Why are Social Media Platforms important
With approximately 2.85 billion monthly active users as of Q1 2021, Facebook is the king of social media.
In the early days of Facebook, it was used primarily for keeping in touch with friends and family and meeting new people.
While it’s still used in this way today, a growing number of businesses and sales professionals are relying on the platform to generate leads.
2.85 billion people provide a large pool to work with. Let’s look at eight kinds of Facebook posts to generate leads.
What is a Facebook Lead?
The answer to this question varies based on your knowledge of the platform and how you want to reach your target audience.
In general terms, a Facebook lead can be defined as anyone who takes action on one of your posts. For example:
If someone leaves a comment expressing their interest in your product or service
If someone clicks through to your website and then contacts you for more information
If someone connects with you directly on Facebook, such as through its Messenger tool
However, to some people, the phrases “Facebook lead” and “lead ads” are interchangeable.
Facebook lead ads are exactly what they sound like.
This allows you to purchase ad space to find people who may be interested in your business and collect information from them.
Through the use of an instant form, you can collect contact information — such as name, phone number, and email address — from interested parties. You can also integrate custom fields if you have a more specific need.
In this article, we’re focusing on the types of Facebook posts that will generate leads, but spending money on lead ads could also be part of your strategy.
There’s nothing wrong with mixing and matching to see what works best.
8 Types of Facebook Posts that Generate Leads
There are many benefits of using Facebook posts to generate leads, including the fact that many businesses overlook the power of this social platform.
With less competition, it’s easier for your brand and offering to stand out.
So which types of Facebook posts will help you generate leads? Let’s discuss.
1. Ask a Question
When you ask a question, you give your audience a reason to engage. And when that happens, you have the opportunity to start a conversation.
For instance, if you’re a mortgage broker looking to generate leads on Facebook, you could ask the questions “what features and amenities are most important to you in a new home” or “what are the biggest financial challenges facing you as a homebuyer?”
The key to success is to ask thought-provoking and/or intriguing questions. Give your audience a reason to answer and prompt them to leave their answers in the comments.
2. “Like” for [Option 1]. “Share” for [Option 2]
This is a simple one. Post two videos or photos, one labeled option 1 and the other option 2.
Ask your audience to click like if they prefer option 1 or share if they prefer option 2. Not only does this boost engagement on your post, but it helps it reach a larger audience.
Sticking with the example above, you could share photos of two homes that are currently for sale. Your audience will engage by clicking like or share to express their opinion on which one they prefer.
3. Caption This [Photo or Video]
Not only is this a fun and simple post, but it also allows you to connect with your audience on a more personal level.
Just the same as any other type of Facebook post, your success is hinged on your ability to share an engaging photo or video. Show your audience something they’ve never seen before.
4. Infographic
Infographics allow you to provide interesting and helpful information, such as statistics and data, in an easy-to-consume visual.
Maybe you’re an insurance agent who’s interested in generating home insurance leads via Facebook. You could create and share an infographic listing home insurance rates by state, along with other key stats such as the average number of claims per year and the cost of these claims.
5. Contest
Anytime you give someone the opportunity to win something, they’re likely to pay attention. That’s why you see so many contests when browsing your Facebook feed.
This is one of the best ways to generate leads via Facebook since you set the rules for entering the contest.
Here’s an example:
“Visit our website and join our mailing list to be entered to win $500 or a new Apple iPad.”
Sure, you have to give away a prize, but you can secure quite a few leads in exchange.
6. Link Directly to a Landing Page
This is one of the most straightforward ways to generate leads on Facebook.
In addition to the text, include a link directly to a landing page on your website. This can be as simple as:
“Download this toolkit to learn more about home insurance and why now’s the time to switch companies. [website link]”
The trick is to give them valuable information that will prompt them to click on your link.
7. Link to a High Converting Blog Post
Analyze your traffic to pinpoint which blog posts generate the most leads and sales for your business. These are the posts you want to drive traffic to.
There’s no guarantee that visitors from Facebook will convert, but you do know that you’ve had success with the blog content in the past.
This is another chance to provide insight for your consumer and let them know that you’re an authoritative voice in your industry.
8. Video
If you want to generate more leads on Facebook, you need to think outside the box. This means combining video content with more traditional posts.
Videos can be informational, direct offers, courses, events, or anything else that gains the attention of your audience.
Improve your odds of generating leads by including a text call-to-action in the video’s description.
Tip: Facebook Live isn’t a traditional video post, but it’s a feature that can help you generate leads. It gives you the ability to broadcast video directly to your Facebook News Feed.
Viewers can also interact in real time, giving you the chance to provide answers and steer them toward your business, or at least your website.
Final Thoughts
If leads from Facebook posts are what you want, it’s imperative to experiment with the eight types we’ve listed above.
With the right strategy guiding you, it’s possible to turn your Facebook presence into a lead generation powerhouse. And when that happens, you can expect more sales and more revenue to follow closely behind.