Microsites

A microsite is a type of website that is separate from a company’s main site and is focused on a specific campaign, product, event, or theme. It typically has its own branding, content, and navigation, and is designed to deliver a distinct user experience from the corporate site.

Microsites are characterized by a limited scope and often a limited lifespan. They may reside on a unique domain or a subdomain and are created to target a particular audience or objective. Content is tailored to a single purpose and may be simpler in structure than the main site, with streamlined navigation and a strong call to action.

Common uses include marketing campaigns, product launches, event registrations, brand storytelling, and landing pages designed to drive conversions or collect user data. Microsites are planned with specific performance metrics, such as engagement or signups, and are frequently deployed with analytics and tracking to measure success. They follow a lifecycle that includes planning, development, launch, monitoring, and decommissioning when the goal is fulfilled.

Design and technical considerations emphasize speed, responsiveness, accessibility, and a cohesive user experience while remaining aligned with brand guidelines. SEO strategy may focus on campaign-specific keywords and canonicalization to avoid content duplication with the main site. Microsites can be built with various technologies, from static hosting to content management systems or single-page applications, and may be integrated with marketing automation or CRM tools.

Advantages of microsites include focused messaging, improved conversion rates, and easier performance testing. Drawbacks can include maintenance overhead, potential fragmentation of the brand, and the need for clear governance to ensure consistency with the main site and overall digital strategy.