The Gated Content Strategy for Video: What to Do to unlock The Potential for Success (+Platforms)

If you've attended an online webinar or enrolled in an online free course, you might've noticed that you typically had to provide your email address, name and username (and possibly other information) before getting access.

Video-based resources that are housed behind form forms for lead capture are called gated content for video -- and are effective in aiding businesses in attracting new customers.

In this document, we explore:

•         What exactly is content from a gated channel?    
•         Advantages of video content that is gated
•         The types of gated video content
•         Gated video content strategy      
•             SEO is the process of promoting restricted video content
•         Best practices for gated videos
•         Gated video platforms      
•             Choosing the right gated media platform
•         Measuring the success of your gated video strategy
•         Make your company more efficient by incorporating gated content video
•         FAQ

What is a gated video?

Gated video content refers to content that is free to the public and can access after they submit their personal information like their name and email address, through an online request for leads. Depending on the nature of the content, as well as the product(s) the business provides in the lead capture process, it will ask more than just email address and name. It may also ask for the user's job title or organization's size as well as industry.

When people submit their contact information and provide their contact information, you gain access to important user information, which allows you to personalize your interactions with your customers. When your email subscribers feel that your content is specially designed for them, they'll be much more likely to read your messages and engage with your brand.

Benefits of gated video content

Video content can be one of the best strategies businesses can use to expand its client base. Here are some reasons why:

Lead generation

Gated video content, in contrast it is concealed behind an application. The majority of people do not like having an inbox full of emails, so if anyone gives you their email address in order to gain access to your videos is a sign to show that they're keen on your brand. These people are more likely to respond to your marketing efforts than visitors who merely stumbled onto your website.

Content segmentation by audience and personalization

By securing your video content, it will allow you to categorize your audience and create marketing materials with these segments in the mind of your audience. By using your lead capture forms, you can collect user information like the name of the user, their email address as well as their demographics, location, the size of your organization, as well as industry, which gives you insights into your audience's interests and habits.

You can use this information to build buyer personas of each subset of clients. This eliminates the uncertainty; you'll be able to identify precisely who you're targeting which helps you create content that addresses their needs that solve their problems and makes their lives easier.

More value perceived

Visitors to websites often put more worth on content with a gated access since they're providing details to gain access to the content.

A desire to satisfy desires, and the satisfaction of being able to access exclusive content, and other benefits you can offer to your subscribers via email, gated content can be the perfect way to improve the image of your company. If executed properly, it can help you gain more high-quality leads as well as build trust with your prospects, and position you as a specialist within your field.

There's a caveat, though. If you're asking people to provide their contact information They expect top-quality material in return. Therefore, if your video contents aren't filled with relevant details, you could alienate your viewers and damaging your brand reputation.

Analytics and data collection

Gated videos provide an organized method of collecting statistics on the behaviour of your viewers. Measures such as engagement duration, click-through rates and completion rates can help you figure out what kinds of content appeal to your viewers. By using this information you will be able to optimize your marketing strategies and content to get better results.

Improved content ROI

Gated videos can help you gain a greater return on investment (ROI) in the production of content and for marketing. Since they are concealed behind a form, you are able to assess their effectiveness in terms of the amount of leads that they create as well as how they progress throughout the sales funnel.

Types of Gated Video Content

Gated video content comes in various formats. Some of them include:

Webinars

Through webinars, you are able to present other experts in your field, teach individuals how to meet their objectives in real time and interact with the audience and promote your product and generate leads of high quality. These events often have limited slot availability, creating a sense that of FOMO (fear of missing out) that drives participants to register.

As an example, Hotjar is hosting a live virtual event where Web strategy experts will show attendees how to design a high-converting site using Hotjar and HubSpot.

The landing page Hotjar clarified the importance of the subject and the things people can learn during the live webinar should they choose to participate. They also included the lead capture form, where users can fill in some details regarding themselves to get an Zoom email invitation that is delivered directly to their inbox.

