Lead magnet is your golden ticket to high-quality lead capturing and nurturing.
Good lead magnets are one of the most effective strategies for businesses to attract potential customers and convert them into loyal clients.
But what exactly is a lead magnet, and how can you create one that resonates with your target audience?
Let’s dive in!
- What Is a Lead Magnet?
- Lead Magnet Ideas You Can Try Today
- How To Create a Lead Magnet
- 63 Irresistible Lead Magnet Examples
- 7 Key Takeaways To Create Irresistible Lead Magnets
- How To Distribute Your Lead Magnet
Exclusive Bonus Download the 69 Irresistible Lead Magnet Ideas to grow your email list.
What Is a Lead Magnet?
A lead magnet is a valuable offer or incentive that businesses provide to potential customers in exchange for their contact information, typically an email address.
The primary goal of a lead magnet is to entice visitors to engage with your brand, thereby increasing the chances of converting them into paying customers.
Consider it a win-win situation: your audience gets something valuable, and you can nurture and communicate with them.
This makes lead magnets one of the most important parts of your content marketing strategy.
Here’s an example of an OptinMonster campaign offering a lead magnet:
Right away, users can see they can get 12 proven strategies for converting abandoning visitors. All they need to do is enter their email address.
Lead Magnet Ideas You Can Try Today
In this section, we’ll learn about several different types of lead magnet content you can create. You can deliver these lead magnets in a variety of formats: PDF download, video, Notion template or other digital file, or even as a gated content page on your website.
1. Checklist
Let’s start with our favorite lead magnet example: the checklist.
Checklists convert the best out of all the lead magnets because they’re so easily consumed. They condense the user’s knowledge into one actionable list.
They’re also super quick to create. For example, you can summarize your popular blog posts as a checklist and turn them into a content upgrade. Then combine that content upgrade with a 2-step optin form, and you’ll see a big conversion boost.
Here are two examples of checklists we’ve created for users like you:
Ultimate Optin Form Checklist: This checklist contains a list of all 63 elements that you need to create the ultimate optin form.
On-Page SEO Checklist: How to Fully Optimize Your Posts: You can print this out and consult it whenever you want to optimize a page for SEO.
2. eBook
For it to work, what you need is a solid benefit. Why should someone take the time to read your eBook?
Derek Halpern’s free eBook Get 5,000 Subscribers features an irresistible benefit to their target market.
Still, if someone can achieve the same result from a simple checklist, then, by all means, give them a checklist instead. It’s not worth spending weeks writing an entire eBook when you can get better conversions from a PDF that took you 20 minutes to create.
You may also want to check out this post on how to make an ebook popup to get even more leads from your ebook.
3. Webinar
Like video and audio lead magnets, webinars also have high perceived value. They’re even more irresistible because they have another component: urgency.
Since live webinars only occur at specific times and may have a limited run, they play on the “fear of missing out.”
Heck, webinars work so well for lead generation that Neil Patel turned their entire homepage into a webinar registration page!
If you use WordPress and are looking for an LMS plugin for WordPress to launch a webinar easily or an online course, check out our top picks!
4. Template
A template can provide an outline, or some starting point, so all the user has to do is fill in the blanks.
The Magic Email Template is a great lead magnet template example– it’s something entrepreneurs and small business owners can copy and paste, customize a few words, and then send off to connect with influencers and VIPs in your industry instantly.
To take your lead magnet game one step further, create a collection of lead magnet templates, like Digital Marketer’s Ultimate Facebook Ad Template Library.
5. Product Demos
If you’ve ever shopped for an app or a software tool, you’ve probably seen many of these lead magnet examples without realizing it.
Most software companies will have a big call to action to sign up for a free trial or demo on their homepage. Why? Because that’s how they get your email address.
But you can be something other than a software company to benefit from a free trial lead magnet.
SnackNation offers a free sample box of their product. They ask for your work email address (no credit card required). Now that’s an irresistible offer!
6. Case Studies
Prospects at the bottom of the funnel love to read case studies. This lead magnet idea could give them the last push they need to buy your product.
Back when Upwork was still oDesk, they had a lead magnet called “Make It Work: Smart Advice From Real-Life Clients Who Found Success Using Online Work”. This is a compilation of case studies from people who used their service, packaged in PDF format.
7. Exclusive Discount Codes
It would be best to offer an early bird discount to sweeten the deal of getting on your waitlist. This is a great way to reward your most enthusiastic prospects at the bottom of your funnel.
