Many online businesses use free digital downloads, often called lead magnets, to attract new subscribers to their email marketing lists. These freebies can include items like e-books, templates, checklists, or printable guides. The process of delivering these items immediately after a user signs up can vary depending on the tools used and the subscription plan level. Information from several sources outlines how to deliver free downloads using the free plan of ConvertKit and how to use the ConvertPlug WordPress plugin to distribute freebies and manage leads.
Delivering Free Downloads on ConvertKit’s Free Plan
For users operating on the free plan of ConvertKit, automation features are restricted. However, it is still possible to send a freebie or lead magnet to new subscribers immediately upon sign-up. This process relies on the platform’s incentive email feature, which is designed to confirm a subscriber's interest before adding them to the main email list.
The Incentive Email Method
According to the source material, the standard way to deliver a free download without using paid automation features is through the "Incentive Email." When a user fills out a sign-up form, they receive this email, which asks them to confirm their subscription. The freebie download link is typically included within this confirmation email.
The steps to configure this method are detailed as follows: 1. Access the Dashboard: Log in to the ConvertKit account and navigate to the main dashboard. 2. Navigate to Forms: Click on the "Grow" tab in the dashboard menu and select "Landing Pages & Forms" from the dropdown. 3. Select or Create a Form: Choose the form intended to collect subscriber information or create a new one. 4. Open Form Settings: Click on the specific form to access its configuration settings. 5. Enable the Incentive Email: Navigate to the "Incentive" tab within the settings. Here, the "Send Incentive Email" option must be enabled. This triggers the double opt-in process where the subscriber must confirm their email address. 6. Customize the Email (Optional): The content of the incentive email can be edited. This is where the link to the free digital download is usually placed.
This method ensures that the subscriber receives the freebie link as part of the confirmation process, allowing for immediate delivery even without automated sequences.
Using Forms for Delivery
When setting up a form in ConvertKit to deliver a free download, users have several style options. One popular style mentioned is the "naked" style, which is designed to blend seamlessly into an existing website’s branding. Once the form is designed and saved, the incentive email settings are configured to handle the delivery of the free file.
Using ConvertPlug to Distribute Freebies
ConvertPlug is a WordPress plugin designed to help website owners grow their email lists using popups, slide-ins, and other opt-in modules. It offers various triggers and targeting options to display offers to visitors, including freebies.
Displaying Freebies with Triggers
ConvertPlug utilizes several triggers to engage visitors and encourage them to sign up for free offers: * User Inactivity Trigger: This displays popups to users who have been inactive on the site. The popup can offer freebies, quizzes, or feedback forms to re-engage the user and reduce bounce rates. * Launch After Content: This trigger displays a popup immediately after a visitor finishes reading a post. Since the user has engaged deeply with the content, they may be more interested in related offers or free downloads. * Exit Intent: This technology detects when a user is about to leave the site and displays a targeted offer. Examples include invitations to download a free case study, e-book, or sign up for a webinar. * Well-Timed Popups: These appear after a visitor has been on the site for a specific duration, ensuring the offer is presented at an appropriate moment without being intrusive.
Targeting and Design
ConvertPlug allows for specific targeting to ensure freebies are shown to the right audience: * Page Level Targeting: Offers can be categorized and displayed only on specific pages, posts, or categories. This prevents irrelevant offers from appearing and allows for specific freebies to be shown on relevant content. * Device Detection: The plugin identifies whether a user is on a mobile device or desktop, allowing for tailored visibility of modules. * Referrer Detection: ConvertPlug can detect the domain a user came from, allowing for customized messages for users arriving from specific sources. * Design Templates: The plugin provides a library of professional templates for popups and opt-ins, which can be customized without coding skills to match the website's brand.
Redirecting Users and Passing Lead Data
ConvertPlug offers functionality to redirect users after they submit a form, which is useful for delivering freebies. * Redirect on Submission: Users can be redirected directly to a URL or redirected only after a successful form submission. * Passing Lead Data: ConvertPlug allows website owners to pass lead data (such as name and email) to the redirected URL. When this feature is enabled, the user's submitted information is appended to the destination URL as variables. This allows the destination page to retrieve the user's data, which can be useful for personalizing the thank-you page or tracking the source of the download.
Email Integrations
ConvertPlug integrates with a wide range of third-party email marketing software to store and manage leads acquired through its forms. Supported integrations include Active Campaign, Campaign Monitor, Aweber, HubSpot, MailChimp, GetResponse, SendinBlue, and many others. This allows the freebie sign-up data to flow directly into an email marketing system for further management.
Pricing and Value
ConvertPlug is presented as an affordable tool for WordPress users. The plugin is available for a one-time price of $21. This purchase includes lifetime future updates and six months of support, which can be extended for an additional fee. The source material suggests that this price point makes it an accessible option for those looking to implement freebie distribution and email list growth strategies on their WordPress sites.
Conclusion
The delivery of free digital products is a fundamental strategy for growing an email list. For users of ConvertKit's free plan, the incentive email feature provides a reliable method to deliver freebies immediately upon sign-up without requiring paid automation features. For WordPress users, the ConvertPlug plugin offers a versatile suite of tools to display freebie offers through targeted popups and forms, with advanced options for redirecting users and passing lead data to destination pages. Both methods facilitate the distribution of free digital content to engage new subscribers.