A Guide to Downloadable Content & Measuring Its Success

Published by Scripted Writers on Wednesday, January 11, 2023

There are many advantages associated with downloadable content. Whether your goal is to generate leads or strengthen brand awareness, premium content can be an integral part of any marketing strategy. 

So, how do you approach downloadable content, and how do you know if you're succeeding? How can you create content that is attention-grabbing enough that your audience is willing to give you their email address? And once you kickstart a downloadable content campaign, how do you track its success?

This guide tells all. 

What Is Downloadable Content?

Downloadable content can be anything — a case study, an ebook, video tutorials, templates, guides — you name it. It is any content you offer your audience, providing them the option to access, typically in exchange for their email address. This strategy is often used when aiming to build a subscriber list as part of your email marketing objectives. However, there are many applications.

The key component concerning downloadable content is its quality. You need to craft content so enticing or beneficial that your visitors are willing to surrender their email. Once recipients gain access, the quality of content must meet their expectations. You can position yourself as an authoritative voice within your industry or sector if it does. 

Here are some examples of what you can create:

• Upgraded content — Has a post or article performed well in the past? Why not expand on it, offering readers a deeper experience? For example, convert a blog post topic into a more comprehensive ebook. 
• White papers — This option can be a great way to build trust and expand your reach if you're in a technical field. 
• Webinars — The real-time experience and interactive Q&A sessions are what make webinars such as valuable medium. Again, you can create a webinar based on some of your best-performing blog posts. You can also create a list of some of your customers' most frequently asked questions or concerns. 
• Coupons — Sometimes, something as simple as a digital coupon can help tip the scales, encouraging customers to purchase a product or service. This tactic can be ideal when creating content further in the sales funnel. 

And Why Does It Matter?

While lead generation is often the most significant goal, there are many other advantages concerning downloadable content creation, including the following.

• Thought leadership — Since downloadable content should be more in-depth and useful than your average blog post, this is your opportunity to position yourself as an industry leader. When you provide quality content your audience trusts and enjoys, they will look to you when in need of what it is you offer. Taking this step can result in a competitive edge. 
• Grow your email marketing list — Email marketing is highly effective. Use downloadable content to build a solid email list so that you can continue to stay on their radar. For example, ask visitors to sign up for your newsletter in exchange for free templates. Eventually, you can take campaigns one step further, investing in automation and segmentation.
• Can help drive sales — While providing value to your audience, downloadable content can also encourage prospective buyers to take action. For example, an ebook may cover relevant research while highlighting customer stories or product comparisons. 

Discover more: Best Premium Content Types for Gated Leads

How Do I Create Downloadable Content?

Whether you're writing an email, a blog post, or a downloadable ebook, your strategy should remain the same — create unique, high-quality content. This step is often easier said than done, as the ability to craft engaging content is a skill. Content creation can also be incredibly time-consuming. To help you save time and money, outsourcing your content needs can help you boost your return on investment (ROI). 

For example, when working with professional freelance writers, you can briefly outline your vision and requirements. You can also provide necessary resources, such as your brand's style guide. This hands-off approach allows you to create high-quality content while focusing on other areas of your marketing strategy. While you tackle other duties, downloadable content will be created in the background. 

Investing in professional writers will ensure that your downloadable content ticks all the boxes concerning quality, value, and exclusivity. The higher the quality, the higher the engagement. 

Once you have your downloadable content, you'll want to present it in a way that entices visitors. Here are a few tips:

• Provide a preview of the content and include a clear call-to-action (CTA). For example, you can show a preview of an ebook's cover or a table of contents with a message encouraging people to download it. 
• If you have created a pop-up form for the reader to fill out, keep it as brief and easy as possible. Many people now fill out the info on their mobile phones, so consider how many fields will be required. For example, a name and email address are often sufficient. If you need more specific data, you can target your subscriber list in the future based on more specific goals or segmented groups.
• Make sure people know about the option to download your content. For example, share your latest ebook or video tutorial on social media platforms. Consider creating unique, shareable URLs to help track these campaigns' effectiveness across various channels. 

How to Measure the Success of Downloadable Content

Regardless of what campaign you launch, you must analyze the data created. This information will help you gain valuable insight, allowing you to tweak campaigns to increase conversion rates and boost your ROI even further. 

The first step would be to look at analytics associated with the landing page that features the downloadable content. You will see how many visitors are landing on the page compared to the number of downloads. You can also view geographical locations, how they found the content, what search keywords were used, etc. All of this data is invaluable when aiming to track the success of a campaign and, more importantly, decide on how you can improve it. 

Another option is to measure the engagement of your content. For example, if you created a unique link for Facebook, how many times was it shared? Are you noticing a lot of comments, and if so, what type of feedback is your content receiving?

Depending on how specific your goals are, more often than not, the number of downloads will be the most straightforward metric to track concerning gated content. This metric can tell you how eager your visitors are to learn more about the topics you cover. Although your schedule may vary, it's recommended that you check this metric weekly, especially if you have recently made changes within your campaign. 

Using Trackable File Formats

In the past, it was challenging to establish ROI for downloadable content. Once downloaded, you could not assess how much of that content was read, whether it was being shared, or determine which pages readers spent the most time on. This information is necessary to optimize content.

Today, it's possible to create online interactive ebooks, white papers, brochures, etc. This next-generation format is impactful and trackable. Unlike PDFs, interactive content will allow you to:

• Assess what readers are doing after they download the content. From click rates to reading time, these insights can be game-changing.
• Use these insights to optimize future content.
• Better assess how downloadable content campaigns influence your bottom line.
• Embed lead generation forms in the content itself. That way, if it's shared, you'll have access to the collected information.. 

Remember, Quality and Value Are Everything

Deciding to create downloadable content can be overwhelming at first, especially since this content needs to be of the highest quality. Readers will expect this content to deliver value, so you must invest in professional writers. 

Whether you want to move content creation duties outside your enterprise or seek professional support to optimize your ROI, Scripted offers a range of solutions. For example, as an enterprise client, you will instantly access the following:

• Industry expertise, as Scripted's Talent Network covers 50+ industries and hundreds of sub-industries
• Top-tier writers who offer the experience you need to create engaging, well-written downloadable content 
• A team of professionals ranging from account managers to strategists and editors
• An efficient and seamless content creation process

From start to finish, the entire process is completed on the Scripted platform, allowing you to be as hands-on as you wish. Simply provide the writing team with a content brief outlining what your downloadable content should cover, and within days, you'll have a polished piece. If there are points you'd like to add, send the content back for revisions with ease.

Implementing downloadable content in your marketing strategy this year and beyond can help you achieve higher conversion rates and support a healthier bottom line. However, take into account the importance of quality and originality. 

Ready to partner with a content team you can count on? Start your free 30-day trial to see how Scripted can help you achieve your downloadable content goals today!