Online courses

To get the most out the online learning experience, pick an area of expertise or subject that is in line with your broader marketing strategy and then create detailed videos explaining that topic. It's not just a way to attract new leads, but it can be a way to get people already familiar with your brand to move into the selling funnel.

As an example, Semrush, the SEO firm, collaborates with experts in the field to design courses based on marketing, such as this one from Brian Dean.

The landing page provides who the intended audience is for the course, what they'll learn, and the course arrangement. It ends with a form to be filled out by interested participants to gain access to the course at no cost.

exclusive interviews

Like webinars, exclusive interviews feature productive conversations with industry experts and thought-leaders, as well as the key players. In addition, these discussions aid in building your brand's and authority, but they boost brand recognition by drawing the audience of the expert(s) whom you're talking to.

If you want to create the kind of content that will inspire your business, performing exclusive interviews is an excellent route to take as you'll be able to gain personal experiences of analogies, instances that cannot be located anywhere else. Additionally, you'll be able to increase the engagement of your audience by asking those you interview to respond to your viewers' most pressing questions. This encourages people to sign up, watch the videos, and send in questions.

Tips: A few companies such as Omniscient Digital interview subject matter experts, then publish the audio version on their podcast as well as the video interview on the website and YouTube channel. This can be a good technique to reuse the interviews you have recorded.

Product demos

Demos for products (or demonstrations) demonstrate how a particular product or service operates and highlight its benefits functions, capabilities, and advantages users get if they buy the product or service. The main objective of product demonstrations is to convince potential customers who are on the fence that your product is able to meet their needs and solve their problems better than your competition's.

The ability to share your demos with customers can help you collect leads from prospects in the lower reaches of the funnel that are interested in your service. For example, Demio, a company that offers webinar software for marketers, gives interested prospects the possibility of scheduling the opportunity for a demo of their product.

By gating its demo, Demio only gets high-quality leads that are willing to take part in a one-on-1 conversation with a Demio expert.

Case studies and successful story

Though most firms provide their case studies free of charge available, making a few of them could be an excellent way of gaining prospects who are looking for particular usage cases.

The reasoning behind the reason for this is because case studies are a highly persuasive type of content because they provide real-world examples of how your product or service has helped customers who have been in the past. They answer the question that each potential customer must answer prior to buying: "Will this product deliver what it promises?"

The case studies you have created can help you filter the leads you have, particularly when your service or product is targeted to an audience that is a particular type.

Gated video content strategy

If you're planning to block your videos There are a few steps to take to ensure that you get the most out of this marketing tactic:

Define your goals

Prior to recording videos or planning events, define your objectives. In accordance with the initial CoSchedule research, companies that set goals have 376% greater chance to succeed.

As you define your goals make sure you are specific. In the case of, say, if you're planning to hold webcasts, your aim may be to have 100 people to attend. For instance, if you're creating an online course, your aim could be to reach 1,000 students in 6 months. Be specific about your objectives helps you know what to aim for while promoting your gated video content.

Identify your target audience

GA provides demographic details about your audience including their gender, age, interest and even their place of residence. GA also provides information on the web pages people visit frequently on your site and can prove beneficial in helping brainstorm topics for your videos. If you're active on social platforms, you can take a look at the analytics of your social media for more information.

The analysis of your competitors' customers is a great way to know the people you should target, their demographics, and the way they shop. So, you are able to make content that is tailored to the needs of your customers and address the issues they have better than competition.

Choose the best videos topics and types

Based on your audience research You can brainstorm ideas for content that align with your goals and appeal to your targeted audience.

Analyze the data of every promotion channel that you employ, such as search or social media as well as email, to see the topics that your customers interact on the highest. If you're a company with sales and customer service teams ask them to provide their opinions on the problems that existing and potential customers are trying to resolve with your service.

