First things first: Social media platforms like Houzz is and will continue to be essential for marketing. Customers want to connect via social media channels, and you’re missing out on real opportunities if you’re not taking full advantage of social media through a variety of platforms, Houzz, and Pinterest especially, you are missing out on opportunities.

But where social media is a source of website visitor traffic, it doesn’t complete the lead capture process. Premium web content like guides, e-books, tip sheets presentations and webinars do a better job of converting visitors to leads. Required contact information on a landing page like an email address in exchange for valuable and detailed content that is tough to find elsewhere, and you’ll begin to build new prospects.

Creating Warm Leads with Premium Web Content

Premium web content as part of a content marketing strategy goes beyond more basic content like blogs and social media posts to tackle topics and issues in depth. The web is full of quick-hit articles and advice that skim the surface of subjects, but it’s harder to find comprehensive reports.

A person searching the web for information on sustainable architecture will be inundated with stories about the latest green projects and blogs advocating the merits of LEED, but they’ll have a harder time finding a detailed report that examines the history of sustainable building, looks at what sustainability actually means, explains state and federal guidelines, and provides a step-by-step guide to planning and building a sustainable home.

If you can provide that kind of rich content, people will be willing to provide contact information because they’re getting something valuable. Contact details are invaluable because anyone researching a topic in such depth is a very warm lead.

Should I Charge for Premium Web Content? IMHO - No.

Premium web content often falls into the category of paid content. News sites like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal require subscriptions to access their premium content. That’s a good model if you’re looking to make money on subscriptions, but it’s not a great strategy if marketing and lead generation are your goals. If a prospect has already paid for the information you’ve provided, he or she might not be as open to a sales language about your core services.

Charging for content also creates another barrier to access. Not everyone who is willing to trade contact information for knowledge is prepared to pay for that content. There’s still a widespread belief among consumers that most web content should be free.

How to Convert Premium Web Content to Leads

Promote premium content with open-access content - Write quick-hit blogs and social media posts on the topic that serve as teasers. A blog post can spark a visitor’s interest, prompting them to download the attached white paper to learn more.

Include calls-to-action - Call-to-action buttons encourage visitors to act. A blog post on the topic should include a button that says something like “click here to download the white paper.” The button should be eye-catching with an attractive design.

Use landing pages - When visitors click on a call to action, they should be directed to a separate landing page to enter contact information. Try not to make the form too long or taxing; that will turn people away.

Keep track of your contacts - Store the contact information in a database, and be sure to track what kind of premium content was accessed and when. This will allow for better-targeted marketing in the future as well as sales and marketing alignment.