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Back in 2019, Google Introduced its lead form ad extensions aiming to facilitate mobile users in converting and sharing their contact details without navigating away from the search engine results page (SERP). Recent updates from Google have enhanced this feature, allowing the form to open directly on mobile devices when users click on your ad headline. This advancement provides an opportunity to boost lead generation through your Search ads but there are many ways you can improve your mobile conversion rates.
It’s no secret that advertising on mobile can be hard; the screens are a lot smaller than desktop PCs, the connection is usually slower and you have your audience’s attention for a shorter period of time. Mobile advertising will always be a difficult task and filling in a form on mobile will always be harder than on a desktop,
Over the last few years, the number of mobile users has risen to a new level, and according to Google, the majority of the traffic is now converting on mobile devices. We live in a busy, fast-paced era where mobile is the quickest and easiest way to find something, so if you have a slow website that isn’t particularly user-friendly and no time to fix it, then Google Ads could provide the solution.
What are Google Ads Lead Form Extensions?
The Google lead extension will appear beneath your search ad on mobiles, tablets and most handheld devices connected to the internet. They allow users to provide contact information directly through your advert in the SERPs, eliminating the need for users to visit your mobile site to convert. If the user is signed into their Google account then the form will already be pre-populated with their contact information and all they need to do is simply submit it. Â
Like all ad extensions, advertisers only pay when a user clicks on your form extension. However, your form is not guaranteed to show all the time. Lead forms work only as an extension to an existing search campaign, so bidding and targeting options are determined by the campaign your form is being attached. Â
How do Google Ads lead form extensions work?Â
Google lead generation forms are created to pull in potential customers by including an easy-to-follow call to action in a form which is optimised for mobile devices. Users see a Google-hosted form that is immediately filled out using the details of their Google accounts upon clicking the advertisement.
How To Create a Google Lead Form Extension
Creating a Google Lead Form Extension within your Google Ads account is a strategic way to seamlessly capture potential customer information. These extensions, integrated into your ad campaigns, offer a streamlined method for users to engage directly with your business. Let’s take a look at adding them to your account.
Do make sure you have access to a Google Ads account with the necessary permissions to create extensions.
To Set Up:
- Navigate to your Google Ads account and click on the ‘Ads & Assets’ tab. This will bring a drop down menu, to which you need to click on the ‘Assets’ tab.
- Once on the Assets page, click on ‘Lead Form’ and the plus button, or alternatively hit the blue plus button on the assets page and click on ‘Lead Form’.
- Select if you want to create a new lead form on the Account level (it will show for all campaigns) or at campaign level for a specific campaign.
Creating Your Lead Form
Once you’ve chosen what level you’d like your Lead Form to be, you can begin to customise the lead form to best suit your business.
Form Fields
There are several fields to fill out, and you must provide at least a headline, business name, description, and 1 form field.Â
It’s best practice to create a headline that captivates your audience, as this is what they see before they click on the form button on the ad. It’s best to tell them what they will get out of the form.Â
‘Get a free consultation today’ ‘Book a tour of our school today!’ ‘Register for our free webinar’ are some examples of good headlines.Â
It’s important to note that the longer your form is, the less likely a user will fill it out. Make it as short and simple as possible, and get the extra information you want later down the line.
Qualifying questions
You’ll find that you can add some questions to your form, but you must choose from a set list. Perhaps you may want to ask questions about when they are available to talk, what their preferred method of communication is, and if they have any questions.
There are several categories to choose questions from, such as business and education, but if you start typing a question you may want to ask, you’ll see that Google will suggest questions for you. Remember that these questions will add to the form length, so could put your user off. It’s advised to use qualifying questions sparingly.
Privacy Policy URLÂ
You need to add a privacy policy to your Google Ads lead form assets so that users will have the option to review the policy before submitting their details. It must be hosted on your website (which it should be anyway!), in order to keep to GDPR laws. You cannot have a lead form extension without a privacy policy.
Form Submission Message
Once a user has submitted their details, they will be taken to a thank-you page. It is a good idea to give some additional information to the user on the form submission page or to tell them what to expect next.
A simple headline, description and a call to action button is required. Encourage them to visit your website to find out more. You can put in the URL of the page you’d like them to visit.
