Free social media guides – for when you need a hand

content marketing cover Google plus mistakes WP membership plugins coverpodcast interviews Video marketing mistakes For more click on Likeable
You are here: Home / Articles / Content Lockers: What are they and do they work?
post

Content Lockers: What are they and do they work?

October 12, 2012 By 33 Comments
Send to Kindle

Over at Birds on the blog, we’ve been experimenting with content lockers. And I have to say they are working really well at gaining additional exposure for our bloggers. On this site I’ve created a series of posts called “likeables” also using the content lockers, and again they’ve done really well for downloads and traffic. But let’s back up a bit and explore more about what a content locker is, and why you would use one.

What is a content locker?

A content locker is a script or tool that hides a piece of content from view until a certain action has taken place. This is sometimes known as a social share payment. Common content lockers include

Pay With a Tweet is a third party site, you add your information and then copy and paste the HTML code into the required blog post. Your reader comes along and you invite them to download a report by clicking the Pay With A Tweet button. The reader shares and they can then access the report. PopShop works slightly differently, firstly it’s a WP theme rather than a plugin or HTML snippet of code. But it’s relatively easy to set up  (and it’s a classy looking theme) and your reader stays on site to sample the download.

Do I need a content locker?

When I started testing this 3 months ago, I wasn’t sure that I needed to buy anything to do this. I already owned Premise which has social sharing options, and I could always use pay with a Tweet if I wanted too… but it was late at night and I was bored so I bought a plugin…

WP Viral Outbreak Pro

What caught my eye about WP Viral Outbreak Pro was the fact that you could share using Likes, G+, Tweets and use it to gain Twitter followers. It has a few more options compared to Pay With A Tweet.

WP Viral Outbreak Pro is easy to install via the WP Plugin area. When you’ve installed and activated it, it will show in the side menu of your dashboard.

WP viral outbreak pro settings

 

WP Viral Outbreak Pro works when you create an encouraging call to action and download area at the bottom of your posts, in fact anywhere where you can add a shortcode.

WP viral outbreak pro add short code

 

and then you scroll under the post area until you see the WP Viral Outbreak Pro section (it’s usually the last option) then decide which sharing options you wish to enable.

Wp viral outbreak pro settings

You can also choose what colour you’d like the box to be. We experimented with a few colours; blue to match the sites branding, white so it blended into the post and orange as that was an energetic colour.

You also have the option of automatically downloading the PDF or video or showing the link for the reader to do this.

 WP viral outbreak pro under post settings

 In testing this plugin I thought these observations were worth mentioning:

  • Yellow and orange boxes seem to work best
  • Get some friends to share the content, you need 10 shares to kickstart the “viral” aspect
  • Sharing via Twitter is the best for traffic to your site
  • Dark colours and colours that blend in are… erm… rubbish
  • Your readers will not follow instructions no matter how clear and concise they are.
  • Make sure you guide the reader to share from the buttons in the box

We quickly established that the content locker box had to stand out and it had to contain instructions on how to access the downloads.

WP viral outbreak pro download box

I usually get 50 tweets (approx) per post. With Viral Outbreak Pro that doubled.

Even then there were some people who still were unable to right click the link and save as.  We also experimented with automatic downloads. This option works best but when combined with Facebook the download happened but didn’t always register the share.

Once the download has taken place, the reader can go off page and then return and the download link still shows. It shows for up to 7 days after the PDF or video has been downloaded.

Does WP Viral Outbreak Pro boost your traffic?

On Birds on the Blog, three days after the content lockers were activated site visitors increased by 300 per day. This is a 10% increase. As well as visitors increasing on the days we promoted the download pages we also had a surge in subscribers.

It’s worth noting that very few of these posts were optimised for SEO purposes and have very little organic traffic. Optimised posts will probably do better over a longer period of time.

We tested free downloads in multiple niches  - weight loss, job hunting, website marketing, business diversity, writing and many other topics.

What not to do…

You need to have a good strong article and a good free report. I put up a post that was rushed and sloppy, although the report was an excellent one, it did not do very well. Your readers base whether they should share or not to get the report on the content of the post.

We used Product Creator Pro to spruce up all our free reports and giveaways so they looked awesome. Sure a simple PDF might suffice, but we wanted to trigger the word-of-mouth factor as well. Try to avoid the plain PDFs.

I like this plugin a lot, and despite the wild claims that you’ll get a flood of new visitors I do think it’s an essential marketing tool – it enables your reader to access premium content and you to get extra exposure from doing so.

Go and buy a copy of WP Viral Outbreak Pro now :) . Please note this review is for the Pro version and not the lite version.

