4 Strategies for Generating High-Quality Leads Through Social MediaFor starters, take your Facebook page seriously. Treat it like the great sales page it is (or should be).

ByNeil Patel

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

High-quality leadsare the backbone of every thriving B2B business. You can have all of the paid traffic that you want, but unless you are able to attract prospects who are willing and ready to buy what you're selling, you are going to have a hard time generating the cash flow you need.

Related:A Straightforward Guide To Effective B2B Lead Generation

As the varioussocial media platforms continue to dominatethe internet marketing world, they are also dominating the lead-generation world and are by far one of the best ways to have a steady stream of high-quality potential clients clicking through to your website on a consistent basis.

So, how do you do this? Let me show you some steps:

1. Select the right social media channel(s).

Before you get started with the specific tactics and strategies that can lead to getting tons of new leads into your sales funnel, make sure that the social media channel you are pursuing is ideal for your business.

For example, if you look at B2B marketers, 44 percent of those responding to a survey said they had generated leads through LinkedIn, 39 percent through Facebook and 30 percent through Twitter.

For a more comprehensive breakdown of your own target demographic and where its members are likely spending their time on social media, I recommend thisguide by Sprout Social.

2. Generate leads with LinkedIn.

Since LinkedIn is the platform that generates the most leads for B2B, it's a natural place to start. Given the company's recent acquisition by Microsoft,even moreprofessionals will be networking and connecting on this platform.

And that makes sense: The site, unlike Twitter or Facebook, is built for professionals and business owners to connect. In contrast, Twitter and Facebook are built for anyone with a wi-fi connection.

Here's information on how you canmaximize lead generation with LinkedIn.

3. Directly connect with potential leads, and offer free samples.

One of the hardest parts of B2B marketing is that you often have togo through gatekeeperswhose job is to keep people like you (translation: anyone trying to sell anything ever) away from the boss.

LinkedIn can help with this issue. It lets you walk right past the gatekeepers and into the lion's den. Just make sure that you have a high-quality sample or presentation ready to show when you get there.

2. Use Slideshare.

SinceSlidesharewas recently purchased by LinkedIn, you now have the opportunity to use it to your advantage.

With Slideshare, you can createhigh-quality slide decksthat offer industry insights and other relevant data to your consumers, to drive leads to your sales funnel. Just be sure to link your account with LinkedIn, and always includea call to actionat the end of the slide.

Related:Why Facebook Is Essential to Your B2B Marketing

3. Generate leads with Facebook.

Let me be up-front with you. If you want to generate leads with Facebook, odds are you will have to invest some money into anad campaignat some point. Luckily for you, Facebook ads are less than half the price ($0.80) per click compared to Adwords ($2.50).

So, if you have the budget (or you want to try to beat the algorithm anddo it organically), here are a couple of ways to increase lead generation on Facebook.

Treat your Facebook page like a sales page. One of the big mistakes I see many entrepreneurs make is that they don't take their Facebook page seriously.The navigation is off, there is no clear CTA and there is no way it is generating leads,他们的想法。但事实上,他们和你have to treat your Facebook page like a great sales page or website. Use a clear call to action, a regularly updated news feed and high-quality, professional photos.

Run contests and giveaways.People love competitions and free stuff, so these are absolutely some of the best ways to generate leads with Facebook. Depending on your industry, you could run a book or coaching give-away, an advertising or copywriting contest or any number of other things. Anything you can think of that will get people to willingly and happily put their name and email into the CTA box will only serve you well.

4. Generate leads with Twitter.

Twitter is still a relatively new player in the game, and depending onhow its business faresin the next couple of years, this social media company may end up experiencing some massive changes.

However, it is still one of the most used social platforms available, and if you really want to crush it with lead generation, then learn how to use Twitter with strategies like the following:

Use Twitter cards.Twitter很思米卡领先一代的工具lar to the Facebook ads that have become quite infamous over the past three years. As you do with Facebook ads, be sure totake full advantage of Twitter cardsby using images that stimulate the human brain and spark emotion; pair them with copy that is short and sweet.

Run live events.Hosting a regular AMA(ask me anything) on Twitter Chat is a great way to connect with your audience, and if you end your chat with a plug for your company or a CTA, this option will help you offer tremendous value without directly advertising your company.

Related:5 Ways to Generate Business Through LinkedIn

Conclusion

Whilelead generation with social mediacan be hit or miss, when you use the above tactics, you can expect to generate more leads, and more importantly, higher-quality leads, across all of your social media platforms.

Wavy Line
Neil Patel

Entrepreneur and Online Marketing Expert

Neil Patelis co-founder ofCrazy Egg,Hello BarandKISSmetrics. He helps companies like Amazon, NBC, GM, HP and Viacom grow their revenue.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

An 81-Year-Old Florida CEO Just Indicted for a $250 Million Ponzi Scheme Ran a Sprawling Senior Citizen Crime Ring

Carl Ruderman is the fifth senior citizen in the Miami-Fort-Lauderdale-Palm Beach metropolitan area to face charges in connection with the scam.

Business News

'Soul Crushing': Internet Sleuths Notice Something Is Very Off With This Condo Listing

From the grey carpets to the fluorescent lights, it's obvious that this home was not always a home.

Green Entrepreneur

Phoenix Has Hit 110 Degrees for a Month, But This One Invention Is Cooling Things Down a Tad

For the Arizona city amid a record-breaking heat wave, cool surfaces bring a modicum of relief.

Business News

'Awful Advice': Barbara Corcoran Slammed For 'Tone Deaf' Business Advice to Interns

The "Shark Tank" star shared tips on social media about how interns can increase their chances of getting hired full-time, but the public reaction didn't go as planned.

Growing a Business

3 Ways Leaders Can Use Data to Grow in Shrinking Economies

Business leaders need to find a way to make sense of this dynamic environment and use it to their advantage — and they can do so with data. Here's how.