| Often, a microsite is hosted on the sub-domain of | | | | of keywords on the microsite, it is the perfect |
| the main website and in some cases has its own | | | | resource to carry out PPC campaigns or other |
| domain. Whether it will be hosted on the | | | | contextual based advertisements thereby |
| sub-domain or will it have its own domain name | | | | lowering investment and increasing the quality |
| depends on the marketing and branding plan of | | | | score. |
| the company. | | | | Since it provides focused information, it helps |
| Why do you need a Microsite? | | | | to engage the users and encourage them to keep |
| It lets you focus on a specific purpose or | | | | coming back thereby increasing the user loyalty. |
| cause. | | | | It can be used for entirely commercial |
| Promoting new merchandise or product-line. | | | | purposes by creating in-depth information about a |
| Provide customized pricing. | | | | particular product or service, such as describing |
| Segregate B2B and B2C clients. | | | | the new product launch. |
| What makes a Microsite different from Corporate | | | | Microsites can be easily and quickly adjusted |
| Website? | | | | to suit the marketers' needs. If the site is not |
| Anything a corporate site can do, a microsite can | | | | performing as per the expectations and traffic, |
| do better. The main aim of microsites is to | | | | user retention and other marketing metrics are |
| provide specialized information which may be | | | | not favorable; microsites can be changed |
| either commercial or editorial in nature. Because of | | | | accordingly to meet the marketing expectations. |
| their narrower focus, these sites can be | | | | Microsites can be optimally used as a viral |
| effectively used as hub pages talking about | | | | marketing tool. Viral marketing is one of the |
| specific product or service and their detailed | | | | aspects that search engines tacitly endorse. |
| attribute. This makes them a dedicated portal | | | | Moreover, it is an advertising concept that helps |
| targeting picky topic thereby making the content | | | | to increase the brand awareness and achieve |
| of high value. Due to this reason they can be | | | | other marketing objectives through self-replicating |
| easily optimized for the search engines as well as | | | | viral process in an absolute cost-effective manner. |
| several Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns. | | | | As far as who can benefit from the microsite |
| Search engines love quality content as they | | | | is concerned, the answer is simple - anyone. As |
| satisfy the users' thirst and microsite being a | | | | long as the content is good and focused there |
| dedicated platform to talk about a specific topic is | | | | won't be any problems because the marketing |
| best suited for the optimization process. On the | | | | goals on the microsite are always absolutely clear. |
| other hand, microsites can also be optimally used | | | | Things to keep in mind when planning a Microsite |
| for the PPC campaigns. Since microsites talk | | | | Investment of the resources - Building a |
| about a specific topic, it's easier to run a | | | | microsite requires the same amount of |
| marketing campaign on it. It's because when user | | | | investment in terms of money, time and human |
| lands on the page, he will not be distracted by | | | | efforts as required by the corporate website. |
| other topics concerning the business. Rather, he | | | | Additionally, other resources will be required to |
| will see only what he has come for thereby | | | | maintain the site and keep it updated. Therefore, |
| considerably increasing the chances of conversion | | | | it is quite necessary to be crystal clear regarding |
| as well as higher conversion rates over the period. | | | | the marketing plans of the microsite and how the |
| Additionally, a corporate website is too big for a | | | | objectives are going to be achieved. |
| user to understand and surf. It is usually laden | | | | Don't forget the primary domain - If the |
| with loads of content about numerous offerings | | | | company is product based, a microsite is an |
| by the company. Often, the content on the | | | | optimal choice. Sometimes it may get |
| corporate site is not in much detail which hampers | | | | overwhelming response but one should never let |
| the user's ability to understand the authenticity | | | | that unexpected response take on the main |
| and the technical know-how of the business. Thus, | | | | business. Always remember, corporate site is the |
| microsite helps in building the confidence of the | | | | face of the company and all other microsites |
| user and educating him in detail about the topic in | | | | should take the back seat when corporate |
| question. | | | | identity and brand awareness is being talked |
| Some of the advantages of microsites are: | | | | about. It is not necessary for a microsite to have |
| It acts as a dynamic online sales | | | | the same design as the main website but its |
| representative for the company. | | | | design should be related or reflect the business |
| It improves the value of primary domain | | | | model of the parent website. |
| name by drawing attention of the online population | | | | Prepare the search strategy - Search |
| to the primary business website. | | | | marketing strategy differs from company to |
| It helps to increase the traffic by ranking well | | | | company. Some prefer to build several microsites |
| in the search engines. If carefully optimized, it will | | | | and link them to the main website while others |
| begin appearing in the search engine results page | | | | prefer to build a larger website with loads of |
| thereby attracting substantial amount of traffic to | | | | updated content. Before moving forward, do a |
| the business leading to more sales and branding. | | | | brain-storming session with the department |
| With the natural occurrence and prevalence | | | | responsible for the online marketing efforts. |