Pay per lead is a type of marketing where affiliates are paid based on the number of leads they generate. A lead is a person who has expressed interest in a product or service, with the expectation that they may eventually make a purchase.
It can be an effective way to generate income, but it’s also more complex than other types of affiliate programs. As an affiliate, you need to be able to generate high-quality leads that are likely to convert into recurring customers.
How to Succeed with Pay Per Lead Marketing
Make sure your website is optimized for conversions.
This means it should have a good design and relevant, high-quality content. Your website must also be easy to navigate and have a clear call to action; otherwise, you’ll lose the conversions from the ads you’re paying for.
Promote effectively.
Ensure your value proposition is clear. You can use SEO techniques to help drive traffic to your website.
Make sure your offer is something truly valuable to your visitors — something they can’t find anywhere else.
What is Pay Per Lead Marketing and What is it For?
Pay per lead is an ideal strategy for companies that sell high-quality products or services and have a trained sales team ready to close deals with clients.
In short, it’s a way to pay for results, not effort, since payment only occurs when a positive outcome is achieved.
This strategy is commonly used in online marketing campaigns, such as paid campaigns, and also in offline marketing. It’s highly effective in the digital world because it allows for precise ROI tracking.
How Does Pay Per Lead Work?
In classic terms: Companies pay affiliates for each lead they generate.
Typically, affiliates use lead capture forms to collect user information, then redirect those users to the company’s sales page.
Affiliates are only paid if they actually generate a lead for the company, or a specific desired action. This makes affiliates more selective about who they refer, which often results in higher-quality leads.
Paid ads can help you generate leads across nearly all social media platforms — Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and more. These platforms have lead systems through ad clicks or profile visits. This makes it a very tangible sales funnel today, useful for driving traffic to your pay per lead forms.
How Much Do Leads Cost?
This cost can vary greatly depending on the industry, product, or service being advertised.
For example, in the insurance sector, pay-per-lead advertising costs can range from $20 to $70 per lead, while in the legal sector, costs can range from $200 to $500 per lead.
Generally, pay-per-lead advertising costs are directly related to the perceived value of the lead by the advertiser or niche. In other words, the higher the perceived value of the potential client, the higher the cost.
How to Improve Your Leads
Increase Brand Visibility
Make sure your target audience knows your brand and can easily find it online. Use paid advertising, social media ads, and content marketing to reach potential customers.
Optimize Your Website
Your website should be designed with lead generation in mind. Include clear calls to action, forms, and contact information. Use dedicated landing pages to boost conversion rates.
Use Lead Nurturing Strategies
Pay per lead marketing involves building relationships with potential customers. Use email marketing, targeted content, and special offers to build trust and interest.
Qualify Your Leads
Make sure you’re targeting the right leads and nurturing them to fit your products or services. Use lead scoring to rate prospects based on their likelihood to convert.
Stay in Touch
Stay visible to potential clients even if they’re not ready to buy yet. Send monthly newsletters, coupons, or other valuable content to keep your brand top of mind.
How to Create a Lead Form
Contact forms are the best way to collect lead information — but how do you make an effective one? Follow these steps to succeed.
Decide the Purpose of Your Form
Do you want to collect names and email addresses for a marketing campaign? Do you need specific data for a survey or market research? The purpose of your form determines what questions to include.
KISS: Keep It Short and Simple
Don’t make your leads work too hard to complete the form. Only include the necessary questions to meet your form’s objective, and make sure they’re easy to answer.
Use Simple, Attractive Designs
Avoid overcomplicated designs or unnecessary graphics. A clean, visually simple form will be easier to complete and more successful.
Provide Clear Instructions
Don’t make your leads guess what to do. Include a descriptive title and a short introduction explaining the purpose of the form. Keep your instructions clear and concise.
Use Dropdown Lists Instead of Open Text Fields
Dropdowns help avoid formatting errors and ensure data is collected consistently.
Use Validation Rules to Prevent Incorrect Data
Validation rules help ensure the data collected is accurate and complete. Set character limits for text fields, use valid date and email formats, and include area codes for phone fields.
Include a Clearly Visible Submit Button
The submit button should be easy to find and stand out in color from the rest of the form. Avoid using links as submit buttons.
Use an Auto-Responder Service
A confirmation message ensures the form was submitted correctly and that data was accurately collected. It’s also an opportunity to invite users to subscribe to your newsletter or mailing list.
Track Results and Maximize Your Pay Per Lead Strategy
Use form tracking software to collect data on form usage. This will help you identify what’s working well and what needs improvement.
