Have you ever thought about whether your paid content is pulling its weight? Sometimes, what you think is top-notch content might not hit the mark for your audience, especially when they’re deciding to buy.
In reality, your gated content is like a toll booth. It offers valuable insights and guides, providing a quick path for your clients to decide. Yet, they have to pay a price, not always in cash but maybe with their personal info or a sign-in.
So, think about it: Is your content compelling enough for customers to share their personal details? It’s vital for your sales, sure, but if your audience doesn’t see the value, they won’t engage. Your job is to build trust, clearly show the worth of your content, and make that trade of information feel like a fair deal. After all, a smoother, quicker buying journey benefits everyone.
Quick Takeaways
- People are willing to exchange their personal information for paid content because it offers exclusive, high-quality insights or experiences they can’t find elsewhere.
- While free content attracts and informs audiences, paid content deepens engagement, converting casual visitors into loyal customers and enhancing the perceived value of a brand.
- Effective content marketing, especially when it’s personalized and high-quality, plays a crucial role in helping customers make informed decisions, potentially reducing their need to seek information elsewhere.
- Successful paid content strategies include creating valuable and exclusive content, building a community, and ensuring a seamless user experience to encourage audience payment and engagement.
Stay ahead of the competition
What’s the Deal with Paid Content?
Paid content, also known as gated content, is basically any form of content on the internet that you have to pay to access.
Think of it like a ticket to a movie or a concert. You’re paying for the experience, the knowledge, the entertainment – whatever it is that the content is offering. This could include:
- Templates
- Webinars
- Videos
- Ebooks
- White papers
But here’s the catch: Your customers don’t necessarily need to pay with money. They can also pay for content by giving up their personal contact information, like:
- Full name
- Address
- Phone number
If you’re new here, you may be wondering why your target audience would pay for content when they can access so much content for free. My answer to that is one word: exclusivity.
Paid content is usually exclusive. It’s often higher quality, more in-depth, or offers something that you can’t get anywhere else. Plus, it’s usually copyrighted, which means it’s unique to the creator or platform you’re buying it from.
Combine each of these factors and many of your audience members won’t mind adding their name to your email list in exchange for some high quality content.
Paid Content vs. Free Content
The internet is chalked full of free, or organic, content. From blogs and podcasts to YouTube videos and social media posts, there’s a ton of information out there that won’t cost you a dime.
I encourage you to think of free content as the appetizer. It’s intended to give an audience just a taste of what’s to come. Once they start craving more, that’s where paid content comes in.
While free content gets the word out and draws people in, paid content is what keeps them coming back for more. It’s what turns casual browsers into loyal customers and followers into fans.
At the end of the day, you need to be publishing both free and paid content to create a balanced, effective content strategy. This way, you can build trust and create a community that sees value in your brand.
What The Content Marketing and Relationship Currency Facts Tell Us
- Help Self-Educating Customers. Customers who read informative content are 131% more likely to convert, and they’re 83.6% more likely to buy from companies that provide educational material, indicating decision makers count on content now more than ever.
- Engaging Content Drives Loyalty. 78% of consumers believe that brands focused on custom content are more trustworthy than those that generate generic content, reinforcing the value of personalized and relevant content in building long-term customer relationships.
- Use Blogging To Increase Credibility. Marketers who blog are 13x more likely to enjoy positive ROI, suggesting that starting the conversation with a blog with a call-to-action is a way to engage with customers at the right place in the journey.
9 Ways To Help Customers Manage Paid Content
1. Use Content Bait
Use short, easy-to-consume (free) content to establish your reputation and catch the attention of your customers. This attention-getting strategy will drive qualified traffic to your paid content.
Pro Tip: Leverage evergreen blogs by exchanging links to gated content landing pages.
2. Create A Great Landing Page
Make sure your landing page clearly articulates your value proposition so the customer understands what they will receive in exchange for their contact information.
Pro Tip: Place a short SlideShare presentation on your landing page to help you seal the deal!
3. Offer Only High-Value Gated Content
This is the golden rule. If your content is top-notch, informative, and unique, people will pay for it. Invest time in research, make your content engaging, and always aim to provide value.
Leverage a paid research report, white paper, or an eBook to collect on your customers’ relationship currency.
4. Offer Exclusive Content
Make your paid content exclusive. It should offer insights, information, or experiences that your free content doesn’t provide. This exclusivity will make it more appealing and worth the investment.
5. Build A Community
Be a thought leader. Create a sense of community among your audience.
This could be through a members-only forum, exclusive webinars, or special events. A strong community can encourage members to pay for the added benefits.
6. Leverage FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
Promote limited-time offers, exclusive deals, or special content available only to paying members. The fear of missing out can drive customers to pay for content.
7. Prioritize A Seamless User Experience
Make sure your website or platform is user-friendly. A smooth, hassle-free experience can encourage customers to return and pay for your content.
8. Share Your Success Stories
Share testimonials or success stories from satisfied customers who found value in your paid content. This can build trust and convince potential customers of the value they’ll receive.
9. Use Content Marketing Strategies
Promote your paid content through blogs, social media, email marketing, and other channels. The more visibility your content has, the more likely customers are to pay for it.
