Lead generation with AI — the strategies that deliver leads now

‍🕑 6 min read

How do I get more revenue and leads from my website? Everyone wants more revenue, more sales and more profit from their campaigns.

This comes up a lot.

People focus on the wrong channels. Just because one platform is popular does not mean it gives you ROI too.

Lead generation explained

Lead generation is the process of attracting potential customers and sparking their interest in your products or services. It is about finding people who may be interested in what you have to offer and gradually guiding them through the sales funnel.

Why do you need lead generation?

• Growth of your customer base: Without new leads, your pipeline dries up.
• Increased revenue: More qualified leads lead to more sales.

• Market insight: You get to know your audience better.
• Competitive advantage: Effective lead generation puts you ahead of the competition.

The most effective channels for lead generation

It turns out that companies often divide their time and resources poorly across different marketing channels. Let's look at the most effective methods:

1. Paid ads lead the pack

Paid ads turn out to be the biggest driver of revenue. With an average return on ad spend (ROAS) of around 200% for search ads across all industries, this is a channel you cannot ignore.

Tip: Focus on optimising your ads for the lifetime value of a customer, not just the first purchase.

2. SEO remains the quiet force

53.3% of all web traffic comes from organic search results. By contrast, only 27% comes from paid search results. It takes time to build, but it delivers consistent results in the long run. Simply because you do not pay per click.

Interesting fact: In 2023, European businesses generated more than €179 billion in economic activity with the help of Google services.

3. Email marketing is underrated but powerful

Email remains one of the most cost-effective ways to get leads and convert them. It offers a personal touch that is hard to match with other channels.

4. Content marketing builds trust

By creating valuable content, you position your business as an authority in your field. This attracts leads and builds trust at the same time. CRO (conversion rate optimisation) belongs in the picture too.

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SEO vs. ChatGPT: search behaviour explained 

Another channel many people consider less obvious is the search engines themselves. In other words, the technology behind the searches.

With the rise of ChatGPT, I see a lot of people thinking: “Is search dead? Can't we just use ChatGPT?” If you look at the time people spend, you see that they spend more time on email, streaming and social media than on search engines.

On average, search engines are used only 3 to 4 times a day, while you spend an average of 2 hours and 31 minutes on social media.

Here is the key point: people do not spend much time on search engines, because they are sent straight to a website.

They spend more time on the site than on the actual search. And that is great.

After all, you want them to go to your website.

On average, SEO traffic accounts for 49.04% of website traffic. Search ads account for an average of 9.02% of website traffic. And the average return on ad spend for paid search is 352%.

That is huge.

If you optimise for the lifetime value of a customer, instead of only for your direct return on the first purchase, you can scale these ads at lightning speed.

Multichannel Marketing

To be truly effective at lead generation, you need to be where your audience is. That means using a multichannel strategy:

• Social media: although it generates only 6.38% of website traffic, it is crucial for brand awareness.
• Search engines: people spend an average of 15.4 minutes a day on search engines, but this leads to direct action.
• Email: still one of the most personal and effective channels.
• Content marketing: blogs, podcasts and videos help build authority.

Calculate your ROI in one simple step

To decide where to put your resources, it is essential to calculate the ROI of every marketing activity. Here is a simple formula:

ROI = (Revenue from investment - Cost of investment) / Cost of investment * 100

Example: If you invest €1000 in a paid ad campaign and it generates €4000 in revenue:

ROI = (4000 - 1000) / 1000 * 100 = 300%

This means you get 3 euros back for every euro invested.

Questions about lead generation 

What is the difference between a lead and a prospect?‍

‍A lead is someone who has shown interest in your product or service, while a prospect is a qualified lead who is more likely to convert.

How long does it take before I see results from SEO?

‍SEO is a long-term strategy. Expect the first significant results after 3-6 months, with continuous improvement after that.

Is social media really effective for B2B lead generation?

Yes, platforms such as LinkedIn in particular can be very effective for B2B. It is about choosing the right platforms for your audience.

How often should I evaluate my lead generation strategy?

It is advisable to review performance monthly and carry out an in-depth analysis every quarter.

What is a good conversion rate for a landing page?‍

‍This varies by industry. According to Unbounce, the median across all industries in 2024 was 6.6%. Some high-performing pages can reach 10% or more.