What Is a Lead Magnet? 19 Lead Magnet Ideas to Grow Your Email List

People don’t just give away their email addresses for no reason. Even if someone genuinely likes your brand and visits your site often, they usually need a little incentive to provide their contact details.

That’s where lead magnets come in. 

A lead magnet is a tempting offer that convinces visitors to share their contact information. It could be a free ebook, access to an exclusive webinar, a template library, or anything else your target audience finds valuable. 

For example, we offer a free resource guide on our website containing our ultimate WordPress toolkit for small business owners. It helps our readers find the tools they need to grow their businesses and make more money.

In this article, we’re breaking down the most popular types of lead magnets. We’ll explore their strengths, ideal use cases and industries, and specific scenarios where you may want to use each one.

What Is a Lead Magnet?

Lead magnets are irresistible goodies you offer visitors in exchange for their email addresses. Think of them like a friendly bribe — users get valuable content like ebooks, checklists, or free trials, and you get a potential customer to nurture.

Basically, everyone wins!

However, to make this work, you need to choose the right lead magnet. That means considering your industry, target audience, your goals, the topics you want to cover, and a ton of other things.

It isn’t easy, but more email subscribers and a long list of qualified leads are certainly worth the effort!

To help you out, we’re going to explore 19 popular lead magnet ideas to help grow your email list. We’ll cover everything from best practices to specific use cases, so you can find your perfect fit.

Simply use the quick links to jump straight to the lead magnet you want to learn about first:

1. eBook

eBooks are a fantastic way to share detailed information about a specific topic in an organized way.

However, creating an ebook takes a lot of time and effort, especially when compared to some other lead magnets like checklists. That means you’ll need to make sure you get good conversion rates.

The key is to offer readers a solid benefit. What’s in it for them?

For example, check out this free ebook from Blog Tyrant. 

It shows you how to create a successful blog in ANY niche. That’s an irresistible benefit for Blog Tyrant’s target audience. That said, we only recommend creating an ebook if you can deliver a tangible, clear benefit. 

If you sell ebooks online, then you might tweak this formula and offer the first chapter as a free lead magnet.

Alternatively, if you’ve published a series of related ebooks, then you might offer the first installment for free. This lets you capture leads who already have an interest in your work.

2. Resource Guide

A resource guide is a collection of recommended items such as books, digital downloads, apps, or even physical products. 

Many businesses use resource guides to share information in a straightforward, easy-to-understand way. For example, you might list the top tools to achieve a particular goal. 

We do something similar on WPBeginner with our free WordPress toolkit. It outlines all the hosting providers, plugins, and themes that we recommend for WordPress users.

Resource guides can position you as an expert in your field, capable of recommending valuable resources. At the same time, they require less time and effort to develop compared to other lead magnets such as podcasts and workbooks. 

3. Workbook

Do you want to create a lead magnet that helps readers work through a particular activity?

Workbooks typically contain a series of tasks or questions and space where the reader can add their answers. This makes workbooks more interactive, so they’re ideal when you need to encourage active participation and engagement with your audience.  

Workbooks are ideal for businesses focused on skill-building or personalized services where a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. For example, if you’re a life coach, then you might create a workbook for meal planning, exercise routines, or managing stress. 

Workbooks can also help users track their progress and measure their achievements. This provides a sense of accomplishment, which encourages them to keep returning to your site or business.

That’s why workbooks are ideal for businesses that prioritize long-term, ongoing relationships with leads, such as personal trainers or financial advisors. 

4. Checklist

Want a lead magnet that converts well and is easy to create? Checklists may be your answer! 

A good checklist condenses the writer’s knowledge into an actionable list. Plus, checklists often deliver high conversion rates because they’re so easy to read and understand.

Even better, checklists are super easy to create. With that said, when you’re planning a new lead magnet, it’s always worth asking: could I achieve the same thing with a checklist? 

It’s not worth spending weeks creating a more time-consuming lead magnet if a checklist could deliver the same results. 

So, what’s the key to writing a successful checklist? One trick is creating an incredibly comprehensive resource.

For example, a checklist with a title such as ‘100 Best Practices for SEO Success’ suggests this is the ONLY resource you’ll need to boost your SEO.

Alternatively, you might create a list that walks the lead through a task towards a clearly defined result or benefit. In our SEO example, you might make a checklist with a title such as ‘10 Steps to Better Search Engine Rankings.’

This suggests the lead can download this guide or even print it out and then follow it every time they write a new post. That’s a pretty useful resource! 

5. Templates

A template provides an outline or some form of starting point for a project, so the lead can simply fill in the blanks. You can even combine multiple templates into a library to add even more value. 

Templates tend to work best for time-consuming or repetitive tasks where leads would benefit from having a framework in place.

For example, you might create templates for writing proposals, planning your calendar, creating presentation slides, or recording employee expenses.

