As a digital course creator or learning platform marketer, you need to create video lead magnets for e-learning. They can significantly increase lead generation and conversion. Videos work better than PDFs or checklists as lead magnets because they tell stories and promote human connection. Free video content can persuade leads to sign up and start their e-learning journey.
When a potential learner sees you explaining a topic, they start to feel as though they know you. You can give them a short video preview of what it’s like to take your online courses. This is far better than offering them a long text-based guide.
Your lead magnets must offer real value and be relevant to your particular audience to be successful. They help to showcase your expertise so you can build trust with the learners you want to attract. Lead magnets are like the appetizer that can tempt learners and make them want to enjoy a full course.
Types of video lead magnets
The video-based lead magnets you create will depend on your goals and audience. You can choose from many formats to educate and inform prospects so they are more confident about signing up for your online courses.
1. Mini-courses
A mini-course can be a high-value lead magnet. You will usually teach a practical skill or a specific topic in a series of short video lessons. For instance, if you offer a comprehensive SEO course, a mini-course may cover some simple SEO fixes. Learners get an idea of your teaching style and expertise on the topic. This generates trust and helps you to build authority in your niche.
Mini-courses give prospective learners a chance to ‘try before they buy’ and they feel a sense of satisfaction when they complete it. A mini-course can also help you to test the water before you create a longer course that learners pay to access. You may be able to repurpose some valuable long-form content you already have into a mini-course.
2. Lesson previews
If you want to convert leads with video, giving a lesson preview is like offering them a free sample. You can take some of the content from a paid course and offer it as a taste of what’s to come. Make sure you choose high-impact content that shows the best parts of your course.
Perhaps you can offer leads in the first video in a ‘Mastering Copywriting’ course for free.’ This gives prospects the opportunity to check out the quality of your videos and see how you structure your content. If they find your content suits their learning style, they are likely to sign up for your copywriting course.
3. Webinars
Live streaming a free webinar on a popular topic within your course that contains valuable information allows you to pivot into a course offer. For example, you may offer a webinar on how to create and sell digital content and end with a soft pitch for a course on “How to create best-selling digital content.” Webinars can help you to nurture leads over time and provide them with in-depth insights.
You can include live Q&As to create connections with the audience. When you interact live with prospects, they can receive useful answers from you and see your commitment to helping them learn. The more you understand them, the more you can offer them deals they really want.
4. Behind-the-scenes content
Some behind-the-scenes content that can be very effective is showing how you create your online courses. For example, you may conduct an interview with a course instructor or someone who edits your video content. This type of content can create more transparency and build trust.
5. Limited access to a video library
Give prospects a glimpse of what you have to offer with limited access to your video library containing on-demand video content. Once they are hooked on your content, you can make them a subscription offer that’s hard to resist.
A video hosting platform like Cincopa makes it easy to live stream video content and offer well-organized video-on-demand in a content library. It also helps you to distribute your video-based lead magnets across different channels and platforms.
How to gate your content and capture leads effectively
Gating your video content allows you to get contact information in exchange for granting access. To do it right, you need to gate content that’s irresistible to prospective learners. They know better than to give out that information for a useless PDF or a cheat sheet that opens them up to receiving spam over the following weeks. But if a learner wants to learn about Excel and you gate your Excel course and give them a taste, there’s a high chance they will give up their email addresses to access it.
Use a landing page tool
A landing page tool can help you to create a visually appealing landing page. You can use a captivating headline and clearly describe the value of your course. Video previews and custom thumbnails can help to demonstrate value. The contact form should request only essential information.
Use an email autoresponder
Email autoresponders ensure that prospects who sign up automatically receive welcome emails. These emails include instructions on how to access the video. You can then continue to nurture email subscribers with follow-up emails.
Test different gating strategies
You may decide to gate a whole video or offer a short teaser and gate the rest of the video. Doing A/B testing can help you to determine which is the best strategy.
When prospective e-learners give you their email addresses, you can continue to nurture them through email marketing and keep your courses at the top of their minds.
You need an appropriate platform with the technology to handle gating of content and nurturing of leads. On the Cincopa platform, you can activate a lead generation feature for your video channel. Choose a form for lead capture and it will appear before a viewer can watch a video. After submitting the form, the video becomes available to view. Only qualified leads have access to valuable content.
Optimizing video for conversion
A video lead magnet isn’t effective unless it can persuade viewers to buy your courses. This is why you need to optimize elements such as the length and quality.
Use short-form videos
Short-form videos are best when prospective learners are in the initial stages of the e-learning funnel. You need to hook them straight away by making it clear what they will be able to learn and what this equips them to do on completion. Video messaging provides another simple way to make connections with potential leads and explain what your online course equips them for.
Include a call-to-action
A call to action (CTA) in your lead magnet is essential. You don’t have to do a hard sell but just guide viewers gently to the next step. An example would be “Want to go deeper? Check out the full course” or “Click the link to get 10% off the full course.”
Offer value upfront
Online course lead generation depends on delivering real value upfront with lead magnets. Learners are reluctant to invest without knowing more about what they’re going to get for their money.
If they feel that what you offer for free beats some of the paid content they receive, it will encourage them to sign up. It may be as simple as solving a small but painful issue for them. A structure that works well is to identify a problem, explain why it exists, offer a solution, and introduce your full course as the next logical step.
Localize your video lead magnets
When you localize e-learning videos to use as lead magnets, you can reach a global audience. It doesn’t matter what cultural background prospective learners come from or what languages they speak.
Conclusion: Let your course content work as a powerful lead engine
Video lead magnets for e-learning provide a powerful way to attract prospective learners and convert them. Effective video lead magnets include mini-courses, lesson samples, and webinars. They must be jam-packed with value and really useful instead of just quickly thrown together to capture leads. This makes gating content effective because your leads really want to access it. Sign up for a free trial on the Cincopa home page and discover how it helps you to create and distribute video lead magnets for your online courses.
