To Gate or Un-Gate Your Content

Updated: December 2024

To gate or not to gate, the wise words of Shakespeare if he had ventured into digital marketing. Gated content is undeniably a highly effective marketing tool that encourages prospects to take the next step in their buyer’s journey and become leads. A study found that up to 80% of B2B marketing assets are now gated, requiring visitor registration of some sort to gain access. But, the question on every marketer’s mind, is when is it right to gate content, when is the right time, and what is the right content?

Explore our mini-guide to help you determine whether or not you should be gating your content.

What is gated content?

Gated pieces of content are typically long-form online materials such as eBooks, guides or whitepapers that are ‘gated’ behind a lead-capture form. To access this premium content the user would be required to submit their contact information, usually their name, email address, and phone number. Gated content is considered to be a premium offering but no monetary exchange is needed, which is worth clarifying. The trade is essentially your content, for the visitor’s information. 

These ‘gates’ can serve as valuable tools particularly where your lead generation efforts are concerned. Your blogs, infographics, and videos can likely be accessed by anyone who visits your site with no contact submission required. Whereas, the premium content will enable you to generate new contacts to who you can then market to on an ongoing basis. Generating new leads this way unveils a new marketing opportunity and channel for communication, keeping that conversation going via email, calls, etc.

What is an Ungated Content?

Ungated content is generally resource materials freely available to users without the need to fill out forms or provide any personal details. It’s the foundation of inbound marketing strategies, offering easy access to valuable information with no strings attached.

Examples of ungated content include:

• Blog Posts: Informative articles optimised for SEO to answer common questions or provide in-depth insights into specific topics.
• Videos: Tutorials, explainer videos, or interviews that engage and inform audiences visually.
• Infographics: Visual representations of data or processes that simplify complex ideas for quick consumption.
• Case Studies: Stories showcasing successful projects or outcomes that demonstrate your brand’s capabilities without creating barriers.

Ungated content is often used to attract potential customers who are in the awareness stage of their buyer’s journey. These individuals may not yet know they need your product or service but are seeking information to solve a problem or satisfy curiosity.

Gated Content Example – HubSpot Resources

HubSpot, the US marketing, sales, and service software provider does this well. They already offer an extensive range of ‘free’ and easily accessible content, from blogs and articles to videos and infographics, available to anyone who happens to stumble onto their site. The gated content further explores the topics, including valuable additions in the form of guides, templates, and some tools. These all require the user to enter some data to unlock a webpage or receive a download link. A fair trade for a comprehensive resource.

(Image Source: HubSpot)

Gated vs Ungated Content

Ungated content can be just as valuable an asset for your business as gated content but the results generated will be largely different. Focusing specifically on your available-to-all content is ideal for attracting the attention of your prospects, and building trust and overall brand awareness, crucial when considering the earlier touchpoints within the buyer’s journey. Of course, your ungated content has the potential to increase your organic traffic but offers a much smaller opportunity for conversions, this is where striking the balance between the two comes in. 

With your gated content, the primary objective is to ultimately generate leads, pushing your prospects further along in their buyer’s journey and encouraging them to convert in exchange for a valuable piece of content. Some argue that this can be disruptive to the user experience and can cause frustration, influencing users to search elsewhere. To overcome this, you need to consider how the information you are providing stacks up against what is available out there online.

Should you gate your content?

If this isn’t the first time you’re researching gated content you’ll be aware that there is an ongoing debate as to when it is or isn’t appropriate to gate your content. Like with all marketing strategies, there are pros and drawbacks to each tactic, but ultimately it comes down to what you’re looking to achieve and your overarching business objectives. 

A Fair Trade

If you’re considering gating a piece of content, you need to review the balance between what you’re offering and also what you’re asking of your visitors. Consider whether the value of your content matches up with the information you’re requesting from your visitors. 

Try to keep your contact forms short and concise, it’s very easy to get carried away and ask too many questions which will ultimately make your form feel like a survey, and could see your visitors bouncing off. Consider sticking with the basic contact information:

• Name
• Email Address
• Phone Number (If necessary)
• Occupation/Industry (If this will improve the quality of marketing going forward)

Position in the Buyer’s Journey

If trust with your brand or business has already been achieved through the use of ungated content, such as your blogs or videos, they are much more likely to exchange their data for something that explores a topic in much more depth.

This is a key consideration. It’s unlikely that your prospects are going to convert as soon as they stumble upon your website. Your gated content should be targeted at those users who are further along in their buyer’s journey, you can use your customer journey to identify key touch-points that will help identify when the optimal time is for that prospect to become a lead. 

What are your competitors doing?

Are your competitors gating similar content to what you’re creating? This leads back to our previous point, if a user can find this information elsewhere without being faced with a form, the likelihood is that they’ll go for that option. By gating content that’s readily available elsewhere, your results will suffer.

Pros and Cons of Gated Content

When it comes to gated content, there’s a lot to gain, but it’s not without its challenges. Striking the right balance is crucial for an effective content strategy. Let’s dive deeper into the advantages and drawbacks to help you determine if it’s the right fit for your business goals.

