Lead Magnets
Part of Lead magnets and useful downloads
Choosing a download worth exchanging contact details for
Use a buyer task, a clear output and a justified contact request to decide whether a proposed download is worth offering.
Choose a download when it helps the intended buyer complete a worthwhile task and every detail requested has a clear purpose. Define the outcome first, then decide whether the resource needs a contact exchange at all. Interest in a broad ebook does not, by itself, justify asking for an address.
State the buyer’s job in one sentence
Write: “This is for [buyer] who needs to [task] before [decision].” If that sentence could fit almost anyone, narrow it. A buyer preparing to compare maintenance suppliers might need a worksheet for recording service coverage and exclusions. A general introduction to maintenance would do less for that task.
Ask what the person already knows, what they must gather and what they can do after using the file. The output should be visible: a requirement list, comparison questions or a brief colleagues can review.
Test the idea before making the file
Use these questions to accept, revise or reject a proposed download:
| Question | Keep the idea when | Rework it when |
|---|---|---|
| Is there a defined task? | The reader can use the file to do something specific | The promise is simply to “learn more” |
| Does the file add utility? | It can be filled in, saved, printed or shared | The same answer fits comfortably on the page |
| Can we supply the substance? | A knowledgeable reviewer can check the prompts and explanations | It depends on claims the team cannot support |
| Is the next step honest? | The buyer knows what the file can and cannot settle | The title implies a complete answer but the file is a sales pitch |
These are editorial criteria, not a conversion forecast. A resource can be valuable without a gate. If contact details are unnecessary to deliver it or support the buyer’s task, consider offering it directly.
Match the request to the exchange
If delivery is by email, explain that the address is used to send the file. Ask for another detail only when its purpose in delivery or a separately requested response is clear. A phone number is hard to justify for simple file delivery. A project description may suit an optional request to review completed requirements, but that is a different offer.
For organisations covered by the Australian Privacy Principles, APP 3 requires an organisation’s collection of non-sensitive personal information to be reasonably necessary for its functions or activities. Coverage and the application of that test depend on the organisation and the collection. A button promising a download should not quietly submit a consultation request.
Draft the promise before production
A short offer brief can contain five lines:
- Reader:who will use the resource.
- Task:what they are trying to finish.
- Output:what they will have after using it.
- Limit:what still needs a supplier or specialist assessment.
- Exchange:how the file is delivered and why each requested detail is needed.
Check that brief with the person who would answer a later enquiry. If the file would not help a real buyer, revise the task before designing pages. After release, look for places where users stall and whether any resulting enquiries concern work the team can do. Downloads alone cannot answer either question.
