What can microsites offer your corporate website?

Could a microsite be right for your company website? They provide a powerful online advantage when used well.

A microsite consists of a web page (or group of pages) that are linked to a principal site but exist under their own URL. These pages often contain original content that is updated more often that that of a parent site and are often much narrower in focus.

The semi-attached arrangement lends the perception of distance to its content from its parent site, which can be a great advantage. Philanthropic campaigns, joint initiatives with other companies, as well as promotions that seek an audience separate from the company’s parent site are all strong fits for a microsite. Any topic that is not central to the corporate identity lends itself to a microsite solution

Perhaps the leading benefit in favour of creating a microsite is in the edge it gives you in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Microsites allow a company to target a completely different niche that a parent site. By carefully developing it around certain keywords, tags, and other techniques, a microsite can be designed for coverage capture a much broader online audience.

It can also provide new commercial opportunities. With the prevalence of contextual advertising or Pay-per-click, microsites that showcase a specific product or niche can be attractive canvasses. They also tend to boost both the volume and quality of traffic of the parent site, spidering the audience along with minimal navigation.