Social Media Lead Generation Strategies for 2025

Lead generation remains an essential tool for all businesses who wish to expand their reach. Whether you’re a local business looking to showcase a new product to your customers or an SME wanting to scale and build a global audience, it’s something that you need to pay close attention to.

And in 2025, social media lead generation, in particular, is the mechanism that businesses are turning to. Research suggests that up to 68% of marketers believe that social media has helped them to generate a higher number of leads, with that figure expected to increase over time.

That’s why we’ve put together this in-depth article on all things related to lead generation through social media. We’ll take a close look at what’s working across the most successful platforms and the impact AI is having on lead generation. 

What Has Changed in Social Media Lead Generation?

It’s strange to think that social media has not actually been around for that long. But it’s become a permanent presence in homes and businesses across the world, with the number of social media users hitting over five billion this year. And for businesses, that’s a huge pool of potential customers to be tapped into.

But with this still being such a relatively new phenomenon, it’s not surprising that businesses are still trying to find the most effective ways of taking advantage. Breakthrough technologies are constantly altering the ways businesses think about social media lead generation. What worked three years ago might be having little impact today.

So how are things changing?

Well, social media platforms are now expected to offer more transparency as to how their algorithms work. Businesses no longer have to rely on a trial-and-error approach to generate new leads. Now they are provided with more insights and feedback as to where they should be targeting their content.

Businesses must also be very careful as to how they use customer data. Strict data privacy laws are now in place to ensure customer data is protected. Businesses can use tools such as in-app forms on social media sites to make sure they are sticking to a consent-first approach to data gathering.

The platforms that businesses are turning to for social media lead generation are also changing. Not long ago, Facebook was king across the board, with a huge dominance over social media marketing. Now, LinkedIn ranks as the top site for B2B marketing, with 44% of professionals citing it as the most important site.

And it’s impossible to ignore the impact that TikTok has had on influencer marketing and impulse purchasing.

Additionally, there is a growing move away from lead quantity to lead quality. Businesses can use AI-enhanced, predictive lead scoring systems to improve conversion rates and optimize sales efforts. The dreaded cold calls are slowly starting to become a thing of the past.

And a final shift to be aware of is the move away from third-party cookies to first-person user data. Businesses gather this data by using strategies such as server-side tracking and CRM integrations.

Core Pillars of Successful Lead Generation on Social Media

So why do some businesses find so much more success through social media lead generation than others?

If you’re a business looking to find success with this form of marketing in 2025, there are some fundamental strategies that should form the basis of any winning lead generation plans.

Platform-Specific Funnel Design

We’ll go into more detail on each platform a little later. But the thinking behind this strategy is that businesses should adapt aspects of their marketing approach depending on which platform they are advertising on.

A TikTok user, for example, isn’t likely to get much out of the type of long-form, deep-dive content you’ll find on LinkedIn. Businesses spend a lot of time and money on learning the demographics of each platform’s user base. With this knowledge, they’ll then be able to tailor specific types of content for each platform.

Native Lead Capture Tools vs. Landing Pages

The vast majority of a company’s potential user base is already on social media, so why direct them to somewhere new?

That’s the thinking behind native lead capture. Through this method, you’re able to advertise to would-be customers and offer some simple CTAs while still remaining on the social media platform. It might only seem like a small thing, but you have to remember that customers want every part of the buying process to be as simple as possible.

So any minor inconvenience, such as clicking onto an external site (even if it’s your own), might be enough to drive them away.

However, that’s not to say that traditional landing pages have had their time. If a customer clicks on a social media ad and it takes them through to a landing page, you just need to make sure that the landing page is closely linked to the ad. This could be something like a specific product page on your website or the opportunity to book a demo or consultation for a service.

Personalized, Data-Driven Targeting

We’re all very familiar with that eerie feeling of ads popping up on our social media pages that seem strangely relevant to us.

That’s because businesses are investing heavily in data-driven insight tools such as Google Analytics to ensure their ads are getting in front of the right people at the first attempt. These tools are invaluable for providing businesses with data on customer behaviors, locations, and demographics.

