For all of the time and energy you put into developing and designing a website for your business, it would be a shame to mess up the launch. Sadly, this is what many businesses unknowingly do – and they suffer as a result.
Don’t Make These Mistake
To say that a website launch is important would be an understatement. It’s one of the most significant things you’ll do in terms of establishing and growing your brand’s digital presence. A poor launch will lead to poor first impressions, while a successful launch will wow prospective customers and garner positive attention that can be leveraged to drive conversions.
No website launch is going to be perfect, but there are certainly steps you can take prior to launch that will improve your chances of being successful. In particular, you’ll want to avoid the following mistakes:
- Lack of Clear Focus
Businesses often launch websites that try to do too much. As a result, visitors quickly feel confused and overwhelmed. The best way to avoid this is by simplifying.
“Your website needs to be organized and focused. Even if you have a lot to offer, you have to figure out a way not to overwhelm a first-time visitor,” Awesome Creator Academy notes. “This can be challenging. Try to narrow your website down to 3 to 5 core offerings and then make sure that the journey and experience once they choose an offering doesn’t require more than 1-3 clicks to get everything they’d need.”
If you want to make sure your website has a clear focus, get a fresh set of eyes to review the website for you. By evaluating their initial interactions with the site, you can see if there are any strategic issues that need to be shored up.
- Unresponsive
There’s no excuse for not having a responsive website these days, yet there are businesses that still put out desktop sites that aren’t optimized for mobile.
From the very start of your website development, make sure you’re using a responsive layout and design. Today’s internet users frequently switch back and forth between phones, tablets, and computers. If you don’t account for this, you’ll hurt user experience and risk turning visitors away.
- Poor Compatibility
In addition to making sure you have responsive design that works with a variety of devices, you also need to avoid compatibility issues with internet browsers.
According to digital marketing agency MARION, “Checking browser compatibility is one of the most overlooked steps of a website launch. Before launch, developers should check Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Edge on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.”
- Slow
Research shows that a two-second delay in page loading speed leads to a 4.3 percent loss in revenue per visitor, a 3.75 percent reduction in clicks, and a 1.8 percent drop off in queries.
Launching a slow, clunky site can really come back to bite you in the rear. Unfortunately, many companies push out slow websites and don’t realize that it’s holding them back from realizing their potential. Pay attention to page loading speed and use these tips to get everything in order.
- Lack of Sticky Content
Flashy design will catch the eyes of visitors, but you have to give them a reason to linger. Without some sticky, engaging content, this is nearly impossible.
It takes time to develop a healthy amount of content, but you should be prepared to publish a few long, evergreen pieces at launch. This will give you a foundation to build upon.
Ready, Set, Launch
At times, launching a website can feel like sending a child off to school for the first time. You’re about to find out whether all of the hard work you’ve put in is about to pay off in the real world. Will the child be obedient to authority, easily make friends, and represent well? Will your website function properly, drive conversions, and serve as an asset for your brand?
At some point, you simply have to click the launch button and go. While you want to avoid the mistakes highlighted in this article, you’ll inevitably find some small errors here and there. Dealing with them swiftly and appropriately will keep you on track.