Social Media Lead Generation: How to Do It Right in 2025

Social media has fully evolved from a brand awareness tool into a powerful lead generation engine. Every post, platform, and tactic you use plays a role in guiding prospects through the sales funnel. As long as you use them strategically.

To generate qualified leads from social media, you need more than just engagement. You need the right content, the right tools, and a solid understanding of how each platform supports different stages of the buyer journey.

This guide outlines how to attract and convert high-quality leads through social media in 2025, without relying on paid ads. Here’s what we’ll cover:

Let’s get started.

What is lead generation through social media?

Social media lead generation refers to the process of using platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to identify potential customers, collect their contact information, and guide them toward a purchase.

To do it right, marketers need to understand the difference between awareness content and lead-generating content.

Awareness content sparks engagement and builds trust with your audience. Think content along the lines of thought leadership posts, behind-the-scenes videos, or polls that encourage interaction.

Lead content asks users to take a specific action. It may be signing up for a webinar or downloading a guide. Think of a call-to-action (CTA) that you might often see on websites you frequent: 

“Get our free eBook,” “Register for our demo,” or “Join the waitlist.”

Both awareness content and lead generation content are essential. However, only lead content includes a clear, measurable step in the buyer’s journey, and your sales team will be severely handcuffed without it.

How Social Platforms Feed Your Sales Funnel

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Not all social media content should serve the same purpose—and not all platforms drive the same outcomes. To generate qualified leads, you need to tailor your message to both the platform and the stage of the buyer’s journey.

Social media isn’t just about posting—it’s about moving people closer to conversion, step by step. When you align the right type of content with the right stage of your funnel, you create a seamless experience that builds trust and drives action.

Let’s look at how each stage of the funnel maps to social content.

Top of Funnel (TOFU): Spark awareness

At this stage, your goal is visibility. You’re reaching people who may not know your brand or who haven’t realised they have a problem you can solve. 

TOFU content should be educational, entertaining, or emotionally resonant to stop the scroll and generate initial interest.

TOFU content examples:

• Trend commentary, newsjacking, or viral takes
• Quick tips or “hot takes” in video or carousel format
• Reels or TikToks that entertain while subtly hinting at your offer
• Polls, quizzes, and questions that invite interaction

These posts build brand awareness and drive profile views, shares, and website visits—all of which feed the next stage of the funnel.

Middle of Funnel (MOFU): Build connection and capture intent

Now that your audience is aware of you, it’s time to educate and engage. MOFU content deepens the relationship and nudges people toward action by solving specific problems and offering tangible value.

MOFU content examples:

• Lead magnets like free guides, templates, or checklists
• Live webinars or Q&As with gated registration
• Behind-the-scenes posts that reveal your process or methodology
• Carousel posts or long-form captions with expert insights

At this stage, you're gathering contact details and qualifying your audience. The goal is to convert interest into intent.

Bottom of Funnel (BOFU): Drive conversions

Your warm leads are ready to take the final step. BOFU content should eliminate objections, reinforce trust, and make the next move clear and easy.

BOFU content examples include:

• Customer testimonials or case study highlights
• Limited-time offers or “DM me to book” callouts
• Personalised outreach in DMs or comment replies
• Links to sign-up forms, free trials, or demo requests

This is where conversions happen—whether that’s capturing a lead, scheduling a call, or closing a sale.

When you align your messaging with the right funnel stage, you’ll increase both conversions and trust.

Best Platforms for Social Media Lead Generation

Each platform has unique strengths depending on your audience and goals.

LinkedIn: Ideal for B2B lead generation

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LinkedIn remains the top platform for business-to-business (B2B) lead generation. Its professional environment allows brands to present themselves as experts and solution providers through:

• Educational posts, articles, carousels, and PDFs
• Industry commentary and thought leadership
• Native lead gen forms paired with Sponsored Content

LinkedIn’s integration with CRM tools makes lead tracking easy, making its audience more likely to engage with business-focused content.

Facebook: Community and paid lead ads

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Facebook is a powerful tool for business-to-customer (B2C) lead generation and niche audience building.

• Facebook Groups allow you to build a trusted community where you can showcase your expertise organically.
• Lead Ads let users share their info without leaving the platform, which improves completion rates.
• Retargeting tools help you re-engage visitors who interacted with your site, videos, or Facebook posts.

While Facebook Ads are effective, you can still collect leads organically by nurturing group members and sharing value-packed posts.

Instagram: Nurturing through DMs, Broadcast Channels, and Stories

Instagram is perfect for brands that rely on visual storytelling and personal connection. 

