How To Create A Squeeze Page That Converts Website Traffic
Knowing how to create a squeeze page that converts is an important component of capturing relevant leads on your website.
Before jumping into the details of how to create a squeeze page that will generate more conversions, let me answer the question that may be lurking…
“What the heck is a squeeze page?”.
If you wanted to ask that question, you’re not the first. It’s actually a very common question that I’ve heard many times.
Simply put, it’s a page on your website that has the sole objective of collecting your visitors email address so you can later use that information for email marketing purposes.
Nothing more! Nothing less!
Sometimes a squeeze page is incorrectly referred to as a landing page or a sales page, but it is not. Think of it as squeezing your visitor to a specific location on the page – that location being a signup form.
Typically, your visitor will be offered something of value in exchange for their contact details. Needless to say, the methods to collecting email addresses needs to be legitimate, above board, and ethical.
Which brings us to our main topic – how to create a squeeze page that converts; Conversions, and how to get the best possible conversion rates on our squeeze pages.
There’s actually many different theories, but many of the experienced marketers tend to agree that the common elements of a solid squeeze page are:
- simplicity
- effectiveness
Measuring Effectiveness
From an effectiveness point of view and depending on the industry, good squeeze pages generate conversion rates in excess of 10%, while exceptionally well crafted squeeze pages get conversion rates between 50%-60%. Anything more than 60% is considered a totally amazing conversion rate.
Your conversion rate is measured by taking the total number of unique visitors that come to your squeeze page and then dividing that number by the number of signups you receive. A good way to measure the conversion rate is to use a tool such as Google Analytics.
Here’s a snapshot of a Google Analytics Conversion Report that I took over a few hours for a specific squeeze page from my site. It clearly shows the traffic source and the conversion rate of the squeeze page (‘Landing FB’ in the image). You can tell that the overall conversion rate is about 31%, and individual traffic sources range from 0% to 100%.
Each statistic along the conversion path is important too, but I’ll show you more about how to setup and read a conversion funnel in a future post.
These metrics should give you solid information about your squeeze page effectiveness; Ultimately giving you the information on how to create a squeeze page that truly converts website traffic into business leads.
Structural and Content Simplicity
The other component, simplicity, really deals with the content you are placing on the squeeze page. Not only does the squeeze page need to have a simple structure, but the content needs to resonate clarity. The last thing you want to do is create any confusion for the visitor who lands on your squeeze page. They are on the squeeze page for one reason, and you do not want to give them any reason to leave.
Before jumping into the actual squeeze page design elements, it’s also critical to understand that your squeeze page is only as good as the quality of your visitor and the alignment of the product offering to the visitor.
In other words, the more targeted your visitor towards your product offering, the greater success you will have with capturing their contact information.
You need a solid visitor/product offering alignment as a starting point to get good conversion rates. If your visitor is expecting to see information on “Toasters” then you should make sure your squeeze page shows exactly that – toasters.
If your audience gets to your squeeze page and the offering is not in alignment with their expectations, there is a high probability that you will lose them.
Bottom line – qualified traffic and a valuable product to match their expectations.
Squeeze Page Components
Let’s take a closer look at the actual components of a squeeze page. The following image represents a live, high converting squeeze page.
Before the visitor arrives at this squeeze page they’re expecting to see information on “how to build a business foundation correctly for an online business, and using social media”.
When they get to the squeeze page this is what they see. There is an alignment of the visitor to the product offering. What they expect is what they get.
You should be able to clearly identify the five elements on the squeeze page. Four are above the fold (A, B,C,D) and the last includes elements below the fold (E).
Above the fold is a term used where the portion of the squeeze page is visible without scrolling. Below the fold is the opposite – you need to scroll down to see the content.
A. The Headline
The headline is an above the fold item. The purpose of the headline is to give your viewer a compelling reason to stay on the page, and carry on reading.
The headline needs to be built with the source traffic in mind. Your visitors may originate from a tweet, a Facebook post, Google’s GMB, a LinkedIn conversation, another one of your blog posts, a paid ad, or even an email that you sent to them.
Consider the source when constructing your headline.
When your visitor clicks the link at the source, they are coming to your squeeze page for a specific reason. That reason will typically be mentioned in the content and the link at the source.
The headline needs to be short, spunky, captivating, and have the correct emotional triggers. It also need to accurately represent the product offering and the expectations of your visitor.
The headline is probably the most challenging piece of the squeeze page to build. It requires a lot of thought.
Finding the headline that converts well is initially a creative task, but quickly changes into a pure science. After you first come up with your headline you should measure it’s performance by using what is called A/B Split testing.
…and you should be testing your headlines against your control sample to make sure you select the headline that performs the best.
B. Offering Expectations
When your viewers pass the headline stage they will want to understand what’s in it for them. You need to spell out the offering in an understandable form that is easily digested.
