Lead Magnets: How to Craft SEO Optimized Tools That Work

Are lead magnets an essential part of your SEO strategy? If not, they should be.

Attention span for the average online reader is less than 8 seconds. So, if you want to stand out and smash the competition, you need to make use of any marketing tool you have. After these few seconds are gone, chances are the reader will sail away in search of something else. You can’t have that, can you?

In this article, we are going to show you exactly what it means to have a lead magnet on your website. Why is it so important? Moreover, we are going to show you how to create one, which really boosts your dynamics in the market. And finally, we are going to point out why sometimes it is best to leave the work to the experts for getting the optimal results.

Are you ready to start unraveling the mystery of online marketing? Let’s start!

What Is a Lead Magnet?

A lead magnet is a marketing tool that enables you to offer free services or products in exchange for the readers’ personal information.

This is a great way to gather details as to how to contact these readers in the foreseeable future. As a result, you can then reach out to them and try to convert sales leads into actual customers.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Your readers know that. So, they are willing to hand over their personal contact details, but only when there is something for them to gain. This is where lead magnets step in, providing an appealing deal they find hard to resist.

Types of Lead Magnets

Knowing what a lead magnet is and how it can help you is just as important as identifying the most suitable lead magnets for you. If your creative juices are flowing, you will have no problem structuring an eye-catching design to lure those readers. When it comes to options, the sky's the limit.

You can use samples, freebies, newsletters, free ebooks, trial subscriptions, guides, discounts, and so much more. Depending on the nature of your business and what you are trying to achieve, you can pick the most suitable lead magnet template and customize it as per your own preferences.

Obviously, not all types are the perfect match for your business. Think of your USPs (Unique Selling Points) and work with them. What is your biggest advantage? Is it your affordability, your expertise, or your innovation? These are questions that will help you decide what would bring more leads your way.

Do You Really Need Lead Magnets?

Are you wondering why you should put yourself in all this trouble? Are you second guessing the value of lead magnets?

Well, take a look around you. Most websites have enabled these marketing tools nowadays, especially those websites ranking at the top places of the search engines. Why do you think this is the case?

The short answer to that question is yes, you really need them. By all means, you should aim at boosting your engagement online. Even if you get a lot of traffic your way, this won’t mean a thing with an increased bounce rate.

Many businesses suffer from a drop out rate they cannot explain. Even though their website is aesthetically pleasing and their content is somewhat relevant to their niche, things are not going as they would have hoped.

Lead magnets can help you avoid that. They build trust between you and your website visitor in a “quid pro quo” relationship working both ways. You offer something and get something else in return. Win-win!

How to Create a Lead Magnet That Rocks

Think of your targeted audience. This is who you are creating this marketing tool for in the first place, right?

Do your research, so you know what they are searching for. It can be good to look through your emails, so you can find questions and requests from your visitors. Why don’t you find a way to offer something to cover these demands?

You can also check out what the competition does in this field. It is not like copying them, so you should not fret. Inspiration is always welcome, particularly from those who appear to get the best feedback. There is no reason why you should focus on less successful campaigns, as they have been weighed, measured, and found wanting.

If you are worried as to how to create a lead magnet that will yield many leads, it all boils down to the design. An eye-popping lead magnet, carefully designed with the right font and impressive graphics, will definitely do the trick. Use Canva to play with the colors, shades, content, and headings.

Optimizing Your Lead Magnet for SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can either make or break your business. It allows you to bring more traffic to your website, increasing your chances of turning that traffic into customers. Lead magnets take SEO to the next level, ensuring some of them remain engaged and possibly become recurring customers.

You should consider the wording you use, as well as the headlines and the overall quality of the design. The message should be clear, straightforward, and obviously relevant to your website. This is how you win clients rather than let them down and watch them vanish into thin air.

The art of SEO is absolutely amazing. You can do so many things when you know where to look. Small adjustments here and there can go a long way, so never underestimate the process of SEO optimization.

Lead Magnet Checklist

Are you really interested in creating a lead magnet that ticks all the boxes? I am sure you are.

