35+ Lead Generation Statistics For 2023

Generating leads is an integral part of any business and marketing strategy, yet it’s becoming more difficult for companies to stand out. 

To attract potential buyers, companies employ tactics such as content creation, email outreach, social media campaigns, and a ton of other marketing strategies.

The problem is how to predict and choose the right strategies for lead generation.

Making informed decisions regarding your lead generation tactics requires considering the most current data and trends. 

Examining market patterns and developments is the key to identifying the most suitable approach for your business.

To help you beat the competition, we’ve compiled 35+ essential lead generation statistics. 

These statistics offer insight into the current state of lead generation, its changing landscape, and the new trends that are emerging.

Let’s dive in.

General Lead Generation Statistics

Let’s begin with the most essential general lead generation statistics to consider this year:

1. Email is the most used communication channel for lead generation

According to a Convince & Convert survey, email (37%) and phone calls (36%) are the most used communication channels for following-up leads. And only 6% of the surveyed prefer to follow up using SMS communication and 7% – Live chats.

2. 61% of marketers find lead and traffic generation their top challenge

The State of Marketing Trends Report by Hubspot indicates that over half of marketers worldwide admit that their biggest challenge is generating leads and traffic, while only 39% find providing the ROI of marketing their top challenge.

3. Quality leads are the primary goal for 67% of B2B marketers

According to the research conducted by APSIS international, over half of the B2B marketers say that their primary goal in measuring efforts is better quality leads.

4. 58% of people check their email before anything else

As per the Optinmonster research, 58% of people check their email before doing anything else, and only 14% check Social media first. 

This study demonstrates that email is still the most effective way to communicate with leads.

5. Inbound leads cost 61% less than outbound leads

According to the 13 mind-blowing lead generation stats by Visual.ly, inbound leads cost way cheaper than outbound leads. However, let’s not forget that outbound marketing still brings higher ROI than inbound marketing. 

 6. Nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads

A study conducted by Invesp states that nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads. 

This study demonstrates the importance of nurturing your leads at every stage of the lead generation process. 

By delivering content tailored to the needs of prospects, lead nurturing can foster strong brand loyalty before prospects are ready to make a purchase. When done properly, it encourages ongoing engagement.

7. 68% of B2B companies struggle with lead generation

There is no doubt that lead generation is of crucial importance for any B2B business. 

Research conducted by APSIS stresses that over half of the companies (68% to be exact)  are still struggling with lead generation. 

Businesses have a multitude of options when it comes to increasing their lead generation but finding the right combination of tools and channels that works can be a challenge for many marketers. Experimentation is often necessary to develop an effective strategy.

8. 53% of marketers spend half of their budget on lead generation

Marketers are investing in ways to generate leads, be it through paid advertisements, outbound marketing strategies, or other methods. It is evident that lead generation is a major focus for businesses. According to Ruleranalytcs, over half of marketers, spend at least half of their budget on lead generation.

9. 80% of new leads never translate into sales

A sad stat from Invesp demonstrates that only 20% of new leads translate into sales. This means that sales and marketing teams should spend more effort on lead nurturing. 

10. 84% of customers start the customer journey after realising the need for a product/service

As per the APSIS customer journey report, the majority of customers are ready to start the customer journey themselves after realising that they need the product or service. The key is to make your leads realise that they need your product or service.

11. Email and Social media bring higher ROI than other communication channels

In the latest Getresponse report for the Effectiveness of marketing channels, email, and social media turned out to be the most effective channels. 

The respondents evaluated the efficiency of various digital and offline media, with email marketing scoring highly as one of the most effective channels for return on investment. 18% of them rated it as “excellent” in terms of ROI, while 29% viewed it as “good”.

12. 62% of marketers consider Linkedin the most effective lead-generation platform

According to Salesmate, over 60% of marketing experts consider Linkedin the most effective lead generation platform, over 80% of companies utilize Linkedin for business purposes, and nearly half of the marketers have found prospects through Linkedin.

 13. 79% of marketers find lead generation the highest priority

When it comes to lead generation, 79% of marketers worldwide consider this a priority goal. Attracting more traffic to the website (75%) is the next priority, followed by increasing the brand’s positive image (57%), and then increasing customer involvement and loyalty (47%).

 14. 84% of marketers prefer forms for lead generation

According to Ruleranalytics, the majority of marketers use forms to generate leads. This comprises demo requests, contact forms, forms used for gated content, and more.

15. 35% of B2B marketers have established a lead nurturing strategy 

According to Invesp, only 35% of B2B marketers have established a lead nurturing strategy. 