That information is typically located above the fold, and can be in the form of a video or bullet points. If you decide to use a video, please make sure it is quick loading, and is only as long as it needs to be. Don’t ramble on. Just stick to the point.
Same if you are writing – stick to the point. Only relevancy counts.
Keep in mind, your visitors typically scan, so you should make everything as easy as possible to read. Notice how I’ve highlighted only key words that I feel are important for my visitors to pick up during their scan.
Find the wording that produces the best conversion rates through A/B Split testing.
C. A Picture Paints A Thousand Words
You’ve heard the expression, “a picture paints a thousand words”.
In my situation, my audience responds well to images. Results may be different for your audience, and you will only be able to tell once you have done your own testing.
I’ve used an image that represents the product that my visitor can expect to see when they sign up. My intent is to remove as much guess work from my audience, making it easier for them to gauge if the offering is correct for them.
Also, viewers tend to shift their gaze towards the right hand side of the screen – top/down to left/right. Placing the image directly above or near the sign up form, makes the most sense, as they will naturally move towards that direction anyway. The visitor does not have venture too far to find what they need to do next.
In a sense you are guiding your visitor to something that they would do naturally.
E. The Sign Up Form
Signup placement and usage are important components to understanding how to create a squeeze page that converts.
Two major points for the sign up form – it should be above the fold and on the right hand of the screen. Your visitor, as mentioned before, tends to gaze rightwards, and it is less work for them by keeping the form above the fold.
You want to make it as easy as possible for them to complete the sign up form. The less information you collect, the better it is. A single piece of information is the best – the email address.
If you wish to collect additional information (eg. name, telephone number), you should have a compelling reason to collect more than just their email address.
Every piece of information you collect should have a rationale behind it. Don’t treat the information you collect as nice-to-have. Treat it as mandatory.
In my case, I collect their name because the I personalize my courses, and the content will reference my subscribers by first name. Personalization fits into my overall philosophy, as I tend to individualize and personalize my interactions with people.
Included on the form is a Call To Action. The intent of the call to action is to give your visitors direction what they need to do next. From a squeeze page perspective, the call to action it’s typically “Submit”.
However, a call to action that works best – tell your visitor what they are going to get versus what they should do. So, instead of placing the text “Submit” on a button, let your audience know the benefit of clicking the button. An example would be placing the text “Yes, let me start the course” on a call to action button.
Then, just like always, test your call to action with various alternatives.
F. Everything Below The Fold.
All supporting information for your offer should be below the fold.
Another way to look at it – your squeeze page should be able to stand by itself, without any or some of the information that is below fold.
In this section you can include: Testimonials, bonus items, images that relate to the offer, and anything that would be helpful to help your visitor decide towards proceeding with your offer.
In the example image above, placing an author head-and-shoulder picture (mostly) below the fold, shows who is delivering the course, and allows my visitors to associate a name to the face. Again, this is my preference only – my personalization philosophy – and you need to test what works and what does not.
In many cases, viewers tend to look for social proof. Placing three or four testimonials below the fold tends to works well too. Once again, A/B Split Test to make sure it works in your environment.
G. Remove All Distracting Information
You’re not going to find ‘G’ to reference in the above image. I’m just using the non existent G as a metaphor of what should NOT appear on your squeeze page.
There’s actually many things that shouldn’t be on your squeeze page, and I would run out of room very quickly if I listed them.
Just use the ‘simplicity’ rule of thumb. Less the better, but make sure you include the above items, especially those above the fold. Remove anything that is potentially distracting.
Distractions can cost you a good subscriber. People have good intentions but suffer (just like me) from shiny object syndrome. You see something that interests you, you follow it, and never to return back to your original task at hand.
The same goes for your squeeze page. You shouldn’t place any shiny objects (like links) on your squeeze page. It’s potentially distracting and you would have a high probability of losing your visitor.
Remove the navigation. Take away all links. There is no need to link to the about me or the home page. If you need to show your visitor additional (relevant) information please do so below the fold. Don’t link anywhere, not even to a privacy statement.
Your viewers should only be able to do one of two things on a squeeze page. Either they give you their contact information or they leave.
If they are seriously interested in your offer they will more than likely stay and give you their information.
Those that are not interested will move on, and that should be okay with you too. You don’t want to capture the contact information of everyone that comes to your squeeze page. Only those that are highly targeted, interested in you, your products or services.
As a final point, and to circle back to the beginning –
- It’s the simplicity of your squeeze page plus
- An audience that is expecting a specific high value product and
- A product that matches your audiences expectations.
…that produce a highly effective conversion rates.
Now you know how to create a squeeze page that converts website traffic into sales leads.
Need some guidance and help to create your squeeze page? Please drop us a note. We would love the opportunity to help.