @NealSchaffer @larrykim @sujanpatel @johnrampton @adamjayc Please Retweet!
- Moss Clement (@mosclement) March 13, 2018
Please read this article by Larry Kim of WordStream and Mobile Monkey to learn how to run the most effective Twitter Cards lead generation campaign.
7: Apply Social Listening Tactics
Social listening comes last in this article because many would consider it not a lead generation strategy. So why add it to the list of strategies to generate more lead?
Because social listening allows you to listen to conversations of your audience and prospects-helping you provide the right content, product, or service that will enable you to convert them to leads.
What is Social Listening?
Social listening is the process of monitoring social media conversations. It is to identify what customers and prospects are saying about your brand, your competitors, and industry.
Social listening allows you to gather feedback and mentions of your brand. These discussions that will help you gain useful insights of both your brand and your buyer persona. Please, read this post by Rebekah Radice to learn how to use social listening to generate leads. However, here are just a few steps to apply:
- Use social media management tools - Social media listening tools are great for listening to what people are saying about your industry because they're built with advanced tracking capabilities that allow you to listen to what your target market is saying about you, your competitors, and industry. Set Google Alerts - Google Alerts will send you emails whenever someone mentions your brand, competitor, or your industry.
Social media is a formidable component of any digital marketing lead generation tactics in the market.
As much you strive to generate more leads with social media marketing campaigns, it is important that you're more specific with your strategies. This will enable your audience easily get a clear picture of what you're offering.
However, because readers of your content would willingly give their emails does not mean they are quality leads, but it presents you the opportunity to nurture them into buying customers.
Therefore, apply the tips above and keep TESTING to pinpoint what strategies work best for you!
Please let us know what tips below what you are using today for your social media lead generation! Which ones will your incorporate for 2019?