How to See Leads on Facebook

Running a Facebook Lead Ad campaign is just the first step - actually getting your hands on those leads is where the real work begins. If you’ve ever felt lost searching for the list of names and email addresses you just paid for, you're not alone. This guide details exactly where to find, download, and manage your Facebook leads using a few different methods, from the straightforward and manual to the streamlined and automated.

First, A Quick Refresher: What Are Facebook Lead Ads?

Unlike ads that send traffic to a landing page on your website, Facebook Lead Ads keep users right on the platform. When someone clicks your ad, a pre-filled form (called an "Instant Form") pops up with their contact information, like their name, email, and phone number. The user just has to verify the information, maybe answer a custom question or two, and hit "Submit." This makes the process incredibly simple for them and highly effective for you.

Where to Find Your Facebook Leads: The Native Methods

Facebook provides a couple of places to access your leads directly on its platform. Using them is straightforward once you know where to look.

Method 1: Using the Meta Business Suite (Desktop &, App)

This is the simplest and most recommended manual method. Here's how to do it:

1. Go to Meta Business Suite: Navigate to business.facebook.com and select the correct Business Account.
2. Open All Tools: In the left-hand navigation menu, click the hamburger icon labeled "All Tools."
3. Find Instant Forms: Under the "Advertise" section, look for "Instant Forms" and click it.
4. Download Your Leads: You'll see a list of all your lead forms. Find the one corresponding to your campaign and click the "Download" button.

When you click "Download," you'll have two options:

• Download New Leads: This only downloads leads that have come in since your last download.
• Download by Date Range: This lets you select a specific date range to download all leads collected during that period.

Important Note

Your leads expire! Facebook only stores your leads for 90 days. After that, they are gone forever. This is a critical reason why waiting to download them manually is a risky strategy.

Method 2: Using the Ads Manager (More Complex)

If you live in Ads Manager, you can also access your leads here, although it involves a few more clicks.

Here are the steps:

1. Open Ads Manager: Launch your main Ads Manager dashboard.
2. Go to the Ad Level: Navigate to the specific ad that is generating the leads.
3. Find the Results Column: Look under the "Results" column for your campaign.
4. Click the "On-Facebook Leads" Link: You'll see a clickable link that says "On-Facebook Leads."
5. Click the link: a new window will appear with your leads.
6. Download Your Leads: Click the "Download Leads" button to export them.

This method works, but it isn't as straightforward as using the Business Suite for downloading leads.

The Best Method: Automate Your Lead Connection

Manually downloading CSV files is time-consuming and prone to error. The real power comes from instantly sending your leads to your CRM or email marketing system the moment they are collected.

This allows you to follow up with leads in real-time, dramatically increasing your conversion rates. This is done by connecting Facebook Lead Ads to your other software, usually through an integration tool or native connection in your CRM.

How Does CRM Integration Work?

Instead of your leads sitting on Facebook waiting to be downloaded, an integration automatically pushes their contact information (name, email, phone number, etc.) directly into your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software as soon as they submit the form. This means there's no manual download step and zero delay in getting the lead into your sales pipeline.

Setting Up The Automation

The process is generally straightforward and can be initiated directly from your Meta Business Suite.

1. Go to Your Instant Forms: Head back to the "Instant Forms" tool in your Business Suite.
2. Find the "CRM Setup" Option: Look at the top of the forms list for a button or tab related to CRM setup or connections.
3. Connect Your CRM: Facebook offers native integrations with many popular CRM platforms. Search for yours in the list and follow the on-screen instructions to authorize the connection and map your form fields to your CRM fields.

Once connected, new leads will flow automatically into your chosen system, ready for your sales or marketing team to engage.

Best Practices for Success and Organization

Managing your leads effectively goes beyond just downloading them.

Follow Up Quickly

A lead's interest is highest in the moments after they submit your form. Automated systems allow for an immediate follow-up via email or text, which is key to securing conversions.

Test Your Forms and Process

Always submit a test lead after setting up a campaign or an integration to ensure the data is passing through correctly to your CRM. It's better to find a problem yourself than miss dozens of REAL leads.

Organize Your Data

Use consistent naming conventions for your lead forms and campaigns. This makes it easier to track performance and manage your leads inside your CRM as your efforts scale.

Keep Privacy in Mind

Remember to comply with data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Your lead form and subsequent communications should be clear about what the user is signing up for.

Final Thoughts

Finding your Facebook leads doesn't have to be a chore. While manual methods work in a pinch, setting up an automated connection to your CRM through the Business Suite is the most efficient and effective way to manage your lead flow and grow your business.

As you begin to scale your lead generation alongside other social media efforts, keeping everything organized can become a challenge. A tool like Postbase can help by simplifying your social media management. By bringing all your platforms into a single visual calendar, scheduling content consistently and keeping your marketing efforts straight becomes straightforward, freeing you to focus on engaging the valuable leads you've generated.