8. Email Course
Email courses are easy to assemble because they don’t require creating anything fancy or downloadable. It’s a simple email autoresponder series that teaches users to accomplish something specific.
The best part about email courses is that they can be used to turn prospects into customers.
Rick Mulready uses their email course called 4 Facebook Ad Mistakes That Are Losing You Money to convert leads into customers for their FB Ads for Newbies course.
9. Podcasts
Podcasts have surged in popularity and can be an excellent lead magnet, especially for audiences who prefer auditory content.
By offering exclusive podcast episodes or a unique series as a lead magnet, businesses can attract subscribers keen on absorbing content on the go.
Whether it’s an interview with an industry expert, deep dives into specific topics, or behind-the-scenes content, a podcast can provide valuable insights and knowledge. Plus, with the added benefit of voice and tone, it can help in building a deeper connection with the audience.
Like other content forms, it’s crucial to ensure the podcast offers genuine value, is well-produced, and resonates with the target demographic.
How To Create a Lead Magnet
Step 1. Define the Buyer
Step 2. Identify the Problem You’re Solving
Step 3. Position Your Lead Magnet
Step 4. Create Your Lead Magnet
Creating a lead magnet that resonates with your audience requires a strategic approach. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Step 1. Define the Buyer
Thinking strategically about your lead magnet before pulling up your graphic design software or building a signup form would be best.
First, you need to decide what kind of buyer persona you hope to pull in with this lead magnet.
Ask yourself:
- What product or service are you hoping to sell?
- Who wants this offer?
- Why do they need it?
- What pain points are they experiencing?
It would help if you also considered the customer’s level of awareness. They may be:
- Unaware: They need to learn or describe what their problem is.
- Problem Aware: They know there’s a problem but need to know if there’s a solution.
- Solution Aware: They know of ways to solve their problem but need the specific tools or processes to do it.
- Product Aware: They know your company, product, or service exists but need to be made aware of everything you can do for them or aren’t convinced it will work for them.
- Most Aware: They know all about your offer and how it can help them but are yet to buy.
New leads typically come in unaware, problem-aware, or solution-aware. The next step will be defining the problem your lead magnet will solve for them and how much awareness it will build.
Step 2. Identify the Problem You’re Solving
As I mentioned earlier, effective lead magnets will solve specific problems. These may be incomplete solutions, but they will give the subscriber a quick win to build trust in your brand.
It may be easier to start by thinking about the problem your paid product solves. Then, work backward to define a problem your lead magnet can solve.
For example, a company may be selling an SEO plugin for WordPress. That paid product solves the problem of creating SEO-friendly content more easily. Before a customer is ready for that product, they need to know how well their site is performing on search in the first place.
Their lead magnet could be a quick SEO audit checklist, which would solve the problem of understanding their current SEO performance.
Your goal is to build awareness with your lead magnet and throughout your sales and marketing funnel. Most steps in the funnel will make just 1-2 awareness levels at a time.
Taking someone from unaware to most aware with a single download can be a stretch, but it would be relatively easy to take them from problem-aware to solution-aware.
Going back to our SEO plugin example, prospects may be completely unaware they have any SEO issues that need to be solved before using the lead magnet.
After completing the audit checklist, they become aware of the SEO problems on their site. They are then ready to receive more marketing material about the plugin.
Step 3. Position Your Lead Magnet
The last bit of strategic planning you should do is to position your lead magnet appropriately in your sales process. In other words, think through what should happen before and after new subscribers download the lead magnet.
First, consider how they’ll find your lead magnet. Will you send Facebook ad traffic to it? Will it be on a landing page or blog post that comes up in search results? Will you link to the lead magnet from other sites or your own email signature?
Check out our list of places to add signup forms for higher conversions to get some ideas.
Next, figure out where their contact information goes.
You might send those email addresses to an email service provider (ESP) like Constant Contact or a customer relationship management (CRM) software like HubSpot. There’s no point in offering a lead magnet if you leave those email addresses in the Internet void!
Finally, think about what happens after the new subscriber gets their lead magnet. Do you follow up with a welcome email sequence or SMS message? Do you reach out personally by email to schedule a 1:1 consultation? Do they start receiving your weekly email newsletter right away?
It can help your lead magnet to give a hint about what will happen next. You can include this in the lead magnet itself, on the signup form, in the email delivering the lead magnet, or all of the above.
Step 4. Create Your Lead Magnet
Now, it’s time actually to create your lead magnet.
First, pick a format. This can affect the type of content you write. For example, an interactive quiz differs significantly from a PDF report.
