The top 3 lead magnets that will launch your email list with a blast

Lead magnets are the not-so-secret component that your list-building approach hasn't got. Here's why and how to begin using them right now.

After a few minutes the listening experience of those marketers and small business leaders talk about the value of their mailing lists starts to look like that particular scene and the accompanying soundtrack from The Lion King.

It seems too good to be true. 3800% average ROI ? No way. 89% of professionals say email is their preferred channel to generate leads? That's a bit much.

There's a good reason behind this. Marketing via email isn't only a single-sided relationship between companies and their customers. Like the Lion King, email is loved by everyone within the realm of commerce.

In reality, 73% of customers consider email to be their top-choice channel to receive marketing messages and interactions.

That's not what you're struggling with.

Your issue is much simpler in the sense that you know you'll need an email address But how do you create an entirely new one?

Furthermore, how can you generate a list quickly while preserving high-quality?

The solution, dear reader, is simple:

You need to have a lead magnet.

That's what we'll tackle this morning. In the beginning, we'll discuss why, then show you how, and finally top everything by providing a complete lead magnet solution that can get your list building with just ten minutes.

Let's get started.

What exactly is an lead magnet?

The most important distinction that separates lead magnets from any other form of marketing through content -- further details on this in a second -- is that lead magnets come with a particular reward contingent on the users' taking the desired step (e.g. signing up to your email list).

Also, the subscription box that is located on the homepage of Backlinko is not a lead magnet. Although the tricks and tips may indeed be exclusive only to Brian Dean, they are not offered as a specific resource in exchange for the user signing up.

However, the case study found on the bottom of the same page can be considered an effective lead-generator because the resource is gated behind an email address box. Users only have to complete the required action and sign up to be subscribers they can access the case study.

Both buttons lead users to the same destination -- Brian's email list However, it's the second one that rewards potential subscribers with an event-based incentive.

In general The easiest method to keep track of what is a lead magnet and the ones that are not is to employ the "if it is true, then" formula.

If the user completes the action they want to take The user will get an xyz reward in exchange.

If the user does not do the right thing in the time frame specified, the user won't receive xyz in exchange.

That's enough for the dictionary. In addition to the definition above What is the process (and how and why) are lead magnets effective?

Lead magnets' process usually looks as follows:

The sequence of steps may differUsers may be able to start at the lead magnet's landing page -- but the relationship between reward and action is essentially the same.

This brings us to the "why" behind the magnets for lead.

They provide your customers with an incentive, right there and there, to give the information they have provided to you to convert them into leads right away. (The are really effective lead magnets, anyway. Further details on this will be discussed later, as well.)

This means that lead magnets address the biggest marketing problem faced by the majority of professionals across the globe by driving the necessary traffic as well as leads all in one fell swoop.

A different way of thinking about it is like the difference between messaging someone on the dating site and engaging them with funny jokes or inviting the exact person to eat dinner with you when you're both in the same restaurant.

Do it right and you'll be able to have an email subscription in a less time than it takes to execute the formal plan for content. Do it wrong and the users will immediately flinch, just as they will never come back.

It's not a stretch, by the way.

A minimum of 70 percent of visitors that leave your site after the initial visit do not return.

So getting the lead magnet perfect isn't about just generating more leads -- it's about creating the most powerful impression that visitors can make when they actually become leads.

Short answer: By using the appropriate touch points in the right place at the right moment with those who are in the right place at the right time.

For more information, read on.

Lead magnets that work are well-targeted and target problems

Before you dive into an endless pit of despair trying to figure out when you'll be able to determine where, when, and even how you'll create a lead magnet that attracts customers, keep your eyes on the prize.

What well-performing lead magnets all have in common isn't the length of time it took to make them, or their budgets or the expertise of the designer It's all in the way they are targeted.

In simple terms it's that the more compatible and useful the content of your lead magnet to the audience you're trying to reach, the better the lead magnet's performance for your business as well as the customers you serve.

Be aware that your aim with any type of content -regardless of whether it's a lead magnet, a blog post, or a webinar -- shouldn't be to make it appealing to the general masses.

Your golden rule is appealing to your specific market.

It is true that 71.7 percent of people who reported information as being irrelevant declared it to be to general.

Comparatively, only 2.9% of the same users believed that the content wasn't relevant due to its complex or in-depth.

