Is it really important to have attractive and professional looking minisite designs? If so, then why are some people advocating against it? Do ugly minisites really bring in the most money at the end of the day? Well, this is quite an interesting perspective so let's try to see the logic behind this argument, shall we?

Actually, there are two schools of thought regarding how a minisite should really be designed. There are those that advocate the use of aesthetically pleasing designs while there are those that bring in more income by using 'uglier' minisite designs.

People who favor the use of uglier minisite designs mostly derive their income from CPC (cost-per-click), and are having quite a success with it. Why? Plainly because readers often think that these 'ugly' minisites are merely a 'portal', a passageway where you have to click on some links to get to where you want to go. And since the ads are strategically placed near the content, there's a great chance that people will mistakenly see them as links and click on them. Well, for some people, this trick works.

But will sites such as these consistently bring good income? Would it encourage repeat visitors and build a loyal following? Well, go ahead and ask yourself. Would you want to come back again and again to an ugly site? Or would you rather spend your time in a professionally designed minisite? You decide.

Minisites have been around for a very long time now. They have been there since the mid 1990's about the same time when the internet gained worldwide popularity. And they have since been used by direct marketers to push their products to their target markets.

It is quite impressive to note how minisites retain their power throughout all these years. In fact, they haven't lost any of their popularity among marketers. They only got more popular and even more effective as marketing tools with the passing of time.

Minisites are a unique kind of site. It is interesting to note however, that there is a great similarity between the functionalities of a minisite and a minisite landing page. Here are some of the elements that set them apart from other kinds of websites and some tips, too, on how you can make the best use of minisite and minisite landing page designs to your advantage:

Effective minisite and minisite landing page designs maximize the use of graphics. The effectiveness of minisites and minisite landing pages greatly depends on whether they succeeded in catching readers' attention. So, it's wise to use a relevant logo and a large headline (accompanied by a smaller sub-headline) for your header. And since "a picture paints a thousand words", you should also use virtual product covers (eCovers) to further enhance the perceived value of your products, especially if they are available as digital downloads.

However, don't make the costly mistake of going overboard with your minisite and minisite landing page design. Remember that sophisticated graphics slow down your loading time, and this can negatively affect your conversion. Also, take special precaution against dumping too many images on your pages for it may only distract your readers' attention.

Minisites and minisite landing pages address a specific problem and provide a solution. While a minisite landing page is a simple one page site, a minisite can either be a mere one page site or it may be made up of multiple pages focusing on a single message. Despite this difference however, these sites usually endorse one specific product that addresses one particular need or want. The key here is 'focus'. Don't try to dump too many products on a single minisite or landing page. It just won't work.

Minisites use direct response marketing techniques. This is another distinguishing feature of minisites and minisite landing page designs. These sites mainly use direct response marketing techniques such as scarcity, social proof, guarantees, testimonials and call to action graphics to achieve its goal.
 
Minisites are easy to set up. Why do most marketers use minisites for their ecommerce needs? Well, the fact that minisites are easy to put up and offer a more engrossing experience to its visitors makes them among the marketers' top choices in promoting their products.

However, while your minisite and minisite landing page designs can determine whether you'll make a serious income from your online marketing efforts, you should still offer useful, interesting and updated information to your readers. Consider how they found your site, and make sure your content is relevant to what they are searching for. You can also use images and related videos to convey your message. It's a good way to get your message across without boring your audience to death.

So, there you have it a good discussion on what makes a good minisite design for maximum conversion. Just follow the suggestions mentioned in this article and you're almost sure that you'll succeed in your marketing efforts.