Imagine that you have labored over a piece of content that you have deemed to be of “high value” for several weeks after spending months developing a content strategy. According to conventional wisdom, you should secure it behind a form and require prospects to provide their contact information before allowing them access. But then something happens: you get a slew of bogus email addresses like “[email protected]” or, even worse, you hear crickets. You’re left wondering why these leads aren’t converting, despite downloading your content. Isn’t downloading content a sign of intent or interest?
The reality? Not necessarily.
The Expansion of Content Ignorance Content shock, first described a decade ago by Mark SchaeferOpens a new window, has emerged in the digital age. Even though brands have produced more content than ever before, engagement rates have decreased. Recent research (Content Marketing Institute, 2025Opens a new window) shows that 27% of marketers say that creating engaging content in a saturated market is their biggest challenge. This is thankfully down from 44% in 2024, most likely due to SEO optimizations. Audiences are more discerning as a result of this oversaturation, and they are less willing to part with personal information in order to access content that may not be beneficial. Consider how frequently you, as a customer, hesitate to submit a form to obtain access to a guide or eBook.
How often have you used a fictitious email address to avoid receiving sales emails? Gated content frequently prioritizes the needs of the marketer over the user’s experience, resulting in a loss of trust. Whether or not to Gate Examples from Drift and IMPACT Depending on the type of content and your business, you may choose to gate or ungate some of your content. There is no universal approach to marketing, like with everything else. Also like with all marketing, it’s necessary to test new strategic tactics. IMPACT and Drift are two of these companies that have seen success from un-gating their content.
The Story of IMPACT In the past, IMPACT relied heavily on gating their eBooks and guides for lead generation. Even though this strategy generated thousands of leads, very few of them were qualified, and even fewer of them became customers. After un-gating their content, they noticed something remarkable: the volume of leads didn’t drop, but the quality improved significantly. By removing the barrier, IMPACT began attracting prospects who were genuinely interested in their offerings.
The Story of Drift Drift extended this idea even further. In addition to de-gating all of their content, they also removed nearly all of their website’s forms, leaving only those for product sign-ups and subscriptions. David Cancel, their CEO, best described the shift: Drift emphasized branding, customer service, and conversational marketing rather than gated content. They invested in chatbots to engage visitors in real time and decreased the frequency of blog posts to 1-2 per week. The result? stronger connections with their audience and leads of higher quality.
Why Un-Gated Content Works
Improved Trust and Credibility
According to BusinessesGrow, 2025Opens a new window, research shows that a lack of trust in what happens next to an email address causes more than 90% of people who are interested in the content to abandon the sign-up process. Content that is unfiltered positions your company as a thought leader rather than a gatekeeper. You demonstrate your commitment to assisting your audience and confidence in your expertise by freely sharing valuable insights. Expanded Reach Sharing content becomes easier when it is freely available. Research from BuzzSumo (2024Opens a new window) shows that un-gated content receives up to 10x more shares than gated content, amplifying your reach and brand visibility.
Enhanced Lead Quality Content that can be ungated keeps out “freebie seekers” who don’t really care about what you have to offer. Instead, you draw in customers who are more likely to interact with your brand on their own terms.
Adaptability to Modern Privacy Standards
Un-gated content aligns with consumer preferences for transparency and control over their information in an era when GDPR and CCPA are reshaping marketing.
Strategic Decisions When to Gate
While un-gating content offers many benefits, there are scenarios where gating might still make sense:
Exclusive or Proprietary Content: For example, proprietary research, industry benchmarks, or highly detailed playbooks that offer unique value.
Webinars: Live events frequently necessitate gating to guarantee attendance and attract a specific audience. Downloads: Allowing users to view content online but requiring a form to download it can strike a balance.
Consider asking qualitative questions like, “What prompted you to download this content?” if you decide to gate content. The insights can help you refine your strategy.
Content Strategy’s Future Marketers like Drift and IMPACT have proven that un-gating content can drive better engagement and qualified leads. However, the final decision regarding gated or ungated content is determined by your objectives, target audience, and content type. Here’s what you can do to stand out in the age of content saturation:
Prioritize high-quality over quantity Shift your attention to creating fewer, high-value pieces of content that genuinely address your audience’s pain points.
Make use of conversations in marketing. Invest in tools like chatbots to engage leads in real time, building trust and rapport from the start.
Make your approach unique. Tailor your content to specific personas within your ICP (ideal customer profile). Your content is more likely to resonate if it is relevant.
Test and Iterate
One-size-fits-all marketing is never effective. Find the strategy that best suits your audience by experimenting with gating, ungating, and hybrid options. Brands that place an emphasis on customer experience, trust, and transparency will rise above the competition as the digital landscape continues to change. Therefore, follow IMPACT and Drift’s lead and provide your audience with what they truly value without imposing unnecessary barriers.