Gated content can be a win-win for you and your audience when well-executed. With the right mix of tailored messaging, compelling designs, and truly valuable content, you can use this tactic to receive the contact details you need to move leads from initial interest to purchase.

Read on to discover why gating content can be an effective lead-generation tactic.

What’s gated content?

Gated content refers to online resources like articles, reports, and webinars that require visitors to provide personal information (usually their email address) to access the content.

You can use gated content to offer something valuable to people in exchange for their contact details, making it an effective lead generation tactic. This exchange allows you to build a database of leads who've already shown interest in your products or services, tapering your target audience into segments that will likely take action and respond well to follow-up marketing.

Here are some use cases and examples of gated content:

• Industry research reports. You might produce in-depth research reports on trends and forecasts, gating these value insights to collect information from your target audience.
• Webinars and conferences. You could host gated events covering various topics, from technological innovations to business strategies. People can only access these resources through registration, which helps you generate new leads and segment audiences based on interests.
• Software demos and trials. Say you offer a software solution like a transcription tool or productivity app. Your gated content could be demos or free trials. Gated access requires potential customers to provide their details, helping you create more personalized follow-ups.
• Whitepapers and ebooks. You might provide technical content like ebooks on web design, marketing, and data. The material is gated to capture leads from individuals or businesses who want to learn more about solutions in these areas. In return, you regularly offer valuable tips and emails to subscribers.

Gated content vs. ungated content

The primary differences between gated and ungated content are access and motive. Gated content requires people to provide personal information to access it, while ungated content is freely available to anyone — no personal details required. 

Gated content primarily focuses on lead generation, while ungated content aims to build brand awareness and authority, reach a broader audience, and drive traffic to your website.

For example, this blog post on marketing a service business online is publicly available and aims to educate readers and drive traffic to the site.

Both types are crucial for any content marketing strategy, and you can use them at different stages of the sales funnel to achieve your business goals.

When should you ungate content?

Here are some cases where offering ungated content makes the most sense:

• Building brand awareness. Ungating valuable content like educational blogs, infographics, and instructional videos can attract a wider audience. You build brand recognition and credibility without the signup form barrier, encouraging more shares and interactions.
• Driving organic traffic. Top-of-funnel content like blogs, introductory guides, and educational resources captures interest by attracting readers at the awareness stage of their customer journey. Keeping this type of content ungated encourages more clicks from search engine results pages (SERPs) and also increases shares, backlinks, and engagement.
• Engaging with a community. Ungated content boosts engagement by being freely accessible, allowing people to quickly find and share user manuals, "how-to" guides, and other resources. Open access encourages online discussions, improves peer-to-peer support, and builds a loyal following through those who value your brand's transparency and thought leadership. ‍
• Educational resources and documentation. Ungated educational content like tutorials and product documentation is crucial for helping people make the most of your offering. It allows potential customers to explore how your products and services work by reducing barriers to adoption.

8 gated content best practices for lead generation

When lead generation is your priority, gating content is your best bet. Here are eight tips for creating blocked content that convinces visitors to take action.

1. Choose a subject and format

Picking the right subject matter and format requires thoughtfully considering your target audience. Define what they care about and how much time they have to consume content to decide whether to share something that’s short-form or long, educational or entertaining. The right topic-format combo means you’ll hook your audience, offering something they actually want.

For example, Jasper is an AI copilot for enterprise marketing teams. They offer a gated guide on generative AI that’s aimed at marketing leaders, using language that might pique their interests, like “achieve ROI” and “results-driven AI.” They simplify the signup process with just three form-fill spots to avoid taking up too much of the visitor’s time.

2. Create content tailored to each customer journey stage

Offering stage-specific content means you can speak to evolving needs as people move from awareness to consideration to decision-making. This targeted approach lets you effectively nurture leads throughout the sales funnel. 

Introductory webinars, for instance, can engage those at the awareness stage, while you can gate detailed case studies for decision-stage prospects.

3. Offer high-value content

Ensure gated content provides enough value to justify the information exchange. People will more likely take action if the content directly addresses their issues, provides viable solutions, or is something valuable that competitors don’t offer — making it a worthy trade.

For example, a SaaS company’s gated content design might offer a complementary toolkit with 50 templates for subscribing to its monthly newsletter.

4. Create compelling landing pages

The landing page is often the lead's first interaction with your gated content. This page should communicate a value proposition through a visually appealing design and a strong call-to-action (CTA) to compel visitors to click on it. 

For example, a cybersecurity company might create a landing page for its gated whitepaper titled "Advanced Cyber Threat Detection Strategies." The page can feature a prominent security-themed header image, a brief summary (“Learn how to identify and prevent threats before they impact your business”), and a visually striking CTA button. Testimonials and statistics could also reinforce the report's credibility. 

This design and layout help potential customers quickly understand the gated report's value. And, in a bid to learn more about protecting their organization's online safety, they’ll feel confident about sharing information to access it.

5. Optimize form length and fields

Keep the gated form as short as possible, requesting only the most essential information. Concise forms respect the visitor's time, with reduced friction and fewer steps leading to higher completion rates.

6. Promote across multiple channels

Promote content through email, social media, blogs, and paid ads for more exposure and reach. You can use catchy email subject lines and social media marketing techniques to tap into different segments of your target audience or anyone interested in your material, ensuring it reaches as many potential leads as possible.

7. Provide a preview or teaser

A sneak peek gives visitors a clearer idea of what they'll receive, increasing the likelihood that they'll sign up and engage with your brand. For example, you might show the table of contents for a detailed research report or the first few minutes of a video tutorial before displaying a signup form.

8. Follow up with leads

After capturing a lead, promptly follow up with a thank-you email that includes additional resources or next steps to keep them interested. It sets the stage for a long-term relationship, showing leads that you value their engagement and that there's more value to come.

Consider executing a drip email campaign — a pre-created set of messages or content — to gradually provide more material and retain customers, offering longer content forms like courses as the campaign runs.

Lead generation is just a form-fill away

Gated content might seem like a blocker for visitors, but when executed well, it’s a win-win for everyone involved. 

Start your gated-content campaign with a solid landing page. Webflow provides everything you need to produce, manage, and optimize website content to drive organic conversions.

Build click-worthy gated content and turn every form-fill into an opportunity with Webflow.