This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links (at no cost to you, of course! 🙂)

If you're a small business owner, or on the cusp of becoming one, you've probably heard the buzz words freebie, opt-in, or email list floating around on some of your research sprees. 🔍

You've probably heard that growing your email list is crucial for building a strong and engaged audience, and it is! Your email list is the best, most reliable way to show personal and intentional content to the people who are already invested in what you do (no algorithm necessary), leading to higher conversion rates and a loyal community.

Offering a valuable freebie is an excellent strategy to attract new subscribers who are actually interested in your products. However, not all freebies are created equal. You want to make sure you're attracting the right audience, otherwise your efforts will all be for nothing. 🙅‍♀️

This week, we're giving you all of our best ideas to create irresistible freebies that will actually grow your email list. We’re talking about everything from coming up with a fantastic freebie idea to how to create your freebie and then how to get it out into the world.

This guide has everything you need to know, so let’s dive in!

What do we Mean by a Freebie?

A freebie, aka a lead magnet or opt-in, is a valuable piece of content or a resource that you offer to your audience for free in exchange for their email address.

It piques your audience's interest, gives them a glimpse of what your business is all about, and should be enticing enough so that they are happy to trade one of their crucial pieces of personal information in exchange for it: their email address!

By offering freebies, you can establish a real connection with your audience, demonstrate your expertise, and build trust, all while growing your email list, which is sure to drive sales. 💸

Opt-ins

How to Decide What Your Freebie Should be About?

Before you create your freebie, you need to be really clear on who your ideal customer is! If you're not, you may create a great freebie, but it won't attract any clients who are actually interested in what you're selling!

When it comes to your ideal customer, you should consider:

Who you ideally want to work with, or what type of person is an ideal match for your product or services.
What is their demographic?
What is their profession?
What are their interests, goals or passions?
What is it that YOU will help them with?

Example: For example, you could be a business coach that likes to support emerging, strong, female small business owners who want to start a podcast. They are fun, hard-working, and like to chat, and you're here to give them the structure and guidance they need to turn all that into a successful podcast that brings in a ton of leads to their new business.

Take note of who your ideal client is and keep that in mind for all of the following steps!

Customer Pain Points

A customer pain point refers to a problem or challenge that customers face. It could be:

Something that frustrates them
Something that causes inconvenience
Or something that prevents them from achieving their goals

Identifying and understanding these pain points is what will help you not only come up with a great product or business idea, but a great email list freebie idea too!

Centering your freebie around aiming to solve even just one of these pain points is a great way for your audience to feel heard and understood, building their trust in you and your biz right off the bat.

Example: Going back to our ideal client example, a major pain point for our entrepreneurs could be that they are very time-poor, and they have no idea where to start with their podcast. Already, this is giving us some ideas for potential freebies - You could offer a workbook or quiz for them to quickly find their ideal podcast idea, or you could create a planner or checklist with all the structured steps they need to launch their podcast asap!

Common Questions You get

If you already have a few customers, think about the questions they frequently ask you. These questions indicate areas where they need a little extra help or guidance, leaving a perfect gap for what your freebie could cover.

Remember, you want to provide value and establish yourself as an expert in your field, coming across as someone who is able to answer their intricate questions and provide practical resources to simplify their business journey.

Example: For example, it could be that your existing podcaster clients frequently ask about what tech they need to get started. This is super easy to answer in a freebie along the lines of: "Your Guide to the Essential Tech-Tools You Need to Launch a Top-Rated Podcast" with the brands, pricing, and links.

Choose a Problem, Offer a Solution

Thinking about the points above, choose a specific problem your dream client faces and offer them a quick solution in your email list freebie!

We know this is easier said than done, so remember to keep it simple! Choose one of the problems that come up the most or that feels the most important, and remember that you don't need to answer all of their questions - that's what your actual product/service is for.

You just want to give them a little taste of what it's like working with you and they'll be sold!

Provide a Quick Win or Transformation

Your freebie should offer a quick win. People love free stuff, and they also love signing up for something that promises immediate results (but always make sure you deliver!).

Try to reflect your transformation in the title and description of your freebie to entice your audience to sign up even quicker!

Example: For our ideal client, we're going to choose the workbook idea. It addresses a strong pain point - our solopreneurs aren't sure where to start, and picking a podcast topic that resonates with them and their biz is a pretty big step forward. It identifies a problem, and offers a solution: by the end of the workbook, they'll walk away with a concrete podcast idea (quick win!).

This freebie gives us the opportunity to showcase our expertise and personality, but also leaves our audience wanting more (what are the next steps after figuring out what their dream podcast will be about?), leaving plenty of room for us to put forward our coaching offer and for them to convert into loyal customers!

