Who's tested long vs short name squeeze pages and has something
to say about the topic.

I had a long name squeeze on one of my sites, it performed very poorly.

I cut it down to a one page box and is getting 20%.

It isn't great but better than I was getting.

Any thoughts?

What have you tested with numbers...

I've tested both, but not extensively. Generally I have found a straighforward product (and not a IM or money-making product) tends to perform better with a shorter squeeze page, while my last teleseminar (see http://www.million-dollar-roundtable.com) worked better with a longer one.

The two things that I have found to need longer squeeze copy are:

1) You have to educate them (I try to shy away from these, but some things do require SOME education).

2) A saturated or highly competitive market where they've heard everything under the sun (IM and money-making fit here).

Here are some results to back my findings...

- PC Optimize ebook - short squeeze with a mini course - 93% opt-in
- Setback card game (aka "Pitch") - short squeeze with mini-course on rules and tips - 73%
- "Green" Entrepreneur "10 Ways" squeeze page - long squeeze with newsletter - 47%
- Texas Hold 'Em Course - short squeeze with a mini-course - 78%

Granted, there's more testing to be done. And the newsletter versus mini-course could be a factor.

Generally, I have found so far (with my admitted limited testing) that those who knows less but want to learn more (especially in a "avid" market) tend to prefer shorter squeeze pages. Those that are more mature need more persuasion...even to give up their email (and those that are tech-savvy need even more...especially to give their email address up).

This isn't surprising to me. And these are online results only. My offline results are much higher (for those harder to penetrate markets). All the more reason to market offline and online.

Hope that helps,

John

Harlan,

I personally have had better luck with the shorter name squeezes.

I like to have just a headline, a sub head that leads into a few bullets,
then the opt in form.

Sometimes I'll throw in a audio button at the top as well.

I prefer to have the entire opt in page visible without having to scroll
down at all.

Once I simplified my recent opt in page (took out the yellow highlights, and
abbreviated lot's of the text) it jumped over 30% for opt ins, although it has leveled out at around 26% as of late.

John, those numbers are insanely good.

They almost seem too good to be believable.

Do mind me asking where the traffic is coming from?

Generally shorter name squeezes have been working much better for me (for my clients) - just did a property investment theme split test with ppc traffic, and the short won by 2 to 1.

I've found that a short name squeeze page works incredibly well for me. I'm getting around a 50% optin rate from organic search engine traffic for a site that fits nicely above the fold. No long copy, just a headline, some bullet points and an optin box.

Jason,

They really come from all over. Most of the non-marketing traffic comes from PPC and articles, and marketing traffic mostly from JVs, articles, list marketing, and offline marketing.

I know those number's aren't bad, but I think that's because I tend to use longer copy for squeeze pages. When I say I use shorter copy for less-competitive markets, it's still relative (i.e. it's still longer than most, but much shorter than my long copy squeeze pages).

And those aren't all of them, just my better performing ones.

It would be interesting to hear other's rates, if you don't mind sharing them.

John

I myself have had alot better resaults with a short squeeze page. My short one ran at about 33%. I then made a longer one with a sub head and it dropped down to about 24%. Then I tried the long version with 2 opt in boxes and a graphic and it dropped down to about 21%.

I think the short ones work better becuse you leave them with less info and more curiosity. They are left wondering what else there is to said product and sign up to find out. With your long copy you have answered most any question they have and may have made thier mind up for them already.

Having a shorter page will lead to a bigger list but it will be less focused.

I'm running both short and long form name squeezes with similar results. It really depends on what I want the reader to do, what kind of traffic I'm getting, and what kind of commitment I'm asking of them.

-- For my e-mail newsletter (Inside Strategic Relations) I have a 4-page name squeeze asking them to sign up, not offering them anything but the latest edition of the newsletter after they confirm their interest. [30.8% to 33.9% Confirmed; Organic Traffic & Articles] http://insidestrategicrelations.com/

-- For an affiliate tunnel (What's Wrong With Jay Abraham's Information) I have a 1 page bullet points with headlines, only confirming if they know who Jay Abraham is ... [5.3% to 28.1% Confirmed; PPC - 3 days new] http://tinyurl.com/ka7tq

-- Another affiliate tunnel (17 Easy Ways To Generate Leads And Get New Customers) I have another 1 page bullet points with headline, offering a free course I wrote about lead generation. [33.3% to 34.1% Confirmed; Organic & PPC] http://tinyurl.com/gngav

Confirmed means they signed up AND double opt-in.

Now that I have the conversion rate up, I'm starting postcard campaigns to drive traffic from rented lists of target buyers. I'm also planning some short-articles to pick out prospects.

Something I'm finding useful with these "affiliate tunnels" which I hadn't considered before with my market, is that I'm getting great leads in the sales and marketing management area -- even if they don't buy the offered product, they are converting to what I offer.

I look for products ideally suited for my customers, offer them on these little squeeze pages (including some of my own response materials written for my buyer), then drive traffic to the capture pages. I'm even looking at a way to offer these series as "reports" off-line, then recycle squeeze pages into lead generation postal campaigns (or in trade magazines.)

BTW, I don't know how I made it this long without Aweber. I've been split testing all my sign-up boxes, plus it gives me more control over my lists across some 15 websites serving sales and marketing management.

Plus if someone complains, is not qualified, or chooses to opt-out, it's easy to manage. (It's probably overkill, but I've got 16 active name squeezes generating leads for my core business ... very easy to run on Aweber.)

Anyway, I think the point of my response is that it depends. I try to sell the opt-in for long-term commitments, just tease if I'm using the name squeeze as a barrier page. However, I'll A/B Split both on higher traffic pages when it means more leads generated.

Best,

Justin

Ps. I included links to my pages as proof, I promise I won't spam you if you join, however, don't bother to stay around if you're not a sales or marketing manager -- you'll mess up my back end numbers! *smile*

I've tested all sorts of namesqueeze pages. Here is the combination that works best for me:

1. Delete those lonng Kennedy-isque headlines and subheadlines. They don't work for me on namesqueeze pages. Keep them short. Sometimes, I delete the headlines altogether and instead simply use the product name with its tag line as the headline. And believe it or not, these pages have a better response rate than the pages with headlines.

2. Always add a picture of the product. If its a service you are selling, add your photo. Adding a picture with a good caption increases response rate tremendously.

3. Keep the text short. I simply just write two sentences. "If you want to know how to ________, then fill out the form below."

4. Give away a free report. This makes the whole process easier and increases response rate. The text simply becomes "If you would like to read the 22 page report on ________, then..."

5. Add the optin form above the fold. Don't make people scroll down.

6. Most people's squeeze pages have the above 5 things. What they don't have is this ingredient. After the optin form, I add a horizontal bar. And below that, I write the FAQ. The FAQ is nothing but answering objections in a systematic way. I sprinkle the optin form after every 3-4 questions on this FAQ (thus you'll end up having 3-4 optin forms on the page).

7. Follow the FAQ with your contact details.

This combination of short namesqueeze page followed by FAQ is the best of both worlds. I find that such pages work better than short namesqueeze pages without the FAQ.