A marine manufacturer could see clicks and impressions, but not what each qualified lead cost or whether a dealer followed up.
The Client and the Problem
A boat manufacturer sold two brands through a national dealer network. Paid social supported boat shows, model launches, and always-on campaigns, but the team could see clicks and impressions without a clear view of lead cost or dealer follow-up.
Ads sent people to a long website form that requested information the team did not need. Some visitors abandoned it, and dealers reported thin or fake leads. Without a reliable source attached to each submission, it was difficult to tell whether the campaign or the lead-capture process needed attention.
1. Move Lead Capture Into the Ad
The campaigns switched from a website form to Facebook and Instagram lead forms, prefilled with available profile details. Buyers could submit without leaving the app or waiting for a separate page to load.
In-platform forms produced 88% of campaign leads
2. Verify Phone Numbers at Submission
Each form verified the phone number when it was submitted. This reduced the count of submissions that could not be reached and gave dealers a more useful lead to follow up.
958 in-platform leads were phone-verified
3. Route Leads to the Right Dealer
The forms matched each submission to a dealer by postcode and delivered it into the dealer system with campaign and platform source information attached. For one brand, that process ran end to end automatically.
Dealer routing and campaign source were attached to each lead
The Results
Across eight months, two brands, four major boat shows, and always-on campaigns, from February 1 through September 23, 2026:
| Lead source | Leads | Cost per lead | Share of leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-platform forms | 958 phone-verified | $18.78 | 88% |
| Website forms | 128, not phone-verified | $83.39 | 12% |
In one boat-show campaign, a single model generated 81% of that show’s leads on 60% of its spend. Another show campaign spent $498.24 and produced 32 phone-verified leads.
Key Takeaway
When a website form adds friction and obscures source data, moving lead capture closer to the ad can change both completion and measurement. Phone verification and dealer routing also make each submission more actionable. These results describe the campaigns and accounts in the period above; they are lead results, not sales.
Can you tell what a qualified lead costs and where it goes after submitting a form?