Key Takeaways:
- Lead generation campaigns are crucial for building an email database and nurturing relationships with potential customers.
- While gated content (requiring information for access) can be effective, it can also deter people.
- Using infographics is a powerful alternative. They provide a visual summary of your content, attracting users and encouraging them to share, even if they don’t download your full offer.
- Infographics can be used as a “semi-gated” approach, giving users a taste of your content before asking for their information. This builds trust and increases the likelihood of conversion.
- Interactive elements like polls within infographics can help you gather valuable data about your audience’s interests, which can inform future content creation.
What is a Lead Generation Campaign?
More and more companies today are focusing their marketing efforts on lead generation campaigns. What exactly is a lead generation campaign?
It simply means creating a campaign to gain more leads, like the e-mail addresses of potential users or clients. With e-mail leads, companies can build their databases in order to include more people in their newsletter lists. By doing so, you increase your chances of building relationships with possible future buyers.
Rethinking Gated Content
There is a wide range of lead generation campaign types. Many companies create gated content to build leads, but the problem with gated content is that by putting up a wall, you deter people from actually taking in what you probably worked very hard to create. For instance, some businesses might work for months on developing an ebook and market it as a free download, but when people finally get to the site and realise that an “exchange” is required, it can be a little off-putting.
Sure, it’s still a great way to find out who is interested in learning about that subject, but there are a lot of people you are failing to reach out to, and who may have given their e-mail address to you after finding out a bit more information first.
The Power of Infographics
This is why it’s important to consider using infographics as a tool to generate more leads. Let’s say you are creating an ebook on how to market infographics for your marketing. You could follow the general rule and add a form asking your potential reader twenty questions about their interests and business, but chances are, if they are downloading an ebook on infographics and marketing, they are interested in content marketing.
Instead, what you could do is give them a brief summary of what is included in the ebook, and then ask them to submit their e-mail address to access the entire document. The reason I suggest using an infographic for this is that not only does an infographic provide a visual summary, but even if they don’t download your ebook, they might share the infographic that’s on your site!
Here is an example of an infographic that has an embedded form. Although this particular infographic is very long and summarizes the entire ebook, it is still a great way to provide insight to your users of what each chapter will expand on.
Interactive and “Semi-Gated” Content
Another option for optimizing on useful leads is adding polls into the infographic to gain insight into what information people are most interested in learning about, or acquiring data to fuel future projects. This is an example of an infographic that was featured on Social Times in Adweek that listed some of the top brands performing on social media.
At the end of the infographic, there is a poll to gain insight from readers as to which brand they thought was performing best. The information gathered can help you figure out what parts of your content your users are engaging with highly, and what parts they tend to skip over. With this data, you can continue to create content that your subscribers are more likely to read and advocate for. With this data, you can continue to invest in personalized content creation that your subscribers are more likely to read and advocate for.
Consider interactive infographics of this nature as “Semi-gated” content. L2 Inc. does a really great job at providing only a taste of their reports. They release a research report almost daily, but there is a lot of work that goes behind the content they create, so they can’t just hand it out to everyone- it would cost too much. Rather, they provide readers with a sample or a summary of what is included in the document.
First, they show you a thumbnail view of what is included in the document with a brief description; however, when you click on it, a message appears stating that the content is for members only. But by giving you a visual representation of what is situated just a Google form away, it turns out to be appealing enough for you to go the extra step. L2 Inc.’s process to become a member is a little bit more difficult than that; however, when you fill out the form, they include you in their e-mail newsletter and provide you with non-member insights and articles.
The “Taste Test” Analogy
Think of it like this: if you go to a really nice restaurant for dinner, and the chef tells you that he has just put together one of his best meals. You can either pay him upfront for the meal and risk having to consume the entire thing, whether it suits your tastes or not, or you have the option of trying it first. Chances are you will definitely want to taste it, and if the chef is true to his word and it is his finest meal, you will likely want to consume more.
If you don’t like it, though, you may never return to that restaurant again. Good content works just the same. People will always read a summary before they commit to taking in the whole thing, but the fact is, they will always appreciate a taste first and not risk being disappointed later.
Easy Creation and Better Leads
Creating an infographic with an embedded form in it does not require very much effort, either. There are a lot of free and paid online tools that exist that make it very easy to create an infographic.
Even if it means forsaking a few leads, the ones you do receive will likely be a lot more valuable to you in the future, and a lot more willing to share your content with like-minded individuals.
Don’t Forget About Infographic Brand Powers
Infographics can be promoted across many channels. They can be repackaged into social media visuals, GIFs, short videos, etc. This cross-channel marketing capability allows you to build your brand effectively, as people see your image everywhere.
So make sure your infographic clearly states your domain name (so people can type it in the browser to get to your site). This will greatly increase your direct traffic!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a lead generation campaign?
A lead generation campaign is a marketing effort designed to capture leads, such as email addresses, from potential customers. The goal is to build a database and nurture relationships with these individuals.
What is ‘gated content’?
Gated content is material, like an ebook or a whitepaper, that requires users to provide their information (typically an email address) in exchange for access. While effective, it can deter some users who are hesitant to provide their details upfront.
What are the benefits of using infographics for lead generation?
Infographics provide a visually appealing summary of your content. They can attract visitors, encourage them to share your content, and serve as a ‘taste’ of your more extensive material, making them more willing to provide their information for the full version.
What is ‘semi-gated’ content?
Semi-gated content offers a partial view or summary of a larger piece of content before asking for user information. This approach builds trust by giving users a preview, making them more likely to take the next step and provide their details for the full content.
