The latest addition to Facebook‘s advertising suite, Lead Ads, introduces a privacy-safe contact form where users can enter their email and sign up for offers, events and newsletters from brands.
Facebook says the format is designed to lower the barrier to signing up for more info about a brand, especially on mobile where users are loathe to click away from Facebook’s app.
“Lead ads remove the hassle of filling out forms on a mobile device, making it easier than ever for people and businesses to connect,” said Facebook product manager Paresh Rajwat, in a statement.
When clicked or tapped, Lead Ads pre-populate a contact form with the user’s email and name. All they have to do is tap a second time to commit.
CDI College has been one of the advertisers in Canada piloting Lead Ads in an attempt to generate more qualified leads on Facebook. According to Barry Masellis, vice-president of marketing and web operations, CDI saw its cost-per-lead drop 37% in its first month using the product. “We expect that Lead Ads will be a big part of our digital strategy moving forward and look forward to scaling with this product,” he said in a statement.
Lead Ads is rolling out with direct integration with Salesforce, so that contacts generated on Facebook can be fed directly into the advertiser’s CRM database. Filling out a Facebook contact form can also trigger an automated email campaign or sales interaction to follow up on the lead.
