Lead Generation 3.0: Why "advanced" 2.0 strategies are already obsolete

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Many companies think they have won after 2020. Some have survived a pandemic, or better still, there are companies that were founded after it with a great competitive advantage. Namely, that of having studied new segmentation techniques in depth: identify your target audience, understand what they like in terms of interests and try to create a dialogue with them that will spark their interest. This was the leap into lead generation 2.0, but now (or rather, in 2023) we have already entered the third phase, where on average 50% more leads are acquired, following completely different guidelines (1).

Since 2023, Lead Generation 3.0 has changed some aspects, further improving the personalisation that was already in place and making it increasingly central to this phase based on three main pillars (1):

1. hyper-personalisation - AI-driven experiences based on behavioral insights, not just name and birthday;

2. intelligent automation - smart systems that decide and adapt, not just execute tasks;

3. authentic human connection - genuine relationship-building through social selling and trust-first approaches

It's time to take a closer look at what all this means, because it's not as difficult as it seems, and we hope to inspire those who are trying to change the way they work.

Until a few years ago, it was enough to literally create a campaign with your keywords and that was it. Anyone searching for that term would check that everything was consistent with their search and that the source was reliable, and then convert. With emails, it was even easier, as users themselves provided their details with the intention of being contacted if there were any offers or news. Now we are so overwhelmed that, as users, we have changed the way we think:

Before (2, 8, 12):

1. I'm looking for this; active action

2. I want this; the subject is me looking for it

3. I'm taking this; I justify myself because I wanted the object and how it would make me feel

From 'this' to 'that'

This premise is simplified but necessary to understand why everything has changed in just a few years. Let's be clear, something had already changed with television, but since TVs have gotten smaller, fit in our pockets, and send us notifications to turn them on every two minutes... the situation has exploded exponentially.

Let's start with the fundamentals and move on to the practical:

• You need to use simple language when talking to your audience, from social media content to your forms. In fact, conversion rates on average double for those who use basic language (11.1%) compared to those who use professional writing (5.3%) (15);

• The more specific you are with a one-off service, the more likely you are to get contacts (7.0%) compared to the average of those who offer more long-term work with multiple services (1.7%) (17).

Therefore, the way we work must also change, starting with offering specific landing pages for each service/product provided, to be as transparent as possible and abandon technical jargon and misleading phrases for users, only 9% of whom consider suppliers' websites to be reliable sources of information (9). Furthermore, there is an average discrepancy of 54.5% between how sellers and buyers perceive the main problem to be solved.

Finding common ground is essential.

After (13, 16):

1. I see that; passive action

2. I'm interested in that; the subject is what is shown

3. I want to be like that; I justify myself because it is thanks to the object that I can feel that way

The end of ‘set and forget’ marketing

Let's get down to practical matters, taking an in-depth look at two areas that are important for lead generation: email marketing, which remains fundamental for a direct-contact with potential clients, and social media, which is not being used in the right way.

Email

Here are some data worth knowing:

• The open rates for generic email campaigns have fallen by 23% over the last year (3);

• while personalised emails show a 22% increase in open rates (3).

The difference is not subtle: it is a matter of survival and adaptation, given that companies that use artificial intelligence-based automation generate a ROI of $36 for every dollar invested (4).

Social network

When we talk about social media, we come to an interesting point from an identity perspective:

• Traditional advertising on social media (non-video) is losing ground, with 16% of B2B marketers reporting that social media marketing does not produce good results for lead generation (5).

• In addition, live videos have lost popularity, with a 56% decline in usage (6) since the pandemic.

But here's where it gets interesting: while traditional social content is stagnating, short-form video has achieved the highest ROI of any content format. 90% of marketers report that video marketing helped increase lead generation in 2023 (6), with videos capable of increasing landing page conversion rates by up to 80% (7).

Fun fact:

Saturday is universally considered the worst day for B2B emails (17% open rate), but some studies suggest trying weekends for less competition in terms of email volume. Sunday at 9 a.m. shows strong engagement for non-commercial content such as newsletters (18).

Most marketers avoid weekends altogether, creating a unique opportunity for those who dare to try. With the right personalisation, you can achieve results that are worth trying to achieve.

The pattern is clear: generic approaches are failing, while customised and engaging formats are booming

What are you up to?

Given the high level of user distrust and the fact that you need to be exactly where the user shows interest and is convinced to take action, remember that to get to this point, potential customers need an average of 54 touchpoints to become Marketing Qualified Leads and a further 87 touchpoints to become Sales Qualified Leads, with a 19.8% increase in the number of touchpoints required compared to 2023 (10).

So, forget about showing your ad or email just once. You need to be present multiple times, and often it is just to raise awareness and remind the user that you exist until they decide to take action.

And how do they act, rationally or emotionally?

Here's the twist: 52% of B2B buyers are now driven by personal rather than professional motivations in their purchasing decisions (11), completely contradicting the traditional belief that B2B decisions are purely rational.

Now that we are understanding what we need to fix, there is another interesting statistic we would like to share before concluding this initial approach to lead generation:

• Forms with more than 5 fields see a 30% drop in conversions compared to shorter versions (15). The optimal range is 3-5 fields for B2B professional services (14).

• It's not about collecting less data, but about collecting the right data at the right time. If we want more information from customers, we need to ask for it a little at a time, not all at once.

Very well, now that we have a complete picture, it's time to draw some conclusions.

The bottom line

Lead generation is not compromised; it's all about approach.

Successful companies are not working harder, they are working in line with the actual behaviour of buyers in 2025. They are using AI where it makes sense (not in all fields, remember that appearing real is more important than ever) (12), simplifying where complexity kills conversions and personalising where it leads to results.

Start your review this week. Reduce the number of fields in your forms. Test AI-based personalisation on an email campaign. Create short, personalised video content for the summer.

Not everything has to be sales-focused, but the important thing is to be relevant.

Sources

1. Medium - Lead Generation 3.0: What It Is & Why You Need To Adapt

2. Google Think with Google (2025) - "The new consumer decision-making process"

3. ViB Tech - B2B Lead Generation Statistics

4. Unbounce - Conversion Benchmark Report

5. Fifty Five and Five - AI Lead Generation

6. HubSpot - Video Marketing Statistics

7. Oneupweb - Video Marketing ROI

8. McKinsey State of Consumer (2025) - "When disruption becomes permanent"

9. G2 - 2024 Buyer Behavior Report

10. HockeyStack - B2B Customer Journey Touchpoints

11. Dentsu - B2B Superpowers Index 2024, Slide 10

12. MDPI Sustainability (2024) - "How Information Technology Is Shaping Consumer Behavior"

13. ResearchGate - "Understanding consumer decisions using behavioral economics"

14. Brixon Group - Lead Forms in B2B

15. Sopro - Lead Generation Statistics

16. ScienceDirect - "Consumer Empowerment in the Digital Economy"

17. UpLead - B2B Conversion Rate