Ever wonder how some companies seem to effortlessly attract and convert new customers online? One clever tactic they might be using is turning templates into content. This approach involves creating valuable, ready-to-use resources that align perfectly with what potential customers are searching for.

By offering these templates as part of their content strategy, businesses can quickly grab the attention of their target audience. It's like setting out a plate of freshly baked cookies – people are drawn in by the immediate value they see. But there's a twist: the real magic happens when these templates are integrated directly into the company's product or service.

This strategy isn't just about attracting visitors; it's about turning them into customers at lightning speed. When someone finds a useful template through a search, they're often ready to take action right away. By making the full template available only within the product, companies create a natural path for users to sign up and start using their service.

The beauty of this tactic lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. It combines smart content marketing with a clear path to conversion, all while providing genuine value to potential customers. For businesses looking to boost their online presence and convert more leads, turning templates into content could be a game-changing strategy worth exploring.

Why this works

This tactic works exceptionally well for several reasons:

• Immediate value proposition. By offering templates that align with user search intent, you're providing instant gratification. This builds trust and positions your brand as a helpful resource right from the start.

• Low barrier to entry. Templates are easy to understand and use, making them attractive to a wide range of potential customers. This accessibility can significantly increase your reach and engagement.

• Seamless product integration. When templates are incorporated into your product, you create a natural progression from free content to paid solution. This smooth transition can boost conversion rates.

• Enhanced user experience. Templates simplify complex processes or tasks for users, showcasing how your product can make their lives easier. This practical demonstration can be more persuasive than traditional marketing messages.

• Improved SEO performance. Template-based content often targets specific, long-tail keywords that potential customers are actively searching for. This can help improve your search engine rankings and organic traffic.

• Viral potential. Useful templates are often shared within professional networks, potentially increasing your brand's reach without additional marketing effort.

• Data collection opportunities. Requiring users to sign up to access full template features allows you to gather valuable lead information for future marketing efforts.

• Showcases product functionality. Templates give potential customers a taste of your product's capabilities, effectively serving as a mini-demo.

• Cost-effective content creation. Once created, templates can be repurposed and updated easily, providing long-term value for your content marketing efforts.

• Addresses specific pain points. Well-designed templates target common challenges in your industry, demonstrating your understanding of customer needs and positioning your product as the solution.

How you can steal this

Here's how you can implement this tactic for your own business:

1. Identify high-value templates for your audience. Start by researching what your target customers are searching for. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to find popular template-related keywords in your niche.

2. Create valuable, ready-to-use templates. Develop templates that solve common problems or streamline processes for your potential customers. Ensure they're high-quality and immediately useful.

3. Optimize for search engines. Create content pages for each template, optimizing them for relevant keywords. Include detailed descriptions, use cases, and snippets of the template to improve SEO performance.

4. Offer a "teaser" version for free. Provide a limited version of the template on your content page. This gives visitors a taste of the value while encouraging them to access the full version.

5. Gate the full template within your product. Require users to sign up or log in to access the complete, editable version of the template. This creates a natural path to product adoption.

6. Integrate templates seamlessly into your product. Ensure that accessing and using the templates within your product is intuitive and adds genuine value to the user experience.

7. Create a dedicated template library. Develop a searchable database of templates within your product, making it easy for users to find and use relevant resources.

8. Promote your template content. Share your template-based content on social media, in email newsletters, and through partnerships to increase visibility and attract more potential customers.

9. Analyze and iterate. Track which templates perform best in terms of attracting visitors and converting them to users. Use this data to refine your strategy and create more high-performing templates.

10. Encourage user-generated templates. If applicable, allow users to create and share their own templates within your platform. This can expand your library and increase user engagement.

11. Update regularly. Keep your templates fresh and relevant by updating them periodically based on user feedback and industry trends.

12. Use templates for lead nurturing. For visitors who aren't ready to sign up immediately, offer the option to download templates in exchange for their email address, then nurture these leads with targeted campaigns.

By implementing this strategy, you can create a powerful content marketing funnel that not only attracts potential customers but also guides them smoothly towards becoming active users of your product.

Examples of Turn Templates into Content

Here are some examples of how different types of online businesses can effectively turn templates into content:

• SaaS company. A project management software startup created a library of customizable project plan templates. They optimized landing pages for each template with relevant keywords, offering a preview and gating the full, editable version behind a free trial signup. This approach led to a 40% increase in trial conversions.

• Ecommerce platform. An online store builder developed a collection of professional product description templates for various niches. They published blog posts showcasing these templates, driving organic traffic from small business owners searching for help with product listings. Users could access the full template library by creating a store on the platform, resulting in a 25% boost in new merchant signups.

• Digital marketing agency. A content marketing firm created a comprehensive set of social media calendar templates for different industries. They promoted these through SEO-optimized blog posts and offered limited access for free. Full template customization was available only to paying clients, leading to a 30% increase in lead-to-client conversion rates.

• Online course platform. An e-learning marketplace developed a series of syllabus and course outline templates for various subjects. They created detailed guides around each template, attracting traffic from potential course creators. The full, editable templates were accessible only within the course creation tool, driving a 50% uptick in new instructor signups.

• Freelance job board. A gig economy website created a set of proposal templates for different freelance services. They published articles featuring snippets of these templates, targeting freelancers searching for proposal writing tips. The complete, customizable templates were available only to registered users, resulting in a 35% increase in new freelancer accounts.

• Email marketing tool. An email automation company developed a library of industry-specific email templates. They created content showcasing these templates for various use cases, attracting marketers searching for email inspiration. Users could access and customize the full template collection within the tool, leading to a 45% boost in free-to-paid conversions.

• Design software. A graphic design platform created a vast collection of social media post templates. They published visually rich blog posts featuring these templates, targeting small business owners and marketers looking for design ideas. The editable versions were accessible only within the design tool, driving a 60% increase in new user registrations.

• HR software. An employee management system developed a comprehensive set of performance review templates. They created in-depth guides around each template type, attracting HR professionals searching for review best practices. The customizable templates were available only to paying customers, resulting in a 20% uplift in demo-to-paid conversions.

By implementing this strategy, these businesses were able to attract highly qualified leads through valuable content and seamlessly guide them towards product adoption, significantly improving their conversion rates and user acquisition.