What Is Microsite and How to Build a Great One?

microsite definition and importance

Simply, microsite definition is “small sites with one or two web pages.” It is the top priority of any customer-centric business, as it offers an adequate representation of your business. The primary landing page of the microsite might have its domain name or subdomain.

This single or set of pages is designed to serve as a distinct entity inside an existing website. However, they may also be used as a complement for offline activities, like an event or exhibition. 

Throughout the years, microsites have evolved from their reduced image of uncertain usability into strong tools for marketing opportunities.

Modern microsites include aesthetic and innovative representations of your products/services. They also contain valuable information and intriguing content. It makes content much simpler for the visitors to digest than that found on other websites.

In this article, we will focus on microsite definition, relevance, and some examples of these types of websites.

What Is Microsite?

A microsite is a one-page website that serves a single purpose. They have intended CRO purposes of a specific task, commonly, email subscriptions. Some of them just concentrate on raising awareness about a particular product or event.

The simplicity of microsites is what makes them so effective. As there are minimum distractions on the page, your visitors are bound to convert or know your brand.

Why Is Microsite Essential for Your Business?

Microsites are not just beneficial; in today’s competitive world, they are essential for businesses. Distractions, noise, flashy bells, and whistles are abundant in today’s digital environment. But, on the other hand, microsites stand out for their simplicity and straightforwardness. That’s why having a microsite can be so effective for your business.

Here are four reasons why microsites are so vital for your company:

1- Brand Awareness

Highly engaging, dynamic, and exciting microsites promote your brand across various platforms. People like instructive or entertaining microsites that are not necessarily related to a product. They are practical tools to maintain your brand at the forefront of the customer’s mind.

Microsites dedicated to specific items or product lines are also effective, allowing clients to discover the value your company can bring them.

2- SEO Value

Microsites are a good instance of the famous “less is more” saying. Because each microsite is an independent website, it has its own URL. People will discover your goods and service faster and simpler if you have a unique easy-to-remember address. This is unquestionably advantageous for search engine optimization.

Moreover, your microsite can include keyword-rich content that search engines highly value. Using targeted content, microsites can help businesses achieve higher search engine rankings for specific keywords. This aspect boosts the ranking value of your content, which increases your SEO value.

3- Value Focus

As opposed to the usual websites, a microsite can focus more on your value proposition. It helps your customers make their buying decision much easier, as your product and service value is more evident. By promoting and displaying just one product or service, decision-making would be simpler. That’s when your visitors convert and become buyers.

4- Fast Development

A microsite is especially effective for a temporary promotion or announcement with a limited timeframe. It is unrealistic to create a website for anything that has an expiry date. It would be a total waste of time as well as money. In addition, microsites are less budget-consuming to be developed.

Microsite Examples

Here are three of the creative and functional microsites created by brands to impress their visitors:

  • Red Bull

Red Bull is well-known for its series of microsites and has a long history of using microsites for its campaigns. These microsites can be considered the information source on a certain topic, making them highly valuable for search engines.

Red bull microsite
  • Lucidworks

This microsite informs on dark data and protection from it. Unfortunately, most individuals are unaware of dark data’s danger to them and their families. This microsite includes simple yet creative infographics that enlighten users about the hidden hazards of dark data.

Microsite example
  • Every Last Drop

It is an infographic website from The Waterwise Project, a non-profit organization in the UK promoting water efficiency. They’ve built a microsite to raise awareness about how individuals utilize water regularly.

Microsite example

How to Make Great Microsites?

If you agree that microsites are good for your business, you probably look for tips for creating a microsite. Here’s how:

  • Microsite Building Basics

Simply, you can use a microsite builder or develop one with simple coding. Whichever approach you choose to follow should cover basic website functionalities. It should be mobile-friendly and have a good UX, for instance.

Want to design a great user experience for your microsite? Read this article: Key Website UX Metrics That Make Your Stand Out in the Crowd 

  • Understand the Audience

You do everything in your business to impress the audience, and that’s why you should understand them very well. Using practical user behavior analysis tools like WatchThemLive services can help you.

For example, website heatmaps provide you insights into which parts of your microsite are more interesting to visitors. Similarly, session replays reveal how they interact with your content and website elements. You can sign up in less than 2 minutes to benefit from these services (and more) for up to 3 months!

WatchThemLive
  • Highlight Call to Action

Microsites are often made to make conversions. So, try making your call to action (CTA) visible and practical. For instance, if you want to get subscriptions, ask visitors to subscribe to your newsletter straightforwardly.

Conclusion

Let’s conclude by saying microsites are crucial to increasing brand awareness, highlighting your value proposition, and boosting your SEO. Moreover, microsites can be seen as a fast and efficient solution for projects with limited budgets.

What do you think about microsites? Do you think you can make a microsite to promote any of your products?

Cyrus Nambakhsh
Cyrus Nambakhsh
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