Microsites can pack a big branding wallop in a tight focused package. Fred Brown writes an in-depth article for iMedia Connection on just what makes these small sites great extensions, or even an alternative, to building a big web presence for your brand or product. They have inherent benefits from being such a tightly designed experience, especially in terms of budget and the ability to create them more quickly than a full-fledged web site. Brown also argues that they give marketers a little more room for risk taking, even as a place to experiment.
One of the most interesting points in the piece is out how the compact, tightly designed experience of a microsite mimics the focused communication of a TV spot. Drawing the line from that analogy, a major branded web site could be nothing more than the modern extension of the old sponsored soap opera. There it is, full of half-engaging content trying to keep you around and be clever about the fact that it s just pushing you a product. With a microsite, marketers create a focused experience around their brand that they can roll out much more quickly and cheaply than a big old web page. What’s not to like? One challenge is figuring out what makes an engaging microsite, and Brown’s excellent piece covers that by digging up a list of his top 10.
Read more at iMedia Connection.