How to Package up Your Freebie?

Now that you have an idea of what your freebie should be about, here are some popular freebie formats that you could try:

Workbook

Workbooks are so incredibly flexible and can cover just about any topic while providing amazing value to your new subscribers! They'll get first-hand experience of your teaching style, so you want to make sure any workbooks you create are fun, interactive, on-brand, and digging deep into your topic.

👉🏼 How to create a fillable PDF workbook (in Canva for free!)

Mini Course

If you're selling a course, you could develop a mini version that might include a sneak peek (like the first couple of modules) and is sure to engage your audience and get them eager for more.

👉🏼 How to host a course on Squarespace - Complete guide to Squarespace Member Areas

Quiz

Quizzes are a fun, easy-to-set-up way to engage your audience while providing personalized results in just a few minutes (after they sign up, of course!). For example, we created a quiz that helps our audience figure out which template best suits their needs, making their template selection process simpler and more enjoyable.

👉🏼 How to connect your Interact Quiz with your Squarespace site

👉🏼 How to create an opt-in freebie quiz for your website

Templates

Ready-to-use templates, like social media templates, branding templates, email templates, or planners, are a great format to provide a super quick solution by either simplifying a complex task, or saving your audience loads of time and effort, making this a very valuable option!

👉🏼 How to share Canva templates

When creating your freebie, remember to keep things concise, relevant, and on-brand! You want someone to know that the freebie is linked to your business no matter what it is, so utilize your brand colors, fonts, and imagery to the fullest.

Canva is a great platform to use here since you’re able to easily create all kinds of different designs and easily upload and implement any brand related elements you’d like.

Where to Share Your Freebie?

Once you've created your freebie, you'll want to maximize its reach. If no one sees it, unfortunately no one will sign up.

Post it on Your Website

Maximize visibility by strategically placing your freebie across your website or blog. Consider using:

Pop-ups: Grab visitors’ attention as soon as they land on your site. A well-timed pop-up can encourage sign-ups quickly.
Sign-Up Forms: Embed these forms on high-traffic pages like your homepage, blog sidebar, or contact page. If you want steps on how to set this up, head to our blog on 👉🏼 How to redirect Squarespace forms to a freebie or thank you page.
Landing Page Links: Create a dedicated landing page where visitors can learn more and sign up.

For example, a pop-up showcasing your freebie right when users arrive can instantly spark interest and grow your email list. For steps on how to set this up, check out 👉🏼 How to add a pop-up in Squarespace.

Post it on Social Media

Leverage your social media accounts by sharing links to your freebies on your socials regularly. This is a sure way to bring in new followers and subscribers that align with your biz 💪

Bulk design posts or stories with fun visuals and clear calls-to-action promoting your freebie, so that you’ll always have some on hand, ready to post to your Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and whatever other platforms you're using!

👉🏼 How to design kick-ass Pinterest graphics that are optimized to get clicks

Another great spot to add a freebie link is your Instagram links page! Not only will those who click on it already be interested in learning more about you, a freebie that answers their questions is sure to transform them into loyal customers in just a couple of clicks.

👉🏼 Why you should stop using Linktree & how to create your own in Squarespace

Send Your Freebie Automatically

Once someone signs up, it’s time to deliver the goods! Use your email marketing platform to set up an automated welcome email that sends the freebie straight to their inbox. This not only makes the process seamless for you but also gives your new subscriber instant gratification. Most email platforms, like Kartra, Squarespace Email Campaigns or Kit (formerly known as ConvertKit), make this super simple with pre-built automation tools. A quick, friendly note with your freebie attached (or a download link) will make a great first impression and get them excited about what’s next.

👉🏼 How to get started with Email Marketing: a simple guide for beginners

By creating freebies that address your audience's needs, offer quick solutions, and provide tangible value, you can grow your email list steadily with high quality subscribers that are most likely to convert!

Experiment with different formats and continuously refine your freebies based on feedback and data. Remember to keep your freebies simple but filled with value to leave lasting impressions on your new subscribers. Send out newsletters regularly to keep them engaged, aware of deals and new products, and wanting more! newsletters regularly to keep them engaged, aware of deals and new products, and wanting more!

If you’re leveling up your email game, don’t forget about your website and socials—they deserve a glow-up too! We’ve got a bunch of fun, strategic, and ridiculously easy-to-use templates for Squarespace and Social Media. Think of them as your secret weapon for showing up online like the total pro you are (without the stress). Check them out! 👇

Squarespace Website Templates