One of the greatest assets a business can have is a website. Websites allow you to market to a much larger audience than would otherwise be possible. Whether you’re having your website redesigned, or you’re having your first one built by a web designer, you’ll need to consider the launch process. The launch of a website is often overlooked but it can have a huge effect, whether good or bad, on the life of your website. In this article we’ll give you 4 tips for a great site launch.
Browser Testing
A very common mistake made before launch day is not testing in a browser. Your website is going to be viewed in a variety of browsers, so it makes sense to do some testing pre-launch. At the very least, test your website in all the popular browsers (even the ones you don’t use) such as Chrome, Firefox, IE, and Safari. Go through all of your pages, click on links, and make sure everything is working properly. Also make sure to resize the browser to test for mobile devices.
SEO Testing
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing your site for search engines. This is another area that your website will need to be tested in. After all, this is how most people will find your website. Make sure to include relevant keywords in your content, especially in your headlines. A few tools for testing keywords are Google Adwords and Wordstream. If you don’t understand SEO, there are many professionals whom you can hire to take care of it for you, including us at EMWD.com.
Site Promotion
Word of mouth is a great asset for a site launch: tell your family, your neighbors, your friends, even the guy who makes your coffee. Remember though, word of mouth doesn’t have to be physical, so don’t forget to use social media. You can even use your local chamber of commerce to get the news out. Promote your website wherever and whenever possible; you never know who you might reach. Generating traffic to your website is very important for its success.
Bad Content
Believe it or not, another common mistake is to leave dummy text or placeholder images in your website. Always make sure to go through your website carefully to make sure that all the right content is in its right place. It’s also a good idea to have a friend go through your content to proofread it and locate bad content. A fresh pair of eyes can be extremely useful for catching mistakes otherwise overlooked. Also make sure your forms or any interactive content is working.
Conclusion
All these things don’t take that much extra effort and yet the benefits of testing, proofreading, and site promotion are extraordinary. Don’t be afraid to use Social Media and blogging to promote your website. Generating traffic to your website will increase your brand recognition, credibility and ultimately increase your sales. If your website is starting to look dated and you’re seeing your conversion rates dropping, then feel free to contact us at Emwd.com for a free consultation. It may be time for a redesign!
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