When your new website goes live it’s a great feeling.
But how do you sustain this excitement and interest and make sure that your website becomes your greatest asset and works as hard as possible for you?
Here is a summary of our information guide and 5 of the most important things we think you can do in the first few days following the launch of your new site:
Check and test your new website
Sounds simple but making sure you have used your website before you ask your clientbase and prospective new customers to. Not only will it make sure everything is working as you want it to, it will also make sure you experience what your visitors will. Anything that you don’t think works quite right or isn’t clear enough we, or your designer, can tweak before you go live. And always test the enquiry form before announcing your new site by sending yourself a message. Make sure it works and you understand how.
Create noise around your new website
Share, share and share some more! Use your social channels. Write a blog. If you’re brave enough go on video on your story (this way the embarrassment only lasts 24 hours!) to promote your new site. Video is so effective and stats clearly tell us many more people watch and engage with videos. Send emailers to your database and current customers or go all out and send them a postcard or flyer (reminding them you’re around is never a bad thing and your new website is the perfect opportuni
Help Google find your new website
It does take Google a few weeks to index and recognise new websites but there are a few things that you can do that can help. Make sure you have claimed your Google Business Listing (this helps you appear on the map search of someone searches for a geographical area). If you already have one, make sure it is up to date and relevant and points to your new website. If you need to make a new registration head over to Google’s Support Service to get started and ask current clients to add Google reviews too as this builds your authority and trust.
Make sure you can track your new website
We install Google Analytics for all our new websites so that our clients can start to receive data about how, and when, their website is being used right from the beginning. Hot Jar and Lucky Orange are also useful indicators of how effectively your new website is being navigated. As you know, we feel passionately about websites being amended and developed rather than sitting idly staying exactly the same. Analysis software allows you to assess your new website and take actions to ensure it performs to its full potential for you and your business.
Set a date to review your new website
Ideally, you want to sit back down with your Web designer and developers and discuss how your website has been performing. What has been going really well? Where can we make improvements? (This is why analysis software is so important.) Once you are over the initial hype of your new site, you will need to think long term and discuss with your design partners how you can keep your new website in tip-top, secure, shape and how Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) could be used to support you herein. We’d recommend setting the review 6-8 weeks after your website has gone live.
Hope that’s given you some food for thought. Is there something else you can do?
