In the past couple of issues, we've covered two of the seven major direct marketing website strategies. So far we've looked at the pitfalls of using your corporate website as a sales avenue and we outlined some critical strategies for paid search success.
This week we're going to look at a third strategy: creating a product microsite.
A microsite is one of the most effective, efficient and powerful ways to generate a lead or make a sale. With a product microsite, you're able to focus your message on your target audience without navigation distractions, using direct response sales copy and graphics.
By its very nature a product microsite will not have a navigation bar at the top, bottom or side because you don't want your prospect straying from your core message.
The main sales copy should guide your reader to scroll down, leading to the bottom of the page where your reader can respond. It can also feature periodic hyperlinks that send the reader further down the page to a response area such as an order form or subscription box.
It's important to follow the direct response copy rules. More complex products will require more copy and less complex products will need less copy.
Don't be afraid of long copy. Your copy will not be too long if you create palpable interest for your target audience and show them why it's in their self-interest to respond.
You can also increase your response by having a sidebar. The sidebar is an terrific place to include testimonials, premiums and other tactics to help increase credibility.
If you use a sidebar, a key strategy is to place it on the right. Years of testing have shown that a left hand sidebar will distract from your main copy. Also, start it below your headline. This way the eye will catch the headline (and nothing else) first.
By now the purpose of a microsite is probably clear: it's all about guiding your prospect through the direct response copy to your offer. If your prospect is jumping all over your website, you're giving them more opportunities to be distracted and abort any potential sale.
Below is a great example of a product microsite. This microsite is for an alternative arthritis medication called PainFree. You'll notice it features very limited navigation options. In fact, almost every link on the site simply takes you through the site to the ordering form.
Among the various web strategies, a microsite is usually the most profitable for both consumer and business-to-business marketers.