So if you take nothing more from this piece this moment, it should be this:

Whatever product you choose to sell that is lead magnets or any other type of product that seeks to please everyone will delight few and be forgotten by many.

So, now that the soapbox is out of the way, how do you ensure that your lead magnet is pertinent to your target audience? After nailing your customer research down, it's helpful to examine your customers' problems.

The term "pain points," if you've not heard the term previously, refer specifically to problems the users of your business are having which are pertinent to the business you run. They are not the solutions to those problems.

The comic created by Ceralytics beautifully illustrates the distinction between problems and solutions .

Your users' potential pain points might be:

I'm looking to compress my files without the quality being affected.

I'm in need of a memorable logo for my client.

I need to cut down my interval between pitching and delivering.

However, they would not but they could be:

I want to save my files with .PNG format.

I require a color palette for my client.

I require an automated process.

Why? Since the first part is issues that aren't solved yet. solutions. While the later half will provide (possible) solutions to them.

However, while they can be a useful method to focus the attention of your lead magnet, it is not always the case that pain points are the best an ideal content.

There's an array of issues that consumers can experience throughout the day. And if it's not something that users are enthusiastic about working on -- i.e., actively seeking solutions to -- then even if the issue is relevant to your target market, it's unlikely that you will achieve the results you're looking for.

An effective lead magnet has to be both passion-fueled and profitable.

So if it's a pain area that people would love to resolve --- i.e. there's a chance to find Reddit threads seeking assistance and a demand for similar premium items -- it will fit in the upper right corner and could result in an audience-relevant and targeted lead magnet.

If however there's a problem that users aren't already keen to address or spend money to make disappear, then it falls on the left part of the matrix. It probably should not be the next lead magnet.

As an example, this is how I'd sort my readers' problems in the context of the content strategy

In other words, here's what comes down to:

Lead magnets that succeed are relevant to their intended customers and are able to address pain points.

(Coincidence? Most likely not.)

So if you prefer to make things easier you can try opening our download generator in a new tab and following along. However, no matter how you build your lead magnet, apply these tips and tricks to make it shine above the rest.

3 easy lead magnets to create and how to get them to stand out

We'll be focusing on three different formats todayone of our most popular types of lead magnets, and the ones which have proven to be the most effective for us. But If you're looking to explore different formats, Blogging Wizard has an extensive guide to lead magnets that I'd highly recommend.

In other words, these are the types we'll be dealing with for the remainder of the piece:

Sound good? Now, with no further delay, let's dive in.

#1. Give your checklists visual accents to make a lasting impression

Checklists are, hopefully, fairly self-explanatory and include anything which users are able to interact with through the process of completing items using a computer, or by using a pen. They're usually less visual-heavy than other types of formats.

Note, however, that I say less visually heavy, not necessarily visual-free. In general, those employed in the field of content marketing favor materials which incorporates aesthetic appeal  which includes checklists.

Why? There are several reasons that checklists should include visuals. The most notable is the effect the image has on awareness of brands. Within three days after exposure users could keep about 70% of the information they have seen if it was paired with an image.

In more practical terms, adding images to your checklists make them distinguishable and memorable that keeps your business top-of-mind while users put your checklist to work.

It doesn't mean that you need to be a master of creative design in order to create the most of the checklist. Just a few visual hints could make a big difference.

As an example, take an look at the (abbreviated) blog writing checklist from CoSchedule.

Evaluated objectively, it's not an extremely sophisticated design however, it does incorporate colors, iconography, and visual hierarchy to make the content itself such as the 21-item list -- stand out compared with other options and boost the perceived value of the offering.

The same approach can be seen in this editor's checklist of content from Vertical Measures.

Is the actual content of this checklist useful and relevant to the readers? Absolutely. Yet, how would people remember it was from Vertical Measures or look them up as a reliable source for blog content if it didn't have branded colors or a logo?

It could be possible, but not probable or easily.

It's simple, regardless of the type of marketing that you're involved in, always your goal.

Final word:

Checklists must incorporate color and your brand logo for them to be memorable and improve their overall appeal. The main content may be the content, but an excellent steak can benefit from a well-placed food garnish.

#2. Give your numbered lists wide margins and line spacing

Sequential lists, whether they're indented or numbered with bullets, are subject to the same requirements as checklists, but there's one thing they require above all others:

Blank space.

