Squeeze pages matter in Internet marketing. By definition, a squeeze page is a Web page that gives visitors the option to sign up or opt-in for some type of list. Usually, a visitor opts-in by providing his e-mail address on the squeeze page.

A squeeze page may be the landing page or the home page of a particular Web site. Using squeeze pages is one of the most effective ways of building a subscriber list, an indispensable part of e-mail Internet marketing.

The definition of a squeeze page may sound simple enough, but there is more to squeeze pages than just soliciting e-mail addresses. Squeeze pages may have very little text, images, and coding, but don’t estimate their importance as a valuable Internet marketing tool.

Veterans of the Internet marketing game know about the importance of squeeze pages and why more and more online marketers are making use of them. However, a mere handful actually use them properly and fewer still are those who get the results they want out of squeeze pages.

Before anything else, why do online marketers use squeeze pages? Believe it or not, it is because they think that first-time visitors to their Web sites will not want to buy anything at all. In order not to lose these first timers, online marketers use squeeze pages to collect their e-mail addresses to make them part of their ever-important subscriber list. After getting confirmation and permission, the next Internet marketing thrust is to send subscribers newsletters, brochures, and other product information in the hope of turning those same first-time visitors into customers.

A truly effective squeeze page contains only the necessary information that will entice a visitor to provide data about himself and to sign up for the mailing list. In this type of Internet marketing, it is of absolute importance that the visitor is made aware of what he will get once he opts-in. The squeeze page must also be presented in a manner that entices visitors to sign up or opt-in. Try offering them an exclusive download, gift or other freebies in return.

Online marketers may also drive traffic to their squeeze pages by sending e-mails through joint venture partners. These e-mails should do all the selling. Hence, by the time the visitor goes to the squeeze page, they are already looking to sign up.

Important: the information that is being promised on the squeeze pages should not be accessible even if the visitor does not provide his e-mail address. Some Internet savvy users know how to get to the next page without going through the squeeze page by viewing the page’s source code. This can be avoided by encrypting the URL or by e-mailing the promised information to the e-mail address that the visitor provides.

An ingenious way of using squeeze pages in Internet marketing is to apply the data provided on the squeeze page to the next follow-up Web pages. For example, if the visitor provided his physical address on the squeeze page, the next Web pages that he browses may be filled with information pertaining to his geographical location. The visitor is given a more personalized experience and will feel that the Web site is more relevant to him.

Some Internet users deem squeeze pages as an inconvenience but online marketers can’t deny the fact that squeeze pages greatly increase the number of people who sign up for their subscriber list. When used properly, squeeze pages are a powerful Internet marketing tool that yields great results.

One of the top priorities of any business and a key focus of Internet marketing is to generate a lead. A lead is any information that is freely given by a potential customer which can help a company generate a sale. Leads can translate into increased consumer interest for a company's products and services and can lead to sales.

Leads are an important part of Internet marketing strategies. In fact, there are Web sites that exist solely for the purpose of generating leads. Companies are more than willing to pay top dollar for that very precious customer information.

You don't have to pay through the nose if you want to gain access to this information. There are many ways to generate leads through your Web site without having to spend a lot of money. You may already be using many different techniques of generating leads, but how would you know if you are going about it correctly?

There are five important questions that you must answer in order to find out if your Web site is successful in generating leads. Use these questions as a guide to your Internet marketing initiatives.

Question #1: 'Am I providing what my customers are looking for?'

People come to your Web site looking for very specific information. Do you provide this type of information and is it relevant to your customers? Even if you have the best written Internet marketing articles online, not a word of it will matter if you don't give the information that your customers are looking for. If they don't find that information, they take their business somewhere else ' simple as that.

Question #2: 'Can my customers find what they are looking for?'

Your information will mean squat if your customer can't find it amid all the clutter on your Web site. Make sure your site's layout is user-friendly and that the information is broken down into pieces that are easy to digest. Internet marketing may allow you to put as much information as you want, but it is more effective to place only the important things in a strategic manner.

Question #3: 'Am I speaking my customer's language?'

Using jargon and too many technical terms is one of the quickest ways to alienate your customers. Talk to your customers in a language they understand. Doing so is not only effective Internet marketing, but also makes your customers feel like you identify with them.

Question #4: 'Does my site make my customer feel important?'

Another thing that puts off customers is when you focus too much on yourself. Sure, you may build credibility by displaying your achievements and awards, but that may come off as bragging. Your Internet marketing effort should be all about your customers. They are much more interested in what you can offer them now than what you have done in the past.

Question #5: 'Am I asking for the right information?'

In generating leads, ask only for vital information because customers are usually willing to part with as little information as possible. Give them more value in return for the information that they give you.

Take these five questions to heart for more effective lead generation and Internet marketing. They are key building blocks to online success.

