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Should every product have its own homepage?
Ashkan Ardalan
Brands often want to go out of their way to talk to their customers and be there where they are. Building brand loyalty is a time-consuming task that requires care and attention. And consumers have high expectations - they expect a seamless experience whether they're opening the box on a new product or using a service.
One way brands are meeting these expectations is through dedicated digital spaces for their products; a mini homepage so to speak, also known as a microsite. These digital destinations can provide everything from product information to brand storytelling, creating connections with customers and turning the physical touchpoint into a digitally enriched experience. So, should every product today have its own mini homepage? Is that even manageable? And what sort of information can you provide? Where do you even start? Here's our take.
The Digital Evolution of Product Information
The days of relying solely on printed manuals and packaging are behind us. Today's consumers expect immediate access to rich, interactive digital experiences. This shift is evident in the numbers. QR code usage has surged globally and is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. Consider companies like Doro, where providing accessible product support is crucial. Through dedicated product microsites, they ensure customers get the right information exactly when they need it. More and more consumers prefer this way of accessing information - for instance, 60% of consumers prefer using QR codes for coupons and discounts, showing the growing comfort with this technology as a bridge between physical products and digital experiences.
Why consider a microsite for every product?
1. Direct Customer Connection - Instant access to product information via QR codes with the ability for brands to update that information in real-time. When did you last go looking for that user manual or spent an hour Googling how to restart your router? What if a QR-code gave you that exact information directly and saved you the trouble. 2. Enhanced Customer Experience - Rich product content when and where it's needed with the potential of presenting it in novel ways. Check out how Solhemmet added a 360 experience of one of their new proposed buildings via a QR-code. (Scan the code on the bottom of the page on your mobile and take the virtual tour) 3. Marketing Opportunities An additional direct communication channel with customers which can be utilized as a new portal to other products or services while gaining more engagement data. Customers can now pull their phone out of their pocket, scan the brand’s QR code and instantly enter the universe of the brand, filled with offers, products, thoughts and services.
The management question
A common concern about creating microsites for multiple products is the perceived complexity of management and maintenance. However, modern platforms have made it fairly easy, without the need for developers, technical expertise or much time. For example, Branäsgruppen, an organisation that manages holidays and rentals for the ski and summer seeasons, found they could update information such as restaurant menus, ski-lift passes, cleaning etc across all their guest accommodations with a single update from their central office. This replaced the costly way of having to physically visit each rental property and change pieces of paper in each properties folders.
Making the decision
When deciding whether to create microsites for your products, consider:
1. Product Complexity
- Does your product require detailed explanation? - Would customers benefit from (interactive) demonstrations? - Are there frequent updates or changes to product information?
2. Customer Needs
- How do customers typically seek product information? - What kind of support do they require? - Would immediate access to digital information improve their experience?
3. Resource Availability
- What if you have 1000 products or points of entry for your customers? - Do you have the right tools to manage multiple microsites efficiently? - Can you maintain consistent quality across all product experiences? - How will you handle content updates and translations?
4. Brand opportunity
- You have a potentially new digital touchpoint. How can you integrate it into your other touchpoints? - Do you want to create additional brand awareness at the point of your product? - What opportunities do you have in enriching the brand experience at this point? When assessing all the points above, you’ll come up with a good roadmap for what you need and don’t need and where the biggest opportunities lie. If you’re dealing with the question of how to manage thousands of microsites, then it’s worth looking into the different options out there. Do you use your existing CMS and create thousands of landing pages or do you go to a microsite platform to manage and structure these?
Looking forward
The future of product information is undeniably digital. With the consumer goods industry seeing a big jump in QR code usage from 2021 to 2023, and upcoming regulations like Digital Product Passports becoming mandatory in the EU between 2026 and 2030, having a strong digital presence for your products is becoming essential rather than optional. The question isn't really whether every product should have its own microsite, but rather how to effectively implement microsites where they add real value. Modern tools like Kolla have made it possible to create and manage multiple microsites efficiently, with features like: - No-code platforms for quick updates - Automated multi-language support - Built-in analytics and monitoring - Seamless integration with existing systems Success lies in choosing the right platform and strategy that aligns with your products needs and your customers expectations. When implemented thoughtfully, product microsites create valuable digital touchpoints that enhance customer experience, build brand loyalty, and provide direct channels for ongoing engagement. The future of product information is about creating meaningful connections between physical products and digital experiences. As QR codes continue to bridge this gap, ensuring your products have engaging digital destinations isn't just good practice - its becoming essential for business success.
Curious about creating homepages for every product? Get in touch and we can talk you through the options.
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