Microsite User Experience Design

Microsite !
User Experience
by Publicis Canada UX Team

© 2010 Publicis Canada!

What is a Microsite?


A Microsite is

n. An individual web page
or group of web pages
which are used to support,
enhance, or supplement
the primary or parent
website.
By Chris Slocumb, Principle of Clarity Quest Marketing
http://www.squidoo.com/bestmicrosites


Example of Parent Sites and Microsites

Coca-Cola
PRIMARY OR PARENT SITES! MICROSITES!

Coca-Cola Canada | http://www.cocacola.ca/
Happiness Factory | http://hf3.coca-cola.com

iCoke | http://www.icoke.ca
Coca-Cola Zero Live Cycle | http://cocacolazero.com


COMMON
CHARACTERISTICS
OF A MICROSITE


Common characteristics of a microsite #1

Focus on one main topic or theme

CIBC Run for the Cure | http://runforthecure.com/



Target speciﬁc audience group

Coca-Cola Canada SOGO Challenge | http://www.sogoactive.com/



Target a new market

Samsung Galaxy Tab | http://galaxytab.samsungmobile.com



Engaging & Experiential

Click image to play the video
Toyota The Auris Hybrid | http://www.auris-hybrid.de/



Story Telling

Satorisan Name That Sneaker | http://satorisan.com/namethatsneaker/


The Microsite
experience depends
on its purpose and
desired user action.


Microsite

Primary Purpose!

INFORM
Tell me!

EDUCATE
Help me understand!

ENGAGE
Make me a part of it!


Microsite

Desired User Action!
INTERACT
PARTICIPATE
Read, watch, play, listen! Post, comment, vote, rate!

TRY
SHARE
Product trial, product demo! Email, facebook, twitter!

PROVIDE DATA
OPT-IN
Personal information! Subscribe to email, newsletter,
mobile!

PURCHASE
BRAND ADVOCACY
Buy products, visit stores! Become a brand advocate!

Old Spice http://www.oldspice.com/

Why Microsite?

Create an experiential, immersive online experience that
drives sharing.
PURPOSE OF DESIRED USER
MICROSITE! ACTION!

Inform! Interact!
Educate! Participate!
Engage! Try!
Share!
Provide Data!
Opt-in!

Purchase!
Brand Advocacy!

Old Spice in P&G.com


Pepsi Refresh Project http://www.refresheverything.com

Why Microsite?

A social hub that supports the functionality of Pepsi s
speciﬁc initiative.
MICROSITE! ACTION!

Inform! Interact!
Engage! Try!
Share!
Provide Data!
Opt-in!
Purchase!
Brand Advocacy!

Pepsi.com

Samsung Galaxy Tab http://galaxytab.samsungmobile.com

Why Microsite?

Go beyond feeds and speeds to hero the product and
demonstrate how it ﬁts into your daily life.
MICROSITE! ACTION!

Inform! Interact!
Engage! Try!
Share!
Provide Data!
Opt-in!
Purchase!

Samsung USA
Brand Advocacy!


NFB Water Life http://waterlife.nfb.ca

Why Microsite?

Speciﬁc initiative focus.

MICROSITE! ACTION!

Inform! Interact!
Engage! Try!
Share!
Provide Data!
Opt-in!
Purchase!
Brand Advocacy!

nfb.ca

The Shift
More and more brands are
redesigning their primary
sites to be more engaging
and marketing focused.


The Shift

at&t.com

Homepage
Product Experience Destination


The Shift

LGE.com

Product Experience Destination

Homepage


The Shift

Apple.com

Experience Destination

Splash Page


The Shift

Rogers.com

Experience Destination

Homepage


Do brands still
need a microsite?


Yes.
Microsites
still play a
role for
marketers.

Primary Site! Microsite !
CONTENT
•  Broader content and •  Focuses on one main
scope! topic or theme!

TARGET
•  All customers / site •  Targets a speciﬁc
AUDIENCE
visitors! audience group!

TARGET
•  Often targets a new
MARKET
•  Mainly existing market!
market!

CORE
•  Information / •  Experience /
ROLE
Transaction! Engagement!

BRAND
MESSAGE
•  Corporate Information! •  Story Telling!


Primary Site! Microsite !
•  Consistent page
STRUCTURE
•  Flexible structure!
structure / organization!

TECHNOLOGY
•  May have technical •  No technical
constraints depending constraints!
on CMS / Ecommerce
•  Often delivers
platform!
interactive and
dynamic functionalities!

•  Frequently requires a
DEVELOPMENT
•  Could be developed
EFFORT
lot of effort to develop
with a minimum of
and deploy if the
effort depending on
layout is not following
the scale and scope!
the standard template!


Role of a microsite

IKEA

IKEA Primary Site

IKEA Microsite for Small Business
Community

3. Designing a Microsite
User Experience


The user experience is
primarily made up of
four factors: Design,
Content, Usability, and
Functionality.


Elements of the User Experience
Independently, none of these factors makes
for a positive user experience; however,
taken together, these factors constitute the
main ingredients for a website s success. !