 

Sarah Arrow

Sarah Arrow

Director of Special Projects at Sark eMedia
Blogging an issue for you? Social media not quite working how it should be? I started out as a transport blogger for a same day courier company, and grew into a kick-ass blog coach as well as creator of Birds on the Blog (listed 3 times by Forbes as a top 100 website for women). You want your blog to make a difference, so subscribe here and stay in touch, my updates will help you connect the dots.
Sarah Arrow
If you found this useful then please share on Twitter - thank you
Email send to a friend
Buffer
An alternative to RSS?
Updates in your Facebook notifications when a new post is live. Get the smart advantage over your competitors:
 

Or subscribe to my newsletter for awesome blogging goodies 


Powered by WPSubscribers
Your privacy will never be compromised
Filed Under: Articles, Blog better, WordPress Plugins Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Comments

  1. Sadie-Michaela Harris says:
    October 12, 2012 at 4:37 pm

    Thanks very much Sarah, really informative post as always and concise balanced view. I appreciate that and I always like to hear about plugin… I’m a WP geek! :)
    Sadie-Michaela Harris recently posted..SMBs and Social Media in 2012My Profile
    Twitter:

    Reply
  2. Mary C. Weaver, CSCS says:
    October 12, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    What little I know about content lockers . . . I learned from you, Sarah!

    Thanks for keeping me up to date.
    Twitter:

    Reply
  3. Rick Lelchuk says:
    October 12, 2012 at 11:06 pm

    Sarah,

    I was having a conversation at a MeetUp event about how much there is to know and do online and how little time one has to devote to it. It takes a team to keep up with it all.

    Thanks for explaining about something I knew nothing about.

    RICK
    Rick Lelchuk recently posted..I Don’t Want To and You Can’t Make Me – Being AccountableMy Profile

    Reply
  4. Leslie Denning says:
    October 12, 2012 at 11:08 pm

    Hi Sarah. I love learning about new plugins and as soon as I am competent with the ones I’ve recently purchase, I’ll check this out. I’m always looking for new ways to increase traffic. Thanks for all the great info on your blog.
    Leslie Denning recently posted..Must-Have Plugins: AkismetMy Profile
    Twitter:

    Reply
  5. Jessica vanZyl says:
    October 13, 2012 at 2:52 am

    Hi Sarah,
    Your posts are always very informative and have detailed instructions!!

    Thank you

    Regards, Jessica.
    Jessica vanZyl recently posted..Gettin’ Up Chuck Berry’s Nose (Pt 1)My Profile (dofollow)

    Reply
  6. Angela Arnold says:
    October 13, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    Thanks, Sarah,
    I love to learn from the various members of the online community. I had never heard of content lockers before. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply
  7. marquita herald says:
    October 13, 2012 at 7:15 pm

    Very interesting Sara – I confess until reading your article I’d never heard the term “content lockers” though I am aware of the premise. The plugin is certainly fairly priced considering the results you shared with us. For me the stumbling block (and it’s my own bias) is the issue about the need to “stand out.” As a reader I’m really turned off by the in your face style and as a blogger and artist I am obsessive when it comes to maintaining a certain look for my site. That said, I really do like the idea (although my brain stumbled when I read your ref to “short code” since I am a technophobe at heart!) so I’ve saved the link you shared and I’m going to take a look at my blog over the next few days and see how I might be able to give this a test run of my own. Thanks for the inspiration!
    marquita herald recently posted..Who Do You Think You Are?My Profile (dofollow)
    Twitter:

    Reply
    • Sarah Arrow says:
      October 14, 2012 at 9:47 am

      Hi Marty, we tested the standing out vs blending with the post and standing out got far better results.
      The shortcode is just a tiny piece of text that you add where you’d like your content locker to go. It’s very easy to add.
      As you have a book on release, it might work nicely with a sample chapter as the giveaway and the links to the full book as the footer in the PDF. I’m sure you’ll think of many ideas as you are creatice :)
      Sarah Arrow recently posted..Recurring Revenue Streams For Service ProvidersMy Profile (dofollow)
      Twitter:

      Reply
  8. Donna Merrill says:
    October 13, 2012 at 8:42 pm

    Many thanks Sarah!

    I haven’t heard about this. I am terrible when it comes to these things I need to know. Here, you have effectively explained it all to me. That’s a five star when it comes to me. I am geekless!
    I thank you so much for this information and will look into it.
    Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Living GratitudeMy Profile (dofollow)
    Twitter:

    Reply
  9. Clint Butler says:
    October 13, 2012 at 8:57 pm

    Sarah,

    This is a great plugin. I have used content lockers before as well and totally agree that the free repost has to be of high quality.

