To say that Facebook has been through the wringer in recent years would be an extreme understatement. Privacy concerns, political influences, and general social media fatigue have all put a damper on Facebook’s stature.
However, the fact is that Facebook remains debatably the best place for marketers to generate leads. Not only is Facebook still the most popular social platform there is (in terms of number of users), but it’s also the most lead-friendly site in all of social media.
However, to master Facebook means retraining your thinking. Contrary to popular belief, social media marketing isn’t all about likes and fancy metrics. The real money comes from driving website traffic, creating loyalty and generating actual revenue from the leads you create. If you’re not doing that, you’re selling yourself short on Facebook, and on social media in general.
So, then, how do you generate leads on Facebook?
Discover Your Voice
Producing generic content is a great way to make any social media strategy fail. The problem is that a company doesn’t always know the content they’re producing isn’t special, and special is exactly what social media content should be.
In print advertising, you only have a few inches of space to tell your story. In a TV ad, you have 30 seconds tops. But on social media, your ability to tell your story is limited only by your imagination. This is your ultimate chance to announce to the world exactly who you are and what you’re all about — and more importantly, how the combination of those two factors can help people to solve problems in their lives.
Today’s customer is harder to impress than ever before. That’s why it’s so important to bring your A-game from your very first interaction with each consumer. Finding your identity might take a little time, but your perseverance will pay tremendous dividends in the months and years to come.
Create Unique Content
If you want to generate leads on Facebook, it’s important to understand what makes your brand unique. That uniqueness needs to be present in every piece of content you create on Facebook. If you can’t wow your desired audience, you’ll never be able to generate the business you desire.
What’s the best way to wow your customer base? Make those individuals feel like you know them. Point out the problems they’re having and show that you know how to resolve those issues. Present a compelling combination of empathy, savvy and credibility, and your lead generation abilities will go through the roof.
Today, there are many ways to tell your story. On Facebook, and on other social media sites, video is the way to go. Video has a way of resonating with people like no other medium, and the numbers confirm this sentiment. Engagement on video content blows away the metrics of any other media type. And the creativity afforded by video can’t be emphasized enough. You can tell your story while simultaneously displaying moving images and adding music to enhance the mood. And you don’t even have to physically tell your story through this medium. In fact, 85 percent of Facebook users watch videos with the sound off.
However, you choose to tell your story, be sure to present a business with authenticity and integrity. These two values are the cornerstones of modern consumer loyalty, and they’ll help convince your customers to not only buy your products, but to further support your company as a whole. That mentality is the difference between a closed lead and a passive observer.
Use Facebook Lead Ads
One major downfall to social media marketing is ever-changing algorithms that always seem to favor paid advertising over organic search. While this seems like a bad thing on the surface, it’s actually great for Challenger Brands or smaller businesses. You just got your ticket to the front of the line, and Facebook Lead Ads can help you to stay there.
Much like standard Facebook ads, Facebook Lead Ads rely on a pre-selected list of demographic targets. Your ads will display to your selected group, to the extent that your budget allows. It’s a great system that works for marketers every time. And since you spent so much time figuring out who you are, what you stand for and who you’re marketing to, this part of the equation is easy enough.
Where Facebook Lead Ads differ is what happens when someone clicks on an ad. Typically, when someone clicks on a Facebook ad, they’re lead to a landing page where they have a chance to sign up for your email list, download a white paper, or whatever you’re pitching that day. Facebook Lead Ads shorten that entire process, giving people the chance to sign up for that same offer right from the ad. They don’t have to fill out a form, and they don’t have to visit your site directly. However, because there are fewer steps, there’s less chance of an interested consumer backing out at the last second. The end result for you is more leads.
Sure, you could rely on an organic Facebook strategy for lead generation. But you never know exactly who will see your content, and you have no control over when they’ll see it. With Facebook Lead Ads, you’ll get your absolute best chance at lead generation success.
In 2017 the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League used the combination of compelling video content and Facebook Lead Ads to generate an additional $4 million in ticket sales. There’s no reason why you can’t achieve similar results. If you’d like a little assistance in getting started with lead generation on Facebook, drop us a line today.
