Lead generation
Getting better leads, not just more
A lead that never answers the phone costs more than it appears to. Quality comes from how the form is built and what happens in the first few minutes after it is sent.
Ad platforms count a lead the moment a form is submitted. You count one when it becomes work. The gap between those two numbers is lead quality, and most of it is within your control.
On-platform form or your own website?
| Form inside Facebook or Instagram | Form on your website | |
|---|---|---|
| Effort for the person | Very low. Details are often filled in for them. | Higher. They leave the app and type. |
| Volume | Higher | Lower |
| Typical quality | Lower, unless you add friction | Higher |
| Best for | Simple offers and quick call-backs | Larger jobs and considered decisions |
Neither is right for everyone. Test both and compare cost per booked job, not cost per lead.
Add friction on purpose
Easy forms attract people who tapped without thinking. A little effort filters them out.
- Ask one or two qualifying questions. The type of job, the postcode, the timeframe. Use multiple choice so it is quick for a serious enquirer.
- Use the higher-intent form option. Meta's lead forms can add a review step where people confirm their details before sending.
- Say what happens next. "We will call you within one working day" sets an expectation and puts off people who do not want a call.
- Be clear about who you serve. Stating your area or a starting price in the ad itself stops the wrong people clicking, which also saves money.
Follow up fast
A lead is at its warmest in the minutes after it is sent. The longer the wait, the more likely the person has moved on or called someone else. Send leads straight to a phone or inbox that is watched, and reply the same day at the very least. A slow response is the most common reason good leads are written off as bad ones.
Tell the platform which leads were good
If Meta only ever hears "a form was submitted", it will find more people who submit forms. If you send back which leads became qualified or booked, through your CRM or an offline conversions upload, it can look for more people like those. This takes some setup, and it is the biggest long-term improvement available to a lead generation account.
Measure the right thing
- Cost per lead tells you what the form cost.
- Cost per qualified lead tells you what a real enquiry cost.
- Cost per booked job tells you whether the advertising pays.
Record the outcome of every lead for a month, even in a spreadsheet. Then use our break-even calculator to see what you can afford to pay for one.
Want these numbers working for you?
Tell us what you want to raise, sell or book, and we will show you what we would do first.