What is a squeeze page?
A squeeze page—also sometimes called a capture page—is a particular kind of landing page that has one purpose: collecting (or squeezing) an email address from a visitor. Some squeeze pages may ask for a name as well, but this is less important than the email.
Of course, most people aren’t going to just hand over their email address for no reason. That’s why squeeze pages usually offer a piece of content (known as a lead magnet) in return. The visitor is essentially trading their email address for an ebook, whitepaper, checklist, or video that has information they need.
For example, if you provide SEO services you might offer an SEO checklist people can use to optimize their website. Visitors to your squeeze page receive actionable advice that helps them solve a problem, and you receive a qualified lead that you can hopefully convert into a customer.
50% of marketers who use lead magnets report an increase in their conversion rate, so this is definitely a strategy worth utilizing in your business.
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Squeeze pages vs. landing pages: what’s the difference?
Squeeze pages are actually a type of landing page. A landing page is any page that’s sole purpose is to persuade visitors to take a specific action. This could be to sign up for a free trial, buy a product, or—in the case of a squeeze page—submit an email address.
So all squeeze pages are landing pages, but not all landing pages are squeeze pages.
Landing pages vary in length, depending on what they’re trying to accomplish. They might contain multiple sections with information about who you are, the benefits of your offer, and frequently asked questions.
On the other hand, squeeze pages get straight to the point. They offer a brief description of the lead magnet and then ask for an email address. This works because most of the education and “pre-sale” conversations take place elsewhere in your funnel.
When should I use a squeeze page vs a landing page?
Squeeze pages are usually used near the top of your sales funnel. They’re ideal for prospects who have shown interest in your products and services but aren’t quite ready to buy yet. They likely have a problem they need solved and are searching for a solution. This is when you can direct them to your squeeze page with a lead magnet that offers some or all of the information they’re looking for.
Asking for an email address is a low-commitment deal that’s easy for users to opt in to. Not only does this interaction provide you with an email address, but it also builds trust with the prospect. The lead magnet gives them a taste of what you have to offer so they’re more likely to become a customer down the road.
Other types of landing pages are used further down the funnel. For example, once a lead has consumed your lead magnet and learned more about your brand through email marketing they’ll be more ready to buy. At this stage, you can send them to a sales page that includes information about your products and services, and a CTA that asks them to make a purchase.
Squeeze page examples
An effective squeeze page:
- Is short and concise.
- Has a single CTA (submit your email address).
- Includes a brief description of the lead magnet they’ll receive.
- Has one form field that only asks for an email address (and possibly a name).
- Is followed by a thank you page that includes the next steps for visitors to take.
Let’s take a look at a couple examples.
Living Well Spending Less
Living Well Spending Less entices prospects with their free starter guide which includes some quick actionable steps that help streamline home life. What’s great is that the copy doesn’t just tell you what you’re getting but also how it will benefit you. The countdown timer also adds a sense of urgency, which is a great way to increase conversions.
The form field reinforces the benefits and then just asks for a first name and email. Nice and easy.
The thank-you page lets you know to get your free guide while also giving you access to an exclusive low-cost offer. This is what’s known as a tripwire offer and is a great way to quickly convert leads into customers.
Laurie Wang
Laurie Wang’s lead magnet is a social media content planner. As a social media consultant and coach, this is the perfect starter offer for her audience.
This squeeze page doesn’t waste any time. There isn’t a lot of copy here, but Laurie does a great job of summarizing why you should download the free planner.
Just like our last example, the form field is super simple. Remember, the fewer steps people need to take the more conversions you’ll generate.
Not only does Laurie provide instructions on how to get the content planner, but she also lets you know what to do if for some reason you don’t receive it. She ends the page by directing you back to her website so you can keep exploring and learning about her brand.
Should I use a squeeze page as a homepage?
It used to be popular to use a squeeze page in place of—or in front of—a homepage in an effort to persuade visitors to submit an email address before browsing your website. However, that’s no longer recommended.
Why? Because if you use a squeeze page as your homepage, you risk damaging your search engine optimization (SEO) and decreasing your ranking in search results. In the eyes of Google, your homepage would have little to no content and no internal links to other pages. That signals to search engines that your site has low-quality content, which will hurt your organic search traffic.
Instead, promote your squeeze pages on your homepage with alert bars. These attention-grabbing bars appear at the top of the page and help draw attention to your lead magnets. If visitors are interested they can click on the offer and go to your squeeze page to learn more.
How to create a squeeze page
Are you ready to start creating squeeze pages for your business? Follow these five steps to build a page that converts.
1. Create a lead magnet your audience will love
The key to an effective squeeze page is a quality lead magnet. This is what will convince your prospects to hand over their email address, so make sure it’s something they actually want.
Lead magnets come in many different forms. Some common lead magnets for squeeze pages include:
- Ebooks
- Checklists
- PDF guides
- Resource lists
- Online courses/video training
- Templates/worksheets
The sky’s the limit really. If your audience wants it, and you can give it away for free, it can be a lead magnet.