With this data, businesses can create targeted ad campaigns on areas of their business that seem to be generating a lot of attention rather than wasting resources on a scattergun approach.

Content That Converts in 2025

It’s no exaggeration to suggest that even with all the best strategies and datasets in place, you’re not going to get anywhere without strong, consistent content marketing.

Let’s take a look at some of the most successful forms of content for lead generation in 2025.

Interactive posts

Customers love to engage with content actively rather than passively consume it. Interactive polls related to a subject or quizzes with potential prizes on offer are great ways for businesses to increase engagement. These results offer valuable customer feedback to the business and a fun user experience will likely result in a deeper connection between the business and customer.

Short-form videos

We’re living in a world where everyone is constantly busy and on the go. So it’s little surprise that 73% of consumers prefer short-form videos on a product or service. The instant gratification the customer will experience is much more likely to stay with them than if they’d sat passively through a longer video.

Story-based user-generated content (UGC)

There are few things more effective for a business than seeing their customers interacting with their products or services. Users who take the time to post photos or videos of them using what you sell is an invaluable source of evidence that can be retargeted towards potential new customers.

Carousel posts

Carousels are another great way for users to interact with your content. Each swipe counts as an engagement and another opportunity to capture attention. It also provides a way of offering in-depth storytelling in an efficient manner. It’s especially effective for visual storytelling as it allows for multiple instances of something being used in creative ways.

AI-enhanced creative content

Businesses should look to maintain a personal touch wherever possible when it comes to content. However, there’s nothing wrong with relying on something such as image manipulation software (Photoshop, Canva) to add a bit of extra flare to your images to really capture your customers’ attention.

Best Lead Generation Strategies by Platform

As we mentioned previously, not all types of content works for every platform. Each of the successful methods we’ve presented are great to use, but it’s important to recognize where best to utilize them to achieve the most effective results.

So with that in mind, let’s break down how best to use content and other lead generation strategies for each major social media platform.

LinkedIn Lead Generation

LinkedIn has seen a dramatic rise in use over the past few years, particularly as a means for social media lead generation. Businesses can make the most of targeting individuals with clear links to companies they might see as potential customers. As such, it’s now seen as the leading platform for social media B2B lead generation.

Some of the most effective ways businesses can use LinkedIn for lead generation include:

• LinkedIn Events and Webinars - with LinkedIn, you’re likely to get a customer pool that’ll respond more to long-form pitches and live demonstrations. So by hosting events where potential customers, clients, and partners can see a product or service in action and ask follow-up questions via live webinars, you’re likely to see a strong boost in lead generation.
• Lead Gen forms - LinkedIn’s Lead Gen forms are a great way for potential customers to make their interest known. It’s a form usually attached to ads that will have a user’s LinkedIn details already filled in. With this strategy, businesses will quickly gain a set of hot leads that they already know have a real interest in what they offer.
• CRM triggers - most leading CRMs are closely integrated with LinkedIn. So you can set up certain triggers that occur on your LinkedIn profile that will then appear as potential leads within your CRM system. For example, if someone clicks on a blog post about a new service, your CRM will make you aware of this.
• LinkedIn ads - LinkedIn offers their own tailored ads for professionals to purchase and are shown to those who are seen as most relevant via hyper-niche targeting. For example, a company could set ads to appear for businesses in their Account Based Marketing (ABM) lists, or for individuals who have certain skills that are relevant to their solution.

Instagram Lead Generation

Instagram is no longer just the place where people go to post fancy photographs. It’s actually an excellent form of social media for business marketing with value-added images and short-form video content that attract a lot of attention and potential customers.

Some of the ways businesses are using Instagram for to build social media engagement include:

• Lead magnets in Stories - businesses will create a powerful image or piece of short-form media for their Instagram page. They will then promote this via Instagram Stories or Highlights. Embedded within these lead magnets will be Instagram stickers or swipe-up links which will guide potential customers to where they need to go.
• Direct Messaging automation - Instagram’s native lead capture tool is via direct messaging, or DMs. Users that are interested in a product they’ve seen on Instagram can click on the company page and interact directly with them via DMs. It’s essentially a chatbot service for the business contained within Instagram, rather than external.
• Collaborations - Instagram is packed with influencers across all niches. And if you sell a product or service within that niche, you might be able to collaborate with the influencer who will promote what you sell to their audience.
• IG Live to Email sequence - Instagram Live is a great way of interacting with customers and generating leads. During a Live show, you can set up triggers that will initiate an automatic email, which could contain a free product or a sign up for a newsletter. The idea is that they can continue the direct engagement with your business as soon as the Live show has stopped.