• Service providers, coaches, and creators often use DMs as their main way to connect and capture leads. 
• Broadcast channels are a good middle ground for creators, as well, since they allow them to reach a specific group of their followers with content that is usually exclusive to that channel. Think of it as a group chat where only the creator can post messages but other members can react to that content in different ways.
• Stories allow you to share urgency-driven content (e.g., countdowns, polls, quizzes) and include swipe-up links for quick lead capture.
• Link in bio tools like Linktree drive traffic to lead magnets or sign-up forms. 

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Consistency is key: Show up daily in Stories, engage in comments and DMs, and share content that builds trust.

X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky: Thought leadership and TOFU content

X and Bluesky are ideal for sparking conversation and showcasing your expertise, especially for startups, founders, and media professionals.

• Share industry takes, insights, or provocative ideas to drive attention.
• Use threads to educate and provide value, positioning your brand as a trusted authority.
• Offer downloadable lead magnets or resource links to users who engage.

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While these platforms lack built-in lead capture tools, they excel at building brand credibility and top-of-funnel visibility.

Types of Content That Generate Leads

High-performing lead generation relies on content that’s both valuable and actionable. Three content types that consistently drive results are lead magnets, webinars/event promotion, and social proof. 

Lead magnets

Lead magnets are downloadable resources people receive in exchange for their contact info. They must be helpful, relevant, and instantly usable. Popular formats include:

• eBooks or in-depth guides
• Templates, checklists, or worksheets
• Industry reports or benchmark data

For example, Sendible helps users create and include UTM parameters directly within the compose box, allowing them to track performance across different channels. 

Webinars and event promotion

Live and virtual events create urgency and offer real-time value. They’re excellent for gathering leads from interested prospects.

• Promote 2–3 weeks ahead of time on all platforms.
• Use Stories and countdown stickers to build anticipation.
• Require email registration to attend or access replays.

Social proof: Case studies and testimonials

Nothing builds trust faster than real-world success stories. Here are a few ways to include social proof in your lead generation efforts:

• Turn customer testimonials into quote graphics.
• Share client video clips or voice notes (with permission).
• Highlight before/after results or key performance improvements.

Even informal messages from satisfied clients (screenshots, DMs) can be powerful when used strategically.

Best Practices for Capturing and Converting Leads

Now let’s tie it all together. Creating strong content is only half the battle. To turn interest into leads, you need conversion tools and repeatable workflows. 

Keep these three lead generation best practices in mind as you flesh out your strategy.

Use strong CTAs and landing pages

Don’t bury the ask. Make your calls to action clear, specific, and benefit-driven. Try:

• “Download our free checklist.”
• “Register now for the live Q&A.”
• “Get the free 2025 strategy guide.”

Your landing pages should load fast, work on mobile, and require minimal information to submit.

Leverage Smart Queues for consistent posting

Consistency is essential for staying top of mind. Tools like Sendible’s Campaigns feature and Smart Queues help you schedule and repurpose lead-focused content, without sounding repetitive.

Mix evergreen lead magnets with time-sensitive offers for maximum reach.

Use forms, chatbots, and DMs strategically

People want to connect when they’re most interested. So, make it easy for them:

• Add lead forms to your bio link or page tabs
• Use Messenger bots or live chat to direct users to resources
• In Stories, offer “DM me [keyword] to get the free guide” callouts

Test different approaches and track what converts best.

FAQ: Social Media Lead Generation

Which social media platform is best for lead generation?

It depends on your business model.

• LinkedIn is best for B2B brands and service-based businesses.
• Instagram and Facebook work well for B2C businesses, creators, and community-focused brands.
• X and Bluesky are strongest at top-of-funnel engagement and visibility.

What’s the difference between a lead and an impression?

An impression means someone viewed your content. A lead means they took action, such as signing up, filling out a form, or sending a message. Impressions build awareness; leads drive growth.

How do I generate leads without running ads?

You can generate leads organically by:

• Offering valuable lead magnets or webinars
• Using CTAs to drive traffic to forms or landing pages
• Building trust with social proof and thought leadership
• Capturing interest through DMs, Stories, and gated content

It takes consistency and creativity, but the long-term ROI is often better than paid channels.

Start generating leads in 2025

Done right, social media lead generation is your most efficient growth path. With the right platforms, strategic content, and smart tools, you can transform passive followers into qualified leads—without spending a cent on ads.

Platforms like Sendible make it easy to plan, schedule, and optimize your campaigns with lead-focused content. From Smart Queues to lead magnet integration, you’ll have everything you need to capture and convert at scale.

Start your free trial of Sendible today to start generating better leads this year.