Launching a website is no easy task.
With what feels like a million things to do before the big day, it can become a stressful situation that ends up leaving you drained and dreading launch day.
But launch day should be an exciting time.
A time that you look forward to and gives you hope for an even better website and business.
In today’s blog post, we outline six things you need to know before launching your website, so launch day isn’t one you dread, but one you can’t wait to happen.
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1 | Create an action plan
The best thing you can do for yourself before launching a website is to create an action plan. Having an action plan will help you organize all of your to-dos, as well as give you room on your calendar to complete these to dos, so you aren’t doing everything the few days before launching.
We recommend assigning due dates to all of your tasks, so you have some flexibility if needed.
2 | Coming soon teaser page
Having a “coming soon” teaser page is a great way to get your audience excited about the new website. It’s also a great way to launch a brand new website if this is your first website.
Installing a coming soon teaser page is also a way to be able to do all of the behind-the-scenes work on your website while your audience is none the wiser.
Related post: 5 Signs Your Website Is Confusing Visitors
3 | Content migration
Launching a new website may mean you have to migrate your content to a new location. Content, in this instance, is referring not only to blog posts, but also videos, images, web copy, and PDFs.
If you are moving from Squarespace to WordPress for example, you will need to migrate your content. If you are only changing designs within one of those platforms (i.e. you have a WordPress website and are staying on WordPress) you will not need to migrate your content.
Items you will want to make sure that migrates properly are:
- Images
- Blog content
- Child theme
- Plugin tailored options
Related post: How to Update Your Website Without Getting Stuck
4 | Make sure your analytics transfers
Even though you are launching a new website, you still want your analytics intact so you can continue to monitor your website. This doesn’t have to be a complicated task, just follow the instructions listed on the links below and you will be set to go.
If the URL of your website is changing (i.e. moving from a .net to a .com) you will need to read these instructions for transferring your analytics.
5 | Be prepared to test everything
Testing your website before launching is one of the biggest tasks you will have as a part of your launch plan. Items you will want to test include (but aren’t limited to):
- Hyperlinks
- Contact forms
- Social sharing plugins
- Autoresponders
- CRM systems
- Email system
- RSS feeds
Set aside more time than you think you need for testing all of these items before launch day. There will likely be something that comes up incorrectly and you will want to fix it right at the moment, so you don’t forget to do it later.
Also, try and break up the days that you test all of these, instead of trying to do it all in one day. It can become an overwhelming and tiring task to do everything at once.
Related post: BOO! Are You Making These Scary Website Mistakes?
6 | Set aside a few days to handle technical difficulties
We hate to say it, but there will probably be something that goes awry when you launch. Some problems arise and there would be no way to even prepare for the errors that happen, no matter how many times you test it.
Setting aside a few days to handle any technical difficulties with your website will help you have the time to handle these problems, without feeling totally frazzled.
The best-case scenario is you set aside a few extra days and no problems occur. Now have a few blissful days to appreciate your hard work and celebrate your new website!
Related post: Quarterly Website Check-In: 5 Website Housekeeping Tips
Final Thoughts
Though launching a website can be a serious undertaking, it can transform your business. Soon enough you will be on your way to a brand new website that’s bringing in new business and customers.
If you’re looking for a new WordPress theme to accompany your new site, check out our theme shop for chic, feminine options using the Elementor drag-and-drop page builder!
