A step-by-step guide to planning, creating, and implementing gated content that generates quality leads.
Follow this comprehensive workflow to create effective gated content campaigns.
Select a content format that best delivers value to your audience while addressing their needs.
Best for in-depth exploration of complex topics. Ideal when you have comprehensive knowledge to share.
Great for demonstrating processes or hosting discussions. Offers engagement through Q&A.
Perfect for practical problem-solving. High perceived value with relatively low production costs.
Excellent for positioning as an authority. Attracts decision-makers seeking industry insights.
Match your content format to your audience's preferences. For busy executives, consider concise reports or templates. For practitioners, detailed guides or interactive tools often work best.
Identify specific pain points that your target audience faces, then create content that addresses these challenges.
The most effective gated content solves problems that are both important and difficult to solve without guidance. Look for challenges where your expertise can provide significant value.
Develop high-quality content that delivers on the promise of your gate.
The quality of your gated content must exceed what's freely available. Users who feel disappointed after providing their information are unlikely to engage with your brand again.
Create a compelling landing page that convinces visitors to exchange their information for your content.
Keep your form as short as possible while still collecting the information you need. Each additional field can reduce conversion rates by 4-5%.
Implement the actual "gate" that will collect user information before allowing access to your content.
For high-value content, consider using multi-step forms that gradually ask for more information as users progress, rather than overwhelming them with a long form upfront.
Ensure users receive the promised content promptly and in a user-friendly format.
Always confirm that delivery systems are working correctly by testing the entire process from the user's perspective regularly. Nothing damages trust more than filling out a form and not receiving the promised content.
Recommended solutions to help you create and manage your gated content strategy.
Different approaches to gating content based on your business goals and audience needs.
The Classic Approach: Visitors complete a form to access content.
The Premium Approach: Users pay for access to premium content.
The Low-Friction Approach: Just an email address required for access.
The Membership Approach: Create an account to access a library of content.
Strategies to increase the effectiveness of your gated content and maximize conversion rates.
Only ask for information that's truly necessary for your marketing and sales processes.
Implementation: Start with name and email only, then use progressive profiling for additional data.
Provide a sample of the gated content to showcase its value before asking for information.
Implementation: Share the introduction, executive summary, or a few key insights as ungated content.
Use limited-time offers or exclusive access to motivate immediate action.
Implementation: Limited registration spots for webinars, early access periods, or bonus content for a limited time.
Show that others find your content valuable to build trust and credibility.
Implementation: Display download counts, testimonials, or reviews from previous content users.
Ensure your gated content process works seamlessly on all devices.
Implementation: Test forms, landing pages, and content delivery on various devices and screen sizes.
Regularly experiment with different elements to improve conversion rates.
Implementation: A/B test headlines, form fields, button text, and page layouts to identify what works best.