DESIGN
•  All aesthetic and creative elements within a Website
•  Site s creative projection of desired organizational image and messages.

KEY
  First Impression!
CONSIDERATIONS
  Visual Treatment!
  Branding!
  Use of Media!
  Engaging!


Designing a microsite user experience: Design

BRANDING
Four Possible Solutions to Microsite Branding!

Solution 1: No Secondary Branding
Solution 2: Prominent Company Branding

Solution 3: Prominent Microsite Branding
Solution 4: No primary company branding

By Louis Lazaris
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/08/designing-microsites-factors-to-consider/ © 2010 Publicis Canada!


BRANDING
Solution 1: No Secondary Branding!
•  The primary company s branding is featured
prominently
•  Pros: No confusion as to the ownership of the
microsite, less potential for usability issues
•  Cons: The marketing of the product or service
may be limited by primary site branding

Use this solution when:
•  Targeting existing primary site visitors
•  The core user ﬂow is dependent on the
primary site (shopping cart, buy ﬂow, etc)
Rogers Product Experience Destination
By Louis Lazaris


BRANDING
Solution 2: Prominent Company Branding!
•  The primary property of the microsite is clearly
defined
•  Pros: Provides enhanced marketing benefits
and traffic source for the primary site
•  Cons: May cause navigation complexity and
design issues from the integration of two
separate branding

•  Unique branding is required for a
corporate program, initiative or campaign
within a primary site
Home Depot Eco Options

By Louis Lazaris


BRANDING
Solution 3: Prominent Microsite Branding!
•  The microsite site branding is featured
prominently
•  Pros: More potential for creating a unique
and memorable experience
•  Pros: Ability to provide more consistent
campaign branding with other media
•  Cons: Minimum branding of primary site

•  To create a self contained experience
within the microsite and the ability to link
back to the primary site
Samsung Galaxy Tab

By Louis Lazaris


BRANDING
Solution 4: No Company Branding!
•  Microsite branding only
•  Pros: Lots of creative freedom
•  Pros: The microsite brand becomes easily
identiﬁable
•  Cons: Minimum or no relationship with
primary or parent site


•  To create a unique experience and
branding for a particular product or service

Old Spice

By Louis Lazaris


CONTENT
•  Actual content of the site (text, multimedia, images)
•  Quality and structure based on user needs and business requirements

KEY
  Well Targeted
CONSIDERATIONS
Content!
  Helpful & Guiding!
  Quality!
  Original & Fresh!
  Persuasive!

Designing a microsite user experience: Content

PERSUASIVE
Persuasive Design Techniques to Deliver Content!



USABILITY
•  General ease of use of all site components and features
•  From overall site interaction and ﬂow to individual page structure.

KEY
  Site Organization
CONSIDERATIONS
& Labels!
  Navigation!
  User Flow!
  Consistency!
  Responsiveness!

Designing a microsite user experience: Usability

USER FLOW
Call to Action Button Design Considerations!

•  Prioritize!
•  Size and colour!
•  Language!
•  Create urgency!
•  Provide extra
information!
•  Icons and images!
•  Use of negative
space!
By Cameron Chapman
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/call-to-action-buttons-guidelines-best-practices-and-examples/ © 2010 Publicis Canada!


FUNCTIONALITY
•  All technical and behind the scenes processes and application
•  Site s delivery of interactive services and tools to all end users

KEY
  Appropriate
CONSIDERATIONS
Features!
  Effectiveness of
Features!
  Use of Technology!
  Performance!
  Target Environment! © 2010 Publicis Canada!

Designing a microsite user experience: Functionality

APPROPRIATE FEATURES
Choosing appropriate functionality to deliver the content !

•  Game!
•  Interactive Demo!
•  Video Tour!
•  Gallery!
•  Calculator!
•  Comparison Tool!
•  Quiz!
•  Mobile App!
•  Desktop widget!
•  And more! © 2010 Publicis Canada!

Final Thoughts…


A Successful Microsite Requires 

Planning
• Target Market & Target Audience!
• Key Business Objectives!
• Competitive Analysis & Research!
• Role & Purpose of Digital!
• Desired User Actions & Key Takeaway!
• Measures of Success!



Process

1! Plan

2! Deﬁne

3! Deliver

4! Measure


Collaboration

Brand Insights &
Planning & Digital Strategy
Strategy!

Project Scope, Project! UX ! User Experience
budget & schedule Management! Client! Design! Planning & Design
!
Business
!
Objective

Experience Creative Creative Strategy &
Technology!
Development Design! Visual Design


About Publicis  
User Experience Team
We are specialized in
a multi-disciplinary process of User
Experience Design to create
•  Corporate Websites!
•  Ecommerce!
•  Marketing / Campaign Microsites!
•  Community Sites / Social Media!
•  Intranet / Extranet / CMS System Interface!
•  Mobile Sites & Applications!

We provide
Complex UX analyses & solutions
throughout the project lifecycle
Contact: Jenna.Yim@Publicis.ca!
•  Discovery, Deﬁnition, Design, and Development!
Twitter: @Publicis_UXD!


Microsite User Experience Design

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