Blog or Squeeze Page - where do you send prospects?

Recently I got a great question from an Online Visibility Secrets student. She was watching the Business Blog Mastery videos and wondered about my comment that your business blog should be the hub, or home base, for your online presence. If you've been reading this blog or attended a teleseminar or event where I've spoken about blogging, then you've heard this many times before. However, Linda had a good question related to this:

Maybe this will be cleared up once I go through the OVS program but I was just listening to the Business blog Mastery (video 1) where you spoke about the blog being the hub. My question is there has been a lot taught about sending people to your squeeze page so they can either sign up or not vs as you indicated sending them to your blog. Can you share a few thoughts.

My first response is: it depends (don't you hate that?!).

And it does. What are the goals and objectives of your content? Many prospects will not give you their email address on the first contact. Unless what you're offering is so compelling and valuable, many are wary of getting more email and marketing messages.

Yet, there are times when it's best to send people straight to an opt-in (squeeze) page. I do both.

Naturally you want (and need) to build your list. And you need to develop a level of trust and respect with your audience so they want to give you their email address. You want them to raise their hand and say "Yes! Send add me to your list and send me valuable info."

If your blog is well-optimized then you will have one or more options for people to get more from you:

1. An email subscribe for your blog updates - keep them coming back to your blog so you can constantly provide valuable info. When they're ready to take the next step, you'll be top of mind.
2. An opt-in form to get on your list - email newsletter, white paper, free report, free video course, etc. 

On social sites where I syndicate my blog content, clearly people will be "coming home" to my blog to get the full content (if my headline is compelling enough). You'll see on this blog that I have an offer to get a free video course at the top of the right sidebar. So people move from Facebook, for example, to my blog to my email list. That's the goal anyway.

On Facebook, I also have an option to get the free video course on blogging. Many people subscribe to that directly from Facebook. On the emails that deliver the video course, I invite people to visit my blog.

On Twitter I employ a similar strategy: there are links to my blog posts and tweets with blogging tips that direct people straight to the video course opt-in. One way or another, they will get to my blog(s).

My job is to provide content they like and can use so they continue to read my blog, recommend it to others and stay on my list.

What's your system? Send them to your blog or your squeeze page or something else?

Comments

[Linda Hampton]

Thanks for answering this question Denise. I've been a bit perplexed about the entire blog vs squeeze page dilemma. What you said make so much sense.

It has been a bit uncomfortable always sending everyone directly to my squeeze page when sending them to my blog may be the most appropriate choice.

There is never a one size fits all. At least now I won’t feel like I’m going against the “holy grail of advice” when I feel it’s appropriate to send people to my blog first.

Of course another great solution is to have a “door” to your blog when a prospect lands on your squeeze page. And without question having a way for people sign up for your email list on your blog page is just smart business blogging.

[Denise Wakeman]

Linda, you're right. There is never a "one size fits all" answer. It's not black or white. And, you've got to know your audience and the context for what you're doing.

Experimenting and using tracking links is a good idea too. Send people to a squeeze page or your blog and see which action performs better.

[Terrance Charles]

Exactly. Just about every website you have should have a squeeze page on it wether it's after a puchase, on your blog, linking from your social networking sites, or even on your salesletter. You get the most subscribers when you give valuable content and walk them through to get more to your email list.

Even with my email list, from time to time I send them to my social networking sites. Why? Because it builds that know, like and trust factor with them and they'll be more eager to stay on your subscriber list because they actually get to interact with you in other places and get more value from these other places. Drive traffic, build your list, and build a relationship. Great post Denise :)

[Sharon Hill]

Hi Denise,

I'm glad this topic came up because I wondered if I should be sending everyone to one place but now I know I don't need to.

I started my audio blog after taking your "From Platform to Profit" class and almost sent people to my squeeze page. Then I remembered you and Rachna suggested sending people to the blog to read the post, if they want to, so that is what I'm doing.

I send people to my squeeze page when I post video on YouTube and articles on sites.

Thanks for always providing information that helps me be visible online. I just received Lesson #25 of Online Visibility Secrets and am sad I only have one lesson to go. A couple of friends have told me they are impressed - they see me everywhere online.

[Warren Whitlock]

Sometimes you need to know who's interested to move things forward. If they don't trust me enough to allow me to email them, they aren't ready for my next step.

We're seeing tests now where total sales go up by eliminating a requirement to opt in before seeing a sales page.

[Julius]

I like the idea of experimenting with a blog and a squeeze page. I think we need to take some time before we start examining data and make a conclusion for each one though.

[David Frey]

Denise,

I kill two birds with one stone.

Here is one of my blogs. You'll see it's a squeeze page and a blog.

http://PublicSpeakingTrainingTips.com/

David

[Faith]

This is a very important source of information for bloggers. I've learned so much from your post especially the experimenting stuffs on your blog. It's kinda scary to do because you'll do some trial and error thing but at least you'll know what are the best things to do for your blog.

[Hot Squeeze Page Template Review]

There's so much new innovations to chose from in this topic. You got the trick of using your comment box an an Optin and you got great outsourcing sites that will do squeeze pages for you, and give you customizable templates for small prices.
Just gotta find which works best.
Thanks for sharing this great post.

[Squeeze Page Software]

I prefer using blogs and squeeze pages simultaneously. Although I'm getting more leads from my squeeze pages, it's more beneficial when my blogs are sending me additional leads. I think the advantage of squeeze pages is the fact that it's highly-customizable. A well-designed squeeze page is one of the main keys.