Also, consider your target audience when creating your lead magnet. Would they have time to watch a 10-minute video or prefer a PDF download they can look through at their leisure?
Next, write the content. Start by reviewing the benefits of the lead magnet. What will your checklist help them do? What will they know after reading your report? How will your template make their lives easier?
Then, lay out your process or insights step by step. Finish with a call to action (CTA) describing the next step they can take to work with you or purchase your products.
Once you have your content ready, pick a title. With the title, you can be as clever as you want as long as it clearly explains the lead magnet’s value proposition. One simple formula to use is [Solution] for [Buyer]:
- 12-Step Website Audit for Creative Business Owners
- Meal Planning Template for Busy Parents
- Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing: A Report for Agency Owners
- Beginner’s Guide to Website Design for Authors
Now, you can design your lead magnet! A complete design or technical tutorial is too much to include in this article, but here are some helpful links you can use to get started:
- What Is Lead Quality? And How to Measure It (+8 Bonus Tips!)
- How to Create a Lead Magnet In Canva
- How to Create a Quiz Lead Magnet
- How to Create an Email Course Lead Magnet
63 Irresistible Lead Magnet Examples
Ready to create your lead magnet? Let’s dive into the 63 highly effective lead magnet examples to increase your subscribers.
1. Cheatsheet
Cheatsheets are essentially the same as checklists, but they give users a list of guidelines or processes they can repeatedly follow to achieve a specific benefit.
They’re irresistible to people because they remove the need to think.
Here’s an example of a cheat sheet created for bloggers: 52 Headline Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for Writing Blog Posts That Go Viral.
Bloggers want their blog posts to go viral, so this is a benefit-driven lead magnet for them.
It also removes the need to think: no more racking your brain about how to get your blog posts to go viral when you have this cheat sheet!
2. Template
A template can provide an outline, or some starting point, so all the user has to do is fill in the blanks.
The Magic Email Template is a great lead magnet template example– it’s something entrepreneurs and small business owners can copy and paste, customize a few words, and then send off to connect with influencers and VIPs in your industry instantly.
To take your lead magnet game one step further, create a collection of lead magnet templates, like Digital Marketer’s Ultimate Facebook Ad Template Library.
3. Swipe File
Swipe files are arguably even more irresistible than templates because all you have to do is copy them in their entirety.
For example, The Ultimate Social Media Swipe File includes 72 headlines for social media posts that you can simply, well, swipe!
4. Examples
Examples work well as lead magnets because people are searching for examples all the time in all different industries.
For instance, Bidsketch (a proposal software) uses a Sample Client Proposal as a lead magnet.
You could turn one of your popular posts into a lead-generating machine by optimizing it for “[your keyword] + examples” and then adding an example lead magnet as a content upgrade.
5. Script
Scripts are great lead magnet examples if your buyer persona needs something to help them speak or write.
For instance, if they need help prepping for a job interview, you could offer a script for pitching themselves to a potential employer.
Another great lead magnet example is this popular lead magnet created by Marcus Krieg: 3 Persuasive Video Scripts You Can Steal.
6. Toolkit
A trendy type of lead magnet idea is the toolkit. Why? Because everyone wants to know what tools the pros use!
Syed’s Toolkit for Growing Your Online Business is no exception. It’s a huge hit!
The best part about toolkits is that you can usually become an affiliate for those products. Not only does the toolkit provide a handy resource to your visitors, but it can also generate additional revenue for your business.
7. Web App
A web app is a free tool that lives on your site and requires a login. Of course, users have to sign up by email to get the login.
For example, Bryan Harris created a web app called ListGoal, which is free to use. However, Bryan gets your permission to email you when you sign up for it.
8. Resource List
Lists of free resources are valuable because they’re huge time savers. Whenever you pull all of the best stuff together, you save your users a lot of research time.
My Giant Guest Blogging Index has been a massive hit for that reason. All the research has been done for someone looking to write guest posts.
9. Calendar
Calendars can also be helpful in a variety of industries.
For example, if you’re in the fitness industry, like Blogilates, you could offer a workout calendar. That way, your users don’t have to think about what exercises to do daily because you’ve already mapped it out for them.
10. Plan/Planner
Similar to a calendar is a daily, weekly, or monthly plan you’ve mapped out for someone.
For example, 5 Free Meal Plans is a great lead magnet for a busy mom who is struggling to find the time to figure out what’s for dinner every night.
Your lead magnet could be a blank planner the user fills in with their plan. These blank planners are also useful because they make organizing easier for people.
