It’s more than likely you’ve visited a microsite without even realizing it. A microsite is a super versatile but often overlooked format. We’re going to tell you everything you need to know about microsites so you can create content and connect with your target audience, allowing you to achieve your goals.

What is a microsite?

A microsite (also called a microsite, hot site, or web lab) is a separate and independent webpage from a company’s main website. It has its own URL and is used to promote a service, product, or run a specific campaign.

The main difference between a microsite and the main website lies in the complexity and, generally, the duration of the message. Microsites are linked to a single promotion or topic and are used for a limited time (specific blog posts, marketing campaigns, events, etc.). We analyze all of these aspects when designing a website in Madrid with Salago.

And what are the advantages of a microsite?

To begin with, a microsite empowers a company with innovation and allows it to step outside its comfort zone in terms of brand image and marketing strategy. A microsite allows for creative development in different ways:

Marketing campaign segmentation. This involves focusing a piece of content created to meet well-defined objectives. It won’t detract from the focus of your main website and will allow you to showcase the information that matters, such as service descriptions, company values, and policies.
Optimized and high-quality information. By clearly defining the content to offer (a single, direct message), your buyer persona can easily find what interests them, improving the conversion rate.
Design and user experience. The microsite allows you to unify design and innovation, giving you the opportunity to present a fresh perspective on your brand image that resonates with users and even allows you to interact with them. Show that your content is on top of the latest trends! You can do this by adding new formats such as 3D videos, interactive infographics, and more. Brand Relationship and Customer Engagement. The microsite shouldn’t be seen as a copy-and-paste of your website. Explore new approaches! It’s important that your microsite allows for interaction and sharing on social media. Newsletter subscriptions, encouraging users to share reviews of the product or service received, etc., can be very interesting initiatives to detect the communication and interaction preferences of your customers or target audience.
Measurement and Analysis. Since it’s a microsite with its own domain, branding strategies can be implemented. Tracking user interaction on the website will also be easier, allowing you to assess how the microsite campaign objectives are being met (ROI, as well as the project’s reach, among other variables) using analytics tools like those provided by Google.

Differences between a Microsite and a Landing Page

One of the substantial differences between a microsite and a landing page is that the microsite generally includes a link to the main website. However, the landing page is independent of it.

A microsite has a promotional purpose, unlike a landing page, which is 100% action-oriented (hence the inclusion of a Call to Action).

How much does a microsite cost?

This is the big question: how much can a microsite cost? You might think that, being a small website, it will be cheap, but that’s not necessarily the case. Generally, the most affordable aspect of a microsite is the basic web development. After that, a large part of the investment focuses on design, functionalities, and appropriate strategic activities.

Creating a page with just a few URLs isn’t very expensive, but the price will increase depending on the functionalities you want to include.

Practical examples of microsites:
The New York Times Magazine: Walking New York

The New York Times Magazine brought a truly unique and exclusive microsite to users where they could remotely walk the streets of New York City.

Leveraging Google Maps data, users can take an immersive tour of the city’s most popular areas on their site and even learn about the most historic and exciting corners of the Big Apple as they explore.

The Good Commission

ING showcases its collaboration with UNICEF through its microsite, “The Good Investment,” which features a portal explaining the various projects funded by the money raised and how it can impact different communities.

These are just a few practical examples to help you understand what a microsite is. You probably already know how to make the most of it. Need help?