Pros of Gated Content

1. Lead Generation

Gated content is one of the most effective tools for turning anonymous website visitors into tangible leads. By offering valuable resources like eBooks, whitepapers, or webinars in exchange for contact details, you can build a database of potential customers to nurture through targeted marketing campaigns.

2. Audience Insights

Requesting specific information, such as job roles, industries, or company sizes, provides valuable insights into your audience. This data allows you to segment your audience, personalise your communications, and improve the relevance of your future marketing efforts.

3. Perceived Value

Content that’s gated often carries an air of exclusivity and premium value. People are more likely to see gated resources as high-quality, credible materials worth exchanging details for. This perceived value can also enhance your brand’s reputation as an authority in your industry.

4. Sales Funnel Progression

Gated content is particularly powerful for nurturing leads further down the sales funnel. For example, a comprehensive guide or a case study can provide the depth of information needed to move prospects from the consideration stage to the decision-making stage. It’s a great way to engage those who are already invested in solving a problem your product or service addresses.

Cons of Gated Content

1. A Barrier to Entry

While gating content can help generate leads, it also creates a potential hurdle for casual visitors. Users may hesitate to fill out forms, especially if they’re just browsing or aren’t convinced of the value of the content. This can limit the reach of your content, particularly in the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey.

2. Impact on User Experience

If your gated content doesn’t offer a compelling reason for users to exchange their information, it can lead to frustration. Visitors might abandon the form and seek similar information elsewhere, potentially damaging their perception of your brand.

3. Competition Considerations

In highly competitive industries, gating content that’s freely available elsewhere could backfire. If users can access similar resources without filling out a form, they’re likely to choose the easier option, leaving your gated content overlooked.

4. Quality Over Quantity

While gated content will collect leads, not all of them will be high-quality or sales-ready. Some may be individuals seeking free resources with no intention of making a purchase. Filtering these unqualified leads can consume time and resources, which might not always justify the effort.

When to Gate Your Content?

Content Supporting Lead Qualification

Gating content is particularly effective when your goal is to qualify leads. By requiring users to share their details, you can identify those with a genuine interest in your offerings. For example, webinars and live events benefit from gating because the registration process captures attendee information, allowing you to focus on highly engaged and qualified leads. Similarly, interactive tools such as cost calculators, self-assessment quizzes, or configurators solve specific user problems and deliver high personal value, making them ideal candidates for gating.

Nurturing Existing Leads

If your business already has a database of leads, gated content can help re-engage these prospects and guide them further along the sales funnel. Case studies or customer stories, for instance, provide detailed insights into how your products or services have solved real-world problems, reinforcing trust and encouraging conversions. Exclusive email series, such as multi-part courses or in-depth training, can also be offered through gated sign-ups, keeping your audience engaged and moving them closer to purchasing decisions.

Educational and Training Materials

For businesses offering specialised knowledge, gated educational content can be a powerful driver of lead generation. Workshops and online courses are prime examples, as free or discounted enrolment through a gated landing page attracts motivated individuals seeking to upskill. Comprehensive guides or playbooks that provide actionable insights also justify gating, as they position your brand as a trusted industry leader while delivering substantial value to users.

Membership-Only Resources

For subscription-based or membership-driven businesses, gating high-value resources can foster loyalty and enhance the sense of exclusivity. Offering access to private forums or communities allows members to network and build relationships while promoting brand loyalty. Additionally, providing member-exclusive discounts or early access to events and product launches adds further value to the membership, strengthening the customer relationship.

Timely or Limited-Time Content

Gating time-sensitive or exclusive content can create a sense of urgency, encouraging users to act quickly. For instance, market trends or industry forecasts provide valuable insights that can give users a competitive edge, making these ideal candidates for gating. Event recordings, such as highlights or full sessions from high-value conferences or workshops, can also be gated to attract users seeking exclusive access to unavailable content.

Product Demonstrations and Trials

Detailed product overviews, tutorials, or free trials are highly effective gated content for attracting users further down the sales funnel. Offering demo videos or tutorials through gated access provides potential customers with an in-depth understanding of your product’s features and benefits. Similarly, free trials or samples, available for a limited time in exchange for user details, help you target serious prospects while generating valuable leads.

Co-Branded Content or Collaboration

Collaborative content created with other brands often warrants gating due to its perceived authority and depth. Joint research papers that combine expertise from multiple organisations are highly valuable to niche audiences and justify the exchange of user details. Similarly, collaborative webinars featuring industry experts or partner brands can attract a wide audience and deliver substantial credibility to your content.

Content with High Production Value

When content requires significant investment in time, money, or effort, gating ensures you see a return on that investment. High-production materials such as documentaries or expert interviews are examples of content worth gating. Their unique insights and quality make them highly sought-after resources, allowing you to build a stronger connection with your audience while generating leads effectively.

Best Practices for Gated Content

Gated content can be a brilliant way to generate leads and build meaningful relationships with your audience, but it’s not something you can throw together and hope for the best. To get it right, you need to think strategically and keep your audience’s needs front and centre. Here’s how to make your gated content irresistible, effective, and worth every bit of effort you put into it.