Mayi Carles sells these attractive planners, but they could just as easily give away a digital sample as a lead magnet to whet your appetite for more.
11. Worksheet/Workbook
A worksheet (or workbook) is similar to a planner, except that it usually helps people to complete a specific exercise or figure something out.
A perfect medium for this is an editable workbook that someone can download and fill out on their computer. Teachable has a great, in-depth tutorial on using Adobe InDesign to create a workbook lead magnet.
12. Printable
A printable is especially great if you’re in a creative field and your users want something attractive that they can print out.
Or, your user needs to print something out to be handy when they need it, such as a shopping list or a grocery list, like this one from Rustic Redhead.
13. Inspiration File
Does your user need inspiration? People always search the internet for inspiration, so why not give it to them as a neatly packaged lead magnet?
This Logo Design Inspiration eBook, for example, is perfect for designers seeking inspiration for their next logo.
14. Prompts
While inspiration files generally offer visual inspiration, prompts help to inspire by giving you ideas to think about.
60 Journal Prompts is a self-help lead magnet that helps users with “self-love, self-discovery + a spot of self-coaching.”
15. Calculator
If your users need to deal with numbers, why not create a calculator and gate it as a lead magnet?
VWO has some great calculators on their site which could also be a great lead magnet idea. For example, this A/B Split Test Significance Calculator is handy for any marketer looking to see whether they have enough traffic to collect important data.
16. Generator
People often search for generators to create something quickly without thinking. If a generator is useful for your audience, consider gating it.
HubSpot has a useful blog topic generator on its site. They aren’t using it as a lead magnet, but they certainly could if they wanted to.
17. Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be used to create all kinds of valuable resources. They’re a programming tool right at your fingertips!
DebtHelper uses a free budget spreadsheet to collect email subscribers. They even include a bonus video guide on how to use the spreadsheet.
18. Recipes
Many recipes are freely available on the internet, so you might consider this a bad lead magnet idea. However, you’d be surprised how many people will optin for your curated recipes.
EatingWell knows this, and that’s why they use an exit-intent popup to offer their best healthy recipes and nutrition tips delivered straight to your inbox.
19. Gated Content
Gated content is simply a blog post or part of a blog post that is hidden behind your lightbox popup. This is one of the easiest lead magnets to create because it uses your existing content!
One thing you can do is to gate the second half of a long blog post. You can do this easily with OptinMonster by using one of our inline optin lead magnet templates + our Content Lock feature.
If you go with gated content, you may also want to learn how to create a paywall. That will reserve premium content for paying subscribers and generate more passive income for your site.
20. Tutorial
A tutorial is any content that teaches how to do one specific thing. It could be a video or a PDF download with a numbered list of steps.
David Siteman Garland’s 7 Proven Steps to Creating, Promoting & Profiting from Online Courses seems to work well for him– he’s been using it for quite some time now, although it was probably quick to create.
21. Guide
A guide is similar to an eBook because iit’s a lengthier lead magnet to create. However, guides can work well when you use them as the nurturing part of your sales funnel to educate prospects on why they should buy from you.
Here’s an example of a guide from HubSpot: The Definitive Blueprint for Lead Management.
This works because it educates their users on why they need a lead management product like HubSpot.
That said, I’d encourage you to create some un-gated guides on your site. At OptinMonster, we like to call these “mega guides.”
We’ve used mega guides on OptinMonster and our other web properties with great success because they generate a ton of organic search traffic. Check out our Definitive Guide to Email Marketing as an example; it’s freely available with no email optin required.
22. Whitepaper
Whitepaper or reports are perfect lead magnets for B2B businesses, but they can also work in any industry that relies on data, statistics, or research.
You can either research and collect the data yourself or pull together data from various sources into one comprehensive report.
Here are a couple of whitepaper lead magnet examples:
2016 Gartner Magic Quadrant for CRM Lead Management: the great thing about this report is that it has been “updated for 2016”, so at the time of this writing, it’s fresh and new.
The YouTube Traffic Report: this report pulls together the statistics on YouTube traffic, so it didn’t require any in-house data collection to create.
23. Infographic
Infographics are the content you’d likely use to drive website visitors since they do so well on social media. However, they also work well as educational lead magnets.
Think about it: many people need to visualize a concept before fully understanding it. Instead of giving users a bunch of boring text to sift through, why not illustrate your point with an infographic? This extra detail will make your lead magnet stand out so much more.
Here’s an example of an infographic explaining successful and unsuccessful people’s habits.
Does this infographic make the concept more memorable and easy to digest than a plain text PDF?
