What is a Lead Magnet & Why Do You Need One?

Generating leads online isn’t difficult if you create content that others are looking for. What does it take to get you to enter your name and email address into a form on someone’s website? For me to give up my email address, I need to believe that I will get great content from that business. If I don’t , I am quick to unsubscribe.

This is where the lead magnet come in. A lead magnet allows us to provide value in exchange for email addresses.

What is a lead magnet?

You want to get visitors on your landing page or website to “opt in” (give you their email address). In order to do that you need to offer something in return. Just the promise of a newsletter or updates about your business or products is often not enough. This is where the Lead Magnet comes in.

A lead magnet is a piece of content that you give in exchange for someone’s email. That email is considered a lead. Those leads are how you build your email list and nurture leads into paying customers.

Let’s look at the different types of lead magnets that you can use.

Types of lead magnets

Any type of content that you can think of, will work as a lead magnet. The key to it’s success is if the content is valuable to your visitors. Here are some of the most commonly used types of digital lead magnets.

Articles

Blogs have long been one of the best ways to get your content out on the internet. Consider what topics your potential customers would be interested and what problems you can solve related to that content. Be sure to use images and graphics to make the articles more visually appealing. You don’t need to limit your riting to your website or social channels. Writing articles for industry publications or partners can also be powerful content pieces.

Checklists

Everyone loves checklists. Think about how you can create a checklist around a product or service that you provide. For instance, as a website developer, we have a checklist that helps clients and potential clients evaluate their website.

Guides or White Papers

A guide or a white paper is an authoritative report that informs readers about a complex issue or problem. Creating a guide that helps solve a potential customers problem can be a powerful lead magnet. Most guides will take a person step-by-step through a process of solving a problem.

Videos

Video is the most popular form of media on the internet today. Whether you use your website, YouTube or another video hosting service, video is almost a must have for marketing a business. It’s overwhelmingly taking over social media and looks to continue growth in the future. Consider creating video tutorials or a series of videos that solve a problem. Many businesses make the mistake of just creating video advertisements. While these may work to a certain extent, creating value based videos can rake in the leads.

Consultation

Depending on your industry, offering a FREE consultation can be a solid lead magnet. Generally this form of lead magnet will be used by agencies, consultants and coaches. Many of which can actually charge for their consutling time.

Lead magnets don’t need to be limited to digital content. You could also use physical products such as promotional items or samples of your products. Discounted or free services that can be upgraded can be used as lead magnets as well.

What if I don’t have content others find valuable?

I get this question a lot from business owners considering content marketing. My response is always the same. You have expertise in your industry or niche that others do not. If you own a business and sell products or services, then you or individuals in your company have expertise.

Even if you don’t feel like an “expert”, you know more than 99% of your customers and potential customers. Sometimes things that seem so simple to us, can be an ah-ha moment for others. Don’t ever assume that your visitors know about your business or your industry.

The piece of content you use for a lead magnet will need to be compelling enough for your visitors to hand over their email address. Don’t be afraid to give away some of your best stuff.

This can be difficult for some business owners. They feel like they are giving away their secrets. They think that if they give away too much information people will build their own products or perform the service that the company provides. The reality is, people don’t want to do it.

The content that you share will demonstrate YOUR expertise. It will set you apart from your competitors and earn you business from those that find your content valuable. Never be afraid to give away your best content. In the end it will bring a much better return on investment.

I hope you found value with today’s post.

If you did, please leave a comment and share with your fellow digital marketers.

To Your Success!

Steve Stark
steve@starkwebdesign.com
262-378-0234
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