1. Tailor Content for Each Stage of the Buyer’s Journey

Think of the buyer’s journey as a road trip with three key stops: awareness, consideration, and decision. Your audience has different needs at each stage, and the content you offer should reflect where they are in their journey.

• Awareness Stage: At this stage, visitors are just starting to identify a problem or opportunity. They’re not ready to buy yet, they’re exploring and learning. This is the perfect moment to share educational content like eBooks, how-to guides, or informative reports that help them get to grips with their challenge.
• Consideration Stage: Now they’re diving deeper, exploring solutions and comparing their options. Here’s where you bring out webinars, whitepapers, or comparison guides that showcase your expertise and position your brand as the ideal choice.
• Decision Stage: At this final stage, prospects are ready to take action, they just need a little push. Offer them case studies, product demos, or testimonials that highlight your value and give them the confidence to make a decision.

2. Do a Competitive Analysis

Before you finalise your gated content ideas, it’s worth taking a sneaky peek at what your competitors are up to. What kinds of content are they offering? Which pieces are free, and which are behind a gate?

But this isn’t about copying, it’s about spotting opportunities to stand out. If your competitors are offering generic PDFs, why not go a step further with something interactive, like a quiz or a toolkit? If their free content is high-quality, make sure your gated content goes above and beyond, offering even more value.

By understanding the competitive landscape, you’ll be better positioned to create gated content that truly grabs attention and feels worth the trade-off of contact details.

3. Offer Real Value

Let’s be honest, no one is going to hand over their contact information for something they could Google in five minutes. Your gated content needs to provide genuine, actionable value that your audience can’t resist.

Think about what your audience is struggling with or what they’re trying to achieve. Could you create a comprehensive guide, a data-driven report, or a step-by-step template that solves their problem or teaches them something new?

The golden rule: be relevant. Your content should directly address your audience’s pain points or aspirations. When you solve a real problem or offer insights they can’t find elsewhere, your audience will gladly fill out that form to access your content.

4. Build a Standout Landing Page

Your landing page is the front door to your gated content and first impressions matter! To make it irresistible:

• Write a catchy headline: Highlight the value of your content offer in one clear, compelling sentence. For example, “Unlock the Secrets to Boosting Your Marketing ROI by 50%—Download Our Free Guide.”
• Use clear, benefit-focused copy: Explain exactly what the content includes and how it will help the visitor. Focus on the “what’s in it for me?” angle.
• Keep your form simple: Ask for only the essentials. If your form feels like an interrogation, people will click away. If you need more information, consider a multi-step form that breaks it down into smaller chunks.
• Include FAQs: Address common concerns like “Why do you need my email?” or “How will this content help me?” This transparency can reduce hesitation and increase trust.

Finally, don’t forget visuals! A clean design with relevant images or icons can make your landing page look polished and professional, boosting conversions.

5. Segment Your Audience

So, you’ve captured someone’s details, great! But what happens next? Sending the same follow-up email to everyone isn’t going to cut it. That’s where audience segmentation comes in.

By dividing your audience into smaller groups based on their interests, behaviours, or stages in the buyer’s journey, you can send personalised emails that feel tailor-made for them.

For example, someone who downloaded an awareness-stage eBook might receive follow-up emails with links to blog posts or webinars. A decision-stage lead who requested a product demo could get a case study or a special offer.

6. Keep an Eye on the Analytics

How do you know if your gated content is hitting the mark? Data doesn’t lie! Tracking your metrics will give you valuable insights into what’s working and what needs tweaking.

Pay attention to:

• Conversion Rates: How many people are downloading your content after landing on your page?
• Engagement Metrics: Are they opening your follow-up emails or interacting with additional content?
• Form Abandonment: If lots of people are starting but not finishing the form, it could be a sign your form is too long or complicated.

Make the Right Choice for Your Content Strategy

When it comes to crafting a winning content strategy, finding the right balance between gated and ungated content is crucial. The two work hand in hand, like the perfect duo, to maximise your reach and results. 

Think of ungated content, blogs, videos, or infographics, as the gateway to your brand. It draws people in, offers value upfront, and establishes your credibility. But gated content like in-depth guides, ebooks, or exclusive resources is where the magic of lead generation happens. It helps you identify the most engaged segment of your audience while providing something truly valuable in return.

At Loop Digital we use a variety of unique marketing tactics that attract prospects, convert leads, and ultimately generate revenue for the businesses that work with us. Gated content can be leveraged as a part of your wider inbound marketing strategy, using valuable content to build and nurture relationships with your customers.

We specialise in crafting bespoke content marketing strategies that cover the full spectrum, from ungated blogs and social content to gated ebooks, guides, and beyond. Whether you want to educate, inspire, or convert, we create high-quality, results-driven content tailored to your audience.But that’s not all! We also offer a full range of digital marketing services, including web design, SEO, PPC, and social media marketing, to ensure every aspect of your online presence works seamlessly together. Schedule a free consultation call with us today to explore how we can help your business grow and thrive in the digital world.