Q: Gated Content Worthwhile
Is gated content still a worthwhile inbound marketing tactic, or is this phasing out? Jennifer Cleary, Associate Director for Visual Brand Strategy, The Peck School, Morristown, NJ
A: WADDINGTON
Because there are so many places people can find all the information in the world, gated content is not as powerful an inbound tactic as it used it be.
For it to work, the content needs to be unique and valuable enough for the user to give away their email (or even more personal information). A helpful tactic would be to create a content piece that's 100% helpful to a parent (assuming that's your target audience), advertise it organically, and through some light ppc.
As the user consumes the content, have a pop-up timed accordingly that says, 'Enjoying this content? Get more of the same every week,' then ask for their email.
This could put them in a drip, eventually leading to more school-specific information.
A: ABRAHAMS
Yes, gated content is still alive and well! The key, however, is that the content is valuable enough to the family that they are willing to part with their email address or other contact information.
At ISM, we have clients who have generated several new qualified leads every week simply by offering educational content of value to their target audience.
For example, schools can provide short videos or long-form written content such as white papers that describe commonly asked questions parents searching for schools have: “Why should I consider switching schools?”… “Is my child ready for Kindergarten?”… “What questions should I ask when searching for schools?”
ISM also recommends that when prospects complete your form, they are immediately kicked to a well-designed “thank you” page that shares additional information about your school and invites them to take the next step in their school search journey (for example, schedule a tour).
Schools should also continue moving these families through the admission funnel with a thoughtful and segmented lead nurturing email strategy. Even if the family isn’t ready to enroll right away, your school can stay top of mind if you establish a regular cadence of meaningful communication.
The bottom line is that gated content is still an excellent way to generate interest from mission-aligned families while also positioning your school as an educational expert in your market.
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