Should you choose instant forms or landing pages for generating leads?
As a pay per lead agency, we have clients from a wide range of sectors. Since each industry has its particularities, it’s natural that each campaign has different goals and strategies. But if there’s one thing all our clients agree on, it’s the importance of having a database with information and data on potential consumers, commonly known as “leads”.
Although everyone knows that leads are the heart of digital marketing, there’s still a lot of debate about the best way to obtain this data. After all, which is better: using instant forms or landing pages (LP)? Check out the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
The Pros & Cons of Instant Forms
Instant forms are questionnaires a user fills out with their data after clicking on an ad on Facebook or Instagram. Learn about their pros and cons.
Pros
1. Automatic fill-in functionality: We need to make a correction. Saying that users fill out the instant forms is actually inaccurate. Users don’t need to fill out anything. Meta automatically fills in these forms with the user’s information. All the potential lead needs to do is click the “submit” button at the bottom of the page. It couldn’t be simpler. That’s why instant forms are so tempting and achieve high conversion rates.
2. Improved Accuracy: As the information is filled in automatically, the possibility of errors in the forms is drastically reduced. This is a significant advantage for companies in the finance and medical industries.
3. Flawless native UX: One of the most important benefits of instant forms is the user experience. These forms are native, easy to use, and straightforward, not interrupting the user’s journey through the social network. Potential leads don’t need to interrupt their navigation on the platform to visit another site. All they have to do is click once or twice to agree to send their personal information to the advertiser.
Cons
1. Limited Customisation: Instant forms often come with predefined fields and a set structure, which may not perfectly align with the specific data collection requirements of every organisation or campaign. This mismatch can lead to the collection of irrelevant information or the omission of crucial points.
2. Privacy Concerns: More and more people are concerned about their privacy. This can result in a need for greater persuasion. It is also necessary to ensure that the requested data and its treatment are in accordance with international legislation and that this information is not leaked or accessed by malicious individuals.
3. Overreliance on Cookies or Stored Profiles: Instant forms often depend on cookies or profiles stored on a device or within a browser. If these cookies are cleared or the user switches devices or browsers, the instant form feature may not work, requiring manual data entry.
The Pros & Cons of Landing Pages
Landing pages are bespoke web pages crafted exclusively for marketing campaigns. They serve as the first point of interaction a user encounters upon clicking on an advertisement. Specifically designed for lead generation, these pages incorporate a form that requires visitors to submit their details. Typically, this includes their name, email address, telephone number, and occasionally, their job title and the size of their employing organisation.
Pros
1. Design customisation: The great advantage of landing pages is the total control that the advertiser has over their design and content. You can use as many images as you want and place the content you wish, fully controlling the user’s journey. The key here lies in the advertiser’s persuasive power, underscored by employing conversion techniques to enhance success chances.
2. Testing and Optimisation: Landing pages allow for easy A/B testing of elements such as headlines, call-to-action buttons, images, and copy. This means you can continually refine and ptimise your website for better performance based on actual user data.
3. Improved Paid Advertising Results: Landing pages improve your ads’ relevance and Quality Score on platforms like Google Ads, leading to lower cost-per-click (CPC) rates and better ad placements.
4. Increased Credibility: A well-made landing page with relevant content increases the credibility of your brand. They not only capture leads but also increase brand awareness, even among those people who prefer not to share their data yet. To achieve better results, rely on testimonials from people who have used your products or services.
Cons
1. Bounce rates: Several factors can cause a LP to have a high bounce rate. For example, the loading time may be too long, causing the visitor to leave the site; the experience on a mobile device may not be ideal; or the landing page has an excess of information that distracts the visitor, discouraging them from sharing their data.
2. Inconsistencies: Landing pages must have the same design and content characteristics as the ads used to attract the lead. Inconsistencies in this aspect can lead visitors to think your product or brand is not precisely what they were looking for.
3. Resource Intensive: Landing pages require a considerable amount of resources to be ready. You must invest in design, content creation, and technical development. For small businesses, the cost and time involved in creating a LP can be challenging.
4. Adherence to Platform Rules: Meta enforces a set of guidelines concerning landing pages for advertisements hosted on its platforms, which can sometimes be ambiguous. Should a LP fail to adhere to these regulations in full, Facebook or Instagram may halt the advertisement campaign or impose sanctions on the advertiser.
What Should You Go With?
The answer to this question will depend on the resources you have available, your audience’s behaviour, and your goals.
Investing in a landing page is the best option if your brand or product is not well-known and the potential lead needs more time to be convinced to share their contact data. On the other hand, if your potential lead is already inclined to share their information, or you do not have the necessary resources to create a LP, it’s worth investing in instant forms.
Many other factors need to be considered before making a final decision. To find out what works best for you or to make the most of your resources, talk to our team of lead generation specialists. We are ready to help your business grow.