Facebook Lead Generation

Facebook was the first to fully master the art of social media marketing, and it’s made them an unparalleled success. While other platforms have taken a chunk out of their market share, they’re still one of the absolute go-to places for social media engagement and in-depth analytics.

Some of their most important marketing features include:

• Community pages - Facebook has thousands of community pages, filled with people who share a certain interest or who work in the same sector. If you post regular, value-driven content on your page within these groups, you’ll likely see an uptick in organic lead generation.
• AI-powered ads - Facebook ads remain a viable lead generation option. And now, with AI becoming so refined, they’re more powerful than ever. You can choose where, within Facebook, these ads appear. You can also set up integration with your CRM to be alerted whenever a lead form is filled out.
• Retargeting ads - Facebook is excellent for retargeting ads. These are aimed at users who have already interacted with one of your previous ads and are perhaps more likely to act again. If you pair this follow up ad with a time-sensitive offer, you create a sense of urgency and a feeling that they might not get a third chance at making the most of the discount.
• Messenger drip campaigns - these involve sending time-released sets of communications, usually with a growing sense of urgency. For Facebook, this can be done via Messenger. The idea is to reveal a little more about the service with each message, so that by the final communication the user is more primed to make the purchase.

YouTube and Shorts for Lead Generation

YouTube remains the king for lead generation using both short- and long-form video content. While TikTok is certainly chipping away at this market, YouTube has allowed companies to place ads on videos for many years now. As such, it remains one of the most important outlets for social media lead generation.

Some of the main lead generation strategies that businesses use on YouTube include:

• Multi-part series - businesses can use multiple videos over a short period of time to engage their audience. You could choose to introduce a new product, and use each video to reveal a specific feature of that product. As with drip campaigns, the goal is to build momentum and interest over time.
• Teaser Shorts - many people (particularly the younger generation) are more engaged with short-form content. You can apply the same principles of urgency and the fear of missing out using YouTube Shorts to interact with this type of audience member.
• End screen and description funneling - many lead generation videos on YouTube will end with a call to action, usually in the form of click-through to another video. They also might direct watchers to initiate a follow-up action in the description to gain access to more value-added content.

The Role of AI in Social Media Lead Generation

There is no question that the rise and rapid refinement of AI has taken B2B social media lead generation to the next level. What started out as some simple graphic enhancements has evolved into a complex ecosystem of AI-driven tools and software's that can help businesses achieve highly-effective lead generation on a much more regular basis.

Predictive Lead Scoring on Social Channels

Predictive analytics have been a game-changer for businesses when it comes to understanding the strength of their leads. With these tools, businesses are able to determine how likely it is that a lead will convert into a sale based on a number of scoring metrics. These metrics include things such as website visits, demographic data, and lead engagement.

Conversational AI and Smart Chatbots

Most businesses now have access to highly intelligent chatbots that they will usually place on the homepage of their website. Not only are these chatbots designed to replicate human conversation with a high level of authenticity, but they’re very effective at solidifying leads by guiding potential customers to the correct website section with minimal fuss.

Generative AI for Personalized Content Creation

Such is the speed at which AI is developing, businesses are now able to instruct it to create personalized content to help with their social media lead generation. It’s now able to take on board things such as tone of voice and messaging to closely replicate the type of content your business produces. This content can also be scheduled automatically to keep content calendars on track.

Metrics That Matter: How to Measure Success in 2025

You can have the most effective marketing team in the world, creating the best content and attracting potential leads left, right, and center. But none of this will do your business any good if you can’t be sure whether your lead generation strategies are having an impact on your sales and revenue. Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.

