What is lead and lead generation in internet marketing

A lead is any user touch with a business that may lead to a targeted action. Call, request, comment, like or subscription – these and many other events are related to leads.

This can include not only online, but also offline actions: filling out a questionnaire at an event, giving your contact details during a consultation, and even visiting a store.

There can be a lot of situations. The only condition that turns a simple action into a lead is the ability to track it and contact users later.

In fact, a lead is a contact of a potential buyer. And the fact whether this contact will turn into a conversion or not depends on the future work of the marketer.

Most often, we categorize leads according to the level of user loyalty to the brand:

• cold: low level of loyalty or user involvement in the brand, he only gets acquainted with the product or service and is not yet sure whether he wants to perform the target action (purchase, visit, test drive, etc.);
• warm: the average level of loyalty or user involvement in the brand, he is already familiar with the product or service and is considering the possibility of making an order;
• hot: a high level of loyalty or user involvement in the brand, he is interested and wants to make a purchase.

Of course, leads can easily convert from cold to warm and from warm to hot. That is one of the main goals of lead generation: not only to create new leads, but also to promote existing ones from lower levels of involvement to higher ones.

Lead generation tools include any platform on the basis of which there is a tracked user contact with the brand.

Most often, the following lead generation tools are used:

he most important thing for effective lead generation is tracking sources, analyzing their payback, and scaling successful matches. That means, the definition of which leads or lidgen tools are converted better and in what ways their number can be increased.

It is extremely important not to interrupt the chain of actions at all stages of the lead processing and to "squeeze" it in a timely manner. Regular interactions with the leader should be based on a systematic approach and must be part of a hole strategy. Here all the possible tools are involved, from email marketing to retargeting in social networks or remarketing in PPC.

One of very effective way to continue working with leads is to create a remarketing audience. Let's consider it step by step.

For example, our client is a construction company selling apartments. Our goal is to gather an audience that is potentially interested in buying an apartment, and at the same time segment it according to needs. To do this, we compile a list of needs of potential buyers, for example:

• sound insulation;
• well-groomed house territory;
• large area of the apartment;
• costed repairs;
• location and others.

We create a short video (you can use slideshows) for each of the needs. We devote the first to what excellent sound insulation the apartment has and how important it is to take this parameter into account when choosing an apartment, the second to the adjoining territory and so on.

Then set up a Facebook audience campaign. To do this, open the tab "All tools" in the advertising manager:

We select "Resources", "Audiences". Click "Create an audience", "Individualized audience":

Then select "Video":

After that, specify the audience settings and save it:

The video will help us collect the desired audience segment. The user who viewed 75% of the video and did not turn it off earlier, the system will automatically determine as interested in this topic.

We can only wait until there will be more than 1000 people in the segment, and save it. Further, you must to "squeeze" each segment with its needs and pains.

In addition, groups can be scaled up by creating similar audiences for free. This function is offered by the system itself.

This is just one example of working with leads and lead generation. There may be many of them, and the practice will help determine the most effective one for your project.

Leads are potential buyers who, when properly processed, are converted into targeted actions. They are divided into cold, warm and hot, depending on the level of interest.

Lead generation is used to collect leads, a process that requires a systematic approach, timely analysis of effectiveness and optimization of marketing activity.