For any business, generating leads are the lifeblood that sustains growth and profitability. Traditionally, businesses have heavily relied on referrals, word-of-mouth, and networking events to acquire new customers. In fact, according to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over any other type of advertising. However, these methods are inherently limited by the size and influence of one’s network. And though they are valuable, these approaches often lack scalability and reach today.
This is where modern marketing tactics come into play to generate online leads. While marketing online, businesses open up to a wider audience and can reach prospects beyond their location. For example, businesses that blog generate 67% more leads on average. This demonstrates that leveraging digital marketing strategies to generate online leads is not just beneficial but essential for staying competitive in today’s market.
But is generating leads online easy? No.
Is it possible? YES!
But before anything, the real question is how do you generate online leads? There are a variety of tactics, some, you have already heard of, tried, and failed at, and others that are part of the new-age marketing tactics. We will explore the 11 most effective ways to generate leads online, providing small and mid-sized business owners with actionable insights and strategies to enhance their lead-generation efforts. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your existing tactics, these tips will help you attract and convert more potential customers through digital channels.
11 Most Effective Ways to Generate Online Leads
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Content Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
- Email Marketing
- Landing Pages
- Webinars and Online Events
- Influencer Marketing
- Google My Business Profile
- Retargeting Campaigns
- Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Table of Contents
1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
For a second imagine you are looking for an internet marketing agency. What do you do first? You will turn to Google and click on 1 of the 10 links on the first page. Those are all companies that have invested in SEO to rank at the top and since they rank high they get the most clicks and the most visibility. 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results, highlighting the importance of ranking high. Search engines like Google often drive high-intent prospects to your website. And since they are coming looking for you, they are more likely to convert through a CTA. So, search engine optimization is at the top of our list.
Compared to other channels like social media, SEO drives 1000%+ more traffic than organic social media, underscoring its effectiveness in lead generation through digital marketing.
So, how do you optimize for search engines? Keyword optimization and backlinks.
Without getting too technical, Google matches your online query to a webpage that it considers to be the most relevant and serves it to you. This is why businesses often obsess over keywords. However, as the Google algorithm evolves, and search behavior changes, related keywords, and long-tail keywords have all become important for Google to determine what is most relevant to the search. Simultaneously, backlinks are ways for Google to determine how many domains are referring to you. Backlinks help build credibility and the stronger the domain referring, the higher the rankings.
However, both of these strategies are heavily dependent on high-quality content.
To start with SEO, businesses need to conduct a comprehensive audit. This audit will identify areas of improvement, like site speed, mobile-friendliness, and current performance. Once you have identified these gaps, you can create a content strategy based on keyword research and implement on-page SEO techniques.
2. Content Marketing
While wanting to do more marketing, businesses often have the lowest budget for marketing. And most of marketing, not all, costs some money. However, content marketing is a powerful, cost-effective strategy (one of our favorites) for online lead generation. Though content marketing is not entirely free, it is cheaper than other marketing strategies. Nearly 62% cheaper. By creating and distributing relevant and valuable content, businesses can attract, engage, and retain a clearly defined audience, ultimately driving profitable customer actions.
Two content marketing strategies to keep in mind include evergreen content and utilizing a variety of formats. Evergreen content refers to content that will likely stay the same. For instance a how-to-guide on changing a tire. This piece of content is likely to remain relevant and attract traffic over time, unlike time-sensitive posts. On the flip side, do not confuse content marketing with blogging alone. Content marketing includes starting your podcast, creating content on social media, infographics, and long-form video content. All combined, you have a thorough content marketing strategy. A hot tip for content marketing is to start with long-form video content. That piece of video content can then be converted into social media posts, blog posts, and even infographics.
To start with content marketing, take a deeper dive into your audience’s needs and pain points followed by creating a content calendar. Consistency is key in content marketing to help build a loyal following.
3. Social Media Marketing
4.2 billion people use social media – and regardless of what business you are in, your audience is likely on social media. However, social media is also very noisy. With the amount of content that is published each day, it is hard to stand out. So what gets you in front of your audience? Engaging content. Social media serves your audience only what they are interested in and what they have engaged with. That’s why, often you would see your algorithm change depending on what you’re looking for. Creating interactive content such as reels, quizzes, and live videos are ways to increase user participation.
Targeted advertising on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram allows businesses to reach specific demographics, increasing the likelihood of generating qualified leads. Interactive content, such as polls, quizzes, and live videos, encourages user participation and can drive higher engagement rates. To start with social media marketing, businesses should choose the platforms where their target audience is most active and create a content plan that includes a mix of organic posts and paid ads. Consistent engagement and analyzing performance metrics will help refine strategies and improve lead generation.
4. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
While SEO and content marketing are cost-effective ways to generate leads online, they are also long-term strategies. PPC advertising fills that gap. Remember, when we mentioned you were searching for an internet marketing agency on Google? When you do, the top 2 to 3 results are Sponsored. These results, despite their rankings appear at the top because they are paying to be at the top. According to WordStream, businesses make an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on Google Ads, highlighting the potential ROI of well-executed PPC campaigns.
Similar to SEO, keyword research is as important in PPC. You want your ads to appear on, increasing the chances of generating qualified leads. Simultaneously, ad targeting based on demographics, locations, and user behaviors are all ways to button up your PPC strategy for optimized results.
PPC is powerful but it is also one of the easiest ways to bleed your budget. So, start small. Invest $500 to $1,000 per month on one or two campaigns. Optimize those campaigns to the best of your ability and enhance them with compelling ad copy and A/B testing.
