Long form content is very effective at generating leads. But, creating that content is only one part of the puzzle. Assuming you have put the time and effort into making an awesome lead magnet, you then need to find places to share that content. You want to maximise the people who see it. And not any people, but the right kind of people. People who match your ideal client profile. People who are going to get the most out of your content. People who will value your expertise and need your advice to solve their challenges. People who are going to be warm leads that are more likely to buy from you. So, where can you share your content?
In this age of social media, social platforms are an obvious place to be sharing your free resources. But social media is just one content distribution channel – and it is a saturated channel. Which makes it hard for you to stand out and cut through. The best strategy is a multi-channel approach to sharing your content. Get it out via social media but also tap into other places your ideal audience hangs out.
So, go through the list of options below and get sharing. Pick a couple of new ones you haven’t used before and try them out. If you can find a way to track where each new lead and subscriber is coming from, even better!
#TIP
Don’t do them all at once. Pick a couple that you feel are most likely to reach the right people. If they aren’t successful try another one. And make sure you are always aligned with your branding and online presence.
On your website*
- Have an opt-in box on your side bar which sends someone your content when they enters their email address
- Add your key resource to the navigation menu as a separate page of your website – call it something short and enticing like Free Checklist or Freebie or Ultimate Guide…
- Have a link to your opt-in landing page on a banner at the top of your website and/or in the footer
- Use a pop-up box to entice people to sign up for your resource. You can set the timing for when they pop up based on how long people have been on your site, or if it looks like they are about to leave
- Add a Resources/Freebies page where you can provide a bunch of useful documents that your ideal clients will LOVE!
- If you have a business blog include a link to your free resource at the end of each post. You can also create multiple posts that touch on different elements of your resource.
* Especially don’t do all of these together. Pick one or two key places on your website where you will promote your opt in. Otherwise, you risk coming across as too pushy/salesy and this will put people off.
On social media
- Share the link on your socials – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. Don’t just share once – stagger your posts across platforms and reshare regularly.
- Include the link in your profile/about/bio – you can use apps like LinkTree that help you filter people through your social platform pages to different parts of your website
- Pin your content promo post to the top of your feed so it is one of the first things people see when they view your profile
- Include the name of your freebie and the call to action in your cover photos
- Share your opt in to Facebook and LinkedIn groups where your target audience likes to hang out. But don’t just post and run, you need to be an active member who contributes to the conversations
- Share your content link in self promotion threads – many Facebook and LinkedIn groups have regular threads allowing (and encouraging) self promotion. Again, make sure you are regularly interacting with these groups and not just showing up on the promo threads
- Pull great quotes or powerful stats out of your lead magnet. Use a program like Canva to create images for your social media posts
More places to share your content
- Include a call to action on your email signature that includes a link to your opt in or free resources
- Add a link to new resources in your email newsletter. Even though these people are already subscribers, you can grow the relationship by continuing to provide them valuable content
- Include your freebie in your LinkedIn publications section
- Share your freebie link with new LinkedIn contacts. Make sure you have already established a connection with them and aren’t spamming people
- Collaborate with people who provide complimentary products and/or services. They can offer your freebie as a bonus for their followers/customers and vice versa. For example, if you coach female business owners you could collaborate with a Nutritionist who services working mums. Or if you are a newborn photographer you could collaborate with a local children’s wear boutique.
- Find other online forums popular with your audience – check out Reddit or Quora or do a Google search for forums in your area of expertise
- Repurpose your freebie content into a short blog post. Don’t copy and paste the content. You want to use the blog post to give a taster that entices readers to download your full resource. You could give a high level overview of the topic or drill down into one specific aspect. Submit to blogs you know your target market loves to read. Make sure you include a call to action at the end of your post with a link to your opt in. You can also include the link in your author bio
- Become a guest on a podcast that is relevant to your audience and tell them how to access your opt in. Make sure your opt in content is relevant to the topic of the podcast interview
- Make a video introducing your free resource and upload to YouTube. You can also use this for extra social media posts
- Use paid ads to reach more people. Only go down this road if you feel educated and confident about how to effectively utilise paid ads to avoid wasting money
Social media channels are becoming more and more cluttered with ads and content. If this is the only way you are distributing your lead magnet then you are missing out on opportunities to reach more, and maybe better, leads. If you have invested the time and effort to create a great freebie, then do yourself a favour and start using some of these other channels to get your content out there.
Don’t have a lead magnet but REALLY want one? Book in for a free 15 min Content Chat and we can brainstorm topics or work out how to get. it. done.
