Whether you’re a small business, just starting up, or a relatively big and well-established enterprise, lead generation is where your game begins. After all, unless you have a pool of quality leads that can eventually lead to conversions, your business may fall flat. And to make your job easier, you need to have a concrete lead generation strategy, backed by a thorough research on the latest lead generation statistics.
We, at BigClicks Boon, have gone ahead and done some deep diving into the current market trends and listed for you some of the most crucial and astonishing facts about lead generation that you must know in 2024. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s read on to find out some interesting B2C and B2B lead generation statistics…
General Lead Generation Statistics
Before we delve into some specific lead generation stats for small businesses and large corporations, let’s look at a few general lead generation facts:
- Lead generation is the top goal for a large number of businesses
Lead generation is the most significant marketing goal for about 34% of all businesses. Now, we aren’t the ones saying this. This is from a 2023 report released by leading global digital marketing platform Semrush. The other goals of leading marketers around the world include building relevant website content and raising brand awareness.
- Businesses spend a huge amount of their budget on lead generation
A 2021 B2B lead generation statistics report by LinkedIn suggested lead generation is what 53% of the companies spend half of their marketing budget on.
Now, this may not be a huge revelation, as lead generation is something that most businesses thrive on, but it’s definitely something you need to remember.
- The lead generation market is set to grow phenomenally
A report by The Insights Partner has predicted that the worldwide lead generation market will lead to US $15.55 billion by 2031. Per the 2023 reports, the market was valued at $4.28 billion.
A similar report released in 2021 stated that lead generation is set to triple by year 2028, with a CAGR of 17.5%. So, going by either report, we feel lead generation is a trend that is here to stay.
4. SEO has tremendous impact on lead generation
A 2019 report by BrightEdge Research stated that SEO drives over 1000% more traffic for businesses than the usual social media channels. Apart from improving the visibility of websites, SEO increases engagement by positioning the right set of keywords, images, and other elements, thus reaching out to the right audience.
5. Mobile devices have a massive contribution to website traffic
According to the latest statistics, about 62% of all users are reading your website content through their mobiles. This is a huge figure, when compared to the nominal 36% who are viewing your website through desktop computers.
What this implies is that you can’t think of lead generation without considering the impact that mobile devices have on it. This also means that mobile-friendly content and websites optimized for mobile devices are a necessity if you wish to survive amid this competitive world.
Content Marketing Lead Generation Statistics
Now that we know how important lead generation is, let’s explore some new-age content marketing lead generation strategies and stats:
1. Interactive content affects lead conversion rates massively
A 2020 report by Upland stated that interactive content tends to lead to conversions in almost 70% cases. This is compared to 36% in case of content that is static or passive.
Such content can range from polls and quizzes to interactive video content. These interactive elements tend to drive more engagement as well as create a strong bond with the consumers/clients. Additionally, interactive content tends to be far from boring and drives engagement in an entertaining and innovative manner.
2. Blogs fetch leads faster than many other methods
Businesses that post regular SEO-optimized blogs with relevant and high-quality content get 13 times more leads and return on investment than those that don’t.
Apart from generating brand awareness, blogs improve credibility. Additionally, a LinkedIn article states that businesses that post around 15 blogs every month can get around 1,200 new prospects/leads on an average, each month. A 2021 Backlinko report too stated that 72% of all B2B businesses have active blogs.
3. Video content is increasingly becoming one of the favorite content marketing tools.
According to the latest statistics, 87% of all marketers believe videos help in generating leads. While blogs do engage people who love to read, there are many who don’t have the time and patience to go through lengthy written content. To engage such people, what works best is a combination of videos and other interactive or visual content, such as infographic.
Another interesting statistic is that 44% of consumers/clients prefer videos when it comes to getting to know a new product or a service. Moreover, videos generate 66% of qualified leads on an average each year and can increase your lead conversion rates by 80% or even more.
This makes videos a crucial part of the sales funnel, as they can be used for everything from raising brand awareness (90% of companies report that videos have had a positive impact in this area) to increasing sales (87%). A 2023 Semrush report also stated that of all forms, short-form videos generate the most leads (43%), followed by product or brand videos (33%) and customer review videos (32%).
- Short-form content is a winner in the B2B marketing scene, but long-form content isn’t far behind.
