Many companies want to run ads to generate leads, so they use platforms like Google Ads, Meta Ads, and TikTok Ads, specifically to set the lead generation objective (sometimes called potential customers or sales leads). The lead generation objective has the advantage of displaying forms directly on the platform (with pre-filled fields) without requiring the user to leave the platform, preventing them from having to visit an external website. In this article, I will discuss the different advantages and disadvantages of each advertising platform based on my personal experience.
Lead Ads in Google Ads
Lead ads in Google Ads have the following pros and cons:
Advantages
-The search format has a high conversion rate, especially for some B2B businesses.
-It doesn’t require a minimum daily budget (in theory, the minimum daily budget is one dollar per day).
Disadvantages
-It’s a more difficult ad format to set up.
-The lead ad is “indirect,” meaning that the Google form isn’t the final destination, but rather a “complementary” or “secondary” destination. If we want our ad to target exclusively to a Google Form, we have to meet a series of requirements.
– To run a direct lead generation ad, where leads register directly on the Google Form (without visiting any website), certain requirements must be met: having spent more than $50,000 on the ad account and having a good track record of compliance with regulations.
– While the platform can be integrated with a CRM, leads can only be exported in CSV format (not XLS).
– The types of questions we can ask in the forms are limited; some questions are predefined.
Lead Ads in Meta Ads
Lead ads in Meta Ads have the following advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages
– It’s easy to implement, especially in new ad accounts.
– It doesn’t require any prerequisites (only having a terms and conditions page).
– Leads can be exported in XLS or CSV format and integrated with a CRM.
– It doesn’t require a minimum daily budget (theoretically, the minimum daily budget is one dollar per day).
– We can ask different types of questions in the forms.
Disadvantages
– Meta Ads rules tend to be stricter compared to other advertising platforms.
TikTok Ads Lead Generation
TikTok Ads lead generation has the following pros and cons:
Advantages
– It’s easy to implement, especially for new ad accounts.
– It doesn’t require any form requirements (only a terms and conditions page).
– Leads can be exported in XLS or CSV format and integrated with a CRM.
– We can ask different types of questions in the forms.
Disadvantages
– It requires a minimum daily budget (the current minimum daily budget is $20 per day).
-Because the ad account management system isn’t very efficient, it’s more difficult for other administrators to download leads.
Personal Opinion
While each platform has its own characteristics, we must keep in mind that there are three key factors in lead generation campaigns: the questions that qualify prospects, the number of fields requested, and how those leads are contacted.
For example, if a pre-qualification question isn’t included, we’ll receive many low-quality leads. On the other hand, if our form has too many fields, our conversion rate will decrease considerably. However, the most important aspect is how leads are contacted. A campaign can be very successful and generate many high-quality leads, but if it takes several days to contact those leads and no established protocols are followed, the conversion rate will drop significantly.
Regarding the “ideal” platform, I believe it’s best to use several platforms, as they tend to complement each other well and enhance lead generation campaigns when used together. It’s also important to note that many businesses seeking B2B leads mistakenly rely solely on Google Ads (due to its search engine) when other, more accessible platforms exist, such as Meta Ads and TikTok Ads. We must consider that many Google Ads campaigns appear not only in search results but also on other display platforms, such as website advertising (AdSense), YouTube, Gmail, Google Play, and more.
What are your thoughts on this? Which platform do you prefer for your lead generation ads?
If you need assistance with lead-generation ads for your company or business, you can contact me via the following link.
Image by Maayan Nemanov via Unsplash.com under a Creative Commons license.