How to Set Up a Squeeze Page

Hey you 🙂 When somebody joins one of my mailing lists, they are also subscribed to my main list, my “BrittMalka” list, and from that I try to keep in daily contact with different tips, a few words, some recommendations… Actually, the same thing I did in private to individual friends.

In their first mail, these new subscribers receive an opportunity to tell me more about themselves. And so many of these people wanted to learn how to set up a squeeze page.

Obviously, there are several ways to do it. I use a plugin myself now (it’s called Premise), but earlier on, I would just create an HTML page and use that – even if it was on a blog.

A while ago, I bought an article from Tiffany Dow, in which she explains how to set up a squeeze page. I’ll share with you below and add my comments.

Enjoy!

What Is a Squeeze Page

A squeeze page is a page that has one single purpose: To catch a lead, which means to make people hand over their email address and maybe name in exchange for some kind of bribe.

A squeeze page is a web page that’s used for the purpose of getting people to opt in to your newsletter or mailing list by entering their name and email address. A squeeze page generally doesn’t have as much copy as a sales letter, but most squeeze pages have some teaser text and bullet points.

Increasingly, video is being used in place of text on squeeze pages. Most text-based squeeze pages consist of a headline, a short paragraph or two of copy, a few bullet points, and an opt-in box – all “above the fold,” meaning the reader doesn’t have to scroll to continue reading.

Some squeeze pages will also have graphics, including a header and footer, and perhaps other graphics such as an eCover for a free report that’s being given away as a reward for opting in.

When Tiffany wrote this article, most marketers asked for a person’s name on the squeeze page. This is no longer the case. There are some studies that show that you’ll get more opt ins, if you don’t ask for a name.

I asked my readers, what they thought, and most people were okay with giving me their name. A few didn’t want to. You can make it optional, if you like.

On the other hand… I’m not always sure it’s an advantage to make it easy for people to opt in. Sure, you’ll get more subscribers on your list. But what about the quality of this list? I would rather have a few action takers who’re not afraid of filling out an extra field on a form than thousands of people who are too lazy to bother to open up my mails.

But that’s just me. I can be a bit harsh at times, I’m told 😉

What Do You Need to Create a Squeeze Page

A squeeze page is a normal web page, which means it consists of HTML code among with other things.

First, you need to create a basic HTML page.

You can do this using a WYSIWYG editor, which should make it easier for beginners. WYSIWYG stands for “what you see is what you get.” A WYSIWIG HTML editor lets you design visually, and you generally need to know little, if any, HTML to use one.

You don’t have to rush out and buy an editor. There are plenty of free ones that are just fine for this purpose. You can go with KompoZer, which is made by Mozilla (the same community that came up with Firefox and Thunderbird). It creates clean and valid code, and you can get it for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS.

Which Colors Are Best for a Squeeze Page?

Are you aiming for a bright pink squeeze page? Or a black?

People connect different moods and significance to colors. So let’s see what Tiffany has to say about the colors for your squeeze page.

Many people use a darker red or a medium blue as the background color for their squeeze page, but you can use any color you like, as long as it isn’t incredibly bright and distracting and it looks good with any other graphics you might use on the page.

You don’t want to put your text directly on this colored background, because it will probably be difficult to read. What you want to do is create a table with a white background, and put all of your text and graphics inside the table.

In your program, create a table with a single cell (1×1) and set the background color to white. This table should probably be between 700 and 800 pixels in width. Most people use between 750 and 770 pixels, because it’s large enough to look good on monitors with very high resolutions, yet it still shows up well even at 800 x 600.

I’m not sure this is correct. I would think that a red squeeze page might scare people away (red = danger – red = stop), and other colors would send other messages, like black and red (er… special kind of houses), yellow and black (cheap, meaning low quality and cheap prices).

But you can always test which colors work the best for you.

Where to Add Information and the Opt In Form

Your squeeze page should contain all vital information above the fold; meaning the part of the web page your visitors can see without scrolling.

Therefore, it’s often best to add text and opt in form in two columns. You can use CSS for this, or tables. The latter is by far the easiest, if you’re not familiar with stylesheets and formatting websites.

Inside this table, you’ll want to put the rest of your squeeze page information. This should include a headline, a little copy, bullet point or a video, and your opt-in box (you’ll get the code for this from your autoresponder).

You can also put the eCover of the product you’ll be giving away to subscribers, if you have one. Your headline should be something that will tease visitors and make them really want to sign up to get the information you have.

It’s a good idea to add an eCover. It gives your visitor an impression of a real and valuable product. Not just some random text files. You can get awesome covers created on Fiverr, or you can buy an eCover creator, either online, or one you can use within Photoshop or Gimp.

You get the opt in form from your auto-responder. I recommend two services: GetResponse and AWeber. I use the latter myself, but I might switch in the future. It seems that GetResponse are coming up with some really interesting improvements.

What Kind of Text Should You Add?

The most effective content you can put on a squeeze page is:

• A headline with a benefit for the reader.
• A few bullet points about what he’ll get if he joins your list.
• An opt in form.

If you’re giving away a 10-page report on the hidden dangers in pet food, your headline might read, “Did you know the food you give your beloved pet could kill him? Read this shocking FREE report about dangerous additives in pet food that could cause your four-legged friend to suffer a slow, agonizing death!”

Next, you need to include some very short teaser copy. Just put in a paragraph or two of text or bullet points that describe the product you’re giving away for free. If you’re using AWeber, you’ll create a list, and then get the code from your admin area.

Take a look at some squeeze pages, you’ve signed up through to get inspiration.

The Finishing Touch

If you’ve followed along, you should now have a page with a headline, bullet points, maybe graphics, and you have found the code for the opt in form in your auto-responder.

You only need to put it all together, save, upload, and send some traffic to your squeeze page. Without traffic, nobody will sign up.

You’ll need to paste the form into the HTML area.  Then you’re finished with your squeeze page!  Just save the file, upload it and test it, then start sending traffic to it!  You can use this landing page for an AdWords campaign, too – which is beneficial if your business involves a lot of affiliate marketing.

If you use article marketing to drive traffic to your squeeze page, you might need to add more text below the fold. Ezine Article sometimes rejects articles that leads to squeeze pages without more text than mentioned above.

This could even be an advantage, because longer articles tend to show up and rank better within search engines.

Just make sure that all the vital parts (the headline, bullet points, and opt in form) are above the fold.

Oh, This Just Sounds Much Too Complicated…

If I just read your mind, and you’re not the geeky, techy type, like I am, then you might want a plugin to do the work for you instead?

Yes?

Okay, let me give you options, then.

I use Premise myself. Not because I find it difficult to create a squeeze page, but because I like the layout, and then it’s super-quick.

Maybe you saw that I promoted a list building product a few weeks back? It’s called “From Bust to Business“, and it’s by Fergal Downes. It’s a really good video course, and the One Time Offer is a plugin to help you create squeeze pages in minutes.