January 15

Friendly Gating

Content Marketing

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How certain are you that a high percentage of your opt-ins are real?
We all want real data but, if we ask our audience too early, before trust has been established, we are likely to get silly responses to a simple opt-in request. A few of our favorites have been donald@duck.com and mickey@disney.com but, seriously... if we want to gather the richest and most accurate prospect information, we can no longer count on marketers' traditional and unfriendly method of gating content behind an eleven field input form. This process requires users to provide personal information, such as their name and email address, in exchange for access to that content and before knowing if the content is a good fit. While this approach has been effective in collecting data in the past, today it is often seen as intrusive and can compromise customer trust.

Enter "friendly gating," a new approach to opt-in forms that aims to strike a balance between collecting valuable customer information and respecting their privacy. Friendly gating involves using a conversational tone and providing clear value propositions to the user, making them feel like they're getting something in exchange for their information, rather than being forced to give it up.

To implement friendly gating, start by optimizing your form design. Use conversational language and avoid technical jargon that could confuse users. Clearly explain the value proposition of your content and make sure it's aligned with the user's needs and interests.

Another important aspect of friendly gating is providing users with a clear and easy-to-understand privacy policy. Be transparent about how their data will be used and ensure that it will not be shared or sold to third parties without their explicit consent. This will go a long way in building trust and making users feel comfortable providing their information.

Finally, consider offering users the option to opt-out of further communication or data sharing. This can be done by including a checkbox or button that allows users to opt-out of marketing emails or having their data shared with third parties. This will show users that you respect their privacy and are committed to protecting their personal information.

By implementing friendly gating, marketers can collect valuable customer data while respecting their privacy and building trust. This approach can lead to higher quality leads and improved customer retention.

So, how certain are you that a high percentage of your opt-ins are real? With friendly gating, you can be more confident that the leads you're collecting are genuine, as users are more likely to provide accurate information when they feel that their privacy is being respected. By implementing this approach, you can collect richer and more accurate prospect information, while maintaining customer trust and building stronger relationships.

About the author 

Ted Box

Venture Catalyst, Entrepreneur, Startup Growth Hacker, Speaker, Author, Innovator, Composer & CEO of BoxOnline - a Swiss incubator for tech startups.

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