16. Twitter is the source of 82% of social media leads.

Research conducted by Digital Media Stream, stresses that over 80% of social media leads come from Twitter.

17. The US digital lead generation market will reach $3.2 billion by 2023

The lead generation market is expanding year by year.
According to Salesmate, only the US digital lead generation market will reach $3.2 billion by 2023.

18. 95% of marketers believe they know which channel drives the most leads

The research conducted by Ruleranalytcs revealed an interesting fact: the vast majority of marketers, 95% to be exact, believe that they know which channel drives the most leads.

 19. Marketers focus on the Quality of leads over Quantity

Another really important stat by Salesmate proves that marketers focus on the quality of leads rather than the quantity. This statement reaffirms the importance of the right segmentation, targeting, and personalization during the lead-generation process. 

Content Marketing for Lead Generation

Content is 👑king. 

This statement is especially true for lead generation.

To illustrate this point, we will present some statistics that validate the importance of content marketing for any type of business.

20. 57% of companies with a blog generate a lead from it

Visual.ly provides interesting stats proving that over half of companies that have a blog generate a lead from it. 

A blog with informative content gives people a good enough reason for visiting your business website. A blog helps to drive more traffic to your website boosting your sales at the same time. 

So, if your business doesn’t have a blog yet, you need to think about it. 

21. For 86% of marketers, blogs are the most popular content format

Here is another research, by Salesmate, stating that for 86% of marketers, blogs are the most popular content format.

 22. 70% of people learn about a company through articles

Here is another proof of the power of content for lead generation. According to Demandmetric, 70% of people would rather learn about a company through articles than an advert. 

23. B2C and B2B customers expect personalized content at different stages of the purchase journey

Marketers place a high emphasis on the personalization of content, though it can be difficult to do so effectively due to various factors.

As per Marketing charts’ latest infographics, B2C and B2B customers expect personalized content.

24. 77% of marketers find podcasts the most efficient content for lead generation

Video content is on the rise, and it’s not surprising that over 70% of marketers prove that podcasts are the most effective content for moving leads from awareness to consideration. 

 25. 81% of businesses have reported their blog as useful or critical to generating leads

For 81% of businesses, as per Visual.ly, their blog is useful and even critical for lead generation.

 26. 20% of users’ online time is spent on content

According to Demandmetric, internet users worldwide spend 20% of their online time only on content.

27. 89% of B2B companies utilize content marketing

According to Content marketing institute, 89% of B2B companies use content marketing for lead generation. 

28. 37% of B2B marketers believe that content-led websites are the most important way to generate leads

As per Demandmetric research, 37% of B2B marketers believe that content-led websites are the most crucial way for engaging customers. 

29. 27% of marketers believe that organic search generates the most leads

Organic searches are essential for generating visitors and potential customers. 27% of marketers worldwide admit that organic search has generated the most leads for their businesses.

Marketing Automation for Lead Generation 

Finally, let’s explore some insights into the role o marketing automation for lead generation.

30. 80% of marketers believe that automation generates more leads

Ruleranalytics reports that the majority of marketers, 80% to be exact, think automation leads to an increase in leads.

31.  49% of companies use marketing automation

APSIS reports that on average, nearly half of the companies use marketing automation, with more than 55% of B2B businesses adopting the technology. 

This means that the number is prone to increase in the nearest future as more companies realize the benefits they can gain from marketing automation. 

 32. 80% of marketing automation users saw leads increase

The results of using marketing automation are clear, with 80% of users reporting an increase in leads, and 77% noting a rise in conversions. 

33. 63% of companies plan budget increase for marketing automation

63% of companies reported that they would raise their budget for marketing automation, while 36% stated that it would remain the same.

 34. 79% of top-performing companies have been using marketing automation for 2 years.

This serves as further evidence of the efficiency of marketing automation, not only in terms of generating leads but also in boosting conversion rates and beyond.

The majority of top-performing companies worldwide have been using marketing automation constantly for over 2 years.

35. For 33% of companies lack of internal expertise is the main barrier to the implementation of marketing automation

33% of companies state that lack of internal expertise is the main barrier to the implementation of marketing automation followed by insufficient quality data and lack of priority in the company for 24%. 

 36. Best-in-Class companies are 67% more likely to use marketing automation

Final Notes

Generating leads is essential for the success and future growth of any business. Although many marketers find this challenging, they recognize that it is an indispensable part of their overall marketing plan. 

In 2023, marketers are leveraging mostly content, email, and social media to form lead-generating systems that will deliver prospects to sales teams who are ready to purchase. Another key factor for successful lead generation is marketing automation. 

Hope that the stats and insights provided in this article will help you to skyrocket your lead generation in 2023.