About 94% marketers prefer using short-form content to promote their B2B content and reach out to as many prospective leads as possible. Apart from short articles, marketers also rely on videos, case studies, and customer success stories.
However, 71% marketers also believe that long-form content drives engagement with their educational value.
- Content marketing rules as a lead generation channel
It has been proved that organizations that make use of content marketing as a primary channel of lead generation end up getting six times the conversion rates compared to their counterparts who don’t. This is what a 2024 Forbes article states.
Additionally, personalized content (with or without AI involvement) fetches 120 times better conversion rates, whereas 84% of B2B brands agree that content marketing has helped them raise brand awareness, 76% state content marketing has catapulted their demand and lead generation strategies, and 63% state they use content marketing mainly for lead nurturing.
Social Media Lead Generation Statistics
Be it eye-catching reels, funny hashtags, or catchy captions, social media never fails when it comes to lead generation. Let’s find out some interesting facts about social media lead generation statistics:
- Social media is a major lead generation channel.
According to a 2023 Semrush study, 52% marketers feel social media and online communities were their top priority in terms of creating new leads.
And what were the primary lead generation tools for social media? Here too, social media platforms scored better than others. So, 58% marketers depended on social media apps/sites/platforms. Of course, marketers use other avenues too, such as web analytics (49%), e-mail marketing software services (58%), and SEO plans (43%).
- Most leads look for social proof for purchase decisions
According to a Gartner study, over half of all potential clients/customers in both B2C and B2B businesses opted to look for information on the products/services they wished to invest in/buy from other experts/users online. This leads us to the importance of influencer marketing in both B2B and B2C industries. Another study has proved that 47% of brands surveyed have agreed to the fact that micro-influencers have been of great help when it came to generating new leads.
Niche influencers with a limited number of followers, as opposed to influencers who have a huge following, are often better at creating brand loyalty. For instance, a travel influencer with a few thousand followers can fetch better reach for a travel package if his/her followers are mostly associated with the travel and hospitality industry. Research also states that in 2023, one out of four consumers purchased a product after being driven by an influencer from the industry.
- Facebook is still the most popular social media channel in terms of paid lead generation.
While social media, in general, is an increasingly popular channel for lead generation, it turns out that Facebook still rules the charts when it comes to paid lead generation.
Statistics show that 94% of all B2C and B2B marketers opt for Facebook when it comes to reaching out to new leads. This is because of its easy ad targeting feature.
However, Instagram is not too far behind. A Forbes study states that more than 200 million Instagram users visit at least one business account on the platform each day. This is thus a huge pool of new leads that companies look forward to tap into.
- Organic channels are more popular when it comes to lead generation on social media.
Going by the 2024 Forbes study we have previously cited, around 73% of businesses surveyed admitted to depending on organic social media techniques when it comes to lead generation.
This proves that though paid SEO and paid partnerships involving influencers on social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram are in vogue, there is no alternative to organic lead generation. This is especially true for small businesses or start-ups that can’t afford a high-budget paid lead generation plan.
- Instagram fetches great lead generation ROI
A 2024 Hubspot report reveals some fascinating lead generation insights for marketers. It states Instagram is giving tough competition to Facebook when it comes to return on investment (ROI) for lead generation plans. This is a notch better than the 2020 study by Hubspot that showed Instagram fetched the second-highest lead generation ROI for marketers who invested in social media.
This is one of the most interesting lead generation trends and isn’t something that appeared out of nothing. A 2021 Statista research stated that 67% of marketers surveyed globally agreed to having plans of increasing their Instagram use for lead generation in the future.
E-mail Marketing Lead Generation Statistics
Before you ditch the e-mail as an oldie, think again! Here are some interesting e-mail marketing lead generation statistics that will blow your mind:
- Personalized e-mails lead to more leads and closures
Hubspot’s 2024 statistics on lead generation data prove that dynamic and hyper-personalized email content fetches more leads. In fact, personalization apparently leads to a 44% increase in lead generation and deal closures.
Such email customizations may include personalized images, locations, and other details based on consumer/client behavior. In fact, in some cases, advanced personalizations have also led to a 52% increase in sales conversions.
- Limited follow-ups work in case of e-mail lead generation
Are you sure all your e-mails and follow-ups are reaching your target client/customer and not their spam folders? A 2024 study has proved that 69% of leads unsubscribe from e-mails and newsletters because they feel they are being spammed.