24. Educational Video
Create a video to take your lead magnet further than an infographic!
Videos not only include a visual component, but they have an audio component as well. Plus, you can put real people in front of the camera (or come on camera yourself) to boost your brand.
But the best part is videos have a higher perceived value, making them more irresistible.
QuickSprout has a video course on Double Your Traffic in 30 Days. In their sidebar optin form, they’ve included a DVD mockup to drive home the high value of their lead magnet.
25. Educational Audio
Downloadable audio might make the perfect lead magnet example depending on your target audience.
For example, if your ideal customer rarely has time for reading or watching videos, they might prefer to have something to listen to in the car on their commute to and from work.
Remember: you can always repurpose a video by stripping out the audio and turning it into a lead magnet!
Here’s an example from Marie Forleo: a motivational, free audio training to learn “how to get anything you want.” I especially love the rose gold iPhone mockup with earbuds, which perfectly depicts how one of Marie’s users would listen to their audio (e.g., they may download it to their phone and take it to the gym).
26. Webinar
Like video and audio lead magnets, webinars also have high perceived value. They’re even more irresistible because they have another component: urgency.
Since live webinars only occur at specific times and may have only a limited run, they play on the “fear of missing out.”
Heck, webinars work so well for lead generation that Neil Patel turned their entire homepage into a webinar registration page!
If you use WordPress and are looking for an LMS plugin for WordPress to launch a webinar easily or an online course, check out our top picks!
27. Event Tickets
Like a webinar, you can offer free tickets to a live event in exchange for an email address.
The best way to do this is by using social media ads to push targeted traffic to your optin form. Your target audience would be people who are interested in your offer and live near your in-person event.
I highly recommend using Facebook ads for this because Facebook has the most powerful targeting features out of any other social media advertising channel. Make sure you follow these 7 steps to optimize your Facebook ads for conversions.
28. Free Book + Shipping
If you have a bunch of physical books you’ve written lying around, consider giving them away as a lead magnet. All you have to do is collect a small fee to cover your shipping costs.
Want to know why this offer works so well? Well, physical books generally have higher perceived value than eBooks do. When you offer a physical book for free, it’s an irresistible deal.
However, because the user has to pull out their credit card to pay for the shipping, this lead magnet idea pre-qualifies the best leads.
In other words, you’ve not only acquired a new lead, but you’ve also effectively acquired a new customer—and existing customers are so much easier to convert to a higher offer than people who’ve never bought anything from you.
Here’s an example of a free book plus shipping from Russell Brunson.
29. Sample Chapter
If you want to avoid going the free book route, you could pull out one chapter and offer it as a free sample.
Make sure the sample is digital and instantly downloadable so your users can get instant gratification.
30. Sample Video/Clip
If your product takes the form of a video or video, pull out a sample video or a sample clip and exchange that for an email address.
In the case of an information product called The Copy Cure, you can access their Copywriting Class Free Sample by entering your email address.
31. Sample Audio Clip
A sample audio clip works well as a lead magnet, too (even if your product is a video).
Erin Stutland’s product includes workout videos, and their lead magnet offer is a free audio workout.
32. Free Coaching Session
If you’re a coach or offer a service, you could provide a free coaching session in exchange for an email address.
The great thing about coaching sessions is that they get your prospects on the phone with you, and those people usually expect to hear your pitch at the end. This can be an effective way of acquiring high-end clients.
Chris Lema charges per minute for their coaching sessions, but he could offer them for free for a limited time if he wanted to push more signups.
33. PDF Version
This is one of those lead magnets that is so underutilized yet straightforward to create.
All you have to do is find your most popular blog posts, save a PDF version of the blog post, and then offer it as a content upgrade.
You’d be surprised how many people will optin to receive the same thing they just read in PDF form! The value-add here is that they get to own your blog post.
For example, our 12 Proven Ways to Convert Abandoning Visitors into Subscribers download could just as easily have been a blog post that we turned into a lead magnet.
34. Transcript
While we’re on the subject of repurposing content, why not repurpose a video by offering a transcript?
Although many people prefer video for learning, many others prefer reading. Making sure you have both learners covered is a great way to provide more value with the content you’ve already created.
35. Audio Version
Similarly, you could offer an audio version of a written piece of content.
UX designer Paul Boag regularly records an audio version of their blog posts. However, he could just as easily gate the audio version behind an optin form and generate more leads!
36. Summary/”Cliff Notes” Version
Do you have a long, in-depth guide that your users love? Package a summarized version of that into a lead magnet.