Templates are also ideal if you offer design-related or marketing services. For example, you might create templates for social media posts, website banners, or email newsletters. 

This approach lets you target people who are interested in the exact services you offer. At the same time, they’re getting a taste of the quality of your work, which will help you convert them in the future. 

6. Webinar 

A webinar is an online event where you can share knowledge, answer questions, and build a stronger connection with your audience. 

For example, we host monthly workshops at WPBeginner, where we teach our readers how to do things like secure their websites, speed up WordPress, and build sites faster with AI.

We recommend webinars if you offer complex products or services. They allow you to educate potential customers and demonstrate your offerings in a compelling way. 

We’ve also seen businesses use webinars to promote a new product or service. In this scenario, you can collect leads who are specifically interested in your new offering. At the same time, you can create a sense of excitement and anticipation around the launch while answering any questions potential buyers might have. 

Unlike some other lead magnets, live webinars create a sense of urgency, so you might capture some additional leads just because people don’t want to miss out. 

Sounds good? To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of the best webinar software platforms and created a detailed guide on how to host a virtual event in WordPress.

7. Podcast

Podcasts are a way to share in-depth information about a specific topic in a way that’s easier to consume. In fact, podcasts are perfect for busy people who like to enjoy their content on the go.

We recommend podcasts if you want to build a deeper connection with your audience, as they’re an easy way to show your personality. The combination of voice and tone gives leads a chance to really get to know you.

Podcasts are a good lead magnet for entrepreneurs, freelancers, or anyone who relies on ongoing, personal relationships with their leads, such as career counselors, nutritionists, or agents. 

If your website or business has a strong audio element, then podcasts may be a natural fit. For example, if you’re a public speaker or sell audio equipment, then podcasts may appeal to your target audience.

One option is creating an entire podcast series and then releasing it as gated content. Alternatively, you might run a public podcast but then release exclusive bonus episodes as your lead magnet. 

8. Online Course

Want to share in-depth information with potential customers in a structured, educational way? A free online course may be the solution. 

Online training is a great lead magnet if you run an educational business or website. It gives potential students a chance to experience your training before investing in a premium course or coaching session.

Alternatively, a course may be a good option if you sell complex products or services. By creating some training around your offerings, leads can learn more about your company in an engaging, interactive way.

9. Email Course

An email course is simply an autoresponder series that teaches the lead how to accomplish something specific.

Unlike fully-fledged online courses, email courses don’t require any specialist software, and the lead doesn’t need to create an account on your training website. This makes email courses very easy to set up and use.

That said, they’re a good option if you want to share knowledge in a structured way without a massive barrier to entry – for both you and the lead! 

If you sell complex products or services, then email courses also allow you to educate leads over time and demonstrate your expertise in a way that isn’t too overwhelming. 

10. Exclusive Discount Codes

Everyone loves a discount! That’s why so many online stores offer a coupon code just for joining their mailing list. 

Unlike some other lead magnets, coupon codes offer a direct, immediate benefit, so they’re ideal for generating lots of leads, fast. They can even help convert those new leads into paying customers, especially if you add a time limit to the coupon.

Unsurprisingly, coupon codes are a popular lead magnet among eCommerce sites. However, they’re particularly effective if you can offer a significant discount on big-ticket items.

You may also get good results by releasing coupon codes during busy shopping periods, such as during Black Friday or the holiday season. 

You might also create discount codes for a brand-new product or service in order to take advantage of the excitement surrounding its launch. 

11. Calculators

Calculators help your visitors solve a problem or answer a question.

But here’s the really clever part: you can use calendars to generate leads, too! Simply ask users for their contact information before sharing their results.

You can use online calculators in lots of different industries and niches, but they’re particularly well-suited for financial websites and businesses.

For example, you might add a mortgage calculator to your real estate site or a car payment calculator to your vehicle dealership website.

Some marketing agencies even use calculators to help potential clients estimate their return on investment (ROI), social media engagement rates, and predicted advertising costs and to perform other similar calculations. 

As a bonus, users often need to input specific information, such as the size of their business or budget. This means you can get a deeper insight into your leads, which is super helpful.

For the best results, it’s important to create calculators that provide genuine value so you’re not just capturing leads – you’re building trust. That puts you in a strong position to convert those leads further down the line.  

Want to get started right now? You can create calculator lead magnets using WPForms or Formidable Forms. For more details, see our guide on how to generate more leads with free online calculators.

12. Free Tools

Many websites (including WPBeginner!) offer free tools, such as our SEO analyzer, keyword density checker, and blog post idea generator.

This approach demonstrates your value and expertise to potential customers, but you can also use these tools to generate leads. Similar to online calculators, simply ask for the user’s contact information before providing their results.

Free tools are handy as you can target people who are actively interested in your products or services.

