Introduction
As a LinkedIn marketing strategist, I can’t stress enough how crucial it is to test your lead gen forms before launching a campaign. It’s like double-checking your parachute before skydiving – you want to make sure everything’s in order before you take the leap. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of testing LinkedIn lead gen forms, ensuring your campaigns are set up for success from the get-go.
Setting up a Lead Generation Campaign
Before we dive into testing, let’s quickly run through setting up a lead generation campaign. It’s a bit like preparing a gourmet meal – you need all the ingredients in place before you start cooking.
First, you’ll want to configure your campaign objective. Head over to Campaign Manager and select “Lead Generation” as your objective. This tells LinkedIn that you’re after those valuable leads.
Next, create your ad sets and ads. Think of this as laying out your menu – what’s going to entice your audience to bite? You might want to create multiple ad variations to test different messages or visuals. Remember, variety is the spice of life (and marketing)!
Finally, attach a lead gen form to your ads. This is where the magic happens – it’s the form that will capture your leads’ information. Make sure it’s clear, concise, and asks for only the essential information. Nobody likes filling out a form that feels like a novel!
Publishing as a Draft
Here’s a pro tip that many marketers overlook: publish your campaign as a draft first. It’s like having a dress rehearsal before the big show. To do this, head to the review tab in your campaign setup. Click on the little arrow next to the publish button, and select “Publish as Draft”.
Publishing as a draft has some serious perks. It allows you to edit and test your lead form without the risk of spending any ad budget. Plus, it gives you the flexibility to make tweaks and adjustments before your campaign goes live. Trust me, your future self will thank you for this extra step!
Testing the Lead Gen Form
Now, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this guide – actually testing your lead gen form. It’s a bit like being your own secret shopper, experiencing your form as your potential leads would.
First, open up your draft ad set. Look for the “more” or “…” icon – it’s usually hiding in plain sight. Click on it, and you should see an option to “Test Lead Form URL”. This is your golden ticket to preview land.
Clicking this will redirect you to LinkedIn, where you’ll see your ad as it would appear in the wild. Go ahead, click on that shiny call-to-action button. You should now see your lead gen form in all its glory.
Now, put on your user hat and fill out the form. Is it easy to navigate? Are all the fields working correctly? Does it feel smooth and intuitive? These are the questions you should be asking yourself as you go through this process.
Once you’ve filled everything out, hit that submit button. You should see a confirmation message – if you don’t, Houston, we have a problem!
Verifying Lead Data
Alright, you’ve submitted a test lead. But the job’s not done yet! We need to make sure that data is actually being captured correctly. It’s like checking if your fishing net has any holes before you cast it into the sea.
Head back to Campaign Manager and navigate to the lead gen forms section. Find the form you just tested and click on the “Download Leads” option. This will give you a CSV file with all your lead data.
Open up that CSV and look for your test entry. It should be marked as a test lead (usually in a column labeled “test lead” with a value of “true”). Check that all the fields you filled out are present and correct. Pay special attention to any hidden fields you might have set up – these are often used for tracking purposes and are easy to overlook.
If you’re using an integrated CRM or marketing automation system, now’s the time to check if the data has flowed through correctly. It’s like making sure your plumbing is working – you want that valuable lead data to flow smoothly into your systems.
FAQs
- Q: How often should I test my LinkedIn lead gen forms?
A: It’s a good practice to test your forms before every new campaign launch and after any significant changes to your form or integration setup. - Q: Can I test a lead gen form without publishing my ad?
A: Yes, that’s exactly what publishing as a draft allows you to do! - Q: What should I do if my test lead doesn’t show up in my CRM?
A: Double-check your integration settings and make sure all necessary fields are mapped correctly. If issues persist, reach out to LinkedIn support. - Q: Is there a limit to how many test leads I can submit?
A: LinkedIn doesn’t set a specific limit, but it’s best to keep it to a minimum to avoid cluttering your data. - Q: Can I delete test leads from my lead data?
A: Yes, you can manually remove test leads from your downloaded CSV file before importing to your CRM. - Q: What if I want to test different form variations?
A: Create multiple draft ads with different form variations attached, and test each one separately.