What Is a Microsite? Definition, Examples, Microsite vs Landing Page vs Website, SEO and When to Use One
What a microsite is in marketing
In this article
A microsite is a small, standalone website, usually a handful of pages, created for a specific campaign, product launch, event, audience or story, separate from a company's main website. It often has its own domain or subdomain and its own design, allowing a brand to create a focused, immersive experience without the constraints of the main site.
Microsite vs landing page vs website
| Landing page | Microsite | Main website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | One page | A few to a dozen pages | Many pages |
| Purpose | One conversion action | One campaign, product, event or theme | Represent the whole business |
| Lifespan | Campaign length | Campaign to multi-year | Permanent |
| Domain | Usually main domain path | Own domain, subdomain or subfolder | Main domain |
| Design | Conversion-focused | Often unique, immersive | Brand standard |
(See What is a landing page?.)
Microsite examples
- Product launch: an interactive site for a new phone, car or app feature with 3D visuals and specs
- Event: a conference site with agenda, speakers, venue and tickets
- Campaign storytelling: an annual "year in review" or impact report with scroll animations
- Recruitment: a careers microsite showcasing culture and roles
- Sub-brand or new market: a site for a product line aimed at a different audience
- Interactive tool: a calculator, quiz or configurator
- Partnerships: co-branded campaign sites
Benefits of microsites
- Focus: one topic without the main site's navigation and clutter
- Creative freedom: unique design, motion and interactivity (see What are motion graphics?)
- Speed to launch: independent of slow corporate website processes
- Targeted messaging for specific audiences
- Easier campaign measurement
- Memorable campaign URLs for ads, print and TV
Drawbacks
- SEO split: a separate domain doesn't benefit from (or add to) your main site's authority
- Maintenance: extra sites to update, secure and eventually retire
- Brand fragmentation if not managed
- Cost of design, build and hosting
- Abandoned microsites with outdated info can hurt trust
Microsites and SEO
- For long-term SEO value, a subfolder on your main domain (brand.com/campaign) usually helps most, because links and traffic strengthen your main site
- Separate domains suit short campaigns, distinct brands, or when you want a memorable URL
- When retiring a microsite, 301 redirect its URLs to relevant main-site pages to keep link value
- Ensure crawlable content, unique titles and descriptions, and fast performance
How to build a microsite
- Define the goal and audience (sign-ups, launch awareness, event registrations)
- Plan pages and content: typically home, details, proof/FAQ and CTA page
- Choose domain strategy: subfolder, subdomain or new domain (see How to buy a domain name)
- Design for the campaign: bold visuals, interactions, mobile-first
- Build with Webflow, Framer or custom code for performance and animations (see What is the best website builder?)
- Add tracking: analytics, UTM parameters, conversion events
- Integrate forms with CRM and email
- Launch and promote via ads, email, social and PR
- Plan the end: archive, redirect or fold content into the main site
How much does a microsite cost?
Simple microsites built with a builder can cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars; custom, animated or interactive microsites from agencies often cost $5,000–$50,000+. (General ranges: How much does a website cost?)
Frequently asked questions
What is a microsite?
A small, standalone website created for a specific campaign, product, event or audience, separate from a company's main website.
What is the difference between a microsite and a landing page?
A landing page is a single page focused on one action; a microsite has several pages and offers a fuller experience around one theme.
Are microsites good for SEO?
Separate-domain microsites don't build your main site's authority. For long-term SEO, a subfolder on the main domain is usually better.
When should I use a microsite?
For product launches, events, campaigns, sub-brands or interactive experiences that need their own focus and design.
Can a microsite be on a subdomain?
Yes. Microsites can live on subdomains, subfolders or entirely separate domains depending on goals.
What happens to a microsite after the campaign?
Either keep it updated, archive it, or redirect its pages to the main website to preserve traffic and links.
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Start a conversationWritten by Sachin Rawat
AI & automation engineer · websites, apps and motion design
I build AI agents, automations, websites, apps and motion design for businesses. These guides answer the questions people actually search, written from hands-on experience building them.
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