Table of Contents
Microsites
15. April 2026
Table of Contents
Access all microsite samples on Github: https://github.com/Picturepark/Picturepark.SDK.Samples
Check the Live Demo Version here:
Understanding microsites
Extending Fotoware Alto access to websites and apps.
A Fotoware Alto microsite is a portable, embeddable web page element or mobile app component that pulls content from the Fotoware Alto system. Its primary purpose is to make content managed in one system available in other systems without manual copying.
Fotoware Alto microsites can be static or dynamic. A static microsite is one in which the creator selects specific content for the microsite. The content of a dynamic microsite comes from Filters rather than a specific selection. This means the Microsite's content could change regularly, perhaps each time the page loads.
Dynamic microsites can also be interactive, enabling users to change their content based on search and filter operations available where the Microsite is displayed.
The capabilities of a microsite are part of its architecture and design. Like websites and mobile apps, not all microsites look, behave, or provide the same functionality.
Microsite examples
Microsites have diverse use cases. Publishing data sources can benefit many departments across the organization, while the enterprise as a whole benefits from having all that data released through a single system.
Below are a few examples of microsites that could benefit many different types of organizations:
| Purpose | Department | Notes |
| Documentation portals | Technical Publications | Provide a searchable directory of current and historical documentation, a knowledge base, or a tips and tricks archive. |
| Campaign landing pages | Marketing | Centrally control the content of all landing pages from within Fotoware Alto. Let permitted marketers messaging and calls-to-action, or update hero and other imagery, without having to involve the web team. |
| Press kits | Marketing | Build as many press kits as you have markets, each with the contents you need. Update messaging or materials at any time, without editing websites or having to FTP files back and forth. |
| Job listings | Human Resources | Publish active job listings, add new listings, and remove old ones at any time. Update titles, descriptions, or requirements to improve performance and responses, all without involving the web team. |
| Partner network listings | Business Development | Publish a complete global listing of partners, separated by region, specialty, or any criteria that are needed. Include partner logos and update, add or delete a listing at any time without involving the web team. |
| Office locations | Facilities | Including a listing of office locations that are easy to maintain and update as needed. Include one or more photos of each facility, and optionally provide directions, maps, or more. |
| Contact numbers | Corporate Communications | Publish an enterprise extensive phone directory to the website and an intranet. Make some listings and information available on the site, while other information is available only on the intranet. |
| Product galleries | Product Management | Publish a searchable directory of products. Include as many images as you need, and provide links to associated content, such as documentation, service manuals, and more. Segment content by region or other attributes. |
| Parts databases | Product Management | Provide a globally searchable database of parts. Include images, installation guides, links to service locations or partners, and more. |
Most medium—to—large organizations have multiple data-based content sources they need to publish on websites or mobile apps. Fotoware can also serve as a central hub that connects those upstream business systems with output channels, so data doesn't need to be manually copied or updated.
Microsite basics
There are two primary components to a microsite:
- Back-end content creation or content selection
- Front-end content formatting and presentation
Fotoware Alto is the back-end content creation or content selection. The front end is built with standard HTML and CSS by a website or app developer.
Each microsite may be a Virtual Content Item that serves as a template for the microsite's content structure or as a summary of Virtual Content Items, inheriting its structure from the underlying Virtual Type. An example structure might include a headline, an abstract, descriptive text, a selection of a "hero" image to serve as a banner, and a variety of related content available for download from the microsite.
Fotoware Alto users edit the microsite content item to provide static text values for headlines and descriptive text, and to select content to be included on the microsite, either by direct selection or by editing a Filter that determines dynamic content selection. A Microsite content item can be edited at any time by any permitted user.
Once a microsite's content item is complete, there are two options:
- Fotoware Alto generates code that can be manually copied and embedded into a front-end.
- The microsite can be accessed directly via the Fotoware Alto (previously Picturepark) API.
In either case, when the microsite is loaded via website or mobile app, the content comes from Fotoware Alto on the fly. So, any changes made to the microsite content items will be reflected immediately. If a content distribution network (CDN) is used, the time required for microsite changes to be propagated depends on the CDN.
Content routing between systems
Fotoware Alto microsites can serve as intermediaries between upstream systems that manage master data and output channels through which that data must be published.
System requirements
The microsites (examples) are all .NET Core compatible, so they run on any platform that supports .NET Core.
OS: Windows / Linux / MacOS
Frameworks: NET Core 2.2
CPU depending on the load on the microsite (min 2 CPU Cores, 4GB RAM)