A microsite, according to the Content Standard, is a branded digital asset that lives just outside of the company homepage or brand URL. These sites generally last for a shorter period than full websites and are focused on a particular goal, like raising awareness for an event, or testing copy for a sales strategy.
Here’s everything you need to know about the differences between a microsite, and a website.
The main difference is that your website is the heart and soul of your online presence. Your website is the primary connection point between you and your customers, your prospects, employees, and even contractors. It’s where you attract people to learn about everything you are, and whatever you do. If you need a new website or rebuild your existing one, please check our Website Development product.
A microsite, on the other hand, is a website with a special purpose. While your website draws attention to all of your products or services, your microsite might only focus on one very important component of what you do. Often, when it comes to choosing between a website vs a microsite, you’ll opt for a microsite when you’re looking at reaching a specific audience or highlighting a unique product.
The important thing to understand when choosing a landing page vs. a microsite is that the right choice for you is going to depend on your goals. If you are building brand awareness, enhancing your audience’s experience and interaction with your brand, while telling a larger story, a microsite is a way to go. On the other hand, landing pages are the best choice for engagement on a specific product or service with a direct and obvious call to action.
What is Landing Page and what it used for?
In online marketing, a landing page, sometimes known as a “lead capture page“, “static page“, or a “destination page“, is a single web page that appears in response to clicking on a search engine optimized search result, marketing promotion, marketing email, text message link or scan of QR code.
The landing page will usually display directed sales copy that is a logical extension of the advertisement, search result, or link. It can host coupons and allow user to login to claim coupons or to access/enroll in the loyalty program, update profile or share your offers as a part of the referral program.
Landing pages are often linked to social media, e-mail campaigns or search engine marketing campaigns in order to enhance the effectiveness of the advertisements. The general goal of a landing page is to convert site visitors into sales or leads.
Microsites are specific domains that cover a single subject or individual campaign. In this case, you would register a different domain for each microsite, and its web address would be something like www.YourCampaignMicrosite.com or CampaignMicrosite.YourDomain.com.
Microsites give you flexibility. They are a topic-based website that contain between three (3) and thirty (30) pages worth of specific content that visitors can interact with.
Although a specific call to action is a must on each page, the goal of a microsite is to create an experience around a specific story and often includes multiple products or services. Microsites tend to function best when used to facilitate brand awareness and engagement while they act as part of a larger campaign.
Recapture their attention with relevant retargeting experiences by offering special offers and coupons. The online coupons offer brings customers back to your store.
Increase the odds they’ll come back, with the cross-device, cross-channel loyalty program. As a part of the customer digital journey, your customers will need to register for the loyalty and rewards programs. It can be hosted on the landing page or microsite.
Accept appointments through your website. No more phone calls or back-and-forth emails trying to find a time that works for both parties. Ideal for anyone who needs to easily book appointments with customers. We make it super easy to get up and running.