If you do not devote yourself 100% in something, then why bother in the first place? So, are you ready to create a perfectly laid out lead magnet? Then this is what you should look for:

Instant gratification: There is no point for readers to click on your lead magnet unless it is going to benefit them right away. Remember the less than 8-second attention span!
Direct results: You cannot afford to be vague here. Get to the point, without beating around the bush. Clarity in the call-to-action message brings optimal results, and this is what you are after.
Increased value: You want the readers to click on that button. So, give them something they need, not just generic stuff they could find pretty much everywhere.
Loyalty and trust: By offering a free product or service, you are making a gesture of goodwill. More than that, you shift your relationship with your potential clientele. You are here for the long haul.
Aesthetics: Last but definitely not least, looks matter. You cannot expect to catch the attention of your readers when you are using old school graphics, obsolete ideas, bland colors, and unmatching fonts. Pay attention to detail.

As you can see, creating a lead magnet that works is not easy. You must take into consideration various factors, while building something that looks great and features all-the-above-mentioned characteristics.

At the same time, you need to be vigilant and not fall for the oldest tricks in the book. In other words, you should avoid mistakes that can ruin your whole work in a blink of an eye. Let’s see some of these huge “no-nos,” shall we?

Avoid Rookie Mistakes

You want your lead magnet to upgrade your business, not sabotage all the hard work you have done so far. Hence, you need to steer clear of these rookie mistakes. Otherwise, your lead magnets might as well backfire.

First of all, you should pay attention to the title. As it seems, more readers go through the title than those actually going through the entire message. If you underestimate the power of proper titles, don’t hold your breath waiting for impressive results to happen.
Then, you need to make sure you proofread every single word. If you don’t, the lead magnet will, in fact, do more harm than good. Can you even imagine offering a free course while having typos and misspelled words in the design? Definitely not the kind of advertising you are after.
A similar pitfall might be the use of too much text or not enough text. There is a thin line you should not cross, and finding the right balance is key. Just remember you need to be direct, straightforward, and informative but not boring.
What about specifying your audience and what you want from them? If you do not spend some time clearing these things in your mind, you will not get optimized results from what you create. It makes perfect sense that you need to build this entire marketing endeavor with a clear target group and end goal in mind.
Finally, don’t forget to follow up. OK, you have won people over, making them exchange their personal information for your offerings. Now what?

You must have a specific plan to follow up, so as not to let that fire burn out. Maybe a series of emails can work well here. Try it out and see what happens. If you don’t make your presence known, then you will risk losing the lead you have just earned.

So, these are what you need to keep away from in order to bring success and not wreak havoc with your marketing campaigns. Now, one last thing left to talk about. Who should work on the content of your lead magnet?

Ghostwriting: A Helpful Ally in Creating Amazing Lead Magnets

Do you think you have what it takes to create the perfect lead magnet? Although your confidence is admirable, chances are you will learn the hard way that you cannot do everything on your own. Instead, you should reach out to the pros and see what they have to offer.

An expert will help you make the most out of your marketing goals, no matter how specific they are. Specialized professionals with extensive experience in the SEO niche will pave the way for you and your business to walk on.

You need someone knowledgeable about the market and the latest trends so as to benefit from specially crafted content for search engines and readers alike. Invest in high quality SEO ghostwriting (get a quote here) and watch the end results compensating you for your prudence.

Do not rely just on your thorough knowledge of the industry. Benefit from an expert point of view, so you can broaden your horizons and make the most out of your marketing strategy. When a true wordsmith takes over, words just transform into small masterpieces of art.

Final Words

In a highly competitive market, you must think out of the box and always be a step ahead of the competition. Marketing is an integral part of your business, reflecting the way you appear before your targeted audience. You need to be flawless, inviting and filled with surprises to reveal one by one.

Lead magnets are creative marketing tools, which can help your business grow and thrive. As long as you remain original and you make use of the tips we offered in this article, you are on the right track. Create things that matter to your audience, so you can keep them hooked to your content.

Build awareness and cultivate a feeling of trust with your potential customers, helping them see what you are truly made of. Give them the reason to stay put and anticipate your next newsletter, always questioning what you are up to.

Once they get to know you, that loyalty is going to be transformed into recurring sales … the holy grail of marketing! What are you waiting for?