Are gated content campaigns the right choice for you and your B2B business? B2B marketers are always exploring new strategies to engage their target audience, generate leads, and establish a strong online presence– and gated content has quickly become a popular choice. 

Gated content leverages high-value content behind a “gate” that requires users to provide contact information in exchange for access. But before you decide whether they can deliver results for your business, it is critical to understand the types, benefits, and best practices of gated content. 

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of gated content, how it helps B2B businesses, and how it compares to ungated content. We’ll also explore best practices for creating successful gated content campaigns so you determine whether this approach aligns with your marketing objectives. 

Quick Takeaways

  • Gated content is online content that requires users to provide their contact information to access it
  • The main difference between gated and ungated content is accessibility, with gated content requiring a sign-up process or form and ungated content being freely available to all visitors
  • Offering a mix of gated and ungated content is key to driving engagement, generating leads, and establishing your business as a thought leader in its industry
  • Effective gated content campaigns offer high-quality content, include strong calls-to-action, have a simple sign-up process, and are continuously analyzed 

Gated content can serve as a powerful tool in B2B marketing, helping businesses generate qualified leads, segment their audience, and tailor messaging for maximum impact.

What Is Gated Content?

Gated content is any online material that requires users to provide their contact information, like their name, email address, job title, or company, in order to access the content. 

This is a common marketing tactic used by B2B companies to generate leads, build their email list, and engage with potential clients. In most cases, gated content is valuable, informative, or educational material that addresses a specific pain point or interest of the target audience.

Gated vs. Ungated Content

The main difference between B2B gated and ungated content lies in the accessibility of the content to the target audience.

graph shows the percentage of businesses creating gated content vs. those who are not

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Gated Content

Remember, gated content is “protected” behind a digital barrier, such as a form or a sign-up process. The purpose of this is to provide a strong incentive for users to share their contact details, ultimately enhancing lead generation.

Ungated Content

Ungated content, on the other hand, is freely available to anyone without the need to provide any personal information. It is accessible to all visitors and does not require any form of registration or sign-up. Ungated content aims to educate, entertain, or inform your audience while building brand awareness and trust. Examples of ungated content include:

  • Blog posts
  • Social media updates
  • Infographics
  • Podcasts
  • Public videos

Ungated content aids in an enhanced reach, improved SEO, increased brand awareness, higher engagement, and customer nurturing.

Are Gated Content Campaigns Good For You?

While both gated and ungated content serve different purposes in a B2B marketing strategy, it is important for businesses to maintain a balance between the two. 

By combining gated and ungated content, businesses can cater to various audience preferences, drive engagement, and generate leads while also establishing themselves as thought leaders in their industry.

Types of Gated Content

Some of the most common types of gated content created by B2B businesses are:

  • Whitepapers. In-depth, research-based reports that cover industry-specific topics, trends, or insights.
  • eBooks. Comprehensive guides that help readers understand a particular subject, solve a problem, or learn a new skill.
  • Webinars. Online presentations, workshops, or seminars that allow users to interact with experts or thought leaders.
  • Case Studies. Detailed accounts of how a company or product helped solve a customer’s problem or achieve their goals.
  • Industry Reports. Research-based assessments of market trends, competitive analysis, or forecasts relevant to a specific industry.
  • Templates and Checklists. Ready-to-use resources that help businesses streamline their processes or improve efficiency.

Exclusive Videos. Video content, like interviews, tutorials, or product demonstrations, available only to those who provide their contact information.

image shows different types of gated content

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Ultimately, offering a mix of content types (gated and ungated) ensures that potential clients can access valuable information without always needing to provide personal details.

Benefits of Gated Content Campaigns

Most B2B businesses run gated content campaigns to generate leads, engage with potential clients, and establish themselves as industry experts. Although, there are several other benefits to gated content campaigns as well:

  • Enhanced targeting. By analyzing the data collected from gated content, businesses can identify trends, preferences, and interests among their target audience. This can help refine marketing strategies and create more targeted content that resonates with potential clients.
  • Increased perceived value. Gated content is often more comprehensive, in-depth, and valuable than ungated content. By offering high-quality gated content, businesses can demonstrate their expertise and knowledge, increasing their perceived value and authority in the eyes of their target audience.
  • Measuring content effectiveness. Gated content campaigns also allow B2B businesses to track metrics, like the number of downloads, sign-ups, or conversions, to measure the effectiveness of their content. Applying this data can help refine marketing strategies and improve the quality of future content offerings.

Building an email list. B2B businesses can run gated content campaigns to grow their email lists, since users must provide their email addresses to access the content. This way, businesses can engage with potential clients through regular email marketing campaigns and nurture leads towards conversion.

screenshot shows example of how B2B businesses build their email lists with gated content

The key to reaping the benefits of gated content is to put gated content best practices into action.

Gated Content Best Practices

To make sure your gated content campaigns are effective, it is important to:

  • Offer high-quality content. Make sure your gated content is valuable, informative, and relevant to your target audience. It should address their pain points, provide solutions, or offer insights that entice users to share their contact information.
  • Create targeted landing pages. Design dedicated landing pages for gated content with clear headlines, compelling copy, and a strong call-to-action. The landing page should highlight the benefits of the content and encourage users to provide their information.
  • Simplify the sign-up process. Keep the sign-up form short and simple to minimize friction. Lengthy forms can deter users from completing the process.
  • Test, optimize, and analyze. It’s important to continuously test and optimize your gated content campaigns to improve their performance. Monitor performance by tracking key metrics, like the number of sign-ups and downloads, and use your data to refine your marketing strategies and improve content quality. 
  • Promote gated content. Actively promoting your gated content through various marketing channels (like email campaigns, social media, blog posts, and search engine advertising) can help increase visibility and drive more traffic to your landing pages.
  • Establish a content calendar. Plan and schedule your gated content campaigns in advance to ensure consistency and maintain momentum. A content calendar can help you balance various types of content and address different audience segments strategically.

By following these best practices, you can maximize the effectiveness of your gated content campaigns, generate high-quality leads, and ultimately drive growth and success.

Run Your Gated Content Campaign Today!

  • Are you ready to start running effective gated content campaigns? With our professional training programs and expert advice, it’s easy to get started. Ask about how an ISBM Membership can help your company grow now, or visit ISBM today to learn more!