Micro-trends? When (and when not) to make a microsite.

 – posted October 25th, 2007 by Shane Diffily     One comment

“Should I make a microsite?”

This is the question a web manager recently asked of me.


“A major division of ours wants to publish some new content on the internet. Usually we put such stuff straight onto our existing website. However, a debate has started about whether - in this case - we would be better off building a ‘microsite’. I am not sure what to advise. Can you help?”

Microsites defined

First of all, let’s decide what we mean by ‘microsite’.

Google provides a list of about 15 definitions for this term. Although none is prefect, the one I think gets closest to the truth is as follows:

A microsite is “a small web site, usually hosted on a larger site’s server, that has a different address (or URL) from the site’s home page and is generally related to, but not part of, the primary site.” (www.cheaperonthenet.com/shop/mn.html)

How to recognise a microsite in the wild

This definition relies on three parameters:

  1. The size of the site: In general, microsites tend to be small (hence the name!)
  2. The nature of its content: Microsite content is related to - but distinct from - the content of its parent. That is, it may focus on a specialized subject within the scope of the parent. For example, consider the difference between the website of Cork City Council and the microsite of Cork City Fire Brigade.
  3. Its web address: A microsite may be given its own tailored address. Such addresses can appear in the form of a modified sub-domain (e.g. http://remasters.depechemode.com/ ) or as a directory within the parent site (e.g. http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/amazingrarethings/ ).

In addition to this list, we must add Visual Design. Indeed, this is often the most distinguishing feature of a microsite.

Microsites usually have an appearance that feels distinct from the parent, while also demonstrating an underlying relationship to it. This is achieved by using such features as a standard masthead and a similar layout and navigation. For example, the Guinness Hands microsite presents a very similar image to that of its parent Guinness.

So, why make a microsite?

There are three main reasons why you might consider adopting a microsite strategy.

1. For a marketing campaign

Perhaps the most common reason for creating a microsite is for a temporary marketing purpose, e.g. Samsung Camcorder Microsite.

Such microsites allow new content to be published without requiring a changes to the parent site. As a result, they are easy to manage in design terms.

2. To target content at a specific user group

Another reason why a microsite may be created is to target content at a specific class of users (or a specific type of usage), that is distinct from the parent site. This may occur because - if such content were to be located within the parent site - it could feel ‘awkward’ or out-of-place. As such a distinct presence can sometimes be justified.

For example, ESB has created a microsite for the Georgian House Museum which it sponsors.

3. As a convenient repository for extra content

The final reason why a microsite could be made is as a repository for content that could not be successfully accommodated in a parent website.

However, this attribute on its own is usually not enough to justify a microsite over the long-term.

Such reasoning actually suggests that the Information Architecture of the parent needs to be reformulated in order to accommodate a wider scope of content. In the absence of this, a proliferation of microsites could result.

Further reading

For more reading on Microsites, I recommend this article Microsites and SEM: A Proof of Concept and the website Microsite.com.

Categories Design

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