    I have also noticed that when used on a site that is known to have great content, you don’t need the report. But of course for that to work, I was setting up my lockers to open when the reader tried to scroll down the screen and continue reading versus asking for the share right away.
    Clint Butler recently posted..Guest Blogging Is Great If Not AbusedMy Profile
    Twitter:

    Reply
  10. Angela says:
    October 13, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    Great post Sarah! I have used Pay with a Tweet but I have not yet tried WP Viral Outbreak. Definitely looks like something I need to look into. Thanks for sharing!
    Angela recently posted..Best WordPress Plugin For LeadsMy Profile
    Twitter:

    Reply
  11. Nile says:
    October 14, 2012 at 3:49 am

    I’ve heard of Pay with a Tweet… but the other one… sounds like something I could remove the code and put a plugin together rather than it be a theme specific thing. The idea is nice, but something that could be done as something on the side.
    Nile recently posted..Graphic: CMS Is The SolutionMy Profile
    Twitter:

    Reply
  12. David Merrill 101 says:
    October 14, 2012 at 4:10 am

    Excellent ideas for breathing life into your blog, Sarah.

    I really like the idea of content lockers, and you’ve given some great tools for making it happen, with the plugins used in conjunction with Product Creator.

    So many actionable ideas here, I really look forward to putting some to use.

    Most important, of course, is that folks take full advantage of the traffic they gather using these methods, by having a deep and well-conceived sales funnel ready for subscribers. If you hesitate at this juncture, all your efforts at list building may fall far short of your long-range goals of building a successful online business.
    David Merrill 101 recently posted..Info Product CreationMy Profile

    Reply
  13. Willena Flewelling says:
    October 14, 2012 at 6:22 am

    I’d never heard of content locker or pay with a tweet or ANY of this! It looks like a great idea. Thanks for the informative post!

    Willena Flewelling
    Willena Flewelling recently posted..Specialized Knowledge is PowerMy Profile (dofollow)
    Twitter:

    Reply
  14. Raena Lynn says:
    October 14, 2012 at 6:22 am

    Hi Sarah,

    I have heard of content lockers, but I did not have a clear understanding of their function until reading this post. The concept makes sense and you have proven using them can be effective and a great motivator to producing quality content that people will love to gladly share….win-win scenario.

    It is very helpful when I read a great review on a particular plugin. You have explained the set up, benefits, and tips of the WP Viral Outbreak Pro and you have certainly perked my curiosity. Since you recommended it as an essential marketing tool, I have bookmarked it and will do some further research. I know this is a plugin I can use. Thank you.

    Raena Lynn
    Raena Lynn recently posted..Skype Traffic NinjaMy Profile (dofollow)
    Twitter:

    Reply
  15. Dr. Erica Goodstone says:
    October 15, 2012 at 12:22 am

    Sarah,
    Thanks for explaining this tool. I may not get this plugin right now but I am seriously considering Product Creation pro. I heard about that a few times and I already use LogoCreator and absolutely love it, so I am guessing that product Creation Pro can add just the zing I am looking for in my reports.

    Warmly,

    Dr. Erica
    Dr. Erica Goodstone recently posted..Love For Sale – Ready Or Not!My Profile
    Twitter:

    Reply
  16. Bukge says:
    May 10, 2013 at 7:16 am

    We cannot use FB LIKE as Content locker as its against Facebook, Fb banned our app for using content locker in our blogs .

    But you can use this for twitter and other social sharing website
    Bukge recently posted..Vevin.com a Digg AlternativeMy Profile

    Reply
  17. Mary C. Weaver, CSCS says:
    May 16, 2013 at 1:41 pm

    I’ve recently discovered Shane Melough’s plugin Sharely—absolutely beautiful content locker.
    Mary C. Weaver, CSCS recently posted..Is a brisk walk as good as a run?My Profile (dofollow)
    Twitter:

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Viral traffic, social sharing and content lockers - do they work? | Zero to Blogger | Scoop.it says:
    October 12, 2012 at 2:31 pm

    [...] Viral traffic, social sharing and content lockers – do they work? From http://www.sarkemedia.com – Today, 2:31 PM Does social sharing and content lockers really boost your traffic? Sarah Arrow reviews WP Viral Outbreak Pro and shares her results. [...]

    Reply
  2. Blogging Resources — Social Marketing says:
    October 31, 2012 at 10:07 am

    [...] know how to do this to get more traffic to your blog then you need to read this post here – Content Lockers. .vclSurround1653{ border-radius: 15px; -moz-border-radius:15px; -webkit-border-radius:15px; [...]

    Reply

Speak Your Mind

*

CommentLuv badge