How to Host a Squeeze Page
Squeeze pages require the visitor to a website to enter some details, usually a name and address, before being granted access to the rest of the site. Squeeze pages are similar to lead capture pages; the difference between the two is that providing details is mandatory on a squeeze page, whereas it is optional on a standard lead capture page. The latter relies purely on the inducement offered being attractive enough to persuade the visitor to sign up.
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Things You'll Need
- HTML (HyperText Mark-up Language) editing software
- Text editor program
- Autoresponder service
- FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software
Instructions
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Design your squeeze page with an offer that is targeted to appeal to someone looking to buy your products or services. If you offer an inducement of a general nature, such as a sweepstakes with cash prizes or gift cards for chain restaurants, you may get a high number of sign-ups, but they are unlikely to convert to sales. It is better to offer something like a discount coupon or a free report on a related topic, such as "stain removal" for a carpet cleaning company, or "how to select a contractor" for an installation company.
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Prepare the squeeze page using HTML (HyperText Mark-up Language) editing software (NVU is a free program) or a text-based program such as Notepad. Use a simple layout of a headline followed by three or four brief sentences promoting your offer, highlighting the key benefits with bullet points. You could also add a short video explaining those benefits. Look at squeeze pages that you like to see what they are offering and how they have coded the page (you can navigate to "View," "Page Source" through your browser menu to do this.) Although it is acceptable to use the code as a guide for your own page, do not use any of the written content as that is proprietary information belonging to the website owner.
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Set up a form on the page to capture names and addresses: you can ask for more information, but it will reduce the response rate. As you collect these details you will need to ask the people who sign up to confirm that they wish to be provided with the information you offer and that they understand you will add them to an email list (assuming this is the case.) This is a requirement of the CAN-SPAM act and must be observed. The easiest way to do this, and to deliver the inducement offered and subsequent emails, is to sign up with an autoresponder company. They have the capability for you to design the opt-in form online, as well as to make sure that your messages comply with current regulations.
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Test your form using the facilities provided by the autoresponder service and, when you are satisfied with it, upload it to your website. You can do this by going to the Control Panel within your hosting service and using the "Upload" feature or by using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software such as Filezilla (a free application) to connect and transfer your file. Either way the page will need to be called index.html or index.htm so that it is the default page for your website.
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References
Resources
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