Lead magnets are basically ‘freebies’ given as incentives to encourage consumers to share their contact information. The email address of a potential client is the most sought-after contact detail there is. In the marketing world, everyone knows that a client’s email address is a valuable asset with long-term benefits. With the acquisition of this email address, businesses can begin nurturing them with the end goal of converting them.
So how do you create lead magnets that can get you these all-important emails? And what types of lead magnets are the most effective? We’ll address all of that in this blog.
With suitable lead magnets in place, you can increase your email list and make a big impact on your email marketing game.
Some examples of top lead magnet ideas for businesses include things like
Let’s now take a look at 5 tips to help you effectively design and make the most of lead magnets.
By now you would know how important visuals generally are in any form of marketing. First impressions are everything and visuals can tell the consumer a story about your brand and help set that first impression. Did you know that 94% of people believe that the first impression is design-related? So, for things like lead magnets, through which you’re directly trying to catch a customer, an engaging visual that’s true to your brand is a must-have.
If your visual is not enticing there’s a possibility that a potential customer wouldn’t make that all-important decision to provide you with their contact details. This is much more relevant for lead magnets like exit-intent popups. So make sure you give priority to the designing aspect of lead magnets. Following basic design principles will ensure that everything looks professional.
The type of lead magnets you’re using, your core offer, and your target audience all have to work well together. Your design will help bring all 3 of these aspects together in harmony.
Here’s a good lead magnet from Hubspot that exemplifies this.
The overall design is quite simple and doesn’t distract from the purpose of the lead magnet. Also, the offer is intriguing to the targeted audience.
On another note, use images that are relevant to the target audience and avoid crowding the design with too many images. Leverage white space to your advantage to make the design look classy. Don’t forget to incorporate an ideal amount of colors so that it doesn’t look like an eyesore.
This lead magnet from Thinkific Academy is an excellent example that utilizes these points.
Pro Tip: If you create a strong visual identity you can make the most out of your lead magnets. That’s why they have to be carefully designed. Your design will establish your brand as a credible brand.
We’d like to remind you of how important typography is in almost any marketing material.
It’s of utmost importance that you follow proper typography throughout the designs in whichever lead magnets you use. This will help communicate the message to your audience without hindrance. A clear message is what’s going to help you get those coveted contact details.
Text is what communicates your intentions. So Choose font styles and font sizes that will help maximize the efficiency of this communication in your design.
We advise that you pick legible fonts that aid readability. Don’t incorporate fonts that are tiring for the eye.
Here’s a good example of a clear and precise lead magnet.
Another tip here, which is pretty basic, but integral: proofread your copy! You don’t want to give the wrong impression and/or the wrong information. A customer won’t proceed to provide their contact information if your typographical error gives you away as an unreliable brand.
Lead magnets help people understand what they’re being offered. So the visual hierarchy within them plays a vital role in drawing the eye to the sequence in which you want the viewer to notice your content. This order can have a significant impact on the viewer’s comprehension. It also has the power to add value to the design.
A good design can use visual hierarchy strategically to present its content as one wholesome design, meanwhile leading the target audience down the different elements of it. So to make the most out of lead magnets we highly encourage you to create this visual hierarchy in your design.
The secret is to determine which details are primary and which are secondary. You can then make the layout according to that. Also, using different font sizes to create a hierarchy of text will help the reader see the most important details first.
Be sure to use images that accentuate the overall design instead of those that draw attention away from the important details.
Here are some good examples of visual hierarchy in a lead magnet design.
A lead magnet is a great tool for marketing your brand. It helps you connect with potential customers while offering them something of value, and creating a favorable impression. That’s why it’s important that it exudes your branding. You want your target audience to connect this favorable impression with your brand specifically. This is where having proper brand guidelines plays a role, as they will help your designer maintain consistency with your brand’s visual identity when designing your lead magnets.
Need another reason to make sure that your lead magnets are branded effectively? Incorporating branding into your lead magnet designs will also set you apart from other competitors!
This lead magnet from Startup Talky is designed according to their overall branding. If you visit their website you can see that they use their brand colors throughout. They also exclusively incorporate illustrations in their work which seems unique to their brand.
One final takeaway: Use your logo/ brand name in a flattering manner in relevant lead magnets to highlight who the lead magnet is coming from. That will be useful to create brand awareness. Also, always use brand fonts and follow placements unique to your branding.
Lead magnets are targeted marketing work. It’s very rare to find a lead magnet that allures a general audience because different people have different needs, opinions, and interests. Yup, that’s right, even within your target audience there may be subsets that prefer their lead magnets and content to be available on one platform over another. That’s why when designing lead magnets it’s important to optimize them for multiple platforms.
The same lead magnet will not work across all platforms. There are different audiences hanging around on different platforms. So, you need to optimize your lead magnets to suit each audience.
For example, Pinterest is an excellent platform for lead magnets. It’s no wonder the lead magnet below is focused on adding value for its users, or prospective users.
But if your brand has a target audience of a predominantly male demographic, then you’re in the wrong place. Pinterest’s largest audience comprises mostly women. So it wouldn’t make sense to have lead magnets targeting men which are focused on Pinterest.
Likewise, know your audience and make your strategy a targeted and intentional one. Find the best platforms for lead generation advertising and leverage them to your advantage.
Lead magnets are really true to their names. They really do help draw in new leads. The concept of receiving free stuff is something that is universally enjoyed. So imagine when it’s properly targeted and you’re offering someone something that they really do need. There’s a high chance it could lead to conversion.
And a crucial determinant of your lead magnet’s success is how well it’s designed. This has a great effect on how well a prospective client will respond to it. This is why it is vital to give extra attention and resources to the design aspect.
So focus on the visual as a whole and use clear and readable fonts. Don’t forget to consider the visual hierarchy when placing different elements like texts and images. Always stick to your branding to maintain consistency and validity. Finally, make sure the lead magnet is designed and placed on a platform with the audience in mind.
By using these graphic design principles and general tips you could create appealing lead magnets that will surely help attract new leads and help convert them in the long run. So don’t hesitate to use lead magnets in your marketing strategies because the results can be outstanding if they’re used in the right way.