You can also share what you’re learning from other influencers in your industry by offering your “cliff notes” version of their presentation or book.
37. State of the Industry
This is another great lead magnet idea for B2B businesses. It’s the same as a report, except that it focuses on new industry trends.
Just keep in mind that you’ll need to come out with new or updated versions of your state of the industry report regularly (usually annual).
38. Predictions
To become a leader in your industry, make some predictions about your industry and publish them as a downloadable lead magnet.
People love to hear predictions about what to expect so they can jump on upcoming trends.
For example, if you’re in the fashion industry, you could come up with a list of fashion predictions for the following year. Or, if you’re a marketer, you could predict what the state of email marketing will look like next year.
39. Mind Map
Mind maps explain a complex subject in a digestible way. And because they are essentially an outline and don’t require too much detail, these lead magnet examples are really quick to put together.
When creating mind maps, we like using a free MindMeister tool. Their drag-and-drop builder makes mind maps super easy to create, and they always look clean and professional.
Delivering one of these lead magnets with OptinMonster is simple. You must paste the mind map URL into your optin form’s success theme.
40. Recording/Replay
Are you presenting any live webinars? You can repurpose those webinars by saving the recording and using that as a lead magnet.
Kissmetrics offers a library of recorded webinars you can choose from in exchange for your email address.
41. Audio Book
Have an eBook that your audience loves? Repurpose it by recording an audiobook and gating it behind an email optin form.
Remember how I said that un-gated mega guides are powerful assets you can create to drive traffic to your site?
Well, here’s an idea for you:
- Turn your eBook into a traffic-generating mega guide by transferring it to one big long page on your site.
- Generate leads by adding a call to action (CTA) to download your audiobook version.
- Win and win!
42. SlideShare
Did you know that you can turn one of your SlideShare presentations into a lead magnet?
SlideShare has a built-in lead generation tool that allows you to convert your SlideShare audience into email subscribers. All you have to do is follow our step-by-step tutorial here (see #7).
43. Roundup
If you’ve ever written a roundup blog post, you’ll know that these are popular and easy to put together. Plus, you can create a lead magnet from it.
A roundup post is a list of tips or techniques from other experts in your industry. To write one, you need to interview people and pull all quotes into one big post.
For example, we wrote a popular roundup post asking eight seasoned SEO experts for their best advice. Now, we could have interviewed a lot more than eight people. It’s easier than you think to get influencers to respond to a request like this because you’re offering them exposure, which is what they want! So, we could have interviewed even more experts and then offered the complete roundup as a “freebie” download.
Or, we could have summarized all the expert responses into actionable takeaways and packaged that as a lead magnet.
Either way, it would make for a great content upgrade to an already high-performing post.
44. Newsletter
Sometimes your email newsletter is so irresistible that it’s the lead magnet.
A great example is a business called The Hustle. The Hustle sends you a funny, entertaining email each morning with all the day’s top tech and business news.
The best part about this lead magnet example is that the subscriber already expects the emails.
Although we need to find out how low their unsubscribe rates are, we would assume that The Hustle is doing pretty well in that department.
45. Vault/Library
Do you have lots of different educational lead magnets? Give your users the option to access them all at once by putting them together into a “vault” or a virtual library on your site.
All you need is one big page on your site with the links to download each of your lead magnets and put that page behind an optin form. It’s a simple way to give more value to your users with the lead magnets you’ve already created.
46. Quiz
A quiz is the most entertaining lead magnet idea on this list, and that’s why it converts so well!
A quiz has the user answer a series of questions and then spits a result. But to get the result, you’ll have to enter your email address.
Rachel Ray had a quiz on what type of clutterer you’re.
Hostel Bookers created a quiz about what type of traveler you’re.
Forbes had a quiz that helped prospective college students find the perfect college.
To create a quiz like this, you can use a tool like Qzzr. Qzzr also allows you to drive social traffic to your quiz and generate leads.
47. Survey
A survey is mainly for your benefit/market research. However, a survey can be used as a lead magnet with a compelling call to action.
For example, you could ask users browsing your site for a while to give you feedback on their experience and help you improve your website. You’d be surprised how many people enjoy taking the time to provide you with their feedback!
Make sure you use a tool like OptinMonster to present the survey only to users who have visited at least four pages on your site. It would be weird (and annoying) to ask a brand new visitor to rate their “experience” on the first pageview.
48. Giveaway
One of the most effective lead magnet idea is the giveaway. Who doesn’t love the opportunity to win free stuff?
