Website lead tracking is the process of collecting and analyzing a lead’s website interactions and then performing specialized marketing activities based on these interactions. 

Website lead tracking assists sales and marketing teams in measuring the performance of their lead generation efforts. Website lead tracking enables sales and marketing teams to analyze and perform lead nurturing techniques such as website personalization or triggered email marketing on an individual lead.

In addition, sales and marketing teams can combine leads from the same company to view website interactions on a company-wide level. This technique allows sales and marketing teams to analyze a company’s aggregated website interactions to see if there are any signals of purchase intent. 

Website lead tracking can be done by browser cookies or IP-based website tracking methods. Both methods have their strengths and weaknesses. To combat these weaknesses, marketers and sales teams often use these lead-tracking methods together.

Website lead tracking using browser cookies

When a visitor views a website, lead tracking scripts create a browser cookie on the visitor’s browser that is tied to a record in a CRM tool or marketing automation tool. This cookie creates an anonymous lead. 

Anonymous leads are website visitors that do not have personally identifiable information attached to their lead record in a CRM or marketing automation tool. The information that can be attached to an anonymous lead record is page views and other website interactions, such as video views.

If the anonymous lead fills out a form, their record turns into a known lead record. During this conversion, personally identifiable information is added to the record with website page views and other website interaction data.

Limitations of website lead tracking using browser cookies

Browser cookie-based website lead tracking has limitations. Browser cookies can be cleared and blocked depending on the lead’s browsing preferences. Also, people use different devices depending on their physical locations. 

Since browser cookies are tied to a single browser, they’re not easily transferred to browsers on different devices. Because there could be different browser cookies for the same user, sales and marketing teams might not receive a full picture when analyzing a visitor’s interactions.

What are known leads in website lead tracking?

Known leads are website visitors that have filled out a form, identified themselves, and, therefore, have a browser cookie tied to their lead record in a CRM or marketing automation tool. 

With known leads, sales and marketing teams can execute strategic lead-nurturing activities. For example, sales and marketing teams can send personalized emails and prospect leads based on a known lead’s interactions and activity. 

For example, if a known lead visits pages surrounding a certain solution, marketing teams might want to send a personalized email with a case study surrounding this solution. Also, sales reps may want to reach out with a webinar or consultation.