How to Promote Your New Website

You probably already know this, but your website is one of the most powerful pieces of your brand. This day in age, it is usually how people find you, where they learn about your services, and how they contact you. If you have a small business, your website can literally make or break you. But let’s assume for a minute that you already know all of that. You know your website is critical to the success of your business and you’ve set aside a healthy budget to finally do your website the right way. Congratulations! You’re heading in the right direction, but you can’t stop there.

TIP: We recently wrote about The Top 3 Ingredients of Websites That Work. If you missed it, it is worth the read.

Common Website Launch Mistakes

So many small business owners invest in a great new website only to neglect the details when it is time for launch. They think people will magically find their new website. Then they are left scratching their heads when nobody does. Here are just a few of the most common website launch mistakes we’ve seen along the way:

• Changing your domain name so people can’t find you
• Forgetting to redirect your old website traffic
• Neglecting to tell anyone about your new website
• Assuming everyone cares about your new website
• Expecting your new website to revolutionize your business overnight

Where to Promote Your New Website

When you launch your new website, we are your biggest cheerleaders. From one small business to another, we get it, your new website is a huge deal to you! But before you tell everyone you know about your new website, it is important to channel your enthusiasm in the right direction. You’ll want to strike the right balance between making the right people aware, but not over-sharing with people who simply don’t care. After helping hundreds of small businesses across the country launch their new websites, here are our top ways to help you promote yours:

Update Your Online Profiles: Make sure your online profiles (ex: Google My Business) all reflect your new website address. This is especially important if you happened to change your domain name when launching your new website.

Share it on Social Media: On your business profiles, do a post that links to your new website so people know to go check it out. Depending on your preferences, you might even consider sharing your business post to your personal profiles to get it in front of more people.

Do an Email Blast: If you have an email list, your new website is worth mentioning in your next newsletter or email update to your subscribers. Again, include a link to the new website so it is easy for people to go check it out.

Write Personalized Emails: Mass email blasts have their place, but they can’t replace personalized emails. Sometimes a personalized email notifying a key client or an active lead of your new website is a really nice touch.

Invite Your Team to Spread the Word: Depending on your business setup, it may even be worth inviting your team to spread the word about the new website. They could share it out via a personal LinkedIn post, an email, or old-fashioned word of mouth as they engage with your clients.

How to Make Your Announcement Stick

Now that we know where to announce your new website, let’s talk about how to make your announcement stick. The best website announcements don’t feel like an announcement. Instead, they highlight something that your clients actually care about. For example, you probably wouldn’t light up if your accountant sent you an email bragging about his new website. But if he sent you an email inviting you to check out the new tax-deduction calculator on the new website, that might get your attention. See the difference? Make your announcement about something helpful people can find on the new website and they’ll be much more likely to go check it out.

When you’re ready to invest in your new website, we invite you to think past launch all the way through to effective promotion. To start the conversation about launching your new website the right way, book a time to talk with Sarah, our Co-Founder & Brand Strategist.