Did you know, 61 percent of marketers said lead generation is their top priority this year? One of the best ways to collect contact information through your site is to offer researched or exclusive content in return. Gating content can drive qualified leads, but we CC_Graphics_02.27.2015-01 (2)recently got a question from a reader about the pros and cons of putting content behind a form fill. Do we lose opportunities to share industry-leading content when we require users to give us information?

The short answer is yes. You always run the risk of losing those who don’t want to fill out your form because they aren’t ready or simply don’t want to communicate further. But if someone isn’t interested in communications from your brand – maybe there are instances where it’s okay not to share your best content with them.

The key is making sure the offer, or the information, promised is worthy of the contact info. I’m the first one to admit I’m reluctant to enter my information into a form fill – but I will if it’s a brand that I have come to trust.

So what kind of content can require a form fill?

CC_Graphics_02.27.2015-04 (2)It turns out contests have the highest form completion rate at 28 percent. This makes sense – when people sign up for a contest, their information is an exchange for a chance to win a prize or a business opportunity.

Putting premium infographics behind a download wall is another effective tactic. In fact, one of Brafton’s clients broke its lead generation records with 700 downloads from their infographic  in a single week.

From our experience, releasing thoroughly researched or proprietary data through eBooks is a good opportunity to gate. And the perk here is that inbound leads are likely to be 20 percent more knowledgeable about your company than outbound leads before a sales call.

Check out the related resources we’ve compiled to help guide your way  below – and if you have any questions about gating or content for lead generation, be sure to let us know in the comments or on Twitter

Molly Buccini is Brafton's community manager. She joined the team with a background in digital journalism and social media. She's a theatre nerd, pop culture junkie and lover of summertime.