Call To Action
Next, you need to add the call to action that users will see before clicking on the form. Use call to action language, such as a ‘submit’ or ‘enquire’ to encourage them to fill out the form. You have a set list of call to action button text that you can choose from, so make sure that the one you pick is relevant for your form and your business objective.
Lead Form Type
Finally, you need to choose an objective for your Google Lead Form. There are two options:
Depending on your goal, it’s important to select the right Lead Form Type. Google will show your ad as frequently as the lead form type allows. Remember, big numbers can be great, but mean nothing if they have little value. Choose the goal depending on what you want to achieve.
How to download leads in lead form extensionsÂ
You’ll want to be able to export the details of your leads, and there are several ways to do this.
The default option is to export the data from the ad extensions table. This is the free option, but requires you to manually fetch the data. You can also only get the last 30 days of data, and not historic data.
You are able to get it automatically imported into your CRM, however you can only do this through Zapier, which requires a paid subscription.
If you are getting hundreds of leads a day, it’s probably best to look into Zapier and get them automatically exported to you. If you’re getting manageable numbers, such as 1-5 a day, then you may be fine manually exporting the data.
How to track conversions for Google Ads lead form extensions?
Last but definitely not least, is conversion tracking! You want to know how many people have converted, and the conversion rate of your lead forms. To do this, you have two options again.
One option (‘Google Data Sources’) includes Zapier, and allows you to integrate from over 4000 third party platforms. This also means you can import offline conversions.
The free option is to set up through ‘other data sources’, which Google sets up for you.
And that’s it! Press save and your lead form will start showing. Do remember that it won’t show on every ad, but it will depend on your lead form goal and your bid strategy.
Lead form conversions: quick facts
- Whenever a lead form is opened and clicked on, it will always be tracked as a lead form click
- Once a form has been clicked on, filled in and submitted, it will be counted as a lead conversion
- Advertisers can see their click and conversion rate performance by separating the performance report by Click and Conversion type
- When using the lead form extension, you can download your leads straight from the campaign as a CSV file – it’s important to do this regularly as they will only be stored for 30 days
What are the benefits of Google Ads lead form extensions?
Google Ads lead form extensions offer several benefits for advertisers looking to streamline the lead generation process. Here are some key advantages:
- Improved User Experience: Lead form extensions enable users to submit their information directly within the ad, eliminating the need to navigate to an external landing page. This streamlined process enhances user experience by reducing friction and saving time.
- Higher Conversion Rates: The convenience of submitting contact information without leaving the search results page can lead to higher conversion rates. Users are more likely to engage and provide their details when the process is quick and seamless.
- Mobile Optimisation: Lead form extensions are particularly effective on mobile devices, where users may prefer a frictionless experience. By opening the form directly on mobile devices, advertisers can tap into the growing mobile user base.
- Increased Lead Volume: The ease of completing a lead form within the ad itself can result in increased lead volume. Users who might otherwise hesitate to navigate away from the search results are more likely to convert with this streamlined approach.
- Quick Access to Customer Data: Advertisers can access the collected lead data through Google Ads, allowing for quick follow-up and integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems. This facilitates efficient lead management and nurturing.
- Integration with CRM Systems: The collected lead data can be seamlessly integrated with CRM systems, enabling advertisers to manage and nurture leads effectively. This integration ensures a smooth transition of data from Google Ads to the broader sales and marketing ecosystem.
- Customisable Form Fields: Google Ads lead form extensions offer flexibility in designing the form fields. Advertisers can customize the information they collect, tailoring it to their specific business needs and ensuring that the leads generated are highly relevant.
- Cost-Efficient Advertising: By simplifying the user journey and encouraging more immediate actions, lead form extensions contribute to a potentially more cost-efficient advertising strategy. Advertisers can achieve their lead-generation goals with a streamlined and focused approach.
Want to find out more about the new Google Ads lead extension?
If you want to find out more about the new Google Ads lead extension and what it could mean for your business, contact one of our specialists today!
Don’t worry! Tillison Consulting are specialists in many digital marketing sectors such as SEO, conversion rate optimisation and eCommerce CRO. We can help you transform your website and your user experience. Contact us today!
