# Lead Magnet Checklist: What to Include Before You Publish

> Promise, structure, CTA, design, delivery—a pre-publish checklist so your lead magnet is ready to ship and convert.

Source: https://buildpdfs.com/guides/lead-magnet-checklist-before-publish
Published: 2025-02-13

> **What to check before you publish a lead magnet?** (1) **Promise** — Title and intro answer "What will I get?" in one sentence. (2) **Structure** — Clear sections; scannable (headings, bullets). (3) **CTA** — One next step at the end (and link if needed). (4) **Design** — On-brand, readable, no placeholders. (5) **Delivery** — Landing page and email automation point to the right file and the right follow-up. Run this list before you go live.

Publishing too early means a weak promise, missing CTA, or broken link. A short checklist fixes that.

This guide is a **pre-publish checklist** so you ship when it's ready—with a quick scan and links to strategy and tools. For what makes lead magnets convert, see [PDF lead magnets that convert](/guides/lead-magnets-that-convert).

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## The five areas to check

| Area | What to verify | Why it matters |
| ---- | -------------- | -------------- |
| **Promise** | Title and intro = one clear outcome | They know what they get. No vague "ultimate guide." |
| **Structure** | Sections, headings, actionable content | Scannable. They can use it. |
| **CTA** | One next step, placement, working link | Lead magnet leads somewhere. |
| **Design** | On-brand, readable, no placeholders | Trust. They don't hit "TODO" or wrong logo. |
| **Delivery** | Landing page, email, follow-up work | File delivers; they're not left with no next step. |

For length by format, see [how long should a lead magnet be](/guides/how-long-should-lead-magnet-be). For format examples, see [lead magnet examples that convert](/guides/lead-magnet-examples-that-convert).

## 1. Promise

- [ ] **Title** answers "What will I get?" in one sentence. No vague "ultimate guide."
- [ ] **Intro** (first paragraph) restates the promise. They know what they're getting.
- [ ] **One outcome** — Not three. One.

## 2. Structure

- [ ] **Sections** are clear (headings). They can skim and find the good stuff.
- [ ] **Actionable** — Steps, checklist, or examples they can use. No wall of theory only.
- [ ] **Length** fits the format (short for checklist, 8–15 for playbook). See [how long should a lead magnet be](/guides/how-long-should-lead-magnet-be).

## 3. CTA

- [ ] **One next step** — Course, call, offer. Not five options.
- [ ] **Placement** — At the end (and optionally end of key sections).
- [ ] **Link** works (if you're linking to a page or offer).
- [ ] **Copy** is clear. "Join the course," "Book a call," etc.

## 4. Design

- [ ] **On-brand** — Logo, colors. Matches your site or offer.
- [ ] **Readable** — Font size, spacing. No tiny type or crammed layout.
- [ ] **No placeholders** — No "insert link here" or "TODO." Final copy only.

For what "client-ready" means, see [what client-ready means for PDFs](/guides/what-client-ready-means-pdfs).

## 5. Delivery

- [ ] **Landing page** — Form and thank-you page work. File delivers (or link to download).
- [ ] **Email** — If you send the PDF by email, the link or attachment works.
- [ ] **Follow-up** — First email in the sequence is ready. They're not left with no next step.

For funnel after download, see [lead magnet funnel: from download to customer](/guides/lead-magnet-funnel-download-to-customer).

## Quick scan before you hit publish

- Read the **title** — Would a stranger know what they get?
- Read the **last page** — Is there one CTA and does the link work?
- Open the **PDF** on your phone — Is it readable?

If all three are yes, you're close. Run the full list and ship.

## Common mistakes

1. **Shipping with no CTA or a broken link.** The lead magnet is there to lead somewhere. One next step, and click the link yourself before you publish. See [PDF lead magnets that convert](/guides/lead-magnets-that-convert).
2. **Vague title.** "Ultimate guide to X" doesn't promise one outcome. "5-Day Launch Checklist" does. Fix the title so it answers "What will I get?" See [lead magnet examples that convert](/guides/lead-magnet-examples-that-convert).
3. **Placeholders left in.** "Insert link here" or "TODO" destroys trust. Final copy only. Run the design checklist. See [what client-ready means for PDFs](/guides/what-client-ready-means-pdfs).
4. **Landing page or email broken.** Form doesn't deliver the file, or first follow-up email is missing. Test the full flow before you promote. See [how to promote your lead magnet](/guides/how-to-promote-lead-magnet).

## Our recommendation

**Run this checklist before every launch.** Don't skip the quick scan (title, last page, PDF on phone). Then go through each area: promise, structure, CTA, design, delivery. If one item is missing, fix it before you go live. For strategy and structure, see [PDF lead magnets that convert](/guides/lead-magnets-that-convert) and [lead magnet examples that convert](/guides/lead-magnet-examples-that-convert).

## What to do with this information

1. **Save the checklist** — Use the five areas (promise, structure, CTA, design, delivery) and the quick scan. Run it for your next lead magnet before you publish.
2. **Test the full flow** — Sign up with a test email. Confirm the file delivers and the first follow-up email works. See [lead magnet funnel: from download to customer](/guides/lead-magnet-funnel-download-to-customer).
3. **Fix the CTA first if you're unsure** — One next step, one link, working. Then promise and structure. See [PDF lead magnets that convert](/guides/lead-magnets-that-convert).
4. **When you're ready to build the PDF** — For tool choice see [best tool for lead magnets](/guides/best-tool-lead-magnets). For workflow see [workflow: client brief to delivered PDF](/guides/workflow-client-brief-to-delivered-pdf).

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