7 OPT-IN FREEBIE MISTAKES BLOGGERS MAKE
An opt-in freebie is honestly a blogger's best friend.
When someone hands over their email address to get access to your freebie, they're basically saying "I trust you".
Growing an email list is one of the best things you can do for your online presence, I’m always preaching about that.
But to grow your lister faster and more effectively, you need an opt-in freebie. And just like a lot of bloggers, you’re probably sat there thinking, yeah I really should do that shouldn’t I...
So if you’re thinking about creating an opt-in freebie or you want to update the one you already have, here are some of the biggest mistakes so you can make sure to avoid them.
MISTAKE #1: GIVING AWAY TOO MUCH
You’d actually think this was the better thing to do, pack your freebie with loads of information. But it’s a pretty common mistake people make.
Hours and hours of video content or 100 page eBooks given away for free?
No my friend.
This can hurt you in two ways:
- Your reader might not even make it through your freebie if it’s too big. This means you miss the opportunity to form a connection with them and they might not come back for more from you.
- If you think too big it stops you in your tracks. It’ll instantly become a project that is too overwhelming for you to finish and you’ll never get the chance to grow your list.
MISTAKE #2: NOT MAKING IT FOCUSED
When you’re in creation mode, when you’re really focused and in it, you can loose sight of the purpose of your opt-in freebie and ending up creating something that’s just really random.
The best freebies are purely about your reader and help them to solve a specific problem, whether that be teaching them a skill, giving them a resource or advising them what mistakes to avoid.
It’s got to be helpful and it’s got to be valuable.
MISTAKE #3: CREATING A RUBBISH TITLE
While headlines are important for your blog posts they’re important for your opt-in freebie too. I mean, someone is going to hit that download button if the title doesn’t interest them.
Remember what we said earlier in this series? Great titles make a promise, tap into emotions or create a sense of mystery.
MISTAKE #4: NOT BRANDING IT UP
You don’t need a designer to brand something up. But you can’t have your opt-in freebie looking like it isn’t aligned with your brand.
Use the same fonts, the same colours, the same formatting and please oh please - don’t forget to add your website address and logo.
MISTAKE #5: IGNORING YOUR READERS
Let’s say someone downloads your freebie and they want to ask you a question. Or maybe they want to tell you how much your freebie has helped them. But wait, where’s your email address, how do I get in touch with this person?
Don’t make it difficult for them. Invite readers to contact you and include your email address. You can even make your email clickable if you want to get really fancy.
MISTAKE #6: MAKING IT TOO COMPLICATED
The simple your process is for someone to actually get your freebie, the better.
There are lots of steps along the sign up process that give people the opportunity to drop off, like click through extra emails or thank you pages, that sort of thing.
Each email you collect is a person wanting to put their trust in you so you don’t want to lose anyone along the way.
So the first place you can put your free download, put it there.
MISTAKE #7: FORGETTING THE NEXT STEP
What happens next guys?
You don’t want your reader to ask this question.
If you avoid the mistakes we just talked about, your reader will be ready for anything. They’re right there, ready and primed to take a next step. But you need to tell them what they need to do.
This could be asking them to follow you on social media, reading some of your popular blog posts or joining your Facebook group.
These might seem like simple steps but they keep your reader interested and engaged.
So now I have a question for you - what are you waiting for?
Every day your blog goes without an opt-in freebie is another day you’re not growing your loyal community. If you’re here at this point, you’re totally ready to create an amazing freebie.
Remember to keep working towards your next breakthrough.
