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Microsites: The Low-Cost, High-Impact Marketing Solution for Manufacturers
Microsites and full-blown websites are both important marketing tools for manufacturers, but they have different purposes and benefits.
Microsites usually focus on a single topic or campaign and include just a few pages. Because they’re small, they’re easier and less costly to develop.
For large manufacturing companies, microsites have another key benefit. A microsite strategy allows you to build a standalone site quickly with an external vendor, bypassing internal IT processes and workload prioritization. We call this approach “going rogue for a reason,” and it can help you meet brand standards without taking IT folks away from other priorities.
10 microsite use cases for manufacturers
Here are ten ways manufacturing companies can use microsites to achieve their marketing goals.
- Promoting a specific product: Microsites are a great way to promote a specific product or a special offer. Because they’re more focused and targeted than full websites, they can be more effective at generating leads and sales.
- Testing or running a new marketing campaign: Microsites can help you test or run a targeted marketing campaign. Even better, the site can be designed to collect leads or drive traffic, which can help you achieve specific goals.
- Engaging with customers: When you need to provide customers with information, offer support or collect feedback, consider a microsite. It can help you understand customers' needs and improve your product.
- Testing new product ideas: If your manufacturing company wants to test a new product, a microsite is a cost-effective way to do so. Microsites can be created quickly and easily, and they can be easily modified or updated.
- Supporting a standalone initiative: Launching a seasonal effort, sustainability campaign, or employee hiring blitz? These standalone initiatives are perfect for a microsite and simplify promoting your initiative to customers or employees.
- Promoting a newly acquired brand or product: If you’ve recently acquired a new brand or product, microsites can play a role in your immediate marketing strategy and buy you time to create a long-term brand or product integration strategy.
- Promoting a trade show or event: A microsite is a great way to let prospects and customers know you’re attending a trade show or hosting an event. This can help you reach a wider audience and generate more leads.
- Delivering your annual report: The days of glossy, printed annual reports are largely over. Microsites allow you to have an interactive version of your report that’s easy to share with stakeholders.
- Partnering with other businesses: A microsite can be used to partner with other businesses and create a joint web property that showcases both of your products.
- Entering (or considering) a new vertical: Want to enter a new vertical? Microsites are a flexible way to launch a new site quickly or gauge interest before committing additional resources to a new idea.
Fjorge case study: Manufacturer enters a new vertical
One of our B2B manufacturing clients discovered that consumers were using one of their products in a new way. To quickly capitalize on this adjacent market, fjorge built the manufacturer a microsite that spoke directly to consumers and led to [something about results here].
Advice for manufacturers when building a microsite
There are several ways to create a microsite – you can use a DIY website builder, hire a web developer, or use a free microsite platform. Your site’s features will depend on your specific needs and budget, but here are a few tips from fjorge:
- Have a clear goal: What do you want to achieve with your microsite? Getting clear on your goals makes it easier to move quickly.
- Focus on a specific audience: Who are you trying to reach with your microsite? Once you know your target audience, you can tailor the content and design of your microsite to appeal to them.
- Keep it simple: Microsites should be just a few pages of content that’s easy to use and navigate. Avoid cluttering your microsite with too much information or too many features.
- Promote it regularly: Once your microsite is live, you need to let people know about it. Remember to promote your microsite on your website, social media pages, and email marketing campaigns.
Fjorge is an experienced B2B microsite development partner
If you're a manufacturing company that wants to reach a targeted audience and achieve your marketing goals, then a microsite may be the right solution. If you need an experienced B2B microsite development partner, fjorge is here and ready to help.