According to a study by eMarketer, lead generation outperforms almost every other marketing objective, including retention and brand awareness.
Why is lead generation so important to online marketers? It’s because the buying cycle has fundamentally changed. Companies no longer control the beginning of the sales cycle, like they used to. Buyers have taken the reins and now begin the purchasing process through search. That’s why, according to a 2011 study by Marketing Charts, 57% of B2B marketers derive the biggest impact on their lead generation from search engine optimization. It’s the best long-term strategy to target a large pool of leads that are actively searching for your products and services.