People don’t just give away their email addresses for no reason. Even if someone genuinely likes your brand and visits your site often, they usually need a little incentive to provide their contact details.
That’s where lead magnets come in.
A lead magnet is a tempting offer that convinces visitors to share their contact information. It could be a free ebook, access to an exclusive webinar, a template library, or anything else your target audience finds valuable.
For example, we offer a free resource guide on our website containing our ultimate WordPress toolkit for small business owners. It helps our readers find the tools they need to grow their businesses and make more money.
In this article, we’re breaking down the most popular types of lead magnets. We’ll explore their strengths, ideal use cases and industries, and specific scenarios where you may want to use each one.
What Is a Lead Magnet?
Lead magnets are irresistible goodies you offer visitors in exchange for their email addresses. Think of them like a friendly bribe — users get valuable content like ebooks, checklists, or free trials, and you get a potential customer to nurture.
Basically, everyone wins!
However, to make this work, you need to choose the right lead magnet. That means considering your industry, target audience, your goals, the topics you want to cover, and a ton of other things.
It isn’t easy, but more email subscribers and a long list of qualified leads are certainly worth the effort!
To help you out, we’re going to explore 19 popular lead magnet ideas to help grow your email list. We’ll cover everything from best practices to specific use cases, so you can find your perfect fit.
Simply use the quick links to jump straight to the lead magnet you want to learn about first:
1. eBook
eBooks are a fantastic way to share detailed information about a specific topic in an organized way.
However, creating an ebook takes a lot of time and effort, especially when compared to some other lead magnets like checklists. That means you’ll need to make sure you get good conversion rates.
The key is to offer readers a solid benefit. What’s in it for them?
For example, check out this free ebook from Blog Tyrant.
It shows you how to create a successful blog in ANY niche. That’s an irresistible benefit for Blog Tyrant’s target audience. That said, we only recommend creating an ebook if you can deliver a tangible, clear benefit.
If you sell ebooks online, then you might tweak this formula and offer the first chapter as a free lead magnet.
Alternatively, if you’ve published a series of related ebooks, then you might offer the first installment for free. This lets you capture leads who already have an interest in your work.
2. Resource Guide
A resource guide is a collection of recommended items such as books, digital downloads, apps, or even physical products.
Many businesses use resource guides to share information in a straightforward, easy-to-understand way. For example, you might list the top tools to achieve a particular goal.
We do something similar on WPBeginner with our free WordPress toolkit. It outlines all the hosting providers, plugins, and themes that we recommend for WordPress users.
Resource guides can position you as an expert in your field, capable of recommending valuable resources. At the same time, they require less time and effort to develop compared to other lead magnets such as podcasts and workbooks.
3. Workbook
Do you want to create a lead magnet that helps readers work through a particular activity?
Workbooks typically contain a series of tasks or questions and space where the reader can add their answers. This makes workbooks more interactive, so they’re ideal when you need to encourage active participation and engagement with your audience.
Workbooks are ideal for businesses focused on skill-building or personalized services where a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. For example, if you’re a life coach, then you might create a workbook for meal planning, exercise routines, or managing stress.
Workbooks can also help users track their progress and measure their achievements. This provides a sense of accomplishment, which encourages them to keep returning to your site or business.
That’s why workbooks are ideal for businesses that prioritize long-term, ongoing relationships with leads, such as personal trainers or financial advisors.
4. Checklist
Want a lead magnet that converts well and is easy to create? Checklists may be your answer!
A good checklist condenses the writer’s knowledge into an actionable list. Plus, checklists often deliver high conversion rates because they’re so easy to read and understand.
Even better, checklists are super easy to create. With that said, when you’re planning a new lead magnet, it’s always worth asking: could I achieve the same thing with a checklist?
It’s not worth spending weeks creating a more time-consuming lead magnet if a checklist could deliver the same results.
So, what’s the key to writing a successful checklist? One trick is creating an incredibly comprehensive resource.
For example, a checklist with a title such as ‘100 Best Practices for SEO Success’ suggests this is the ONLY resource you’ll need to boost your SEO.
Alternatively, you might create a list that walks the lead through a task towards a clearly defined result or benefit. In our SEO example, you might make a checklist with a title such as ‘10 Steps to Better Search Engine Rankings.’
This suggests the lead can download this guide or even print it out and then follow it every time they write a new post. That’s a pretty useful resource!
5. Templates
A template provides an outline or some form of starting point for a project, so the lead can simply fill in the blanks. You can even combine multiple templates into a library to add even more value.
Templates tend to work best for time-consuming or repetitive tasks where leads would benefit from having a framework in place.
For example, you might create templates for writing proposals, planning your calendar, creating presentation slides, or recording employee expenses.
Templates are also ideal if you offer design-related or marketing services. For example, you might create templates for social media posts, website banners, or email newsletters.
This approach lets you target people who are interested in the exact services you offer. At the same time, they’re getting a taste of the quality of your work, which will help you convert them in the future.
6. Webinar
A webinar is an online event where you can share knowledge, answer questions, and build a stronger connection with your audience.
For example, we host monthly workshops at WPBeginner, where we teach our readers how to do things like secure their websites, speed up WordPress, and build sites faster with AI.
We recommend webinars if you offer complex products or services. They allow you to educate potential customers and demonstrate your offerings in a compelling way.
We’ve also seen businesses use webinars to promote a new product or service. In this scenario, you can collect leads who are specifically interested in your new offering. At the same time, you can create a sense of excitement and anticipation around the launch while answering any questions potential buyers might have.
Unlike some other lead magnets, live webinars create a sense of urgency, so you might capture some additional leads just because people don’t want to miss out.
Sounds good? To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of the best webinar software platforms and created a detailed guide on how to host a virtual event in WordPress.
7. Podcast
Podcasts are a way to share in-depth information about a specific topic in a way that’s easier to consume. In fact, podcasts are perfect for busy people who like to enjoy their content on the go.
We recommend podcasts if you want to build a deeper connection with your audience, as they’re an easy way to show your personality. The combination of voice and tone gives leads a chance to really get to know you.
Podcasts are a good lead magnet for entrepreneurs, freelancers, or anyone who relies on ongoing, personal relationships with their leads, such as career counselors, nutritionists, or agents.
If your website or business has a strong audio element, then podcasts may be a natural fit. For example, if you’re a public speaker or sell audio equipment, then podcasts may appeal to your target audience.
One option is creating an entire podcast series and then releasing it as gated content. Alternatively, you might run a public podcast but then release exclusive bonus episodes as your lead magnet.
8. Online Course
Want to share in-depth information with potential customers in a structured, educational way? A free online course may be the solution.
Online training is a great lead magnet if you run an educational business or website. It gives potential students a chance to experience your training before investing in a premium course or coaching session.
Alternatively, a course may be a good option if you sell complex products or services. By creating some training around your offerings, leads can learn more about your company in an engaging, interactive way.
9. Email Course
An email course is simply an autoresponder series that teaches the lead how to accomplish something specific.
