Maximize Gated Content for Business Lead Generation

Each type of gated content, whether a detailed whitepaper, an in-depth blog post, or an interactive webinar, serves a unique purpose and caters to different audience needs.

Employing a mix of content types helps reach a broader audience while addressing the varied information consumption preferences. From in-depth written materials to interactive sessions, the type of content you choose to gate can significantly impact its effectiveness in lead generation.

By understanding the features and benefits of each type of content, businesses can craft a content strategy that resonates with their target audience and delivers value while driving engagement. A few gated content examples include the following:

Ebooks and whitepapers

Ebooks and whitepapers are in-depth resources that provide comprehensive insights on a particular subject. They're valuable to users looking for detailed information or a deep dive into industry-specific knowledge.

By gating these materials, businesses can attract leads genuinely interested in their field of expertise, ensuring a higher probability of engagement in subsequent stages of the marketing funnel, from the awareness stage to the consideration stage and beyond.

These types of gated content can guide potential customers through the buyer's journey, from the initial awareness stage to considering various solutions and, finally, the conversion stage. Businesses can create content that speaks directly to their current needs and challenges by understanding where a reader might be in this journey.

Webinars and online courses

Webinars and online courses are interactive learning experiences and opportunities for personal and meaningful conversation.

They're excellent tools for businesses to showcase their expertise, engage with their audience in real-time, and build authority in their industry. When users sign up for these sessions, it signifies a deeper interest in a particular topic and a willingness to invest time, making them higher-quality leads.

Templates and tools

Offering functional assets like free templates or tools can attract a specific audience looking for practical solutions.

Whether it's a marketing calendar template, budgeting tool, or a design mockup, these resources can save users time and effort, making them highly attractive. In return, businesses gain leads keen on actionable takeaways and potentially open to further offerings.

Exclusive reports and case studies

Reports backed by research or data and case studies detailing successful projects and complaints are invaluable for professionals looking for evidence or proven strategies.

By gating this content, businesses can attract decision-makers or industry professionals on the lookout for validated insights and success stories to guide their strategies.

Choosing the right type of content is paramount in determining the quality and quantity of leads generated. By aligning content with audience needs and preferences, businesses can create a mutually beneficial exchange, fostering trust while effectively boosting their lead generation efforts.

The allure of gated content lies in its perceived value. You're not just creating another piece of content; you're offering something compelling that makes users willingly exchange their content information for it.

Here's how businesses can create gated content:

Identify target audience needs

Creating gated content requires businesses to identify the pressing needs, challenges, and aspirations of their target audience. Tools like audience surveys, market research, and social listening can provide insights into what the audience truly desires. Crafting content that addresses these specific needs ensures a higher level of interest and engagement.

Provide actionable insights

Most prospects are drawn to content that offers actionable takeaways. Whether it's a guide in an ebook, a demo, or ready-to-use templates, offering practical solutions makes content immensely and immediately valuable. This content gets consumed and applied, making the brand a necessary part of the user's work or decision-making process.

Use high-quality design and presentation

The design and presentation of gated content can play a pivotal role in how it's perceived. A well-designed whitepaper, an elegantly laid-out report, or a visually engaging webinar can enhance content consumption. Moreover, high-quality design signals professionalism and care to reinforce the brand's commitment to quality.

Utilize multimedia elements

While some prefer reading, others might be more inclined towards visual or audio content. Integrating multimedia elements like videos, infographics, and charts can make gated content more engaging and cater to a broader audience.

A strong landing page is essentially the gate. It's the first interaction users have with the content, and its design, messaging, and overall user experience influence conversion rates. Crafting an effective landing page is an art and a science, demanding a blend of strategic insights and design skills.

Every high-converting landing page provides a cohesive narrative guiding the user toward the desired action. This requires a structured layout, where each section, from the headline to the footer, plays a specific role in conveying the value of the gated content and encouraging sign-ups.

Your landing page must have a value proposition that tells website visitors why they should provide their contact details. Clearly articulating the benefits of the gated content in a compelling way can set the stage for higher conversions. The proposition should resonate with the target audience's needs and challenges to make the offer irresistible.

Additionally, every landing page should have a call-to-action (CTA). The CTA is where the actual conversion happens. Its design, placement, and messaging influence conversion rates and can affect overall user experience.

In general, CTAs should be prominently placed at the top and bottom of the page for easy access. The messaging should be action-oriented, like "Download Now," "Get Access," or "Join the Webinar," making it clear what the user should do next.

Many modern landing pages also have trust signals and social proof. Trust signals like secure transaction badges, privacy assurance, and industry certifications can alleviate concerns.

Meanwhile, incorporating social proof elements like testimonials, reviews, and logos of companies that have accessed the content can reinforce the offer's value and give it more credibility.

