How to collect leads from Facebook ads in the UK

To collect leads from Facebook ads in the UK, you need to create a Facebook Lead Ad campaign using Facebook Ads Manager, design a lead capture form, and ensure you can access and manage the leads efficiently. This involves linking your lead form to a CRM or downloading leads regularly to avoid losing enquiries.

Why this comes up / what goes wrong

Many small UK businesses run Facebook ads but struggle to collect and follow up on leads effectively. Leads often get lost in inboxes, spreadsheets, or WhatsApp messages, causing slow response times and missed sales. Without a clear process, businesses waste ad spend and fail to convert enquiries into customers. This guide helps you set up a reliable system to capture and manage leads from Facebook ads.

Step-by-step

1. Create a Facebook Business Manager account if you don’t have one. This is required to run ads and access lead forms.
2. Set up a Facebook Page for your business if not already done.
3. Go to Facebook Ads Manager and click “Create” to start a new campaign.
4. Choose the campaign objective “Lead Generation”. This objective is designed to collect leads directly within Facebook.
5. Define your target audience by selecting location (UK), age, interests, and other demographics.
6. Set your budget and schedule for the ad campaign.
7. Create the ad creative (image, video, text) that will appear in the Facebook feed.
8. Create a lead form:

• Add a form name.
• Include a greeting message.
• Choose the fields you want to collect (e.g. name, phone number, email).
• Add a privacy policy link (mandatory).
• Include a thank you screen with a call-to-action.

1. Review and publish your lead ad campaign.
2. Access your leads:

• Via Facebook Ads Manager under the "Leads Centre" or
• Download leads as CSV files regularly.

1. Import leads into your CRM or lead management system for follow-up. If you use HelloGrowthCRM, leads from forms and calls land automatically with owners and next steps, avoiding manual entry.
2. Follow up quickly with leads by phone, WhatsApp, email or SMS to maximise conversion.

Example (fictional figures)

An accountancy practice in Birmingham runs a Facebook Lead Ad campaign starting 01/05/2024 with a budget of £1,000 over 10 days.

• Total budget = £1,000
• Campaign duration = 10 days
• Daily budget = £1,000 ÷ 10 = £100
• Cost per lead (assumed) = £10
• Estimated leads = £1,000 ÷ £10 = 100 leads

The practice collects 100 leads via the Facebook lead form. They download the CSV file every 2 days and import it into their CRM for follow-up. By calling or messaging leads within 24 hours, they increase their chance to convert enquiries into paying clients.

Common mistakes

1. Not setting up a lead form: Running a lead generation campaign without a proper form means no contact details are captured. Always create and attach a lead form.
2. Ignoring privacy policy requirements: Facebook requires a link to your privacy policy on the lead form. Without it, your ads may be disapproved.
3. Not downloading or syncing leads regularly: Leads expire after 90 days on Facebook. Download or sync leads daily to avoid losing them.
4. Manual lead management: Using spreadsheets or notebooks delays follow-up and causes leads to be lost. Use a CRM with lead capture features like HelloGrowthCRM to organise leads.
5. Slow follow-up: Leads cold quickly. Contact them within 24 hours for best results.
6. Targeting too broad or too narrow: Poor audience targeting wastes budget or limits lead volume. Test and refine your audience.

Doing this in HelloGrowthCRM

HelloGrowthCRM automatically captures every enquiry from forms, calls or WhatsApp as a lead with an owner and next step assigned, so no leads get lost in notebooks or spreadsheets. It includes AI lead scoring to prioritise the leads most likely to convert, helping telecallers focus their efforts. Automated workflows, lead routing and validation rules assign new enquiries round-robin and create first-call tasks automatically, ensuring prompt follow-up. This streamlines lead management from Facebook ads and other sources.

Frequently asked questions

Can I collect leads from Facebook ads without a website? Yes, Facebook Lead Ads collect contact details directly within Facebook via the lead form, so you do not need a website. However, a website can help with credibility and retargeting.

How do I export leads from Facebook ads? Go to Facebook Ads Manager, select your lead ad campaign, then navigate to the "Leads Centre" or "Publishing Tools". From there, you can download leads as CSV files to import into your CRM or spreadsheet.

Can I connect Facebook lead ads directly to HelloGrowthCRM? HelloGrowthCRM supports automatic capture of leads from forms and calls, so you can integrate your Facebook lead forms to feed leads directly into the CRM, avoiding manual data entry.

How often should I check for new leads? Check and download leads daily or set up an integration for real-time syncing. Leads expire after 90 days on Facebook and prompt follow-up is critical.

What fields should I include on my Facebook lead form? Collect essential contact details like full name, phone number, and email. Keep the form short to encourage completion but gather enough information for follow-up.

Is it better to use WhatsApp or email to follow up leads? Use the contact method your audience prefers. Many UK small businesses find WhatsApp and SMS effective for quick replies, while email is useful for detailed information. HelloGrowthCRM supports WhatsApp and SMS sequences for follow-up.

Key takeaways

• Use Facebook Lead Ads with a customised lead form to collect contact details directly.
• Download or sync leads daily to avoid losing enquiries.
• Follow up leads within 24 hours by phone, WhatsApp, SMS or email.
• Avoid manual lead management; use a CRM like HelloGrowthCRM to organise and prioritise leads.
• Include a privacy policy link on your lead form to meet Facebook requirements.
• Test and refine your target audience and ad creative for best results.

Collecting leads from Facebook ads is straightforward when you follow these steps and keep your lead management organised. To try managing leads efficiently, Start on the Free Forever plan (200 leads, no credit card) with HelloGrowthCRM.