Why More Traffic Isn’t the Answer — And What to Fix First to Get Better Quality Leads

IS YOUR LEAD MAGNET SABOTAGING YOUR COURSE SALES

You’ve done the hard part.

You created the course. You launched a lead magnet. Maybe you’ve even dabbled in ads.

But still… your list is growing slowly, and when it’s time to sell?

Your leads are crickets. Or freebie-seekers. Or totally unaligned.

If you’re thinking, “Maybe I just need more traffic”—I get it. But before you spend a cent, there’s something you need to know:

More traffic won’t save a broken lead magnet. It's time to do a lead magnet check.

YOUR LEAD MAGNET = THE FRONT DOOR OF YOUR FUNNEL

Think about it: your lead magnet is the first interaction someone has with your brand.

It tells them what you help with, who you’re for, and what to expect.

But when that lead magnet misses the mark—even a little—it can destroy your ad performance, no matter how good you’re targeting or creative is.

Why? Because when it comes time to sell, your email list is not interested in what you sell!

3 COMMON REASONS YOUR LEAD MAGNET MIGHT BE FAILING YOU

Let’s talk about why your lead magnet might not be doing its job (and how to fix it):

1. The Promise Is Too Weak

If your freebie solves a nice-to-know, not a need-to-know problem, it won’t attract action-takers.

When it comes to building a list of qualified leads, you need a high-value, focused, relevant lead magnet to attract people serious about your solution

✔️ Ask: Is this solving an urgent, specific problem my ideal buyer knows they have?

 If it's not, ask you dream students what their most pressing problem is?!

2. It’s Attracting the Wrong Audience

Great design won’t matter if it pulls in the wrong people. You need a lead magnet that filters in people who are a genuine fit for your offer, not appeal to the masses.

If your lead magnet is general, it could lead to a higher volume of leads but a very low quality.

✔️ Ask: Does this magnet speak directly to the kind of person who would buy my course?

3. It’s Positioned Like a Throwaway

If your lead magnet feels generic, vague, or low-value, people won’t take it seriously—and that energy will follow them through the funnel.

✔️ Ask: Does this sound like something people would pay for, even though it’s free?

BAD LEAD MAGNETS = BAD AD RESULTS

If you’ve ever felt like, “Meta Ads just don’t work for me,” chances are, it wasn’t the platform—it was the promise.

Even the best Meta Ads strategy can’t rescue a lead magnet that:

• Doesn’t feel valuable
• Attracts the wrong people
• Isn’t aligned with your paid offer

But when you do have a high-converting lead magnet?

Meta Ads become your growth engine.

META ADS AMPLIFY WHAT'S ALREADY WORKING

If your lead magnet is dialed in, Meta Ads will put it in front of the exact right audience at scale. The people who actually want what you sell.

Here’s what happens when you get this right:

✨ More efficient cost per lead
✨ Higher email open + click rates
✨ More qualified buyers at launch

But that starts with getting brutally honest about whether your current lead magnet is doing its job.

ONE SIMPLE WAY TO IMPROVE LEAD QUALITY RIGHT NOW

Before you run another ad, here’s a quick win:

Add a qualifying question to your opt-in form.

For example:

“What are you currently struggling with most when it comes to [your topic]?”

Or:

“What’s your #1 goal with [insert topic] right now?”

Even one question like this can help you:

• Understand your leads better
• Segment your list for more targeted follow-ups
• Spot who’s likely to buy vs. who’s just "browsing"

FINAL CHECK: IT’S ALL IN THE NAME

🧠 Quick check-in: What’s the name of your lead magnet?
If it doesn’t clearly speak to the specific transformation your ideal course buyer wants, you might be attracting the wrong people.

For example, I used to offer a freebie called:
“How to Know if You’re Ready to Scale with Meta Ads”

Sounds helpful, right? But it was too vague—and I was getting low-quality leads who weren’t course creators or weren’t actually set up to scale.

Now, it’s called:
“How to Figure Out if Your Course is Ready for Meta Ads”
👆 And that one small change made a huge difference in both lead quality and ad performance.

Why? Because it calls out my dream audience and the first major hurdle they face.

So, ask yourself:
✨ Does the name of my lead magnet reflect who it’s for and the transformation it creates?
✨ Would my dream buyer instantly feel like it’s meant for them?

THIS IS WHY META ADS WORK SO WELL (WHEN YOU KNOW HOW TO USE THEM) 

When you pair Meta Ads with a strong qualifying strategy, you don’t just get more leads—you get the right ones.

The ones who:

• Already feel seen by your message
• Are actively looking for a solution
• Are primed to buy when you open your doors

And the best part? You can do this without blowing your budget or relying on guesswork—when your ad strategy and form questions work together, things start clicking.

WANT TO KNOW IF YOU'RE EVEN READY FOR META ADS?

If you’re still wondering whether now the right time is to run ads (and your lead magnet is primed and ready to go), I made something just for you. 

👉 [Grab the 6 Steps to Figuring Out if Your Course is Ready for Meta Ads]

And find out if ads are your next best move—or if there’s a better starting point.

READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADS (OR GETTING CLOSE)

You don’t need a big budget or a full-time marketing team—just the right strategy, in the right order.

Coming up soon, I’m hosting a free training that busts the most common Meta Ads myths course creators believe—and shows you exactly how to get started the smart way.

Stay tuned 👀 (or hop on my email list and you’ll be the first to know when it drops).