B2B Lead Generation: The Cost of Publisher Programs

B2B Lead Generation Cost [Infographic Thumbnail]Need leads? It will cost you. Between $35 and $65 per registration according to statistics recently published by Madison Logic. And that is if you are just targeting a broad function, like “marketing” or “technology.”

Do you want a specific industry? Level of seniority? Geography? The more targeting you need, the more expensive those leads become. That’s a safe rule of thumb, and the data from Madison Logic bears it out (stats in the infographic below).

Over a series of three articles on B2B lead generation, we will look at types of programs or providers, how to measure the success of publisher lead generation programs and things you can do to improve the results from your programs.

Part 1: Lead Generation Alternatives to a Content Syndication Network

Madison Logic promotes content across a broad network of topical sites. Some will be excellent, high quality targeted sites, others are probably just OK for your audience. Here are three alternative publisher lead generation programs you should consider:

1. Direct Publisher Buys
By working directly with publishers, you will have more opportunities to create more custom programs or integrate with overall advertising efforts. Some B2B publishers have introduced a broad range of offerings that include research, content creation, advertising and lead generation.

However these programs often come at a significant premium and the quality of contacts isn’t necessarily that much higher. In addition, you may need to manage multiple publishers to get the same volume that a network can achieve.

2. Co-Sponsored Content
As one of multiple sponsors for a piece of content, you can often drop your lead cost dramatically, with some high quality publishers offering programs under $20 per lead today. Although some marketers instinctively don’t like the idea of shared leads, today’s B2B buyers typically download multiple pieces of content from publishers and may already be in your competitor’s database as well. The idea of a lead that you, and only you, are calling on is a misguided notion today.

For many content-strapped marketers, this is the best approach (assuming you have a strong nurture program with supporting content, more on this later in the series).

3. Purchased Contacts
An increasing number of lead generation providers today sell contacts based on recent activity. You can purchase contacts that fit your basic target criteria (i.e. industry, role, company size, etc) and have recently registered to access relevant content (i.e. enterprise mobility, IT security, etc).

Although more expensive than going to Data.com, these contacts tend to be more targeted and higher quality. Larger marketers with an appropriate email infrastructure should consider this as an option for quickly building a database and then running their own lead generation programs.

For a broader range of B2B lead generation options (and flags for a few that don’t work well), see 6 Best Tactics for B2B Lead Generation.

Your Turn

What other B2B lead generation options you are seeing publishers roll out, or what do you think they should offer? Share your thoughts in the comments below or with me on Twitter (@wittlake).

B2B Lead Generation Cost Infographic

Get every post delivered directly to your inbox.

Your email address will not be shared or sold. I hate spam too.