What if I told you that you don’t need a traditional website to succeed?
You don’t need to write dozens of pages of content or buy multiple tools and plug-ins to have an “online presence.”
All you need is a simple, one-page microsite.
For the past few years, big brands have been building microsites to reach specific marketing goals. So far, they’ve been successful. In fact, they’re building more and more microsites each year.
Now it’s your time to join them.
Before I show you how, let’s answer a simple question first…
What is a microsite?
As the name suggests, it’s a smaller version of a website. It’s an individual, branded web page that lives outside of your business’ home page. A microsite has its own domain name or subdomain.
Marketers often use microsites for specific goals. When they want to capture leads, release new products, or run special deals, they’ll create a specific microsite to reach those goals.
Unlike landing pages, microsites can have multiple call-to-actions. Landing pages are all about conversions. Meanwhile, microsites can be used for brand awareness, experiment with your marketing, and deliver a different kind of experience to your audience.
That’s why many entrepreneurs, influencers, content creators, network marketers, speakers, and coaches are choosing to build microsites instead of traditional websites.
They’re not the only ones, big brands are now building microsites. But before you build your microsite, you must know the basics.
Examples of Microsites
This is a great example of a lead generation microsite. When you take the quiz, they will ask for your email address to get the results.
The microsite looks like a landing page. However, this isn’t a sub-domain of a website. It has its own URL.
Red Bull created an entirely new microsite to feature their case studies and testimonials. Since it’s not part of their main website (the URL starts with “atrun.redbull.com” and not “www.redbull.com”), they’re able to experiment more with their branding.
As you can see, the microsite is more interactive and has a different feel compared to their other marketing assets.
You can also create a microsite to raise awareness for a specific cause. A good example is Every Last Drop.
This microsite is intuitive, engaging, and entertaining. You can’t help but scroll down. Once you reach the bottom, they have one call-to-action – watch the video.
You can create a microsite specifically to optimize your organic lead generation and increase brand engagement.
A great example is Kim Bauer’s microsite. Once her audience visits the microsite, they’re immediately greeted with a quick bio and then multiple call-to-action buttons. Kim immediately connects her audience with content that positions her as an authority in her industry.
Before you build the microsite, you must know the basics first.
5 Elements of an Effective Microsite
Whether you’re building a microsite for lead generation or brand awareness, having these 6 elements will boost your chances of meeting your goals.
1. Targeted Content
The content in your microsite must immediately appeal to your target market.
Place the #1 thing your market wants above the fold.
2. Easy Navigation
If visitors need to figure out how to navigate your microsite, you’ve already failed.
You must make it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for and quickly. The second someone looks at your page you want it to be obvious what you’re offering.
A test I utilize is the 6ft rule. If you have your site up on your computer monitor and stand 6ft away, can you tell what the microsite is saying?
Make sure your microsite is intuitive and simple enough that a quick glance is all you need.
3. Shareable
Your microsite link must be short enough so it can be shared on your Instagram, Facebook, and other social platforms.
You also need it to have branded images so that when a person shares your microsite link, the preview is an image directly tied to your microsite and its purpose...
PLUS, an optimized URL can boost your company’s homepage rankings.
4. Clear CTA
What’s the purpose of your microsite? Is it to generate leads? Increase brand awareness? Get more sales?
You must know and it must reflect in your call-to-action. This clear CTA will also help your visitors know exactly what to do next and have easy access to that choice.
5. Integrated with Analytics
Tracking is crucial to any marketing effort. If you have the right analytics, you’ll know immediately whether what you’re doing is working or not.
Your microsite needs to have tracking capabilities so you get the metrics you need to make better marketing decisions.
Specific metrics like…
- Your visitors’ geolocation
- How much time they spend on your microsite
- The exact traffic source visitors came from
- What’s the most link clicked
…can help you know WHO your customers are and create custom content that caters to their specific needs.
Once you create a microsite with these 5 elements, you’re not just one step closer to your one specific goal…you’ll also get these “hidden benefits.”
4“Hidden Benefits” of Using a Microsite
1. Increased brand visibility
An effective microsite can help you get new visitors through organic marketing (via shares, word of mouth, etc.). If you give them a targeted experience, they’re more likely to come back again or interact in the future..
2. Affordable alternative to websites
You don’t need a robust website to thrive in today’s digital marketing landscape. You simply need to have an optimized online presence. A microsite can help you do that with less time and less money.
3. Accelerate Customer Journey
Your microsite can turn new visitors into buyers and turn buyers into repeat buyers. You simply need to be crystal clear about who the microsite is for and what the CTA is.
Simplicity and focus in messaging is the key to a microsite.
4. Perfect for "mobile-first" users
Think of the last time you went anywhere without your phone - it’s been a while, hasn’t it? Mobile website visitors are often first-time website visitors - make a good first impression!
Visitors will appreciate a straightforward site that shows them exactly what they want right away. If you wanna tap a growing demographic, create a microsite.
But that’s not enough.
You still need to promote your microsite.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Tips for Promoting Your Microsite
The adage “build it and they will come” won’t work anymore.
You need to have a promotion strategy to make the most out of your microsite.
Here are a few tips to get you started
Tip #1: Your Instagram Bio
Instagram only allows one link in each account’s description. This is the best place to put your microsite link.
Whenever IG users visit your profile, they’ll immediately see your link.
To increase your chances of success, publish more often on Instagram! Comment on other people’s posts. Engage and reply back to people who left comments on your post.
Tip #2: Your Facebook Profile
Add your microsite link in your Facebook description - better if it has a CTA.
Find Facebook groups your prospects are active interact with as many prospects as you can while also respecting group rules.
If you’re helpful and leave valuable comments, people will most likely check out your Facebook profile and see your link.
Tip #3: Partner with marketers with audiences related to your industry
If you know entrepreneurs who have an audience related to yours, you can offer them your expertise/services/products in exchange for a shoutout to their email list, social media, podcast, or other content.
This is a quick way to drive high-quality traffic to your microsite.
There are many more strategies, for now, try these and you'll be surprised how much your business will grow.
The Future of Microsites
We are now overwhelmed with information. Sometimes we just want to get the information we want on page 1. We don’t want to sift through the different pages until we find the answer.
The same goes for microsites.
If a website has hundreds of pages, a new visitor can easily get lost.
A microsite is a great way to summarize your content, filter down the options, and give the visitors what they really need, fast!
Wavoto helps you create microsites within minutes. You can personalize it with our drag-and-drop builder, install tracking and tagging so you get better analytics, and most importantly, we can make your microsites intuitive and interactive.