Tightly focused “mini-sites” are highly regarded as one of the best way to sell a product online. These small sites typically consist of just a couple of pages, and the home page is a simple but powerful sales letter.
However, several years ago, Internet business ‘newbies’ were taught that content-rich sites were the way to profits. The idea was that if you offered great information for free, visitors would come back, grow to know and trust you, and eventually a percentage of them would make a purchase.
Some people still claim that content-rich sites are *the* best way to build long-term profits. So what’s the real deal? Are mini-sites or content sites the ‘better’ way to build a profitable online business?
Obviously there’s no “black-and-white” answer. But I’ve found that *both* are a great complement to any business. Here’s why:
We all know that Internet surfers have short attention spans, and that they can leave your site with a simple click-of-the-mouse. That means we have just a few seconds to capture their attention and get them to do whatever it is we want from them — for example, make a purchase or subscribe to a newsletter.
The mini-site is a perfect solution for this. A combination of a captivating headline and tightly focused sales copy leads interested prospects to perform just one action — no distractions!
On the other hand, a greater percentage of visitors are more cautious and less likely to make ‘impulse’ purchases. These are the people that may prefer to do additional research prior to buying… or it could be that it’s simply the “wrong time” for them to make *any* purchase. There are many and varied reasons why even targeted prospects don’t immediately make a purchase.
Content-rich sites are one way to help convert these visitors into paying customers. Through great content, a sense of community, or a combination of the two, you can build both credibility and trust — two essential elements when it comes to buying on the web. Although the road to a sale may be much longer, ultimately it can lead to sales you wouldn’t have otherwise made. The “snowball effect” shouldn’t be underestimated, either: a genuinely useful or entertaining site is more likely to give visitors a reason to tell a friend about your site, who tells a friend, who tells a friend…
So in summary: mini-sites help to drive “immediate” sales, while content sites build credibility, which can lead to future sales. Although content sites aren’t necessarily the ‘best’ way to ‘quick’ profits, they still have their place in today’s online business world.
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical, down-to-earth guide to building an Internet business on a beginner’s budget. If you enjoyed this article, you’ll love the book! Visit http://www.onlinebusinessbasics.com or request a series of 10 free reports to get you started.
