These days creating a website is easily achievable using the right website designers. But many people assume that just because you can easily access web design tools that launching a website is a breeze.
It might be easier than ever before, but doing it properly isn’t. You need to know the tricks of the trade if you want to successfully launch a website and compete with those already available on the web.
That’s why we’ve counted down these 9 essential things you need to do when launching your website. Follow this guidance and your website will be a force to be reckoned with when it launches.
1. Launch a Website: Purchasing the Right Domain Name
This is the first major decision in your website design and is where many people slip up. You need to purchase the right domain name, which is how your website will appear to customers.
There are some basic rules to be followed when it comes to domain names, which many people forget.
Your domain name has to be easy to type, so it can be searched for easily. It should also be as short as possible and clearly relate to your business or the idea of your website.
It’s the first major thing your audience will come across, so choose your domain name properly!
2. Make a Pre-Launch Landing Page
This is the first web page you need to design for your website, and it won’t even be used after launch. But it’s a great way to build hype around your website launching.
Make sure your logo is bright and bold on the page and include a dramatic countdown clock if you know when your website will be ready. This landing page will create some buzz around your launch and ensures you have people waiting to see the end result.
3. Start a Mailing List ASAP
Another thing you can do initially to create buzz is to start a mailing list. This is something you can include on your landing page, or through social media posts.
It’s a great way to message a large group of people to let them know how your website is progressing. This can then build you a strong initial fanbase through email marketing even before the website is complete.
4. Create a Map of Your Webpage Links
With website design today, you need to be thinking about SEO from the get-go. A proven SEO tool is having a lot of internal links between different pages of your website.
One smart way of staying ahead in this respect is by mapping out how all your webpages link ahead of time. Draw this out on paper or in a design tool, and you can start figuring out all the ways in which your website will link together.
Doing this now will save you a lot of time when it comes to creating web content later. You can also plan out proposed conversion route paths for potential buyers using this map.
5. Get Networking
Whilst you build your website, you need to be generating buzz within your sector or community. In addition to a landing page, you need to be networking with like-minded businesses or individuals.
They can share their insight as well as promote your new website. This ensures your web design is the best it can be and also attracts new eyes to your new website.
6. Brush Up On Your Web Design
It’s no good prepping to launch a new website if you’ve not considered how it will actually be designed. Be sure to brush up on your web design knowledge before you actually create your new site.
Think about color schemes and use of blank space, as well as font choices and page layout. All of this needs to be considered alongside many other factors in order for your website to be attractive to your audience.
7. Prepare Yourself For Analytics
It’s never too early to start collecting data on your website’s performance. This data is essential for optimizing your website for the most viewers or sales possible.
Make sure you set up Google Analytics or a similar analytics provider before launch, as well as other essential SEO tools. Having these to hand will be fundamental to your website updates in the future.
8. Have Content Ready To Go
With websites today, you can’t just launch and call it a day. You should set out a road map of content updates, ideally at least a month in the future so that you have updates ready following launch.
This will ensure your website has enough content to launch with as well as to be updated and gives you time to take a break and assess data as it comes in. This content should be of professional quality and in keeping with the tone or brand identity you’ve intended to portray.
Proper content, along with an SEO plan for publishing it, is vital for a return on the investment you’ve put into your website.
9. Check Everything
This is perhaps the most important part of launching a successful website – check everything before you launch. We mean everything; the grammar on your copy, the links between pages, the 404-page design, links to your social media, and more.
If something doesn’t work, someone will realize. They’ll either not tell you and it’ll stay broken until someone does, or they will tell you and will be left with a bad impression of you or your company in the process.
Everyone makes small errors when designing, it’s about catching them before the website goes live.
What If I Need Assistance With My Website Design?
Now you know 9 of the major aspects to consider when you launch a website.
But we know how complex website design and digital marketing can be. Often, the best thing for you is to seek expert guidance on a web design project.
Here at Drive Social, we make it our mission to bring a minimum three times return on investment for all of our clients. Our social media and digital marketing experts work with you on whatever you need to send your company to the next level.
This includes our thorough website development services focused on converting viewers to customers. If you want to find out more about these or any other services we offer, make sure to contact us directly.
