Boost Lead Generation on Meta: Key Insights for Maximizing Campaign Success

At House of Education, we use a data-driven approach for marketing on Meta’s platforms, aiming to generate as many Qualified Leads (QLs) as possible for our clients. This month, we analyse lead generation for MBA and Master’s programmes for the following key insights:

1. Is Facebook better than Instagram?
2. Which content type performs best where
3. How to look at conversions

What is a "Qualified Lead (QL)"?

Before we begin, we need to introduce the concept of a 'Qualified Lead' (QL). A QL is identified using specific data points collected about the lead in our Study Choice Advisor. The data points used to qualify a lead vary depending on the profile of the programme.

For example, a lead for a Master programme would be: Education level: Holds (at least) a Bachelor’s degree // English level: Has a good command of English // Work experience: Has 3 or more years of work experience (for MBA) // Motivation: Wants to start studying this year or the next

Cost per Qualified Lead = CPQL

We optimise every campaign based on Qualified Leads (QL). In the tables below, a Qualified Lead is referred to as 'QL', and Cost Per Qualified Lead is represented as CPQL.

Instagram vs. Facebook 🥊

When looking at the overall delivery of Qualified Leads in 2024, we observed that Instagram is the biggest contributor for both MBA and Master’s programmes.

Additionally, when looking closer into each placement and ad on Instagram, we noted that Instagram Feed consistently outperforms Instagram Stories for both MBA and Master’s campaigns.

Instagram is the top performer overall, but Facebook does manage to outshine it in one area – cost per click.

Instagram wins in the categories

• Cost per Qualified Lead
• Conversion rate click to lead

Facebook wins in the category

• Cost per click (but then the conversion rate to lead was lower, so CPQL was higher!)

Conversion rate ❤️

A user's journey from browsing their Instagram feed to becoming a lead in your CRM involves several critical steps that the campaign must account for:

Ad to Click Conversion: This measures the number of users that see your ad and actually click on it. A high click-through rate (CTR) is ideal.

Click to Start Conversion: Once users click, they need to engage with your product. If many users drop off here, it suggests there is a disconnect between your ad and the landing page. Review both to ensure they align.

So, what’s a good ad?

We look at ads based on the overall conversion rate to Qualified Lead. Given that, there are two main creatives that continuously deliver no matter programme level or region: flags and images of well known monuments. These are both strong and familiar symbols that immediately add to the story the ad wants to convey – for example: study in France. Users see these images with preconceived perceptions, thus immediately evoking a level of understanding or emotion that cannot be brought forth through lesser known graphics.

But generating attention is not all that’s needed to evaluate a well-performing ad–you want to produce leads right? If your conversion rate to lead is low, it's likely due to setting the wrong campaign goal, rather than just a poorly designed ad. Meta optimises ads based on the goal you set, so if you aim for impressions or clicks, that’s what you'll get—users who may not convert. To generate Leads or Qualified Leads, you need to set these as your campaign objective.

Here’s a comparison between campaigns optimised for impressions vs. Qualified Leads:

Summary

Both Instagram and Facebook play valuable roles in lead generation campaigns, but they excel in different areas. Instagram consistently delivers higher volumes of Qualified Leads and better conversion rates, particularly through its Instagram Feed. Facebook, on the other hand, generates cheaper clicks; however, its overall conversion rates lag behind Instagram. By understanding these platform strengths and optimising your campaigns accordingly, you can maximise your return on investment and achieve better results across your target audiences.

To achieve strong results, it is essential that you align your ad, landing page, and campaign goal. A disconnect between the ad and landing page often leads to low conversion rates.

Meta’s campaign optimisation is goal-dependent, so selecting the right objective—such as Qualified Leads rather than clicks or impressions—is critical.