In the case of example, if you're a site creator, you could make a mini-course teaching people without coding knowledge how to use the drag-and-drop editor on your website for creating a fully functioning website. Or if you learn that your customers or prospects frequently ask support for about how they can integrate their existing technology stack to your service You could organize a webinar to show users how.

After choosing topic ideas, select the video content format that best deliver your message. These include webinars, online courses tutorials, interviews, and behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage.

Create compelling content

Once you've decided on your topic(s) and the content format(s) you'll use It's now time to write valuable material. These are some suggestions to remember:

• Make use of a camera that is high-quality to make your own videos. It doesn't have to cost a lot, but it should be. If you're unable to afford a professional camera, using an iPhone and a tripod with great lighting, will work.
• Provide value to your viewers. The initial few minutes of your video content will decide whether the viewers watch till the close of the video. It is possible to use analogies, anecdotes or even shocking information to reel people in at the start. Then, provide more worth throughout the video(s) by including expert insights, original research as well as proprietary information, or even a demonstration of your process in the event that it is applicable.
• Engage professional editors, animators, and designers, if possible. They'll have extensive knowledge and access to high-quality editing and design programs and will produce an impressively designed video that the audience will enjoy.
• Incorporate interactive elements in your videos. If you're developing an online course, using quizzes questions, tasks, and polls are excellent ways to get your viewers to actively participate in the process of learning. If you're hosting a webinar, an interactive Q&A format allows users to connect with participants and give them value with real-time interaction.

Create a dedicated landing page

The most successful landing pages include three aspects consisting of persuasive copy, compelling layout, and an effective calling-to-action (CTA). A great example is the page that CXL uses to promote its Brand Marketing mini-degree.

The black-white-red hue immediately stands out, the most striking thing is the hero section outlines everything that you'll be learning if you complete the course, as well as revealing to that you the instructors of the course and why they're qualified for the job.

The next page will outline the benefits of subscribing to CXL and is which is followed by a contact form that lets users view the plans' pricing and to request a demonstration. The landing page ends by providing a thorough FAQ section which addresses the most frequently asked questions prospective customers may have.

Similar to CXL's landing pages Yours must contain an online questionnaire (or CTA) that people have to take action on before they can access your video.

Promote your video content that is gated

Once your landing page is up and your video is secured, it's the time to make it a point to advertise it. There are a variety of marketing channels you can use including:

• search: Even though Google's algorithms aren't able to crawl content that is gated, they can search the content on your dedicated landing page and then rank it using the correct terms, which can increase its visibility, and increase visitors to your page.
• Social media: You could build momentum by posting about the video you've created before you actually create it. Take your audience on the creation process and explain the value they'll receive from the final product. In this way, when the landing page goes online, people will be eager to sign-up.
• Paid advertising: Building momentum with natural SEO as well as social media can require time. If you'd like to see faster results and you have a budget, consider running pay-per click (PPC) advertisements for your website's landing page in search engines and social media.

Analyze and iterate

When you begin to see emails from your gated video content, monitor your performance with analytics tools. Track metrics and key indicator of performance (KPIs) including the rate of conversion, viewer retention, and the quality of leads.

Make use of the knowledge you gain to tweak your approach to improve your video creation techniques changing the types of content and distribution channels or rethinking your target market.

Doing SEO on videos that are gated

Google's algorithms don't crawl and search for content hidden in the form. This means that when you block your videos will not be ranked in the results of search engine pages (SERPs). It is possible to employ SEO to improve the search engine visibility of the videos you have gated by

• Optimizing your dedicated site for the search engines
• Integrating the lead capture form in unaltered, SEO-optimized material like blog posts
• Enhancing the video itself

For the best exposure, it is necessary to use the three types of SEO: on-page SEO off-page SEO, and technical SEO.

In-page SEO

The process involves conducting the research on keywords to determine pertinent, high volume, low competition keywords which your intended public is likely to be using in their search for information related to your film.

to optimize your landing page, blog posts, and videos, you should include these words in the title tags. Also, include (sub)headings and page copy. images alt text, Meta (and video) descriptions and URLs, when appropriate.

