# The Marketing Miracle of Microsites

- Link: https://chatterblast.com/blog/the-marketing-miracle-of-microsites/
- Published: 2020-12-04T19:32:42-05:00
- Author: chatterblastteam

Living in the digital age, most of us are already aware of how important online 
engagement is for a company to thrive. But with so many brands offering digital 
experiences, how can yours stand out? It often seems like your standard web page
and social platforms aren’t enough — and that’s where **microsites** can come into
play.

## **What is a microsite?**

A microsite is almost exactly what it sounds like: a small portion of a brand packed
into its own separate webpage. They have a unique domain name and tend to serve 
one specific purpose. So instead of cramming every bit of information about your
business into your main homepage, you can take an important project or initiative
and give it its own deserved space.

Don’t be fooled: These tiny sites can pack a big punch! When you give a project 
its own microsite, you’re giving it room to grow. Users are less distracted by other
content, and they likely didn’t have to dig through a more cluttered page to find
what they were looking for. This means good things for SEO and the overall user 
experience.

[[

##### _Screenshot via 2020.byspotify.com_

One microsite you’ve probably seen a lot over the past couple of days is [**Spotify Wrapped**](https://chatterblast.com/podcast-power-brand-building-and-audio-advertising/).
Once a year, [**Spotify**](https://chatterblast.com/podcast-power-brand-building-and-audio-advertising/)
gives users a glance at their year in music, hosted on a microsite at **2020.byspotify.
com**. Note that this is separate from their homepage spotify.com, which means users
get a full-screen, uninterrupted look at the information they want.

The site gives a fun and interactive look at the top songs, artists, and genres 
that have been streamed on the platform over the last 12 months, along with a strong
encouragement for users to open their Spotify app to see their own personalized 
results. Because who doesn’t want to be reminded of the soundtrack to their first
[global pandemic](https://chatterblast.com/category/covid-19/)?

[[

##### _Screenshot via elfyourself.com_

An old favorite that you may see in your inbox soon is the festive [**Elf Yourself**](https://www.elfyourself.com/)
by** Office Depot**. Users can upload photos of themselves, friends, and family 
onto the bodies of dancing elves with the encouragement to share the personalized
video with others afterwards. 

While it may seem simple and silly, it’s estimated that [1.9 billion elves](https://www.elfyourself.com/)
have been created on the microsite in its lifetime — which is pretty good for a 
seasonal campaign! Suddenly, Office Depot is a fun and festive company responsible
for bringing holiday cheer to more than 1 billion people around the globe.

[[

##### _Screenshot via everylastdrop.co.uk_

A bit less personalized but equally impactful, [**EveryLastDrop.co.uk**](http://everylastdrop.co.uk/)
by **Waterwise** is a beautifully designed infographic microsite that showcases 
water waste in the UK with a call to action to reduce it. The webpage is very user-
friendly and interactive. As you scroll, new numbers and images fill the screen.

Boasting a [CSS award](https://www.csswinner.com/details/every-last-drop/4375) and
more than 26,000 likes on Facebook, this microsite seems to also have reached much
further than its parent company’s normal audience. All the extra eyes on this project
have undoubtedly brought more attention to the parent company as a result and hopefully
influenced a good portion of folks to turn off the tap when brushing their teeth.

## **How can a microsite help your brand?**

Microsites create brand awareness, encourage more user engagement, and tend to rank
higher in web searches. This is all thanks to simplified content and design. When
you put away all other distractions, users are only looking at what you specially
crafted for them. Plus, when you give one of your ideas its own microsite, you’re
automatically enhancing its value. You’re letting users know that this project is
unique enough to have its own space, and you then get the opportunity to show them
why.

Simply telling your audience that water waste is a problem doesn’t pack the same
punch as watching an animated man take a shower, then fly into space. And sometimes
you just have to turn everyday people into elves to get them to care about office
supplies.

## **Ready to create your own?**

If you’re thinking your business could benefit from a microsite, the first step 
is to strategize and choose which project you want to highlight. You’ll then need
to choose the type of domain, the overall design, your call to action, and how social
media will play into all of this. If this all sounds overwhelming, don’t stress:
[reach out to us](https://chatterblast.com/contact/) to get started.