For example, if you’re an SEO agency, then you might create a free keyword generator tool. That way, you’re capturing leads who are actively interested in improving their site’s SEO – that’s your exact target audience! 

13. Quizzes and Assessments 

Have you seen those viral ‘What type of X are you?’ personality quizzes that everyone loves to share? There’s a reason they go viral – people can’t resist learning more about themselves. 

You can use these short, fun quizzes as lead magnets by withholding the user’s results until they share their email address.

Alternatively, you might create quizzes that help people make important decisions, such as finding the right mortgage or marketing agency. 

With that said, interactive quizzes are a flexible and versatile lead magnet that can be adapted to suit all kinds of projects. 

14. Giveaways and Contests

Everyone loves a good giveaway! The beauty of a well-run contest is that it’s a win-win. Your audience gets a chance to win something awesome, and you get valuable leads.

The easiest way to create a viral giveaway is by using RafflePress. It’s the best WordPress giveaway and contest plugin and comes with built-in 1-click fraud protection and verification to make sure all your new leads are real.

With that said, you stand a higher chance of running a successful giveaway if you already have a big community or social media following. Simply offer participants an extra entry if they share your giveaway, and you can potentially tap into an entirely new audience – and collect even more leads. 

Another option is to create a spin-to-win optin using a plugin like OptinMonster. This feature turns collecting leads into a fun game with compelling prizes. 

For more on this topic, please see our guide on how to add spin-to-win optins in WordPress.

15. Gated Content

Content locking lets you place any page or post behind an optin form. Then, visitors need to share their contact information in order to access that content. 

Since you can lock any page or post, this is a very flexible type of lead magnet. Essentially, if you can publish it to WordPress, then you can turn it into a lead magnet!

This includes blog posts, videos, online courses, products, or even an entire WooCommerce store.

Content locking tends to work the best when you’ve published something truly special, such as a blog post full of exclusive insights and industry secrets, a feature-length video, or a limited edition product that’s in high demand.

Want to turn your website’s content into a lead magnet? Then OptinMonster lets you restrict access to any page or post with just a few clicks. 

OptinMonster even comes with a ready-made Unlock Gated Content template that you can use to promote restricted content and collect email addresses.

For more information, please see our guide on how to add content locking in WordPress.

16. Free Consultation 

A free initial session gives leads a chance to discuss their goals and challenges with you and get personalized advice in return.

In addition to generating leads, a consultation gives you an opportunity to explain your services or products to potential customers, which could directly lead to conversions. 

That said, free consultations tend to work well for businesses that offer personalized services. 

17. Product Demo

Ever wondered why so many software companies offer free trials or demos? That’s because it’s a way to collect your personal information, making it a type of lead magnet. 

If you sell software or online services, then it’s easy to create a temporary account and give potential customers limited access.

Plus, free trials and demos serve a second purpose: they encourage your new leads to convert by letting them experience your product first-hand. 

Although demos and trials are often associated with software, some businesses create these lead magnets for physical products.

Think about those subscription boxes that offer your first one free or at a huge discount. They get your contact info, and you get the box – another example of a lead magnet!

18. Case Study

Case studies are designed to give people the last push they need to buy your product or service. They tend to work best when you’re targeting prospects at the bottom of the sales funnel.

We recommend creating a case study if you sell big-ticket services or products where potential customers will need to do in-depth research before investing in your company. For example, if you sell expensive enterprise software, then a case study may be the ideal lead magnet for you. 

In addition, case studies are particularly effective for B2B companies, as they provide concrete evidence of success to other businesses. 

19. White Paper

A white paper is an in-depth report or guide that explores a specific issue, topic, or challenge. By producing an in-depth and well-researched white paper, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry. 

Depending on the subject, reading through a white paper can take a significant amount of time and effort. For that reason, they tend to attract a small number of high-quality leads. 

While they’re not ideal for every WordPress website, a white paper may be a good solution if you sell specialist or big-ticket products and services. In that case, a well-researched white paper can give potential customers the in-depth information they need to make this high-stakes purchasing decision.  

How to Create Lead Magnets

After choosing a lead magnet format, the next step is bringing your vision to life. While you could hire a designer, that’s not practical if you have a smaller budget or want to maximize your ROI (return on investment).

That’s why we recommend using a lead magnet tool like Beacon. It comes with a ton of built-in templates for the most popular types of lead magnets, including ebooks, resource guides, and checklists.

It also comes with a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and even lets you easily create optins for your new lead magnet.

For detailed, step-by-step instructions, please see our guide on how to create a lead magnet that actually converts.

We hope this article gave you some inspiration for your next lead magnet. You may also want to see our tutorial on how to drive 10,000 extra site visitors a month or see our expert tips for using AI to skyrocket your lead generation campaign.

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