Improve Lead Quality Fast with Meta’s New Instant Form Tools
Jul 25, 2025
META ADS JUST GOT SMARTER: NEW FEATURES TO HELP YOU IMPROVE LEAD QUALITY
Let’s face it — we all want better leads.
Leads that open emails.
Leads that pick up the phone.
Leads that actually remember opting in.
If you’ve been using Meta’s Instant Forms, you already know the pain: cheap cost per lead, but frustratingly low engagement and follow-up rates. While on-platform forms offer benefits like lightning-fast load times, no messy website redirects, and lower CPLs — the quality can suffer.
But Meta knows this too — and they’ve started rolling out new tools to help advertisers improve lead quality without ditching Instant Forms altogether.
Here’s what’s new, why it matters, and how you can start testing these updates now.
WHY INSTANT FORMS STRUGGLE WITH LEAD QUALITY
Because the form pre-fills with your prospect’s profile info (like email and phone), they can submit with one or two taps — sometimes without even realising it. It’s frictionless, sure. But it also means:
-
People forget they ever signed up
-
The info could be outdated (think: an email from 2010)
-
Contact rates are painfully low
It’s no wonder so many of you have struggled to connect with your leads — especially if you’re trying to nurture or convert them beyond the first click.
META'S NEW LEAD QUALITY TOOLS
To combat these issues, Meta has rolled out several optional features designed to increase intent and improve the data you collect.
You should see these features appear in your account shortly, if you haven't already.
1. TURN OFF AUTOFILL FOR KEY FIELDS
You can now deselect autofill for contact fields like email and phone. This means people have to manually enter their details.
Why this helps:
-
You get more accurate, up-to-date info
-
It weeds out people who aren’t really interested
-
Those who take the time to fill it in are more likely to remember and engage
Yes, your cost per lead will increase — but so should your lead-to-customer conversion rate.
2. SMS VERIFICATION FOR LEAD SUBMISSIONS
This one’s big.
Meta now gives you the option to require SMS verification at the end of your form. After submitting, the lead enters their phone number, receives a code, and must enter it to complete the process.
Why this helps:
-
Forces real phone number use (no more burner numbers)
-
Filters out bots and fake leads
-
Signals higher intent — only serious prospects will take this extra step
It does come at a higher cost per lead — but for businesses where contact and conversion depend on a live conversation or SMS flow, it could be worth its weight in gold.
OTHER SIMPLE TIPS TO IMPROVE LEAD QUALITY
Even if you’re not ready to test SMS or turn off autofill just yet, here are a few ways to boost lead intent inside your form:
✔️ Ask qualifying questions.
e.g. “Are you ready to get started with Meta Ads in the next 30 days?”
✔️ Add custom questions that require short answers or selections.
This adds just enough friction to deter low-intent users without hurting conversions.
✔️ Call fast.
If you can follow up within minutes of someone submitting a form, your contact rate goes way up — especially for high-intent leads.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE TESTING
-
These new features are still rolling out, but we’re seeing them live in many of our client accounts already.
-
They might not be ideal in every country — if your audience isn’t SMS-savvy or tends to use WhatsApp or Messenger instead, think twice before requiring verification.
-
We’re still gathering data across different niches and audiences, so results will vary.
FINAL THOUGHTS: QUALITY > QUANTITY
Cheap leads aren’t helpful if you can’t contact them. Meta’s new features give advertisers more control — and that’s a win. Whether you’re a coach booking calls or a personal brand running email or SMS flows, it’s time to test what works best for you.
Want better leads?
Make the process just hard enough that only the serious ones stick around.
SPY ON YOUR COMPETITORS' META ADS SET-UP
Want an easy way to spy on your competitors' lead strategies?
If you’re curious how others in your niche are collecting leads and what’s working for them, we’ve got you covered.
Download our free SPY Guide to uncover how your competitors are using Meta Ads to attract leads, what questions they’re asking, and what you can learn from their approach.
- Get inspired. Avoid their mistakes.
- Build higher-quality lead funnels from day one.
