Launching a website can be daunting, especially if you’re not tech-savvy. However, it’s essential in the digital age because mobile phones dominate our lives.
If you’re looking to launch a business or brand or just start a blog and connect to like-minded people, then launching a website is often the foundation of where the successful journey begins. Here are five tips to keep in mind when launching a website.
#1 – Prioritise site security
Any bugs or weaknesses in a website design can spell disaster for a company. If your website starts to generate traffic but also has potential security flaws, cybercriminals will look to target it. Security consultants can be expensive, but they’re invaluable to large corporations that handle financial payments and large amounts of consumer data.
Other sites will look to use secure WordPress Hosting, which rolls site security and vulnerability monitoring with security patches into other areas of website design, such as:
- Visual testing.
- Unlimited mail accounts.
- Core auto-updates.
It all depends on what you want to do with your site, but even the most minor sites mustn’t cut corners on on-site security. Otherwise, if the site is compromised, it could cost a lot of money to get it back or migrate elsewhere.
#2 – Pragmatic approach to digital marketing of your site
Although websites can gain a lot of traction, it’s often best to employ a multi-faceted approach, including other social media brands. You don’t want to box yourself into simply having a website; it’s about being able to direct organic traffic to it as well.
Digital marketing can take many forms. You can plan an SEO pathway and onboard consultants or strategists to help you get your brand or website high on Google. Alternatively, some others will adopt a broader idea, channeling traffic that comes from content on social media platforms like Instagram to attract their target audience and then route them toward their website. Social media continues to reshape business strategies, so neglecting it as part of a broader approach to maximising traffic to your site is not the wisest move.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to digital marketing. Some brands throw millions of dollars at it and come up short, while others develop a niche and expand exponentially with a small five-figure investment. It all depends on your niche, market, brand, and how well you execute your strategy.
#3 – Importance of branding
Site aesthetics are a crucial aspect of any website design, but getting the branding right is imperative if you’re using it to launch your business. Strong branding instills consumer confidence and helps generate success through organic growth.
This applies across the broad spectrum of the economy. Whether you’re launching a travel agency website, a local bakery, or a tradesperson looking to advertise your services locally, a strong brand and well-designed website will impress visitors.
Key elements of the site that users will tell their friends or family about include:
- Colour schemes.
- Latency.
- Overall appearance.
Word-of-mouth marketing and brand recognition are priceless in the modern digital environment, primarily because a website must compete globally with a mountain of competitors. You’re not just competing against businesses down the road or in the same country—there’s often an international element involved.
This doesn’t apply if you’re a tradesman or a hyper-localized website looking to attract local traffic. Still, for the most part, a website needs to be impressionable and attractive on a much broader scale than a local newspaper or radio advert from the days before the internet.
#4 – Set realistic goals
When launching your website, whether a business, a blog, or a combination of the two, it’s essential to set a timeline and a pathway to expand; setting expectations early is a must. Don’t expect to generate millions of hits within a week or two of launching your site. Regardless of the niche you aim for, it’s doubtful you’re the only website looking to do the same.
Building a website takes time, effort, and initial upfront costs. However, as long as you can keep expectations steady and make marginal monthly gains, your site is heading in the right direction and on the road to success.
#5 – Ensure it is mobile friendly
While some customers or visitors to your site will access it from a desktop or PC, many will also access it from their smartphone or tablet. Overlook this at your peril. If a website comes across as clunky or hard to read on mobile, this can have a detrimental impact and drive traffic elsewhere.
Summary
While the five points we’ve touched on today can vary depending on the type of website you’re aiming to launch, the most important points are to manage costs and expectations accordingly. So long as you can keep both within a manageable level, as well as keeping a focus on establishing the brand or the main aim of the site, this is a strong foundation.
We’d recommend delving into all 5 steps, and performing specific research that relates to your niche, but as a starting basis, these are the primary considerations and ensures any website launch has the best chance for long-term success.