Additionally, 56% of such leads also stated that they start losing interest in brands as soon as the content of the promotional e-mails become irrelevant. So, the correct strategy in such cases would be sending relevant content and that too sparingly, so that the consumer/client is not irritated by a barrage of mails.
- E-mail marketing does not belong to your back-burner
A 2023 study by Emarketer unveiled some interesting lead generation insights for marketers. It proved that 50% of businesses still rely on e-mail marketing and feel it’s most impactful when it comes to lead generation.
In fact, e-mail marketing is the most effective in case of lead nurturing. Another study states 60% of leads surveyed have agreed to the fact that they prefer marketers to send them e-mails about their products and services. So, in case you wish to reach out to new clients/consumers or touch base with your existing clients/consumers, e-mail marketing can be a reliable technique.
- Certain days work better for your marketing mail
Some stats have set some unusual lead generation benchmarks for e-mail marketing. Apparently, Mondays through Wednesdays are best when it comes to sending your marketing e-mails. A study stated that 22% of respondents tend to open their e-mail on Mondays.
Likewise, Tuesdays recorded the highest click-through rates (CTRs) at 2.4%, while when it comes to click-to-open rates, both Tuesdays and Wednesdays scored a massive 10.8%, meaning they are the most effective if you wish to reach out to your target markets. Recent studies have also proved that the most effective time for sending marketing e-mails to generate leads is 1 PM.
- More people open their e-mails first and not their social media.
Studies have proved that 58% of people tend to check their e-mails the first thing in the morning. Surprisingly only about 14% of those surveyed said they opened their social media accounts first.
Additionally, around 21.5% of e-mails from marketers are opened on an average, though different industries have different numbers in this case. Surprisingly, around 28.5% of marketing e-mails from the education sector are opened.
AI Lead Generation Statistics
It’s all about AI these days, isn’t it? Let’s find out some awe-inspiring AI lead generation facts:
- More businesses are investing in AI for lead generation
Salesforce’s 2023 State of Marketing report on lead generation data stated that around 40% of businesses agreed to having plans to invest in AI-led lead generation.
This was pretty evident, considering the many advantages that AI offers in terms of reaching out to potential clients. Apart from forecasting consumer behavior, AI also helps in customization of brand messages and e-mails for a more personalized approach.
- Generative AI scores over predictive AI for lead generation.
According to Salesforce, 64% of marketers surveyed admitted to preferring generative AI than predictive AI for their lead generation plans. Around 35% of such marketers were in their trail or planning stages.
While 54% of such marketers also use predictive AI, it is evident that companies are currently largely relying on AI for generating content rather than for predicting marketing or business outcomes.
- AI has helped companies generate massive conversion rates.
Businesses that employ AI for lead generation end up with a 50% increase in generation of new leads and 47% better conversion rates.
Apart from optimizing content for target leads, AI also reduces time and costs by automating most of the marketing tasks and by collecting relevant consumer data from existing customers.
- Chatbots are the kids on the block.
AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are the main AI tools being used by companies that have automated their lead generation processes. In 2024, Hubspot stated a third of companies are already using chatbots for their marketing efforts, whereas 58% of such businesses have plans to invest more in AI.
Apart from generating engagement with prospective clients, such chatbots are equipped with the technological edge to comprehend customer behavior over time. Additionally, the more they interact with consumers/clients, the more sophisticated they become.
- AI and marketing automation score over other marketing tools for personalization.
Hubspot’s 2024 report on marketing trends stated that 72% of marketers believed AI and other automation tools have helped them in creating hyper-personalized content for lead generation immensely.
Since hyper-personalization is in vogue, AI, ironically, helps a lot in making the whole lead generation process less robotic and makes it seamless across levels of marketing.
Key Pointers
- Lead generation is no longer based on traditional time-consuming and costly means such as manually browsing mail lists and directories
- Lead generation statistics these days prove that the entire function has diversified into e-mail, content marketing, social media, AI, and other tools and channels
Final Thoughts
The key to an effective lead generation strategy is to understand the pulse of your target consumer/client market. Only then will you be able to customize your messages and reach out with the right tone.
With the advent of newer technological avenues, such as AI, lead generation has definitely become an innovative and interesting domain. Nonetheless, it’s a combination of modern technological tools and the human element that is most effective in providing a seamless lead generation process.