Countrywide Bank is using a microsite <savingslink.com> to funnel users interested in its new high-yield savings account (see screenshot below). The account was advertised in Sunday's (10 Sep) New York Times (Business section, National Edition, p. 4) with a one-third page, 5-inch tall ad that asked, "Can your bank match our online savings rate?"

The account is also to be advertised aggressivly on Google, appearing second from the top in the right-hand column for searches on "online savings accounts" and "high-yield savings accounts." However, it's only in eighth position on the more generic "savings account" search (searches conducted 20 Sep, 10 am PDT, from Seattle, WA, IP address).

The bank took a low-key approach to using its main brand by using just a small logo in the lower-right corner. The fine print explained that the advertised 5.25% APY applied to balances of $10,000 or more with smaller balances garnering a still-respectable 4.50%. The bank has raised the SavingsLink rate a full 1% since its launch in mid-May with a rate of 4.25%.

Analysis
The use of a dedicated microsite for marketing a high-profile product such as a high-yield savings account offers a number of benefits:

• Ability to focus users on a single product/offer
• Easier to track traffic and test layouts
• Avoids the distractions of other website navigation
• Can use a different look and feel than the main corporate website
• Makes the product feel like a true "special offer"