Website Launch Checklist
You hired the best website design team and, after weeks of planning, designing, testing, and revising, your new website is finally ready to go live. However, don’t pop the champagne just yet. While having a sleek, professional website is a fantastic first step, it won’t magically start attracting visitors or converting potential clients overnight.
It’s crucial to realize that a successful website launch involves more than just hitting the publish button. It requires following a strategic website launch checklist and investing in a solid marketing plan to drive traffic and generate interest.
Launching your website is not just about making it live—it’s about creating a comprehensive plan to bring in visitors, build brand awareness, and convert leads into loyal customers.
Making people interested in what you’re offering is a process that involves consistent, ongoing efforts, especially when you’re operating in a competitive market. Here’s a website launch checklist you can put into practice to increase your website traffic:
Website Launch Checklist
1. Use Relevant Keywords and Reader-Friendly Language
Keywords are the backbone of any successful SEO strategy. Do thorough keyword research to identify the search terms that your target audience is using.
These keywords should be seamlessly integrated into your website’s copy, headlines, meta descriptions, and blog posts. It’s essential to balance keywords with engaging, reader-friendly language that resonates with visitors.
Remember to add fresh written content regularly, such as blog posts, articles, or case studies. Not only does this keep your website up-to-date, but it also signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant.
2. Submit Your Site to Major Search Engines
Your website’s traffic is almost non-existent if you aren’t listed on the major search engines. After launching your site, use search engine submission tools to submit it to Google, Bing, Yahoo!, and other search engines.
Google, for example, offers a free tool called Google Search Console that allows you to submit your sitemap, monitor your site’s indexing status, and track performance metrics. By doing this, you’re making sure your site is visible to the engines that most of your audience uses.
3. Make Your Site Mobile-Responsive
With mobile Internet usage continuing to rise, having a mobile-friendly website is no longer optional—it’s essential. A responsive design ensures that your site looks great and functions properly across all devices, providing a seamless experience for users.
Keep in mind that Google now considers mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor, so sites that aren’t optimized for mobile can be penalized in search rankings. If you have the budget and your business model supports it, consider investing in a dedicated app to further engage with your audience.
4. Create and Optimize Business Profiles
Establish business profiles on key platforms like Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Yahoo!, and Yelp. Ensure that your profiles are complete, accurate, and consistent.
Include all relevant information such as your physical address, phone number, business hours, and a description of your services or products.
If you’re an online-based business, focus on listing your service areas to make it easy for potential customers to find you. Well-optimized business profiles can improve your local SEO and enhance your online presence.
5. Utilize Google Analytics to Monitor Traffic
Google Analytics is an indispensable tool for tracking and analyzing your website’s performance. Set up Google Analytics to monitor your traffic, understand where visitors are coming from, identify your most popular pages, and track key metrics like bounce rate and conversion rate.
Analyzing this data allows you to make informed, data-driven decisions to optimize your marketing strategy and continually improve your website’s performance.
6. Leverage Social Media to Build a Fan Base
Social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube offer fantastic opportunities to engage with your audience and create a dedicated fan base.
Regularly share engaging content on these platforms to keep your followers interested and involved with your brand. Encourage interactions by responding to comments, suggestions, and criticism in a polite and professional manner.
Social media platforms also offer paid advertising options to target specific demographics and reach new potential customers.
7. Encourage and Collect Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are incredibly influential in the decision-making process for many buyers. Ask your satisfied customers to leave reviews on your business profiles or dedicated review platforms like Google and Yelp.
Display positive reviews on your website to build trust with potential clients. Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction.
8. Obtain Backlinks and Include External Links
Building a solid backlink profile is one of the most challenging but impactful aspects of SEO. Seek backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites within your industry to boost your site’s credibility and rankings.
Simultaneously, include external links within your content to credible sources that add value for your readers. This strategy not only helps with SEO but also improves user experience by providing additional relevant information.
9. Stay Current with Web Technology Trends
The web is constantly evolving, and so should your website. Regularly updating your site according to the latest technology trends and best practices is key to staying competitive.
A website that looks and feels outdated can quickly turn off visitors. Plan for future updates and improvements to keep your site modern and user-friendly, and avoid the common pitfall of allowing it to go stale.
Conclusion
Building a successful website is only the first step in the journey toward growing your business online. Promoting your site effectively and following a structured website launch checklist is essential to driving traffic and finding new customers. Stay consistent with your efforts, and you’ll likely see the results you’re aiming for sooner than you think.
At BrightPink Agency, we can provide your franchise or independent business with web design services. Contact us today for a free estimate.
