Best Lead Magnets To Turn YouTube Subscribers into Email Subscribers
“Hey, guys! Welcome to our channel. Today we’re going to be talking about how you can use lead magnets to get your YouTube fans onto your email lists…”
Sound familiar?
While it’s still predominantly a video-hosting site, YouTube has changed massively over the years. Intros like the one above, mixed with a ton of graphics and swift but smooth transitions, are now the norm.
You no longer just upload grainy footage from your phone so a handful of people stumble across it and get a quick laugh.
It’s become much more than that—it’s now an incredibly powerful marketing tool that can lead to a ton of revenue for your brand… If you know what to do, that is.
Because while YouTube is great for building an audience, subscribers don’t always equal sales.
What you really want is to get them onto your email list.
This is important for multiple reasons, one of which being that brands and creators don’t own their viewing audience—YouTube does.
This means that if your channel somehow gets demonetized, lost in the algorithm, or deleted, you’ll lose access to your hard-earned subscribers. Nightmare!
That’s why you need to be able to reach them in their emails.
Plus, this is where you can do some of your most effective marketing.
So, let’s unbox this thing. We’re going to show you how to turn casual viewers into long-term subscribers on your email list by offering high-value lead magnets.
We’ll also explore the best ways to share those lead magnets on your YouTube channel to maximize sign-ups, as well as how ScoreApp makes it super easy for you to create and distribute them so you can build your business beyond the platform.
Why YouTubers need a lead magnet strategy
Growing a YouTube channel takes time, effort, and consistency.
But if all you’re focusing on is vanity metrics, like views, comments, and subscribers, you’re not making the most of everything you’ve worked for.
Instead, getting people who follow your channel and watch your videos to sign up to your email list should be one of your main goals.
Your videos may be how people find out about your brand and get them interested in the first place, but having an email list is where the value lies.
Here’s why having an email list that you can direct your subscribers to is so essential:
- YouTube controls the algorithm – Your audience may not naturally see your latest videos in their feed, but you can always send your latest offerings right to their email inboxes so they don’t miss out.
- Direct access to your fans – Emails allow you to build deeper relationships with your audience, with more personalized content and offers.
- More revenue opportunities – You can promote your products, courses, or coaching sessions without relying on ad revenue.
Best lead magnets for YouTube creators
How do you get your YouTube subscribers onto an email list, then?
With high-value, low-friction lead magnets. Like these…
1. Interactive quizzes or profile assessments
Quizzes are engaging, interactive, and easy to complete—perfect for engaging your YouTube viewers.
Examples:
- Fitness channel – ‘What’s Your Ideal Workout Routine?’
- Marketing channel – ‘What’s Your Brand Personality?’
- Finance channel – ‘What’s Your Investment Risk Level?’
How to use ScoreApp: Create a custom quiz and capture email addresses before showing results.
Why it works: Quizzes are highly shareable and convert much better than static lead magnets.
2. Free guide, ebook, or cheat sheet
Digital downloads are quick and easy-to-digest resources that offer valuable insights into your audience.
Examples:
- Tech review channel – ‘Top 10 Budget Laptops for 2024’
- Productivity channel – ‘5-Minute Morning Routines for Success’
How to use ScoreApp: Gate your free downloads behind simple sign-up forms.
Why it works: They’re a low-effort way to give highly perceived value. Your viewers get instant, useful content for free, while you get their contact details for follow-up.
3. Exclusive video or training series
Your subscribers clearly already love your videos, so why not reel them in further with bonus content that’s not available on YouTube?
Examples:
- Personal finance channel – ‘Step-by-Step Budgeting Workshop’
- Business coaching channel – ‘Advanced Sales Strategies that Work’
How to use ScoreApp: Create a sign-up form that sends users a private video link via email.
Why it works: Viewers will feel like VIPs, getting special access to behind-the-scenes content. A great way to increase brand loyalty.
4. Webinar or live training
If you’re the face of your brand (personal or otherwise), then hosting a free, real-time session with a Q&A lets people get to know you even better and feel like they have a closer relationship with you.
Examples:
- Social media expert – ‘How to Monetize Your Instagram in 30 Days’
- Health coach – ‘7-Day Nutrition Reset Workshop’
How to use ScoreApp: Set up a webinar sign-up page and automatically add attendees to a relevant email sequence.
Why it works: Webinars have high engagement rates and create urgency. People who sign up and attend also tend to be highly invested in your brand and more likely to spend and convert.
5. Free course or challenge
Keep engagement levels up over time with a multi-day email-based challenge or mini-course.
Examples:
- Marketing consultant – ‘5-Day Email Writing Challenge’
- Fitness instructor – ‘7-Day Core Strength Program’
How to use ScoreApp: Automate your course via email once each new lead signs up.
Why it works: You’re encouraging daily engagement and building trust over time.
How to promote lead magnets on YouTube
Once you’ve got some strong lead magnets ready to go, you need to promote them.
Here are eight quickfire ways to put them on the radars of your YouTube viewers to get them to take action.
1. Add your lead magnet link to the video description
Place it at the very top so viewers don’t have to scroll through a load of fluff first.
Example: ‘Get my free YouTube Growth Guide [insert link]’
2. Pin your lead magnet in the top comment
The first comment viewers see should always be from you, and should include the link to your lead magnet.
Example: ‘Want to grow your business faster? Download my free guide now! [insert link]’
3. Mention your lead magnet in the video
There are a few ways you can naturally work mentions of your lead magnet into your videos.
Verbal CTA: Tell viewers to check the description below the video.
On-screen text: Display the quiz URL in a banner at the bottom of the screen for extra visibility.
End-screen CTA: Set up a landing page for your lead magnet and direct watchers right to it.
4. Use YouTube cards (clickable pop-ups)
YouTube cards allow for clickable links to be inserted in your videos—add these in when you mention something related to your lead magnet.
Example: ‘Take the quiz now! Click the card above.’
5. Promote your lead magnet in YouTube shorts
Attention spans are all over the place, so short videos tend to get huge reach—use them to tease your lead magnet.
Example: ‘What’s your marketing superpower? Take the quiz! Just hit the link in the bio.’
6. Add your lead magnet to your YouTube channel banner
YouTube also allows banner links. Add a CTA like ‘Get My Free Quiz’ to yours.
7. Share your lead magnet in YouTube community posts
Use the Community tab to post a direct link to your quiz or other lead magnet.
8. Mention your lead magnet in live streams
Verbal callouts + chat link drop = maximum sign-ups. That’s math we can get behind.
How ScoreApp helps YouTubers convert subscribers into leads
While most content creators on YouTube tend to sign off their videos with a variation of ‘And don’t forget to like and subscribe’, you should also remind your viewers to hit your link that takes them straight to your amazing lead magnet.
When people click through, you’ll be in a much stronger position to get them to buy, sign up, or otherwise convert with your offers. And that’s where success and revenue lies—not in your video view counts and subscriber numbers.
It’s super easy to create, promote, and automate your lead magnets with ScoreApp too. When you join you’ll get instant access to:
- Custom quiz and lead magnet templates that match your niche
- High-converting sign-up pages to collect emails
- Email automation to nurture new leads
- Analytics and tracking to see what’s working and what isn’t
You’ll save time, effort, and resources, as all the tools you need are built in and ready to use.
So, are you ready to step up your success and grow your email list from YouTube? Try ScoreApp to start generating lead magnets for FREE today!