If you want your giveaway to be effective, however, make sure it does two things:
- Qualify your leads by offering a relevant prize (something that only your ideal customer would want– not something like an iPad or a laptop that anyone and their brother would want)
- Incentivize participants to share (you can do this by offering additional entries for each social share)
49. Manifesto
A manifesto is a simple declaration of your values. Its a great lead magnet idea because your ideal audience will naturally be drawn to it.
Jeff Goins wrote The Writer’s Manifesto: Stop Writing to Be Read & Adored, resonating with their audience and becoming an effective lead magnet.
50. Comic Strip
Ever thought of using a comic strip as a lead magnet?
When CopyMonk released its first comic strip, it went viral in the copywriting community.
And when something is that popular, it’s easy to see how people would sign up to get more.
51. Quotes
People love quotes from influential people or quotes that inspire.
Mastin Kipp created an entire business by delivering inspirational quotes via their “daily love” email newsletter.
Their business has evolved a lot since then, but they still offers daily inspiration/tips as their lead magnet.
52. Desktop Wallpaper
Are you an artist, designer, or photographer? If you’re in a visual/creative field of business, consider giving away some of your work as a desktop wallpaper download.
The best thing about desktop wallpaper is that it constantly reminds you of your brand. This can be a great way to make sure a lead thinks of you when thinking about who to hire for their next photoshoot or design project.
53. Mobile App/Game
A free mobile app or game offers the perfect excuse to ask for an email address.
Ask users to create an account with you to use your app. Then, you can send them emails to help increase their engagement and encourage them to buy your premium product.
54. Challenge
One of my favorite lead magnet examples is this 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge from Simple Green Smoothies.
There are several reasons why this lead magnet idea is so genius and you should consider doing a challenge as a lead magnet too.
- Anyone who takes them up on this offer will be a highly qualified lead. They raise their hands and say, “I want green smoothies!”.
- Challenges with a start and an end date have urgency. This makes the offer that much more compelling.
- Challenges build brand awareness by fostering a sense of community– everyone is doing the challenge together at the same time.
- Challenges make it much easier to elicit desired behavior through peer pressure. Most people wouldn’t have the discipline to drink one green smoothie a day for 30 days, but they’re much more likely to jump on the bandwagon when challenged to do so.
55. Membership Site
Are you thinking about creating your membership site? Consider offering free registration.
My Copyblogger Membership is an excellent example of using a membership site as a lead magnet.
I especially love their use of social proof and their fear of missing out. This community contains “over 334,000 smart online marketers”, and all those people “have a head start” on you. Better sign up now, so you can stay caught up!
Plugins can make it super easy if you’re a WordPress user interested in setting up your membership site. Check out our top picks for WordPress membership site plugins!
56. Facebook Group
I’ve personally used Facebook groups as lead magnets with great success. It just goes to show that people do value communities.
For example, we used to offer a private Facebook group + a free fitness challenge for pregnant women who wanted to stay healthy and fit throughout their pregnancy.
I tested a few offers instead, such as a checklist of exercises every pregnant woman should avoid. However, the Facebook group/challenge offer outperformed the other lead magnets, resulting in 43-cent leads on average!
57. Slack Group
Depending on your target market and where they hang out online, there may be other options than a Facebook group. However, you could offer a Slack group instead.
If you’ve never heard of it before, Slack is an app that allows you to send instant messages to groups of people. This can be a fun and powerful way to build a community around your brand.
58. Coupon
A coupon works well at the bottom of your funnel because most people who make online purchases like to shop around for deals. Your brand should be there to give those people what they’re looking for (in exchange for their email addresses, of course).
59. Waiting List
Do you have an upcoming product launch? You can use a waitlist to collect the emails of prospects at the bottom of your funnel.
For example, an online course called “B-School” is only available once per year. If you want to buy it right now, you can’t! Instead of a “buy” button on the product page, you’ll find a “tell me more” button next to an email optin form.
This way, they can collect the email addresses of bottom-of-funnel prospects throughout the year and build anticipation for the program.
60. Free Shipping
Free shipping is one of those things that everyone wants when it comes to shopping online. If someone is close to making a purchase, free shipping might be the offer that seals the deal.
61. Free Consultation
Many lawyers offer free consultations as lead magnets. This could also be a great bottom-of-funnel offer for you if you offer a service.
The best thing about a free consult is that it gives you a natural excuse to ask for the email address, phone number, and other relevant information. If you need to close someone over the phone, this is a natural opportunity.
62. Free Quote
Instead of a free consultation, you could offer a free quote. Here’s how Liberty Mutual does it.