Internet marketing has become so popular and effective that virtually every Tom, Dick and Harry with a product to sell wants to tap its vast potential to make money online. Marketers are constantly on the lookout for that Internet marketing technique that will reap great dividends.

Naturally, their eyes often shift to traditional marketing approaches. They debate about whether or not there should be a distinction between online and traditional (off-line) marketing. Can the latter be just as effective if implemented on the Internet?

Many contend that online marketing is a different animal altogether, and they have a point. However, while it may be true that what works off-line may not necessarily work in Internet marketing, there are still traditional forms of advertising that are effective if implemented online.

These often overlooked advertising vehicles will not, on their own, make for a grand Internet marketing program, but they can serve as great supplements to one's current online marketing initiatives.

Buyers Guides
In print magazines, buyers guides provide free listings of a hodgepodge of products and services. When customers are looking for something specific, they tend to look at these buyers guides first, especially since these guides also have reviews of different products and comparative costings. Marketers can also increase their products' exposure by buying space in additional categories for a nominal fee. But whether paid or free, these listings nonetheless provide great value and are worth pursuing as a vehicle for Internet marketing.

Product Reviews
If a credible source renders an impartial opinion about your product or service, this can generate the interest of customers, especially if the reviewer gives you a thumbs-up. Why not regularly invite third-party Internet opinion-makers, such as publishers or even bloggers, to review your product or service? If you can generate a steady flow of glowing product reviews, you're well on your way to Internet marketing success.

A word of caution, though. Proper Internet marketing etiquette dictates that you should provide your prospective reviewers with a free sample of your product to review. That's a good way to show that you appreciate the reviewer's effort. Make sure that you also thank the critic after he or she makes the review and, if it's appropriate, provide a link on your Web site to review.

Forums/Volunteering in Communities
If there are forums that are related to your product and service, then make your presence felt there by all means. That's a good way to touch base with your target audience, those people who have a genuine interest in what you have to offer. If you can establish your credibility, expertise and knowledge as an expert, you stand a good chance of attracting customers.

Article Syndication
Another way to establish yourself as an expert is to contribute helpful articles about your product and service online. Bear in mind that the most effective Internet marketing techniques are those that give real value to prospective customers, and article syndication is one such technique.

RSS Feeds
The popularity of RSS has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, especially since they provide Web sites with a steady stream of content. Riding the RSS wave is an Internet marketing strategy worth pursuing. Create useful RSS content and make it available to Web sites. You will pleasantly surprised at how many of them will pick up this content.

As an Internet marketing tool, the online auction functions just like your regular auction at a brick-and-mortar venue – interested buyers try to outbid each other for products and services that they want. The key difference is that the online auction is conducted on the Internet.

Historically, the online auction has the same roots as the traditional auction in that they are both patterned after the old English auction model. The bidding begins at a low price and rises higher and higher as each successive bid is made. On the other hand, a few Internet marketing practitioners have patterned their online auction site after the Dutch model. Here, many identical items are put up for auction at a single time and multiple bidders win the bid and pay the same price. Treasury bills are one such item that are sold this way..

As an Internet marketing tool, the online auction made its debut in 1995, courtesy of eBay. Its immediate success soon spawned competitors such as Amazon.com and Yahoo. Eventually, Priceline would make add a twist of its own to the Internet marketing scene – it allowed buyers to simply name the price that they wanted to pay for an item and sellers would either accept or reject it.

At present, eBay is the leading online auction site in the world and the model for this Internet marketing tool. Contrary to what some people think, eBay isn't the owner of the products it offers to customers. They are more like middlemen who oversee transactions. Their role in Internet marketing is simply to list and display products, oversee the bids and facilitate payments. That's also how most online auctions operate. They are like the owners of a giant and far-reachng marketplace who simply provide space merchants and collect a commission from all sales.

Online auctions are a proven and effective Internet marketing tool. Here are some of their advantages:

1. No time constraints
If you have a product or service to sell, you can post it on an online auction site any time of the day and any day of the week and leave it there for as long as he wants. Buyers also have the luxury of making their purchases any time they feel like it. They always have enough time to study the items before deciding whether to buy them.

2. No geographical considerations
It doesn't matter where you live, as long as you have Internet access, you can buy or sell on auction sites. The best thing about this is that you don't have to spend a dime to physically attend an auction nor do you have to transport the items you're selling to a central location. This, in turn, makes the prices of goods a little more affordable.

3. There are many bidders and sellers
Given the fact that online auction sites do not have any time or geographical constraints, more people can buy and sell on these sites. This is an advantage for both buyers and sellers. Buyers have more items to choose from while sellers have more potential customers.

Given these significant advantages, it is no wonder why online auction sites are among the most effective and popular Internet marketing tools around.