LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms vs Landing Pages

Linkedin allows you two paths.

1. Lead Gen Forms: The user stays on LinkedIn. Their data is auto-filled. One click submit.
2. Landing Page: The user clicks through to your website. They manually type their email.

The Data: Conversion Rates

• Lead Gen Forms: 10% - 15% Conversion Rate.
• Landing Page: 2% - 5% Conversion Rate. Lead Gen Forms win on volume. Hands down. But do they win on revenue?

The Problem with "Frictionless"

When you make it too easy, you get junk. Users often submit Lead Gen Forms without updating their email (which might be an old yahoo.com address). Or they click "Submit" just to see the ebook, with no intent to buy. Landing Pages act as a filter. If someone takes the time to wait for the page load and type their work email, they are serious.

When to use Lead Gen Forms

• Top of Funnel (Ebooks/Webinars): You just want the email. You don't need high intent yet.
• Mobile Traffic: Typing on mobile is hard. Auto-fill saves the day.
• Retargeting: They already know you. Just make it easy for them to convert.

When to use Landing Pages

• Bottom of Funnel (Demo Request): You need to qualify the lead.
• Complex Offer: You need to explain the product with video and long copy before they convert.
• High Ticket B2B: You'd rather have 10 qualified leads than 100 junk leads.

The Best of Both Worlds: The "Hidden Field" Strategy

If you use Lead Gen Forms, you must add friction.

1. Custom Questions: Don't just ask for Email/Name. Ask "What is your biggest challenge?" (Text field, not dropdown). This forces them to think/type.
2. Work Email Validation: Use a tool (Zapier/Make) to filter out free email domains immediately.

Summary

Use Lead Gen Forms for Asset Downloads. Use Landing Pages for Sales Conversations. Don't confuse the two.