When Google's algorithms crawl your site, these terms will provide them with some background so that they can place your website's pages on the map for the correct search terms/query.

Off-page SEO

Backlinks are arguable the most important aspect of off-page SEO because Google sees them as the primary ranking element. A solid backlink profile meets the "T" in E-E A-T (trustworthiness) (trustworthiness), which is the framework Google uses to assess the credibility of content that is on websites.

The process of building backlinks is to get reputable websites to provide a link to the website or blog where people are able to subscribe to your exclusive video content. When this happens Google's algorithm interprets this to indicate that your offering is pertinent, valuable, and fulfills search intent.

Technical SEO

The term "technical SEO" refers to improving the technical parts of your site to improve your SERP rankings. This includes making your website mobile-friendly, increase your page load speed, adding website/video schema markups, and submitting your video sitemap and website to Google, creating an SEO-friendly website structure, and fixing duplicate content.

Not only are some of these methods (like the improvement of site speed, and making your site responsive to any device) ranking aspects, they also make it easier for Google to crawl and rank your website.

Pro-tip: Make your videos accessible to humans and search engines alike by providing accurate transcriptions and closed captions.

Guidelines to ensure that videos are not censored

When you are creating video content that is gated, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

Keep videos at an optimal length

It's impossible to regulate all these factors, but there are some that you can improve, such as your sales funnel, as well as the type of content you choose to use.

In this case, people in the Awareness stage of your funnel may just have heard about your company at first, thus they're probably not prepared to watch a lengthy video. In this phase, people typically prefer un-tagged material, like blogs and video clips on social media.

If they are considering purchasing your product or weighing your products' worth against those of the competition will be willing to attend your professional-led webcasts, taking online classes, watching success stories, and scheduling product demonstrations.

The lengths for these different videos differ also. The video content of the online courses can range from 3 - 20 minutes long and the whole course running for a few hours. Exclusive interviews and webinars typically run for 1-2 hours. Likewise, cases study videos usually run five to ten minutes long.

Pro tip: Create multiple edits. Following your initial recording will result in lots of video. It's necessary to edit the video several times in order to get rid of the fluff, off-the-tangent comments, filler words, etc. Additionally, you'll be able create animations as well as add various other engaging, interactive aspects into the film.

Design compelling thumbnails and titles

The title and thumbnail of your page are the first elements people see when they visit your landing pages or blogs in which you embed your gated video. These elements need to grab the attention of your viewers and convince them to sign up for the access to your video.

It is possible to create your own thumbnail if you possess excellent graphic design abilities. If not, it's best to find a graphic artist or marketer with design skills to do it for you.

Pro tip: Don't use clickbait titles. The title you choose to use should be true to what's in the video. In the absence of this, you'll cause an unpleasant user experience hurting your brand's credibility and reputation.

Streamline your lead capture form

Some companies just ask visitors to fill in their name and email address to get access to restricted content and some ask for more information, including job title, organization size, and the industry. Many companies even require their users to complete a short questionnaire to be granted access.

The approach of using email addresses and names does a great job since it lets you create personalized (by name) messages to subscribers' inbox. But, if you're looking to group your email recipients based on their industry and occupation, then you must inquire about that information also. This helps you create specific content to the specific segment. This will increase your chances of getting people to engage with your brand and buying the product.

The best advice: a long questionnaire can turn people off. Therefore, if you don't think it's necessary use the name-and-email-address option.

With clear calls to action

On your landing page, use persuasive and direct language to prompt action, e.g. "Access professional insights right immediately" or "Download the course now". In your video, you could encourage viewers to go to your social media site or website, or to subscribe on your channel according to the purpose you want to achieve.

Whatever the CTA should be, make sure it's actionable, specific, and easy to find. Put them in strategically placed places on your landing page and video content, especially if these sources are very long.

