A lead magnet is a great tool to use within your Pinterest marketing funnel. Since Pinterest is the top of the funnel, providing value is so important to move those potential leads through to the next step. With lead magnets typically being packed with value, utilizing them in your strategy just makes sense!
What is a lead magnet?
Let’s start with the basics. A lead magnet is a free resource offered in exchange for a potential customer’s contact info (typically name and email address). A little “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” situation. Lead magnets can be all sorts of things like an ebook, a checklist, a template, a guide, a quiz, or a workbook. You want to make sure that you provide enough value in your lead magnet that someone is willing to give their information for it and doesn’t regret it afterward. No one likes feeling duped!
How to make a good lead magnet
First and foremost, you want to make sure that your resource is helpful. I know I’m not the only person who has downloaded a freebie and then been super annoyed when it turned out to be just fluff and no real substance. Do your best to help your audience solve a problem or teach them something only you know with your expertise and unique experience.
Behind every good lead magnet is strategy. Make sure you have an email campaign set up to nurture this new lead once they’re added to your email list. The whole point is to turn leads into clients, so don’t squash this opportunity by not being prepared!
TIP: You need your lead magnet to be geared toward your ideal client. If you are an elopement photographer looking for couples to book their destination weddings with you, don’t create a lead magnet teaching photographers how to streamline their editing process. You will only attract other photographers with that type of lead magnet, and then they will be disappointed once they’re on your email list where you don’t share other tips for photographers.
How lead magnets fit in with Pinterest marketing
One of the many amazing things you can achieve with Pinterest marketing is growing your email list. With Pinterest users looking to try and buy, helpful resources like lead magnets are great content to share. People who find you on Pinterest may not know you yet, but a great lead magnet could be the thing that gets them to start to trust you and continue down your marketing funnel.
How to promote your lead magnet on Pinterest
When creating pins to market your lead magnet, there are a few ways you can incentivize your ideal client.
Give a little sample of something they’ll learn in the freebie. Teasing the value within the lead magnet leaves them wanting more!
Show a mockup of a few of the pages. People like seeing what they’re going to get. This allows you to share a bit without giving it away without them having to download.
Use relevant keywords + irresistible calls to action. Seeing the words they were searching for along with persuasive copy is a great way to motivate them to follow through.
I strongly urge you to create a landing page on your website for your lead magnet opt-ins. Yes, this is a little bit more work than just linking to an opt-in page you can create through your email marketing platform, but doing it my way benefits you in multiple ways. The most important benefit of a landing page on your own website is pleasing the Pinterest Gods. Pinterest wants you to pin to your claimed domain, not whatever domain your email marketing platform uses! With a landing page on your website, you also give yourself more flexibility with the design and copy on your landing page and the traffic boosts your SEO. All great things you don’t want to miss out on!
If one of your goals with Pinterest marketing is to grow your email list, you should definitely be utilizing lead magnets. Now that you have had this crash course, you’re ready to dive into the world of freebies - and your Pinterest marketing funnel will thank you!
Want an example of a lead magnet? Check out my Pinterest Management Checklist. It's a great way to keep yourself on track with your Pinterest account.
And if you didn't already know -- Hi! I'm Meg, and I'm a Pinterest + blogging manager for photographers and other creative business owners. I share tips + tricks on how to get the word out about your business using Pinterest + blogging through helpful blogs, fun instagram posts, and an entertaining weekly newsletter where you'll learn things about me and my life along with those marketing tips.
Do you think all of this Pinterest stuff is great and all, but you're not interested in handling it yourself? No worries! I would love to help you out! Check out my service + pricing guide and let's chat!
