What is a micro site, and how can it help with online marketing?

A micro site is a website developed to target one particular product, service or sales campaign. It’s used to communicate a specific product carried by a company, be it an upcoming exhibition or trade show, an event - such as an initial public offering, or a time-based push by a sales force for a particular business or product offering. Micro sites help create buzz, excitement and emphasis as well as helping to break away from the clutter, so that a business can stand out from the crowd.

Many established e-commerce companies produce dedicated micro sites for each of their product lines in order to associate each one individually with a highly specific visual style. Product-targeted microsites also provide visitors with accurate and relevant information in a compact and fast manner, hence reducing prospect attrition rates, thus increasing sales.

Are you planning a marketing campaign or the launch of a new product? If so, you’re probably planning a corresponding web site. You could create a standard website complete with multiple pages and navigation. But have you considered the unique benefits a micro site can provide for these campaigns?

Quality micro site design is less complex than a traditional website and generally consist of only a couple of pages. Some of the benefits of microsite development include:

Less Distraction

Since micro sites are generally only one or a couple of pages, extra features such as complex navigation are not necessary. By removing extras from the micros site you reduce the risk of distracting visitors.

Highlights Next Steps

The ultimate goal is to entice the visitor to perform an action; whether it is to buy a product, sign up for a mailing list, or provide personal information. The simplified nature of micro sites makes it easier to highlight this next step, and motivate the visitor into taking the desired action.

Do you need new landing pages for your banner or pay per click campaigns, or for a new product launch? Newpath WEB create landing pages that increase conversion rates.

Use Landing Pages for

Have you invested in banner ads or other traffic generating strategies? If so, where are you directing this traffic? In most instances, your landing page will be the only opportunity to convert potential customers. Do you simply direct visitors to your home page and hope for the best or have you created a customised web page aimed at engaging potential customers? If you wish to capitalise on your marketing investment, you must also invest in landing page design.

Does a visitor know what to do next? Landing pages should be concise and present the viewer with clearly defined next steps. You must carefully consider what actions you are hoping the visitor will make. Do you want them to sign up for a newsletter, provide personal information, tell others about your product, or make a purchase? Once you’ve decided on these actions, your landing page should focus solely on enticing visitors to complete them.

Is the experience consistent? Your landing page should resemble the initiating advertisement in both content and design. If not, a visitor may think they have mistakenly accessed the wrong page. A consistent message helps drive home your point and adds professionalism as well.

Are you making the most of your space? Most visitors who access your landing page from a banner ad will not stay long. It is critical to be both direct and engaging. You may be tempted to provide detailed information on your landing page but keep in mind that most visitors will not scroll beyond the first page. As addressed above, the next steps should be priority. If you wish to share additional information, try to organize it in bullet points, making it easy to scan the information.