Pro suggestion: Consider offering incentives such as discounts, downloadable content, or access to a private community, to increase the value and encourage people to opt-in.

Run A/B tests

When you are evaluating your results, conduct A/B tests of different components of your gated content strategy, which includes the titles, thumbnails, content formats, messaging, and CTAs. This will give you insights into which variations resonate most well with your target audience. It will also aid in optimizing your conversion rates over time.

Gated video platforms

If you're wondering what software you could use for creating gated videos here's a breakdown of four of the most effective gated video platforms, including their features and pricing.

Choosing the right gated video platform

If you're uneasy about the gated video platform you should choose, here are a few tips to help you select the right one that best suits your needs and goals:

Set out your needs

When you are choosing a platform for video, ask yourself what you want the platform to accomplish. The answers you provide will allow you to select the right tool for your specific needs.

If, for instance, your goal is to generate leads, Vimeo can be a good option because it comes with leads generation capabilities and works easily with marketing tools for email. But if your priority is to increase organic traffic by using SEO, Brightcove and Sproutvideo could be better options.

Consider your budget

The pricing tiers offered by the platform are a great place to start to determine if you can afford it However, it is important to take into account any potential extra fees such as bandwidth charges or transaction costs, since these could impact the cost of the platform.

Look into customization options

The platform for video you select must allow you to have control over the appearance and functionality of the player. So look out for options that permit users to alter the design, branding and even interactive elements such as CTA buttons.

Consider integration capabilities

If you're considering implementing the gated strategy for video content it's likely that you've numerous other devices in your tech stack. To streamline your workflow, you'll need select a platform that seamlessly integrates with the tools you already have and systems.

It includes your site's content management systems (CMS) as well as customer relations management (CRM) software and email marketing solutions, marketing automation software, payment gateways, and every other piece of software that is essential to your company.

Review privacy and security features

If you're working with sensitive or sensitive information, ensure that the platform for video you pick has adequate security safeguards. SproutVideo is one of them. It is a fantastic tool to use for this purpose because it comes with features such as password protection, geo-restriction, IP address restriction, and encryption protocols that protect your information.

Review analytics and report

Complete reports and analytics are crucial for tracking the success of your gated content as well as understanding how your audience engages with your company.

Check out platforms that give you detailed information, including time-to-view, click-through rate (CTR) as well as the conversion rate, demographics of your audience, and other relevant KPIs. This information will help you refine your content strategy to improve your engagement.

Verify scalability

If you run or work at a fast-growing company The video platform you pick will be able to handle increased video uploads and higher traffic volumes without compromising on performance. In other words that the platform must grow according to your requirements.

So, take into consideration factors like available storage, bandwidth options, and support for high definition (HD) video, to ensure that your system is flexible and will remain relevant when your company grows.

Demos and trial durations

Many video platforms offer product demos and/or trial periods to benefit from to gain firsthand experience of the application. You'll not only be able to assess whether it meets your requirements and requirements, but also how to navigate the platform should you choose to go ahead with it.

Measuring the success of your gated video content strategy

In order to measure the effectiveness of your gated video content strategy, here are three things you should accomplish: monitor key performances indicators (KPIs), use analytics tools and then constantly re-evaluate your strategies.

Monitor key performance indicators

The most common KPIs you should track comprise:

• Rate of conversion: It measures the percentage of users who have provided their personal information in order to access the restricted content.
• Click-through rates (CTR) for CTAs The CTR shows how frequently users click on CTAs on your landing pages or videos. This is a measure of the efficacy of your CTAs in driving desired actions.
• Engagement metrics: Monitor metrics like average watch time, video completion rates, and video interactions (likes, comments, or shares). This indicates how well your video content is engaging the viewers.
• Lead generation: This is the number of new leads that are generated by the gated content. It shows how convincing and convincing your content.
• Quality of leads: It measures how likely your new leads can be converted into paying customers. You can assess this KPI through lead scoring or the qualification requirements.

