To gate or un-gate: Strategies on how to make your B2B brand binge-able
The goal is to make your content binge-worthy: give your audience a taste of the value your brand offers and invite them to dive deeper when they’re ready. With the right mix of un-gated content, irresistible knowledge offers, and smart gating, your B2B brand can stand out in today’s competitive landscape.
When consumers are on the hunt for solutions, they turn to content—and they do it fast. They’re scanning for answers, insights, and expert guidance, and when they discover that your brand holds the key to solving their problem, they stick around. The challenge, however, is ensuring they can access your content in the first place. A form to fill, an email to give—these small barriers can turn eager visitors away.
On the other hand, leaving all your content open might make your brand feel more accessible, but it means missing out on valuable data about who’s engaging with you.
This is the big question for B2B brands: should you gate your content to capture leads or keep it un-gated to let potential buyers binge on your brand?
Finding the right balance isn’t always easy. So, let’s explore some key insights on the use of gated and un-gated content, when each approach works best, and actionable strategies to capture leads.
- Don’t over-gate in the first step of the buyers’ journey.
Traditional landing pages with clickbait snippets and form submissions for email addresses are becoming outdated. Why? Today’s B2B buyers are savvy, and email addresses no longer hold the value they once did. They’re protective of their information, and forcing them to give up details too early may result to non-engagement. In fact, conversion rates for gated content are often less than 1%, meaning the vast majority of your audience might be turned off by your gated approach, never to return.
What’s the cost to your business if 99% of visitors bounce after seeing a form? It’s significant. That’s why it's time to rethink gating strategies and focus on providing quality, value-driven content that meets your audience’s immediate needs.
- Use un-gated content as a gateway to build trust.
Un-gated content offers a unique opportunity to build trust before asking for something in return. Rather than withholding valuable information, brands can open the door, providing helpful insights without barriers. This creates an environment where users feel empowered to engage without the pressure of giving away personal information prematurely.
One way to approach this is by focusing on "irresistible offers of knowledge"—valuable content freely available but with a follow-up invitation for deeper engagement. For example, after consuming an un-gated report, a user could be offered a chance to have a one-on-one session with an in-house expert. This next step provides something valuable without the hard sell, ultimately nurturing trust and moving them further down the funnel.
- Unlock the best of both worlds.
Why choose between gated and un-gated content when you can do both? Businesses can simultaneously gate and un-gate the same content, appealing to different buyer stages. Take the example of a webinar. While the initial promotion might require sign-ups (gated), the event could also be streamed live on platforms like LinkedIn, allowing people to watch without registering. Later, the webinar could be uploaded to YouTube, offering an un-gated version.
This hybrid approach captures different audience types: those ready to engage and those still exploring. By allowing users to choose how they engage with your content, you create a more flexible and user-friendly experience.
- Discover tools that allow you to track even un-gated content.
Technology has advanced to the point where gating isn’t as black and white as it used to be. Tools like LinkedIn and specialised platforms such as RB2B allow businesses to gain person-level data from site visits without requiring form submissions. This offers a middle ground: content appears to be un-gated, but with the right tools, you can still track and gather valuable insights about your audience.
For example, LinkedIn’s native tools can identify user behaviour and provide deep insights about who’s engaging with your content without needing an email sign-up. Similarly, platforms like RB2B help marketers capture high-quality data at a granular level, meaning you can gather actionable information without forcing users to submit a form.
- Break content into bite-sized segments.
To make your B2B brand truly binge-worthy, consider the example of content creators like Justin Welch, who advocates giving away valuable insights for free and monetising the aggregation. His approach highlights the importance of offering bite-sized content—via blogs, LinkedIn posts, YouTube Shorts, or webinars—that can be consumed at various stages of the buyer journey.
By creating a blend of short-, medium-, and long-form content, businesses can allow users to engage at their own pace. Some may start with a 30-second teaser video, while others might jump straight to a detailed case study. The key is to be present across multiple platforms and formats, allowing users to engage profoundly or casually as they see fit.