5. Email Marketing
With most of the lead generation techniques, you are likely trying to reach an audience who does not know you yet. With email marketing, you are communicating directly with your audience. Email marketing stats suggest, that for every $1 a business spends on email marketing, it makes $42.
Businesses can deliver personalized and relevant content to subscribers, helping them build a strong relationship and keeping the brand top-of-mind.
Two key components of email marketing include segmentation and automation. You can segment your list based on a variety of factors such as purchase history, engagement, journey stage, and demographics. These segmented lists help you send out targeted offers and content. But you do not have to manually do it. Using CRMs like Hubspot, you can automate your email marketing efforts — for example, using welcome emails when a visitor subscribes.
To start building your email list, you can create an opt-in form. Nurturing sign-ups is a surefire way to generate online leads since whenever your prospects need you, you’ll be there.
6. Landing Pages
Landing pages are pages your prospects land on when they click your ad. Landing pages are often tailored to your ad and only show one CTA that you want your prospects to click. According to Hubspot, companies see a 55% increase in leads when increasing the number of landing pages from 10 to 15. However, not all landing pages are created equal. Each landing page must be A/B tested to understand what works and what kind of language is more compelling to the audience.
A/B testing landing pages are all about running multiple pages with variations. Consistently monitoring the results helps you determine which page is leading the audience to take the action you want them to take. Often you will notice that landing pages do not have navigation bars. That is when they do not want you to lose your focus from the CTA. You can create appealing landing pages using platforms like Unbounce.
Landing pages done effectively are likely to help generate more online leads.
7. Webinars and Online Events
Webinars are virtual events you host on a given topic and have prospects or targeted accounts attend by signing up. For example, if you own a lawncare business, you can host a webinar on ‘How to keep your grass green?’ During this webinar, you can share tips and tricks on caring for your lawn. Showcasing your expertise would help build trust with your audience and allow them to reach out to you for more information. You can also use this opportunity to advertise your services.
According to GoToWebinar, 73% of B2B marketers and sales leaders say webinars are the best way to generate high-quality leads.
Two critical aspects of webinars include exclusive content and engaging follow-up. Frankly, no one wants to sit through a 30-minute talk to hear what they could have searched for on Google. So, make sure you are bringing something new to the table. Simultaneously, sending thank-you notes and, sharing additional resources are all great nurturing follow-ups.
You can promote your webinar via social media, email marketing, and even PPC. However, the benefit of webinars does not end as the webinar ends. You can use webinars as lead magnets, rank pages on Google, and generate more high-quality leads with on-demand downloads. Webinars are an evergreen way to generate online leads.
8. Influencer Marketing
Traditionally, it was celebrity endorsements that got us to find businesses and companies credible. Today, it is influencer marketing. We have seen a boost in influencer marketing in the last decade, so much so, that even B2b companies are relying on it. Based on data from Influencer Marketing Hub, businesses earn $5.20 for every $1 they spend on influencer marketing.
When it comes to influencer marketing, choosing the right influencers and content are two of the most critical elements. If you are a restaurant, you want to reach out to someone local in your area who is an influencer in the food category. For instance, a food blogger from your city would be ideal. Moreover, work with a micro-influencer.
Though you might think that if an influencer has a million followers, your restaurant will see great foot traffic, that is not necessarily true. Influencers with a lower follower count like 30,000 would have a far more engaged audience. On the other hand, content that feels less of a forced promotion and more of a genuine review always wins.
Other factors like the influencer’s audience demographics might also come into play.
To get started, search for potential influencers in your area. Search [your city name] + food blogger on Instagram for instance.
9. Google My Business Profile
Every business must have a Google Business Profile. When you search for restaurants, services, businesses, or auto-repair shops on Google, you will see a Places box on the search results page. These are all the businesses in your surrounding area. This enhances your business’ visibility and makes it easier for customers to contact you.
According to Google itself, well-maintained GB profiles are twice as likely to be considered reputable. Reviews, however, play a major role in these. Encouraging your customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile can help optimize your profile.
We talk all about it in our Google Business Profile Optimization guide.
10. Retargeting Campaigns
So, way too often we get amazed at visiting a website and seeing the business’ ad for the next 30 to 90 days wherever we go. Well, if you didn’t know already, that’s called retargeting.
Retargeting campaigns are when you visit a website and don’t convert, you are retargeted on other platforms to either return to the cart or keep the brand top of mind. Website visitors who are retargeted are 43% more likely to convert. You can retarget customers who have landed on your domain — these types of campaigns are often for brand-building and re-engagement offers. You can take this a step further to run dynamic retargeting ads. AirBnb and Ikea both do amazingly well at dynamic ads, where you would see the same product you browsed and related ones in the ads.
To kick-start your retargeting ads, you need to set up tracking pixels to gather visitor data. For instance, Meta has its pixel. With segmented audiences based on behavior, you can create ad copies and visuals to target your audience on other platforms to convert and generate lost leads.
11. Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Word of mouth and referrals work because of trust. For instance, if you have a friend who worked with a specific lawyer, and now you need one. Chances are you’d reach out to the same lawyer, given it was a positive experience. As a result, the law firm generates a high-intent lead. Similarly, reviews and testimonials help achieve the same goal. As humans, we tend to be influenced by what other customers say. According to BrightLocal, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, and 79% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
When you have reviews and testimonials, do not shy away from flaunting them on your homepage. Prospects need to see what others say about you and it can be the reason they choose you. You can also showcase testimonials on your contact us page and product pages. If you are gathering reviews on other platforms like Google and Yelp, be sure to respond to both positive and negative comments. This elaborates on your commitment to customer service.
Regularly updating your website with fresh testimonials and monitoring review sites can help maintain a positive online reputation and drive more leads.