Paid Media
Aligning Paid Search and Social to Improve Lead Quality for a Home Builder
A leading home builder partnered with our team to enhance their paid search and paid social strategies to drive more high-quality leads. Using a data-driven approach, we tested multiple strategies, including the impact of embedding forms on landing pages and shifting from in-platform lead generation ads to traditional ads directing users to landing pages with forms. The results provided clear insights into how landing page design and campaign strategy influence conversion performance and lead quality.
The Challenge
The organization was investing in paid search and social campaigns but struggled to generate high-quality leads. Low conversion rates, ineffective landing page experiences, and poor lead quality from Meta’s in-platform forms created barriers to meaningful growth. Key challenges include:
Low Conversion Rates
Initial paid search and social campaigns were not delivering enough qualified leads.
Landing Page Design Issues
Many campaigns directed users to pages without embedded forms, requiring additional navigation.
Lead Quality Issues on Facebook
In-platform lead generation ads on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) resulted in a high volume of spammy lea
The Solution
To improve lead quality and increase conversions, Marcel Digital reworked the organization’s paid media strategy by removing friction in the user journey and eliminating low-quality lead sources. The focus shifted toward driving users to high-intent landing pages equipped with embedded forms, ensuring that only engaged prospects reached the sales team.
Embedding Forms Directly on Landing Pages
Initially, only 30% of landing pages included embedded forms, forcing users to navigate elsewhere to convert. We optimized additional landing pages by adding clear, accessible form fills. This improvement led to a dramatic jump in performance, increasing paid search conversions by 84% month over month, rising from 32 in September to 59 in October.
Shifting Meta Campaigns Away From In-Platform Lead Gen
Meta’s native lead generation ads produced large volumes of spam submissions due to their low-friction form experience. We transitioned campaigns to send users to the website instead, where embedded forms required more deliberate engagement. Although total submissions decreased, lead quality increased significantly, resulting in more qualified, sales-ready prospects.
Driving Higher-Intent Traffic Through Unified Landing Page Strategy
By directing both paid search and paid social traffic to optimized landing pages with embedded forms, we ensured consistency in user experience and improved the quality of inbound leads. This unified approach not only reduced spam but also strengthened conversion pathways across channels, leading to more meaningful and actionable leads for the sales team.
The Results
Optimizing the conversion flow across paid search and social drove meaningful improvements in both volume and lead quality. As more landing pages incorporated embedded forms, and Meta campaigns shifted away from in-platform lead generation, the organization saw stronger engagement and more qualified prospects entering the pipeline.
84% Increase in Paid Search Conversions From September to October
Paid search conversions jumped from 32 to 59 as additional neighborhood pages were updated with embedded forms. Even after the initial surge, conversions remained consistently higher than pre-optimization levels.
Improved Lead Quality From Paid Social After Shifting to Landing Pages
Paid social conversions increased from 26 to 42 in October when users were sent to landing pages rather than Meta’s in-app forms. Although volume decreased in November (17), the quality of leads improved significantly, reducing spam and delivering more sales-ready prospects.
Consistent Conversion Gains When Forms Were Present on Landing Pages
Across all channels, campaigns performed better when users landed on pages with embedded forms. This change sustained higher conversion rates over time and strengthened the efficiency of both paid search and social programs.
The Conclusion
Key takeaways and recommendations include maintaining form-filled landing pages to ensure all paid campaigns direct users to pages with immediate conversion opportunities, maximizing results. It is also important to avoid in-platform lead generation for Facebook Ads, as these forms, while convenient, often attract unqualified leads; directing users to a landing page instead typically results in more engaged and serious inquiries. Lastly, re-evaluating the balance between lead volume and quality is essential, as prioritizing quality over quantity leads to better long-term outcomes and reduces time spent on low-intent prospects.
Through data-driven optimizations, this home builder gained valuable insights into landing page and ad performance. By continuing to use form-filled landing pages and refining campaign targeting, they can drive higher and more consistent conversion rates in future campaigns.
