Launching a website is a stressful, and sometimes overwhelming project. There are so many things you need to get done and not enough time or resources to do them. However, while it might seem like an enormous task, as long as keep some essential things in mind, you can look forward to a smooth launch.

In this blog, we’ll share expert tips to successfully launch your website.

1. Have a ‘laundry list’

The worst thing you can do is to launch a website and then have no follow up plan. You need a clear goal and strategy to take you in the right direction. Don’t let the excitement of the launch fizzle out through lack of planning. Create a list of all the things you need to do before, during and after the launch to ensure you proceed in the right direction.

2. Set up a pre-launch page to start promoting it

Just because your website isn’t ready for traffic, doesn’t mean you can’t promote it. Creating a pre-launch page with a countdown can actually generate more interest and awareness than promoting it after it’s launched. You can also start gathering emails for email marketing by adding a sign-up tab so visitors can register and get notified when the website launches.

3. Triple check everything on your website

Everything needs to be working perfectly to make sure that your website’s first visitors have the best browsing experiencing when they arrive on your site. Check all your landing pages, hyperlinks, contact forms, email accounts etc. basically anything that your users will have to interact with on site. A bad browsing experience or uninviting website can easily create a bad impression in the minds of your visitors within seconds.

4. Learn the basics of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

You don’t need to be an expert, but it is important to have some basic knowledge to know what needs to be done. A few important elements to have in place are:

1. Keywords (words you want to rank for on search engines) in strategic areas of your web page.
2. Original content that contains keywords.
3. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly.
4. If you own a WordPress site, install a plugin to help you with your SEO score.

5. Create high quality content

Any promotional strategies you use during and after the launch will rely on quality content that’s valuable to your customers. If they don’t like what they see, they may never visit your website again. Ensure all your website content tells your visitors everything they need to know while staying attractive and concise. In addition, have several pieces of long-form content ready (between 3 to 6 blog articles) which you can use for promotions and SEO.

6. Set up your social media accounts early

Social networking is an integral part of any business, especially when you’re just launching a website. Don’t wait till the last minute to set up your social accounts on Facebook, Instagram and any other site that you plan on engaging customers with.

This also guarantees that your preferred account name is available and also gives your customers another way to communicate with you. It is important to decide which is your most important social channel based on your customer personas, this will help you with your focus.

7. Install Google Analytics

Given the amount of time and effort that you put into creating the perfect website for your business along with the post promotional materials, it’s important to have a way to track all of it. Google analytics allows you to track all the traffic that is going through your website, plus, it’s free, and relatively easy to use once you get the hang of it.

8. Add your site to Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a set of tools that basically tell you how well your site is doing in search engine. If Google finds any issues with your website, you’ll get a notification telling you what the problem is. This could include anything from broken links to pages that aren’t mobile friendly.

9. Set-up online alerts for your brand name

Once you’re site is live and you’ve begun promoting the blog pages, you’ll want to know how well its doing and stay up to date with where you website is being mentioned online. This will help you gauge the success of your content and focus you efforts on strategies that work and change those that aren’t. To get notifications notified about blog or media mentions, sign up for Google Alerts. To view what people are saying on social media, sign up for a social media manager platform like Hootsuite.

10.  Start networking with influencers

This strategy is ideal for small businesses that have niche products or services to promote. Reach out to social media influencers and bloggers who may be interested in what you have to offer. Read our post on influencer marketing to find out how it can help your business.

Launching a website can be stressful, but if you follow these tips, you’ll find the days leading up to your website launch, and even after, much easier to handle. Of course, if you still have doubts about tackling all these areas on your own, you can enlist the help of a web development agency in Sydney to help you get started on the right track.

 

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