Regardless of the format you choose, a good lead magnet needs to:
- Make sense for your audience: Find out what your customers are interested in or struggle with. Use your knowledge and expertise to craft a lead magnet that informs or helps them solve a problem.
- Make sense for your business: It has to tie back to what you do. You might have in-depth knowledge of health and fitness. But if you’re trying to generate leads for your career coaching business an ebook about exercise won’t provide you with the type of leads you’re looking for.
- Be easily consumable: More isn’t always better. Most people who download a lead magnet are looking for a quick fix, so keeping your content brief is your best bet.
- Provide actionable advice: Give your audience some tips or steps they can follow to see some results right away. This will help build trust and showcase your value.
Once you have an idea for a lead magnet it’s time to act on it. This could be as easy as converting an old blog post into a PDF or shooting a quick video.
2. Choose a landing page builder
After you create your lead magnet you’ll need to build a page to promote it on. Luckily, you don’t need to know anything about coding or web design to build an effective squeeze page. Landing page builders like Leadpages make it easy for anyone to create high-converting pages in less than a day.
Start by choosing your squeeze page template, then open the Drag & Drop Builder to customize the look and copy. You can upload images, change colors, add text, and more. To simplify the process even further, Leadpages also includes a lead magnet delivery system (no email service provider required).
When you’re happy with you’re page simply click “Publish” to share it with the world.
3. Craft a strong but short message
The key to an effective squeeze page is to not overwhelm the reader. In most cases, people who land on your squeeze page will have already learned a little about your business elsewhere. So, there’s no need to bog them down with that information.
Just tell them what’s in it for them and what they need to do to get the content they’re looking for.
Try these formats:
Headline: Ask about the problem they’re experiencing.
Subhead: Explain how your lead magnet solves the issue.
Headline: State how you solve a specific problem.
Subhead: Elaborate on what they can expect from the lead magnet.
Keep it short. Keep it benefit-rich. And remember: it’s about them and their challenges, not you and your business.
4. Choose the right images
Your copy isn’t the only thing that drives conversions. If you want to maximize your results you’ll need high-quality images as well. According to a study by 3M Corporation, images are processed 60,000 times faster than text. That means when people visit your squeeze page the imagery is likely the first thing they notice.
Generally, your squeeze page will have two images: a background image and a product image.
When choosing a background image, select one that supports your message and is easy on the eyes. Be wary of making people work too hard to understand the photo. If there’s too much going on in the background it might distract from your message.
Next, you’ll need a product image. Since you’re likely offering a digital product you’ll need to come up with a “cover” for it. There are plenty of free tools available that will allow you to do this. Your product image doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just the title of your product with an attractive font and background will do the trick. Here’s an example:
Creating a cover for your ebook, checklist, or guide helps visitors visualize what they’re getting and makes it a little more tangible.
When it comes to images it’s a good idea to test a few different ones. Create an A/B test with two different background photos or product images to see what converts best.
5. Add a powerful call-to-action (CTA) to your page
Finally, you need to write a strong call to action (CTA).
Remember, your squeeze page is short and simple, so visitors will only spend a moment deciding whether to opt-in or leave.
The first rule of a good call to action is to tell people what to do and why they should do it. Try something like “Claim My Spot,” or “Yes, I Want the Free Report,” both of which indicate an action and the end result of that action. Buttons that do both of these things are typically more effective than ones that focus on just one, such as “Click Here” or “Free Report.”
The second rule of a good call to action is lowering the perceived difficulty of the request. “Get it now” is faster than “Register now”. “Read the eBook” is more immediate than “Sign up for the eBook”. Make the action as easy as possible.
And if you can use the word “free,” do it. It reinforces that this is a no-risk offer, which should increase your conversion rate.
Finally, make sure your CTA button is optimized. For the best results:
- Make the button big and easily clickable.
- Use a large font that’s easy to read.
- Choose a color that stands out (but still works with your color scheme).
The best squeeze page templates
When it comes to landing page design and squeeze page templates, it’s not a “one-size-fits-all” situation. The truth is, it’s highly variable. Your audience and the nature of your product or service will all determine how to structure your page.
That being said, here are a few tips:
- Keep all your content above the fold (to display on a single screen with no scroll).
- Focus on a hard-hitting headline.
- Use a full-width background image or colored background.
- Choose a contrasting color for your CTA button.
- Remove all navigation, external hyperlinks, social share buttons, etc.
Looking for a proven squeeze page template? Below are some of the highest-converting templates from the Leadpages library.
Simple but effective, this template has all the elements of a high-converting squeeze page. Just swap in your logo, image, and copy and you’re ready to start collecting leads.
The bright colors in this template capture your attention right away (especially the CTA button).
This template is perfect for offers that require very little explanation. Simply insert a captivating headline and powerful CTA and you’re done.
Ready to build your own squeeze page?
Quality squeeze pages are essential for collecting leads and growing your online business. And luckily, building them has never been easier. With Leadpages, you simply choose your template, customize it with the Drag & Drop Builder, and publish it when you’re ready.
Try Leadpages free for 14 days and start generating leads today.
Try Leadpages free for 14 days
Easily create your website and landing pages with the only platform engineered by marketing nerds.