Sometimes called white space, or negative space, adding ample margins and spacing between your list items increases readability  understanding, comprehension and clarifies the relationships between objects.

The distinction between a list with space and one that does not might seem insignificant yet the effect it has on engagement of users -- and overall usability -- isn't subtle at all.

Here's an illustration of what I'm talking about:

In the case of a list that is 4 items in length, like the above example, the thin margins and the tight composition might be acceptable however, imagine that same layout in a list that's 20-items long.

Better yet, go through it at it for yourself.

There is only one difference between these two lists is a 0.20 increment in lines, however the ability to read and sift through the content will make all the distinction.

And if your numbered list will guide an individual through a procedure there's no reason you can afford to skip.

In reality, I'm referring to "afford" to refer to it in the sense of the literal, by the way.

Increasing white space between items will boost conversion rates during the checkout process by as much as 33% , as it did for Xerox in addition to enhancing an improved user experience as well as general engagement levels for users.

This improvement in conversion and understanding is repeatedly demonstrated by various research teams and it's not a single component of your online identity (or products)which won't be benefited from using well-applied blank space , including numbers on lists.

Here's the essence of it:

The lists with numbers need to have visually balanced components to ensure their value to the users. If the reader must look at the screen with a glare to read your lead magnet, you're unlikely to deliver an enjoyable user experience and prove the importance of your brand.

It's an attractive lead magnet which draws traffic in and it loses them all in one breath. Ouch.

#3. Keep lead magnet ebooks to 2500 words or less

If this header appears strangely unique to you, there's an reason: this tip only is applicable when creating ebooks for a lead magnet.

If you're creating an ebook that's formatted to be leadsetters -- whether it's a case study, an essay, or even a chapter excerpt from a larger book -it's best to limit the length to about 7 minutes reading time and 2,000 characters.

The number is derived from a study carried out by the platform for blogging Medium about the best length of long-form posts.

The vertical horizontal axis (the bar running from top to bottom) shows the amount of amount of time that users spent reading the post; the horizontal axis (the bar that runs from right to left) represents how long the blog post will take readers to go through at normal speeds.

It is evident that viewership peaks around the 7-minute mark and then begins to decrease with the length of the article. While this data applies to blog posts and not lead magnets specifically and the connections are easy to make, and moreover it is obvious:

The majority of users don't wish to commit long hours with a tool, even a great one.

And as a business the same isn't good for you if they devote hours to it regardless of whether your 50,000-word guide is the most comprehensive guide for crocheting cute sea creatures, it's just not easily digestible and your customers won't be reading the book in one go or peruse the other offerings anytime soon.

In the end the pleasure of reading is at the lowest level in the US .

Which likely coincides with the reality that Americans, more than any other people anywhere in the world, spend their weekends working.

All of which is what brings us to the central point of this: people aren't able to afford a lot of time.

When the goal of an lead magnet is to incentivize people to join your email list so you can nurture them for buying, a book which takes them one time to go through (assuming they can get there) isn't doing your company or the customer any favours.

Make it concise and direct. Everyone wins.

How do lead magnets grow up big and sturdy

In essence, consider the lead magnets you use as multivitamins. They're not going fix your problems with email marketing in a matter of hours, but they will provide you with -- and the people who sign-up for your mailing list the growth spurt you need to get where you want to get there faster.

In that same spirit of brevity, here's the short summary of what we've discussed today:

Lead magnets are deals that are usually made in the form of downloadable materials, which give customers an incentive to sign up for your email newsletter.

The best lead magnets are targeted to their intended audiences. The more generic the lead magnet you choose to use less specific, the lower the response will be.

Lead magnets can take different formats, but the most straightforward to start using are checklists, numbers checklists, or ebooks.

If you're creating your list of tasks, ensure you've included a few small elements of visual. Without them, your business -- no matter how impressive your list is impressive -will be a bit stale.

Numbered lists benefit from visuals also, however, they need spacing between their items in order to function. The fact that you're crowded doesn't make it more impressive -- just less comprehensible.

Lead magnets that are packaged in the form of ebooks must follow the same rules for long-form content -- keep it short and concise. A minimum of 2,000 words or 7 minutes reading time is ideal.

Perhaps you're interested in line spacing or character counting. I'm not going to judge.