4 Tips for Mastering Microsites
July 2008 By Joe Boland, Copy Editor/assistant Editor, Target Marketing
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As more consumers venture online to shop, marketers are looking for ways to engage would-be customers on the Internet. One way to do that is through the use of microsites. Jill Zoria, vice president of client strategy and development for the Pittsburgh-based creative marketing and distribution agency Communifax, offers important tips for using this popular marketing device.
1. Use multiple channels to drive prospects to your microsite. Don’t limit microsite advertisements to just a direct mail piece specifically designed for the microsite offer. If you do, you’re ignoring potential customers who don’t respond well to direct mail. Use newspaper ads, e-mail blasts, television solicitations and online banner ads in tandem with direct mail campaigns that emphasize the microsite.
“We hit them from all these channels and drive them all to this microsite, and it really works to get more people there,” explains Zoria.
2. Make the site relevant. Why should prospects visit your microsite? What’s in it for them? Make sure to run a promotion or offer content that prospects can’t get anywhere else. That, says Zoria, gives people a reason to visit. Once there, you can make your sales pitch, whatever it may be.
3. Use a registration page on the site to gather valuable information and give a personalized experience. A registration page can be invaluable for marketers, gathering useful data about visitors. It also can enhance visitors’ experiences by tailoring the microsite to their specific answers. For example, if a visitor registers as a 20-year-old male, he may get a page that looks a little different than someone who registers as a 40-year-old woman. This offers visitors a more personalized experience.
4. Give them a reason to come back. One great way to encourage repeat visits is via the use of user-generated content. Allow visitors to upload photos, videos and stories for others to view. This encourages them to come back either to see what others think of the content they’ve contributed or to take a look at new information others have uploaded. “The user-generated content aspect is so important,” says Zoria. “It’s becoming increasingly popular among marketers and companies.” And each time visitors come back, they get your offer again and again.
1. Use multiple channels to drive prospects to your microsite. Don’t limit microsite advertisements to just a direct mail piece specifically designed for the microsite offer. If you do, you’re ignoring potential customers who don’t respond well to direct mail. Use newspaper ads, e-mail blasts, television solicitations and online banner ads in tandem with direct mail campaigns that emphasize the microsite.
“We hit them from all these channels and drive them all to this microsite, and it really works to get more people there,” explains Zoria.
2. Make the site relevant. Why should prospects visit your microsite? What’s in it for them? Make sure to run a promotion or offer content that prospects can’t get anywhere else. That, says Zoria, gives people a reason to visit. Once there, you can make your sales pitch, whatever it may be.
3. Use a registration page on the site to gather valuable information and give a personalized experience. A registration page can be invaluable for marketers, gathering useful data about visitors. It also can enhance visitors’ experiences by tailoring the microsite to their specific answers. For example, if a visitor registers as a 20-year-old male, he may get a page that looks a little different than someone who registers as a 40-year-old woman. This offers visitors a more personalized experience.
4. Give them a reason to come back. One great way to encourage repeat visits is via the use of user-generated content. Allow visitors to upload photos, videos and stories for others to view. This encourages them to come back either to see what others think of the content they’ve contributed or to take a look at new information others have uploaded. “The user-generated content aspect is so important,” says Zoria. “It’s becoming increasingly popular among marketers and companies.” And each time visitors come back, they get your offer again and again.
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