And that’s where metrics are so important. They tell you what’s working and what isn’t, and inform your future marketing decisions.

But as with everything, what worked before doesn’t guarantee success in the future. So what are the key metrics for success in 2025?

Beyond CTR and CPL

You’re probably aware of what click-through rates (CTRs) and cost-per-leads (CPLs) are. They’re the metrics that most businesses have traditionally used to measure campaign success rates.

But businesses are no longer as interested in broad metrics. Rather, they’re after the data on those handful of leads that are particularly strong, referred to as Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs). By checking user behaviors or content interaction, businesses are able to pinpoint these leads to try and secure the purchase.

SQLs will usually have higher success rates than Market Qualifying Leads (MQLs) or Sales Accepted Leads (SALs), and they’re definitely more effective than cold calling.

From a financial and budgeting point of view, businesses are also more interested in the Customer Lifetime Value (CTV) score. This value determines the predicted revenue that a single customer will contribute to the business over their lifetime. If a business sees that they have a large pool of high value customers, it’ll reduce the amount they need to spend on acquiring new customers.

Benchmark Data (2025)

So what does success on each platform look like?

LinkedIn

• Click-Through-Rate (CTR) - 0.52%
• Average Cost-per-Lead (CPL) - $98
• Average Ad Engagement Rate - 1.22%

Facebook

• Click-Through-Rate - 0.9% - 1.1%
• Average Cost-per-Lead - $32.69
• Average Ad Engagement Rate - 0.15%

Instagram

• Click-Through-Rate - 1.5%
• Average Cost-per-Lead - $9
• Average Ad Engagement Rate - 0.43%

X

• Click-Through-Rate - 0.5%
• Average Cost-per-Lead - not stated
• Average Ad Engagement Rate - 0.015%

Keep in mind that these are averages across all sectors and industries, which can fluctuate quite a lot. So make sure you’re aware of your specific industry benchmarks if your own results are considerably above or below these.

Lead Nurturing After Capture: How to Close the Loop

Social media lead generation is closely linked to the concept of closed-loop marketing. It’s essentially the process of carefully tracking a lead from initial generation all the way through to purchase, then using the results to inform future marketing decisions.

We’ve discussed how to initiate lead generation. Now, let’s take a look at what happens at the other end of the scale when you’re trying to ‘close the loop.’

Email Sequences That Work

So you’ve managed to successfully earn a customer’s details through an email sign-up. Now you’ve got to make the most of this precious piece of information by nurturing the lead through email sequencing.

This involves keeping the lead aware of what you have to offer and warming them up over a period of time, until they’ve seen enough evidence to justify a purchase.

For example, a lead nurture email sequence will invoice a business allowing a customer to get to know them over time. These are great for building up potential long-term relationships rather than quickfire sales. All emails need to be value-added (tips, resources, guides) to show the lead that you care and understand their pain points, and you’re striving to solve them.

Alternatively, a post-meeting follow-up sequence is designed to strike when the iron is hot. Your lead will have enjoyed a good sales call with your team, and you would have likely followed this up with additional information on the product. They might have agreed to go away and discuss things further with the rest of their team.

The idea behind this type of sequencing is to hint at the urgency in coming to a decision. You want the lead to commit to the purchase while it’s fresh in their mind and before they’ve had a chance to go away or reconsider.

Social Media Retargeting Sequences

Retargeting across social media involves re-engaging with potential leads that may have already interacted with your content in some way. The idea is to take advantage of this interest by reinforcing your message or product benefits across social media.

These follow-up ads need to remain as specific as possible to the area that the lead initially interacted with. If they browsed a product section on your website, then make sure any subsequent ads relate to that product or section. This is particularly effective for those window shoppers or cart abandoners who didn’t quite complete the purchase the first time around.

Final Thoughts

Social media lead generation continues to grow in both importance and scope. And while it does have its ups and downs, there’s no question at this point that social media is here to stay.

It’s essential that businesses get a firm grip on what it takes to be successful through this form of marketing, though with careful planning and a firm understanding of each platform, businesses can quickly turn lead generation via social media into impressive revenue.