First, you’ll be asked to enter your zip code and click on the “Get a Quote” button.
Then, you’ll be directed to another page where you’ll be asked to enter the rest of your information.
With most lead magnets examples, you would only be able to ask for a little information upfront. However, because a free quote is at the bottom of your funnel, these prospects are more willing to give out their detailed information.
63. Catalog
Finally, if you have a product catalog, remember to offer it as a lead magnet at the bottom of your funnel! Just remember to ask for their email address on the order form.
7 Key Takeaways To Create Irresistible Lead Magnets
There are seven things that your lead magnet should do if you want it to be irresistible.
The best lead magnets:
- Solves a real problem – if your lead magnet doesn’t solve a real problem that your customer avatar has, or if it doesn’t give them something they want, it won’t work at all.
- Promises one quick win – your lead magnet should promise (and deliver) one quick win for your avatar. In other words, it should help them to achieve something quickly.
- Super specific – don’t create a lead magnet about something general. The clearer you’re about the benefit of your lead magnet, the better it will convert potential customers (and if you can personalize this lead magnet to a specific landing page, that’s even better!).
- Quick to digest – PDF checklists tend to convert well because they’re so quick and easy to digest. eBooks or lengthy reports may make your prospects feel overwhelmed.
- High value – your lead magnet should have both, high perceived value and high actual value.
- Instantly accessible – your lead magnet will work best if it can be delivered immediately. People love instant gratification.
- Demonstrates your expertise or UVP – when someone consumes your lead magnet, it should show your expertise or unique value proposition. This helps turn leads into customers down the road.
If you can nail these qualities, conversions will dramatically rise across your website.
How To Distribute Your Lead Magnet
Creating the right lead magnet template for your audience is only half the battle. The other half is getting it to the right people, in the right places, and at the right time in their customer journey.
That’s where a tool like OptinMonster comes in:
OptinMonster is the world’s #1 lead generation toolkit. It allows anyone to quickly and easily create “optin campaigns” to distribute their lead magnets in a highly targeted way.
“Optin campaigns” are things you’re already familiar with, like popups, floating bars, gamified wheels, and much more.
With these campaigns, you can narrow in on your target audience, improve their customer journey, and increase your conversion rates simultaneously.
Here’s how it works:
Everything starts with selecting one of OptinMonster’s 50+ pre-made lead magnet templates:
These designs are ready to use out of the box and will save you time, money, and headaches in the campaign creation process.
From there, you’ll likely want to make a few modifications to showcase your lead magnet.
OptinMonster has an inline text editor that allows you to customize your unique message, so you can better resonate with your target audience:
And if you want to add new features, you don’t need coding or tech skills.
Everything can be done with a drag and a drop:
This lets you add new features like:
- Images
- Video
- HTML
- Chatbots
- Icons
- Buttons
And much more
And since all the features are made up of “blocks,” everything falls neatly into place every time.
But once the campaign is ready and your lead magnet looks good, you still need to target these messages to the right people.
You’d use one of OptinMonster’s many targeting rules. Some examples include:
- Exit-Intent® Technology: Recover abandoning users as they’re actively leaving your site for good.
- OnSite Follow Ups®: Avoid ‘popup fatigue’ by showing new messages to returning users.
- Geolocation: Target people based on their physical location.
Though many others exist, these are just a few examples of OptinMonster’s targeting rules. And these are the same ways that companies like Crossrope exploded their list by 900%.
Or how Shotkit adds 40+ NEW leads to their site every single day.
From there, you can leverage the full power of automation! By that, I mean OptinMonster integrates with 50+ 3rd-party tools like email service providers, Zapier, webhooks, and more.
That means you can create a lead generation system that works on autopilot.
Ready to get your lead magnet in front of your audience? Click below to start your 100% risk-free OptinMonster account today:
Create High Converting Optin Campaigns Today!
If you’re curious about how many of your subscribers download your lead magnets, here’s how to track downloads in Google Analytics and WordPress.
And that’s all for today! Now it’s your turn.
Go ahead and pick one of these high-converting lead magnet ideas, and then tweak it to create your own. This will drastically improve your digital marketing efforts.
I hope you enjoyed this article. If you did, you’d want to check out the following resources:
- How to Track a Lead Source in WordPress
- How to Ask a Customer Why They Cancelled (to Win Them Back)
- Create and Track Popup Events in Google Analytics
- Content Marketing Examples
These posts will give you more information on tracking the success of your lead magnet campaigns and retaining customers once they’ve converted.
Add a Comment