Split ring resonators (SRR) are optical nanostructures that have received a lot of attention for their ability to support magnetic resonance and for their potential use as materials with negative dielectric constant. In this work, we design SRRs as near-field transducers (NFT) for generating a nanoscale hotspot in heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), which is considered a candidate for the next-generation data storage technology. The underlying mechanisms for the generation of hotspot and the dependence on wavelength and geometry of the SRR structure are studied. Optical and thermal performance of SRRs functioning as NFTs in a HAMR device are evaluated. These structures were fabricated using focused ion beam milling. The focusing capability of the SRR is experimentally demonstrated using a scattering near field scanning optical microscope. © 2019 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement