What is Gated Content?

If a potential customer has a bad experience on your website, they might seek out the help of competitors. Approximately 38% of consumers claim they judge a business based on how their website looks at first glance. A business website with an unappealing layout and lackluster content will drive potential customers away. This is why you need to work hard to ensure that every aspect of your website appeals to consumers.

Once a person gets a feel for your website’s design scheme, they will probably turn their attention to the content on your domain. Having the right mix of content on your domain can help you turn a website visitor into a paying customer. If you want to move a website visitor further down your online sales funnel, then you need to get familiar with gated content. Here is some information about gated content and how to use it to your advantage. 

The Definition of Gated Content

Gated content is a type of content that can only be viewed by website visitors that provide their information. In most cases, gated content is hidden behind a contact form and can only be unlocked if this form is filled out completely. The main reason why businesses use gated content is to help generate more leads. Website visitors are usually presented with a content offer via a pop-up or a call-to-action at the end of the page. 

When using gated content, you can take advantage of benefits like:

• Great for email list segmentation
• Improve lead generation
• Grow your sales
• Gather information and analytics about your customers

You need to realize that gated content can come in many forms. In most cases, business owners will use webinars, eBooks and white papers in their gated content campaigns. 

Gated Content Best Practices

If you want to use gated content to your advantage, there are some best practices you need to follow. 

Make Sure Your Content Matches the Buyer’s Journey

The main thing you need to do to have success with gated content is to create content for every stage of the buyer’s journey. For instance, if a person is visiting your website for the first time, they will probably be interested in reading a white paper or eBook about your industry. The more you know about the buyer’s journey, the easier it will be to create content to coincide with each stage. 

Providing Value is Crucial

Consumers that go through the trouble of unlocking gated content will want something valuable for their effort. If your gated content is just a long blog post, you will disappoint potential customers. This is why you need to focus on providing value. Ideally, you want the gated content being offered to provide valuable and actionable information to the reader. Working with content marketing professionals is a great way to ensure your gated content is up to par. 

When used correctly, gated content can help you generate a ton of new sales leads. Being consistent with your gated content marketing efforts is crucial when trying to reap the rewards this content can provide.