The Sneaky Way on Squarespace: Download Documents in Exchange for Filling Out a Form

In today's world, there is very little that's free. You're already well aware of this marketing trend: to provide site visitors a free download in exchange for their information. (Or as we called in in 2012: Downloading Whitepapers in Exchange for an Email Address) 🥇SEO BONUS POINT 🥇

While not a "feature" in Squarespace, this is definitely possible to do, with just a little creativity. You got this.

1. Create your downloads landing page

Yes, we're going into this thing backwards. It will make the most sense.

The secret sauce here is to provide a place where you can send the visitor for your download(s). If this download is for one file, you could just add the one file to the page. But with enough planning, you could use this technique for other uses. 

Put your downloads page in the "NOT LINKED" section of your site.

Put your downloads page in the "NOT LINKED" section of your site.

Example: if you want all your partners to access your "partners-only" area of your site, you could add all your super-secret partner documents to this particular downloads page. Make sure the page is "hidden"; keeping it outside plain view is the key to keeping things secret, Miss Sneaky-Pants.

I recorded a quick silent film to show you how I would setup the page. Using images in a gallery block is easy-peasy, and all the Squarespace settings are already there for you! (Document Title, Open in New Window, etc)

2. Create your form

What do you want to collect from the visitor? It's all up to you, but keeping in mind that they may just want to grab your document and run, you'll probably want things short and sweet. 

TIP: since they're grabbing, running and giggling with your free document, be sure to add lots of branding to the document on that thing! (my example that's used in this post is found here)

Remember what we said about the secret sauce?
The secret sauce is to provide the link to your downloads page at the end of the form. 

In the form's advanced settings, just add the link to the newly-created downloads page.

You're already a marketing genius!

 
 

The actual form is below. Give it a whirl!

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We invented this very technique SIX years ago on Squarespace V5. Allegedly: 
Squarespace Marketing Tip: Downloading Whitepapers in Exchange for an Email Address 
🥇SEO BONUS POINT 🥇

Quick Tip, Squarespace TutorialsAlan Housercontent management, video, download