Make use of analytics tools

Analytics tools collect and arrange information from various sources to help you gain more understanding of your overall operations. Some common analytics tools to use are:

• Google Analytics (GA): This platform assesses user behavior on your website, monitors the performance of your landing pages and tracks traffic sources, in addition to others. GA allows you to set goals and events for your site. GA you are able to define goals and create specific events that measure the number of interaction with your content that is gated.
• Video hosting platforms: Platforms such as Vimeo, Wistia, or YouTube give detailed insight into video performance. When integrated with lead capture forms these platforms are able to track key parameters like play rates, engagement, and conversion rates.
• Platforms for Marketing Automation: Software like HubSpot, Marketo, or Pardot offer analytics tools which allow you to monitor how leads behave after engaging through your content that is gated.
• CRM systems: CRM tools like Pipedrive and Salesforce will help you monitor leads that come from gated videos and follow their development through to the sale funnel.

Continuous optimization and iteration

Establish regular intervals of reporting for monitoring the success of your content that is gated using a strategy. Then, compare data over period of time (including the results of A/B tests) to find trends and patterns.

Use the insights you gather from your data to make informed adjustments to your strategy such as optimizing the lead capture form, using different video formats and switching channels of distribution.

Transform your business with gated video content

The use of gated videos can be a great method to boost your marketing strategy. By offering valuable material in exchange for users' information, you're not only capturing leads but also creating a direct line of communication with an engaged public. This lets you send targeted messages to prospective customers throughout the buying journey.

Your gated video content also allows you to showcase your knowledge and establish your company as an expert, and create the impression of exclusivity as well as value for your audience -- which ultimately drives brand advocacy and conversions.

Plus also lets you to establish and manage exclusive communities to help build an even deeper relationship with potential customers, sell your offerings, boost conversions, and generate revenue for your company.

FAQ

    What exactly is gated content? Why is it important?

The term "gated" video content" refers to video content that can be accessed only after the viewer has provided personal information, such as their email address and demographic details. This marketing tactic allows businesses to acquire and maintain quality leads via specific emails as well as specific marketing campaigns.

    What are the benefits of gated video for marketing?

Utilizing gated video in marketing allows businesses to collect leads, accumulate valuable customer data, and provide content that is personalized, which fosters confidence in their customers and results in increased conversions.

    How can I create an effective gated video strategy?

The following is a step-by-step guide to developing a profitable guarded video strategy

• Define your goals
• Identify your target audience
• Choose the appropriate video content and type (e.g. webinars, video courses, product demos, etc. )
• Create compelling videos
• Create a dedicated landing page
• Promote your content for video that you have made available to the public
• Iterate and analyze Based on the information collected

    What are the best methods to create interesting gated video content?    

If you're creating gated videos Here are the best practices to keep in mind:

• Maintain videos at an optimal length
• Create captivating thumbnails and titles
• Streamline your lead capture form
• Clear calls to action
• Conduct A/B test to help you improve your plan

    What gated video platforms would be the best for me?    

The most popular platforms for creating video content that is gated and resonates with your audience can be:

• Vimeo: Known for extensive customizable options, as well as high-quality video playback.
• Wistia: Offers customizable video players, email capture forms, as well as extensive statistics.
• Brightcove: Comprehensive platform with robust options for large companies as well as media firms.
• SproutVideo: Platform for video hosting with a strong commitment to security. features like domain restrictions and password protection.

    What can I do to gauge the success of my content-gated strategy?    

There are two methods to monitor and analyse the effectiveness of your videos that are gated:

• The tracking of key metrics of performance (KPIs), including the conversion rate, click-through rates (CTR) as well as engagement measures (likes shares, likes, and comments)
• Using analytics tools, like Google Analytics , video hosting tools CRM tools, as well as marketing automation tools
• Compare KPIs to industry averages for more context on your performance