When to Gate B2B Technology Content

John Himes

June 23, 2023

The question isn’t whether we should or shouldn’t have gated content. It’s not an either/or situation.

Gated and non-gated B2B technology content complement and support each other. Both tactics have their strengths and weaknesses, which is why it’s smart to include both in your technology content marketing strategy.

That said, you’re probably asking yourself, “When should I gate my content?” Certain types of content are more suitable for gating.

The overarching theme to keep in mind is that we want to use non-gated content to build awareness and steer people toward our gated content.

But first, let’s cover the basics.

What is gated content?

Gated content doesn’t cost any money, but it isn’t exactly free either. In order to access gated content, visitors provide their contact info in exchange. Don’t confuse gated content with paywalled content.

It’s a common practice. According to Starfleet Media research, 80% of B2B content marketing assets are gated.

Though this balance has likely shifted since the report’s 2014 publishing date, it’s safe to say that content gating is a popular and reliable choice for B2B technology marketing.

Pros and cons of gated content

The main advantages of gated content are that it:

Generates leads that sales and marketing can follow up on.
Leads self-qualify by demonstrating consideration.
Creates data for customer analytics.
Enables email list segmentation.

The disadvantages of gated content are that it:

Generates less traffic and reach than non-gated content.
Doesn’t benefit search engine optimization (SEO).
Lacks brand visibility.
Doesn’t stop determined people from getting around the gate with temporary email addresses, which leads to the capture of false information.
Puts some people off, who will click away rather than fill out the form.

What types of content should tech companies gate?

Consider gating your most valuable offerings.

Many technology companies choose to gate free trials, demos, and tools. Many people are happy to provide their contact info in exchange for getting to try a software product before they sign up for a paid subscription, for instance.

Tools like calculators, spreadsheets, and templates are also good options because they can solve problems and demonstrate return on investment (ROI) to potential customers. There’s a reason that they’re looking for a tech solution in the first place. Establishing your company as a trusted resource is a great way to kickstart a relationship.

Speaking of resources, long-form content pieces like ebooks and white papers are also great candidates for gating. This type of content is ideal for going deep on a topic, presenting original research, or offering technical walk-throughs that are hard to find elsewhere.

Some companies will also gate video content, such as webinars or expert talks.

You want your gated content to be your premium offerings. These assets should be practical, informative, and unique.

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Best practices for gating content

Once you’ve picked the content that you’re going to gate, start by focusing on the gate itself. It should be welcoming. Think of a torii gate to an ancient Japanese shrine or an inviting entrance to an idyllic garden—not the gate to the state penitentiary.

That means you need an awesome landing page. It should be well designed and user-friendly, and it should include some teaser text that gives visitors a sneak peek of what’s on the other side. The landing page for gated content should be tempting but never misleading.

It’s also important to strategically link gated and non-gated content. You may, for instance, spin a few blog posts out of the gated content. Not only does this get visitors to your site thinking about the topic and show them that there’s more to learn, but it also gives you an easy way to promote your gated content.

Simply point to it in the call to action (CTA) at the end of the article. Don’t forget to give readers a good incentive to click through.

Finally, like everything else in marketing, measurement and iteration are key. Keep track of conversions, collect data about demographics from the intake form, and use analytics to figure out what’s working and what isn’t. Then iterate on either the content or the gate itself.

Want to see all this in action? Check out the CTA at the bottom of this blog post!

Wipe your paws

Asking whether or not some content should be gated isn’t the right question. The real question is how to use gated and non-gated content in conjunction to realize our marketing objectives: getting leads, building authority, and, ultimately, generating revenue.

Both gated and non-gated content have their advantages and disadvantages. That’s why striking a balance between them is the best path forward. It’s kind of like diversifying an investment portfolio.

Select your best, most valuable content for gating. It should be worth someone’s time and effort to go through the process of filling out the form and giving you their contact info. Then craft an attractive landing page and use non-gated content to promote it.