Lead Magnet
Categories: Marketing
First off, it's "lead" like "leader," not "lead" like "lead pipe." A lead magnet, like in "lead pipe," might have some practical use, like for getting paper clips out of hard-to-reach crevices. But we're concerned about the other kind of lead magnet here.
Think about them as free promotional items used by websites looking to get you to give them your email address. It could be a free e-book, or special access to a video, or some other form of downloadable content. It's "lead" in the same sense as "loss leader"...something to get you in the door. It's a magnet because it draws you in. A lead magnet.