# How to Connect Your Lead Generation Ads to Google Sheets Meta recently introduced a very useful improvement that allows advertisers to automatically send leads generated through Instant Forms directly into a Google Sheet. This may sound simple, but it solves a long-standing bottleneck for marketers and sales teams who previously relied on manual exports, CSV downloads, or complex third-party integrations just to access lead data in real time. With this new built-in capability, leads can now be: * Captured instantly * Delivered in real-time * Accessible by marketing & sales teams * Synced downstream with tools like DoubleTick, CRMs, sales platforms, or dashboards This guide explains the entire process from start to finish. *** ### **📹 Video Walkthrough (Recommended)** For a quick visual overview, watch the full process in action: {% embed url="" %} This video demonstrates the full workflow from campaign creation to instant form setup and Google Sheets validation. If you prefer reading or want more detailed breakdowns, continue with the step-by-step guide below.
*** ### **Understanding the Flow** Before we begin, here’s what we’re setting up: **Lead Gen Form → Meta → Google Sheet → (optional) DoubleTick or CRM** Once configured:\ ✔ Every new form submission auto-appears in your sheet\ ✔ Teams can begin immediate outreach or automation\ ✔ No manual CSV downloads required *** ### **What You’ll Need** To follow this guide, you should have: * Access to Meta Ads Manager * Access to a Facebook Page * Permission to create Instant Forms * Access to a Google account (for Google Sheets) * DoubleTick account for WhatsApp-based Automations *** ### **Step 1 — Create a Lead Generation Campaign** Open Meta Ads Manager and create a new campaign using the **Leads** objective. This instructs Meta to optimize the campaign for users who are more likely to share contact information instead of simply clicking or engaging. When prompted for a buying type, select **Auction** and move to the Ad Set. **Quick Actions** * Campaign Objective → Leads * Buying Type → Auction * Continue to Ad Set *** ### **Step 2 — Configure the Ad Set for Instant Forms** On the Ad Set level, Meta will ask how you’d like to collect leads. Choose: → **Website and Instant Forms** Instant Forms enable users to submit details directly inside Facebook or Instagram, reducing drop-off typically associated with redirects to external landing pages. *** ### **Step 3 — Select Your Facebook Page** Move to the Ad level and select the Facebook Page associated with the campaign. Instant Forms are tied to Pages, so selecting one is required before a form can be built. *** ### **Step 4 — Create and Customize the Instant Form** Scroll to the **Destination** section and click **Create Form**. Begin by naming the form clearly so your team can identify it later in reporting or experimentation (e.g., *Real Estate Pune Leads* or *DoubleTick Test Form*). Meta will now prompt you to select the form type. For this walkthrough, we selected **Higher Intent**. This mode introduces a quick confirmation screen that helps improve lead quality by reducing accidental submissions. Inside the form, choose the fields you want to collect. In our example, we added: * Full Name * Email * Phone Number * City * State All fields were kept mandatory to ensure complete context for sales follow-up. Depending on your business, you may decide to keep some fields optional to encourage a higher submission rate. Continue to the next screen. If your business requires compliance links such as a Privacy Policy, Meta allows you to provide those here. *** ### **Step 5 — Define the Post-Submission Experience** Before finalizing the form, Meta allows you to determine what happens after a user submits their details. Post-submission actions may include: * Visiting a website * Calling your business * Downloading a file * Chatting on WhatsApp For WhatsApp-based nurturing or qualification, select **Chat on WhatsApp**. If your WhatsApp Business number is connected, Meta will automatically detect it. Click **Create Form** to complete the form configuration. *** ### **Step 6 — Enable Automated Lead Delivery to Google Sheets** After your form is connected to the ad, scroll further down to locate the section titled **Automate Lead Delivery**. This is where the new integration resides. Click **Setup**. Meta will ask whether you’d like to connect an existing sheet or create a new one. For demonstration purposes, we selected **Create a new Spreadsheet** and named it *DoubleTick Test 3*. Meta will establish the spreadsheet and connect it to your Google account. *** ### **Step 7 — Validate the Connection** Meta will now guide you through a short validation process. You will be asked to: 1. Select the worksheet (e.g., Sheet 1) 2. Send a test lead 3. Assign category and dataset labels (for Meta’s internal organization) 4. Send a final validation test Once the validation lead appears in the sheet, the automation is confirmed and active. *** ### **After Setup — What to Expect** From this point onward, new leads captured via your Instant Forms will automatically populate the connected sheet in near real-time. This offers several advantages: * No CSV downloads * No manual lead sharing * Faster qualification and outreach * Cleaner handoff between marketing and sales * Easier downstream automation If your team relies on fast WhatsApp follow-ups (common in education, real estate, beauty, auto, and B2B services), this can significantly improve conversion outcomes. *** ### **Using DoubleTick With Google Sheets (Optional Enhancement)** For DoubleTick users, connecting Google Sheets unlocks automation opportunities such as: * Triggering WhatsApp workflows * Routing leads to sales agents * Tracking engagement and funnel progress * Running bulk or automated reachouts * Qualifying leads with structured logic This creates a full cycle from acquisition → activation → conversion without manual intervention. *** ### **Troubleshooting & Practical Guidance** If leads do not appear in the sheet, try: * Sending another test lead * Confirming that the campaign and form are active * Checking Google account access permissions * Verifying that the correct sheet and tab were selected Most configuration issues are resolved by validation or permission adjustments rather than campaign edits. *** ### **Conclusion** Meta’s Instant Form to Google Sheets integration meaningfully improves the lead handling experience for both marketing and sales teams. By removing manual exports and delays, it allows businesses to respond faster, organize better, and convert more consistently — especially in environments where WhatsApp-based follow-ups or human qualification plays a central role. If you’d like to extend this setup into WhatsApp automation or CRM workflows using DoubleTick, our team can guide you through best practices and recommended configurations.