Full disclosure, I really don’t like squeeze page marketing. As a matter of fact, I despise squeeze page marketing. Microsite marketing is a much better option for honest businesses who want to build long term credibility with customers.
What is a Squeeze Page?
For those of you who don’t know, a squeeze page is orphan webpage with no links out to any other web pages. Once you are on a squeeze page, the only way to navigate away from that page is to hit the back button on your browser, or close the page completely.
The typical purpose of a squeeze page is to capture a visitor’s email address by giving away an information product.
I did a quick google search of “make money online” and this screen shot below is the site ranked 4th by google:
Example squeeze page from the google search “make money online”
Did you notice that this web page had no links to go anywhere other than to that big button that says get started now? That’s because they’re trying to squeeze that button down your throat!
Another disclosure: Most marketers say squeeze pages work. But so do pop-ups, and I despise those too…
Just because you can get away with taking candy from a baby doesn’t mean you should.
What is a Microsite?
On the other hand, a micro site is a relatively small group of linked web pages designed to focus on a single niche topic. A microsite has its own domain name (or sub-domain) usually named with the niche of the microsite in mind.
The purpose of a micro site may or may not be the same as a squeeze page, as a microsite can be used for much broader purposes such as:
- Affiliate marketing
- Branding
- Editorial
- Email address capture
- Event marketing
- Generating advertising revenue
- Selling/giving away information products
- SEO
It takes more or less the same effort to create a good microsite as it does to create a good squeeze page (if there was such a thing).
I did a quick google search of “lose weight fast” and this screen shot below is one of the paid sites listed in the results:
Example microsite from the google search of “lose weight fast”
Notice that this page has several links at the top right corner of the page so you can get more information? Notice that this page has several big bold images that look like it took some effort to create?
This is what makes this a microsite and not a squeeze page.
Scam Page or Squeeze Page?
The main problem I have with squeeze pages is that they have become synonymous with scam pages.
It’s likely that within the last year you landed on a scam page, I mean squeeze page that attempted to convince you they had some exclusive weight loss secret or they had the secret for making millions online.
Just about all the scam make money online/secrets to success squeeze pages look exactly the same as the legit squeeze pages.
From a branding perspective, if you’re not a scammer why would you hint that you’re a scam by using the design of a scammer?
A Quick Real Estate Agent Analogy
You ever notice that the real estate agents like to drive around their clients in nice cars? Have you ever road around with a real estate agent in a crappy old car? I have a couple times, and each time the real estate agent with the crappy car was awful.
If your job is to drive clients around, and then you drive them around in a crappy car, it’s safe to say that you’re lazy. That crappy car is synonymous with a squeeze page.
You Are Better Than Awful
If you’re in the business of making money online with niche websites, the first thing you should do is not be awful and get yourself a nice car, AKA microsite.
At a minimum, that microsite should have an:
- About page,
- Privacy / TOS
- Contact information,
- Landing page with pretty pictures and a call to action
All a squeeze page typically has is the landing page with a call to action. It may also have some crappy pictures, but rarely if ever pretty pictures.
Scammers would never take the time to do the extras because they are either deliberately being anonymous or simply being lazy.
So unless you want a fast track to the loser lane, don’t be anonymous and/or lazy. I know you are better than awful.
