How to set up a MailerLite lead magnet delivery (step-by-step)

Setting up a MailerLite lead magnet is one of the fastest ways to start growing your email list. When someone signs up, they immediately get access to their freebie. No manual sending, no delays, no friction. This post walks you through the entire process, from uploading your freebie to automating the welcome email that delivers it.

By the end, you’ll have a working lead magnet system whether you’re brand new to email marketing or switching from another platform.

Upload your freebie file

Before anything else, you need the file you’re giving away. A PDF workbook, a checklist, a video link, or whatever format makes sense for your audience.

If you need ideas or want to create a fillable PDF, check out my step-by-step guide on how to create a fillable PDF workbook.

Once your file is ready, store it somewhere with a shareable link. Most people use Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.

Create a shareable link in Google Drive

1. Upload your freebie file (PDF, workbook, etc.) to Google Drive.
2. Right-click your file and select “Share.”
3. Under “General access,” select “Anyone with the link.”
4. Make sure access is set to “Viewer” (not Editor).
5. Click “Copy link.”
6. Open an incognito window and test the link to make sure anyone can download it.

Quick tip: If you’re sharing a fillable PDF, let subscribers know they need to download it to their computer to use the fillable fields. Browsers won’t let them fill and save the fields online. Add this instruction to your welcome email.

Create a subscriber group in MailerLite

MailerLite uses groups to organize your subscribers. Setting one up now makes everything easier later, especially if you have multiple freebies.

Go to MailerLite and navigate to Subscribers.

1. Click “Create Group.”
2. Name it clearly (example: “Opt-in: Your Freebie Title”).
3. Click “Create.”

Future you will be grateful for the clear naming system.

Set up your opt-in form or landing page

MailerLite gives you 2 main options for capturing emails: an embedded form you put on your website, or a standalone landing page you can share anywhere.

Option 1: Create an embedded form

An embedded form goes directly on your website (WordPress, Squarespace, Showit, etc.).

1. Go to Forms > Embedded forms.
2. Click “Create” and name your form.
3. Assign it to the subscriber group you created above.
4. Add fields: email is required, and you can add first name or other info if you want.
5. Update the button text (example: “Get my freebie”).
6. Customize the colors, fonts, and button style to match your brand.

Option 2: Create a landing page

A landing page is a standalone page you can share as a link, even if you don’t have a website yet.

1. Go to Sites > Landing Pages.
2. Click “Create” and assign it to your subscriber group.
3. Start from scratch (skip templates if they don’t fit).
4. Turn off page navigation and footer in the settings.
5. Add a strong CTA section: image of your freebie (here’s how to create a product mockup in Canva), your pitch text, and the opt-in form.
6. Customize form fields, brand colors, and button styles.
7. Decide what happens after someone subscribes: show a success message, redirect to another page, or link directly to the freebie.
8. Set a simple, shareable URL for the landing page.

Turn off double opt-in

If you want subscribers to get the freebie instantly, you need to turn off double opt-in. Double opt-in requires subscribers to confirm their email before being added to your list, which delays freebie delivery.

For a MailerLite lead magnet system where people get their freebie right away, use single opt-in. Single opt-in adds them to your list immediately. Just make sure to clean your list regularly to maintain good email deliverability.

Set up a MailerLite welcome email automation

This is where the magic happens. An automated welcome email delivers your freebie without you lifting a finger.

1. Go to Automation and click “New automation” (or go to your form/landing page settings and click “Create workflow”).
2. Set the trigger to “When subscriber joins a group” and select the group you created earlier. This way, one automation works for all your forms and landing pages tied to that freebie.
3. Click to add a step and choose “Send email.”
4. Write your subject line and sender name.
5. Use the email editor to build your welcome email:

• Start with a personal greeting (use their first name if you collected it).
• Write a short message that builds excitement about the freebie.
• Include a button or link to the shareable freebie URL (or directly upload the file to MailerLite).

1. If you want a sequence, add a delay (1 day, 3 days, etc.) and add the next email.
2. Save and activate your automation.

This automation triggers every time someone joins your group, so every new subscriber gets their freebie automatically.

Embed or publish your form

Now it’s time to go live.

For a landing page: Publish it and copy the URL. Share it everywhere: your email signature, Instagram bio, website, Pinterest, etc.

For an embedded form: Copy the embed code from MailerLite. Paste it into your website where you want the form to appear.

Need promotion ideas? Check out my post on 25 launch post ideas.

Optimize your MailerLite lead magnet system

Once your setup is working, watch how people interact with it. If your opt-in conversion rate (the percentage of people who sign up) feels low, test small changes one at a time: try a different headline, adjust your copy, or simplify the form fields.

A healthy opt-in conversion rate is typically 20% to 50% or higher. Signing up for something free is much easier than buying, so don’t expect these numbers to match your sales page conversion rate.

Where your lead magnet fits into a funnel that sells on its own

Your lead magnet is one piece of your sales foundation, not the whole funnel. If your course only sells when you’re actively promoting, a better lead magnet usually isn’t the fix. What’s missing is a funnel that keeps working when you’re not actively promoting.

My free guide, The Evergreen Funnel Fix, walks through the 3 layers of a funnel that keeps selling when you’re not actively pushing: the sales foundation, a social proof system, and sustainable marketing. It’s the natural next step after getting your lead magnet live.

If you’d rather talk through your specific setup, a free Steady Sales Roadmap call is the other place to start.