The time when people were downloading free ebooks in masses is long over.
These days, everyone and their grandma has a “Download free ebook” button on their page, and slapping the word “free” next to your PDF isn’t enough to get your prospects excited.
It became much more difficult to get those email addresses, not to mention to get your new subscribers to open your emails and engage with your content.
But difficult doesn’t mean impossible.
Email marketing is still the most effective way to sell your products and services. And lead magnets, the most effective way to grow your email list.
How to make sure people opt-in for your freebie and stay engaged with your content in the future?
Here’s a checklist with 5 must-have features that will turn your lead magnet from “Meh” to “I want this now!”
For your lead magnet to be effective and help you grow a loyal audience, it needs to be:
1. Targeted
Your lead magnet should target your ideal audience. If you share tips for advanced website owners on your website, it makes no sense to have a lead magnet with tips for beginners. Although it may attract subscribers, they won’t read your newsletters because they are not interested in your content.
2. Ultra-helpful
Your lead magnet shouldn’t be just about random things you know. It needs to solve a specific problem for your audience.
3. Actionable
The value of your lead magnet increases if it provides concrete steps your audience can follow to solve their problem or to improve their current situation.
4. Easy to consume
If your ebook has 100 pages or the emails of your free course are too long and detailed, your audience will most probably not use it or will be bored with it. The best lead magnets hit a sweet spot of offering a solution to a specific problem with little effort.
5. Impressive
Your lead magnet should demonstrate your expertise and prove your authority. Your newest subscribers need to remember your name next time it will pop up in their inbox. If your audience can find the same info for free within a minute on Google, it’s not a good lead magnet.
Recommended reading:
The Best Lead Magnets for Small Businesses (Based on a Study and Expert Insights)
Hi there Kitty 😉 Well, from one side you’re right: Generally speaking, you can’t assume that your ebook / freebie will get read.
BUT what if I told you that I see my subscribers downloading multiple lead magnets (because I add a link to a related thing they may find interesting in every PDF) and sending me “thank you” emails 😉
It all depends on how badly the people need the info in your lead magnet. If it’s a generic ebook or some info they can found on Google, the answer is probably “not so badly”. But if they have a website they desperately want to perform better and get their hands on an ultra-actionable website checklist that helps them do exactly that they’ll absolutely read it.
So yes, it’s difficult. But no, it’s not impossible 🙂
You are very right. Nonetheless, I often download such things but never read them 😉 I fear that is a very common problem nowadays. (But at that point of course, if you are cynical enough, you can say: oh well, they have subscribed already). (Or should I think: pragmatic instead of cynical? I met someone who had an awful e-book but he said: does not matter, no one reads those things anymore (true) and I can now call them and ask if they need a course in this field.)