Content gates: Good or bad? Lately we’ve noticed passionate opinions on both sides. No doubt they can be instrumental in capturing valuable leads, especially in these virtual times. But as our friend Mr. Dorable shows so well above, gates can backfire. So how do you make sure your gates capture the leads you want?
It helps to remember one thing: It’s all about the exchange.
When users give you their personal information, they are, in essence, paying you. And everyone wants to feel like they’re get their money’s worth. So before you slap up an ebook with a form and call it a day, ask yourself a few key questions:
Are you asking too much? If your content isn’t perceived as valuable enough, few will give you their name/email/etc. in exchange for it. Would you pay 50 bucks for a banana?
Are you asking the right people? Gates should be employed as strategically as any other marketing tactic. Put them in the wrong place and no one you want to walk through it will do so.
Are you timing it right? Knowing where your audience is in the buyer’s journey is just as important for a gate as for a banner or an email. If I’m just learning about widgets and why I really should buy one, I’m probably not going to give you my deets for a PDF download of your widget tech manual. That’s talking Purchase language to someone in the Awareness phase.
There’s much more to consider when gating content than this space allows. But this flow chart is a good place to start seeing gates from your target’s perspective.
