As power of the Internet unfolded this past decade, so did a slew of branded microsites—small, self-contained Web destinations published separately from a marketer's primary site. The primary objective of such sites was to disseminate specialized marketing messages for a specific brand, product or service, enabling companies to engage large online audiences for branding or lead generation. But for many, that’s where it stopped. After a given period of time, the microsites died, often leaving communities of passionate brand ambassadors pining for more.
Why? Microsites typically are built for a defined campaign and used as a “throw-away” marketing tool. The problem is that, unlike a print piece that can literally be tossed in the trash, many microsites are left online for the world to see, wilting away with outdated and inaccurate information. And it’s not the sole fault of the advertiser. The ad agencies that create these sites must look beyond the short-term and recognize the long-term effects of a microsite, not to mention the rewards for both advertiser and agency.
In short, a “one-trick pony” microsite—or worse, one that’s left online to die—can have significant ramifications for the advertisers. Not only does this risk the loss of an engaged and loyal audience, it can negatively impact the brand and goods being sold.
Fortunately, microsites still carry a significant upside. In fact, in today’s social media-rich environment, you could say it’s just the beginning. Companies with stale microsites, as well as those who have kept theirs alive, have a tremendous opportunity to re-think how this targeted online medium can—and should—be integrated into their on-going marketing strategies.. This is a trend that we at Active Athlete believe will be a driving force for engaging online audiences at their passion point. As they continue to evolve into social conversational tools, companies will be wise to continue investing in, adding functionality to and looking more strategically at the value of microsites.
Stay tuned for a future post on the components of an effective microsite
