When it comes to marketing, lead generation is the king of all tasks. It’s the ultimate priority for businesses, whether they're agencies, startups, or corporate teams. One of the most powerful ways to generate leads and get people to sign up is the lead magnet.
The lead magnet is a time-honored tradition within marketing teams and everyone who knows a thing or two about business. Some even use it without formally knowing what it is!
Here’s everything you need to know about lead magnets - what they do, how they can help you, and examples you can try.
Lead Magnets Defined
The name sounds cool, but the lead magnet is a powerful little weapon that is nifty to have in your business arsenal. A lead magnet is a promotional tool provided to people in exchange for their contact information (usually their name and email address). It is the thing that draws people in and makes them want to find out more.
Lead magnets can be all sorts of different things, depending on the business. It could be a video series, an ebook, a worksheet, or even an essential document. The lead magnet is often, but not always, designed to help solve a problem or improve a current situation.
Whether you hire a local social media company or a big agency, the value of lead magnets has remained the same. The goal of a lead magnet is to give people a reason to provide you with their contact information. The more time and effort you put into creating the lead magnet, the more effective it will be.
What Makes A Good Lead Magnet
Creating a lead magnet is a lot of work. It’s usually something you do when you already have enough leads. But here’s the thing, a lead magnet is not all about traffic.
It’s about people. It’s about getting people who already want what you have to offer and giving them something to return to. It’s all about building relationships. You can be doing social media for small businesses, which can be the center of your strategy.
Your lead magnets need to solve a problem or improve a situation. Think about what you provide and who you serve in your own business. Writing the lead magnet is a lot easier when you can identify that.
1. Useful Content
Your lead magnet should be helpful. It shouldn’t be a sales pitch or an attempt to sell people. It should be something that helps them in some way, working as your digital business card that reminds them of your brand. Whether it’s an answer to a problem, instructions on how to do something, or a free piece of content, your lead magnet should be helpful.
2. Value
Your lead magnet should be valuable. It should have some sort of financial or social value, whether it’s helping them save money, gain knowledge, or be more productive. A good lead magnet will be valuable, whether it’s informative or entertaining.
3. Easy To Access
Your lead magnet should be easy to share. It should be easy to share on social media, emails, and other platforms. If your lead magnet is gated behind a form, people are likely to give up. You need to keep your lead magnet short, focused, and easy to digest. People don’t want to read long-form content.
How to Create Your First Lead Magnet
When creating a lead magnet, it’s important to remember that it must be relevant to your audience. It can’t just be something you think is valuable. It has to be something that solves a problem and makes people happy.
The first step is to figure out who your target audience is. Use Google to find out their demographics. For example, if you sell beauty products, your audience's age range, marital status, and location should be easy to find. You can also search by job title or industry.
Once you know who your audience is, you can craft a lead magnet that answers a question they might have. For example, if you know your audience is 25 to 35-year-old women, a 5-minute video about the best beauty tools to use during the holidays could be a good idea. The key is to make something that solves their problem.
Examples of Lead Magnets
Lead magnets can be free or paid, and they can come in various forms. Of course, they can be anything, but trying to define them can get tricky. Here are a few types of lead magnets that should work for you.
These include:
- Video series
- Ebooks (including PDFs and other formats)
- Worksheets
- Infographics
- White papers
- Video tutorials
- Checklists
Free and Downloadable Content
Free content is a great way to get started with your lead magnet strategy. You can host many free webinars, create lots of blog posts, and even host giveaways. Free content is a great way to get your name out there and start building your brand.
Downloadable content is very shareable. It’s often easily digestible, primarily via email. Ebooks are also popular lead magnets, and they tend to be affordable and can be offered for free or for a lower cost.
White Papers
White papers are similar to ebooks, except they’re longer. They’re also more considered and valuable, often educational, and guide your readers through a specific subject. They’re also usually something that people pay to download.
Video Series
A video series is another great option for lead magnets. Video is one of the most engaging formats of content, being fairly inexpensive to produce with the right tools. Videos are something that people can watch for free, so they’re a great way to introduce people to your brand.
Podcasts
Podcasts are another popular option for lead magnets, and it’s possible to create a podcast for less than $500. Podcasts can be quite engaging, educational, and shareable, making them great options for people who are always on the go or prefer listening to audio content.
Webinars
Webinars are some of the most affordable lead magnets. You can host a webinar for as little as $15 with a simple team collab app and recording tools.
With a webinar, you can answer questions and give advice. You can also sell a product or course at the end of the webinar. Webinars can be fun and engaging, and people are more likely to remember a brand that’s helpful.
The Bottom Line
Lead magnets are powerful marketing tools that can generate leads, get people excited about your brand, and turn them into loyal customers. They are valuable, especially when you’re just starting out. The key is to make them as helpful as possible.
If you’re unsure about what kind of lead magnet can help you, either take a look at what your leading competitors are up to, or schedule a consultation with a lead generation expert. You may be surprised by how effective they are.
Written by Katie Pierce