You can use these landing pages for advertisements and optimize them for SEO to bring in as many visitors as possible and increase the chances of conversions. You can also create social media content promoting your gated content.

While social media posts are typically a method for sharing ungated content, you can still share teasers, snippers, or highlights of your gated content to generate interest and direct users to your landing page.

Balance information and friction

Gated content promises valuable content, but there's also the friction associated with providing personal information to access it. Balancing offering value and not overwhelming users with barriers is crucial for ensuring an optimal user experience and conversion rates.

Friction in the context of gated content refers to the hurdles or barriers users or visitors encounter when trying to access your content. Ungated content has little friction because it's public. Conversely, gated content has friction because it requires visitors to share personal information. One barrier users encounter is submission forms.

This friction is amplified by lengthy forms, too many required fields, or complex verification processes. While some friction is unavoidable, excessive barriers can deter users, leading to drop-offs and missed opportunities.

Keep in mind that not all gated content requires the same level of gating. An exclusive research report might warrant more detailed information than a basic template.

Businesses should assess the overall value of their content and set gating parameters accordingly. Users might be more willing to provide detailed information for high-value gated content. However, for more basic offers, an email may suffice.

One way to balance the friction involved with gated content is to offer content in varying formats with different levels of gating. For instance, a summarized version of a whitepaper or report could be accessible with minimal information, while the detailed version might require more comprehensive details.

Another method for reducing friction is progressive profiling, a technique where businesses gradually gather more information about users over time rather than asking for all their details upfront.

For instance, a user might provide their name and email on the first interaction. On another interaction, they could be prompted for more details like their company name or job title. This technique reduces friction on the initial encounter and enhances the user experience by spreading out the data collection process.

Lead nurturing strategies

Once a lead is captured through gated content, their journey begins. Lead nurturing is a process of developing relationships with buyers at every stage of the sales funnel. Using marketing strategies tailored to your leads' specific needs and behaviors can significantly increase conversion rates. Here are a few tips you can use to nurture leads garnered from gated content:

• Create automated email workflows: Content marketing automation is the backbone of an efficient lead nurturing and content marketing strategy. Businesses can ensure timely, consistent communication with their leads by setting up automated emails.
• Leverage personalization and segmentation: Segmenting leads based on their behaviors, interests, or demographics can lead to more targeted and relevant communications. Personalizing emails or offers can boost engagement and make messages resonate more.
• Use drip campaigns and follow-ups: Drip campaigns are a series of predetermined emails sent out at specific intervals. These campaigns can continuously engage leads, especially after their interaction with gated content. For instance, a lead who downloaded a guide might receive a series of emails over the next month to build upon the content and offer additional insights or related resources.
• Optimize your strategy with A/B testing: A/B testing allows businesses to continuously refine their strategies. You can test different email subject lines, content formats, and CTA placements to gather actionable data. By analyzing what works best and optimizing accordingly, businesses can enhance the effectiveness of their lead nurturing strategies.

Measuring gated content success

Businesses must analyze various metrics to gauge how well their gated content is performing and where there's room for optimization and improvement. By setting clear goals and tracking results, you can ensure your efforts in creating and promoting gated content yield tangible results.

Some key performance indicators (KPIs) for gated content might include the number of downloads or views, the conversion rate of the landing page, and the engagement rate of the captured leads.

The most direct metric for gated content success is the number of conversions or form submissions. Using tools like Google Analytics or specialized CRM software allows businesses to monitor how many users are accessing the gated content by providing their details.

Remember, not all leads are created equal. While quantity is important, the quality of the leads garnered from gated content can be even more crucial. By segmenting and analyzing lead behavior post-conversion, businesses can get a sense of the actual value these leads bring.

At the end of the day, the return on investment (ROI) provides a clear picture of the gated content's effectiveness at a high level. This involves comparing the resources and costs involved in creating and promoting the content with the revenue potential of the leads it generates. An ROI assessment can provide insights into whether the gated content strategy is financially variable and where optimizations can increase profitability.

Regularly update and refresh your content

Your gated content should be regularly updated and refreshed to align with the needs of your target audience and avoid content cannibalization. However, there's a type of content that doesn't require massive updates to remain relevant — evergreen content. Evergreen content remains valuable over time, consistently attracting more traffic and engagement.

Using evergreen content as your gated content to generate leads will ensure your assets continue to deliver value long after they've been created. Yet, evergreen content occasionally needs a refresh. Regular updates ensure the content remains accurate, relevant, and aligned with current trends or industry developments.

From content management and analytics tools to audience segmentation and automation, Mailchimp empowers businesses to create, gate, promote, and analyze content. Sign up for Mailchimp today.