Free your Whitepapers from Registration!
Too many whitepaper providers are hiding their documents behind a registration process. Not only does this obstacle prevent many users from going forward and download your whitepapers, it also annoys a lot of them (me included.) Furthermore, some of your competitors are not using a registration process to distribute their papers, which helps them stay ahead of the crowd.
The Need for Registration
Many providers will argue that registration is an essential component of whitepaper distribution since that is what generates leads. Since lead generation is the essence of the whitepaper industry, collecting personal information has always been a given. Otherwise, would the effort be worth it?
Yes, it would.
Jonathan Kantor is also a proponent of no registration whitepapers. On his WhitePaperPundit blog, we wrote the following: "For the past several weeks, I have been posting a weekly update called, “The Free White Paper List”. It’s a compilation of white papers that have been posted on Twitter over the course of each week that do not require registration or personal information. So far my idea is gaining traction. An increasing number of people are telling me that they are interested in reading FREE white papers and receiving my list." When something can easily be accessed by anyone without fees, barriers or obstacles, it gains traction and visibility. It can also spread faster and more efficiently, be talked about, generate discussions. These are all valuable, desirable qualities for your whitepapers that can only be obtained through a no registration process.
People are increasingly refractory at giving their personal information away, especially online. Doing otherwise most often results in inboxes full of undesired marketing emails or worst - spam. Is your whitepaper attractive enough that people won't mind releasing all their personal information to be allowed the right to read it?
Freeing your whitepapers could be your best marketing strategy this year. Think about it!
posted in Thought Leadership
7 Comments
While it is true that many people want access to great content without a form, I'd like you to address how this can actually help a business increase leads?
Talk is one thing, but let's hear some practical discussions regarding how this actually increases leads.
This is where most of the conversation dies.
I've tried both approaches and I know companies that are doing different variations on the registration/no registration process. Some are giving away the first eBook chapter, then having people register to get the rest. That way, people get a taste of what the paper will be about, but need to provide information in exchange for the value being delivered in the white paper or eBook.
I think that's a fair trade. And if you get emails you don't want, then opt-out. Respectable companies respect that and it will keep you from getting a bunch of email you don't want -- just be careful, because sometimes you get emails you like and enjoy.
In the end, users are the ones in control given the options that they have to stop receiving emails. But if companies are spending the money to put together this content, then why not collect information in exchange for the content?
Does everything have to be free? I don't think so -- I think there's room for middle ground.
Hi Mike,
I hear your point. The problem with the existing funnel system is that many will be exiting before reaching the "goal", i.e. providing their contact details to access the whitepaper. Some even ask to confirm their email address once every field has been filled before they can be granted access.
Instead, it would be interesting to find ways to collect this data differently, most specifically within the whitepaper itself. For instance, having the first chapter unlocked for people to read while other chapters would require the user to provide his email address. The whitepaper is your lead generation tool - wouldn't your qualified leads be those who actually read it?
Thanks for chiming in!
Hi Kim,
I like that idea of at least having some of the whitepaper content be available freely. It's good for indexing and it allows people to choose for themselves if they qualify or not as a lead by providing their personal information.
As for emails, well not all providers allow you to opt-out, at least not when registering. Those aware of email marketing best practices usually do offer this option though.
Thanks for your comment!
I must confess that I appreciate being able to access content without opting in, but I must also confess that often I am only interested in the information and not the company or its services. I am definitely not against the opt-in but believe a mixture can actually be a benefit to the organization. We think of the the opt in as permission to market but we're really after permission to market to an ideal (and potential) customer. Removing the opt in weeds out those lookers who have a need for info and have to plan to buy anything from you.
Ah yes, The Great Barrier Debate.
Some say you should always have a barrier. Anyone truly interested in your services and intellectual property will exchange some contact information for something of value.
Others claim that a barrier page diminishes the number of people reading your content. Every step you make interested readers take to access your content cuts down the number of folks who will (bother to) jump that hurdle.
Like any good consultant would say, it all depends on what you are trying to get done.
As Mike points out, when we are talking about lead generation in most instances it makes more sense to have a barrier page than it does to not have one. Sure, when you include a barrier page there is going to be a decrease in quantity of downloads you get, but anyone who is serious about the topic is willing provide some basic information in exchange for the offer.
The key here is to keep the barrier page basic and to only ask for the pertinent information - often it is as simple as name, title, company, email, and phone. That way you can qualify the prospect (or at least the company) and follow up (with offers to set meetings, add them to your newsletter, add to lead nurturing programs, etc.). Without a barrier page, you forfeit these opportunities.
That being said, there are exceptions:
- If your offer is sent out to a very small, targeted list and everyone on the list will get a follow-up communication anyway. In this instance you already have your target contacts' information and you will be making a one-to-one follow-up, regardless of whether or not they respond to the offer.
- If your offer is not truly something of value. Prospects will feel cheated if they discover they've exchanged their personal information for a sales document masked as a white paper or presentation.
- If your goal is simply to generate as many downloads as possible. There are many marketing benefits to getting a high number of downloads - increasing thought leadership, reach, differentiating yourself from you competitors, enabling your offer to go viral, are just a few. If this is your goal for the campaign, certainly do not include a barrier.
- If no follow up is planned. If you aren't going to use the information you collect, don't collect any information - you are creating unnecessary hurdles.
In sum, before posting a barrier page on your site, ask yourself: Is the offer behind the barrier something of value? Are we going to do anything with the contact information we collect? Are we looking for quantity or quality downloads?
Answering these questions will help you achieve what you are trying to get done.
Why not embed your info collection form directly in the whitepaper, say on page 3. If you use a PDF then the whole form submission can happen seamlessly and automatically.
Users can choose whether they want to give you info or not. Some do not, for good reason. But they may still be interested in what you are offering. They just may not be ready for an annoying sales call or sales email.
But if you embed your info request directly in your PDF, then the user comes across is as they are engaged with your material. This is the exact time when you want to ask them information.
Putting up a barrier before is just naive and foolish. Give it a try, require registration before download and have a drop down for "Country". You will be surprised how many people from Albania are interested in your content.
People receive so many email solicitations now that they lie when they have to register (how many of you have a Yahoo or Gmail account just for registrations?)
Why not instead get your material out there. And then offer the actual even exchange. You like what you are reading? Then take the time to complete this info.
Posted by September 16th 09
July 2010
