Are you ready to take your business online with a professional website? A professional website is a must if you want to attract users to your service offerings. If you have a poorly designed site, 57% of users won’t even recommend your business to others!  

Read on to discover the steps of launching a professional website and get a checklist to help ensure a smooth and successful website launch.

Launching a professional website

A professional website is a great way to reach a larger audience, establish a greater presence online, and create a more significant impact on your business’s digital presence. 

However, launching a new website can be intimidating, especially if you've never done it before or don't have time to dedicate to doing it all yourself.

That’s why you need to have the right preparation and planning. When you’re well-prepared, your website launch can be a straightforward and rewarding experience. 

Creating a plan for your website launch

Creating a professional website is an exciting endeavor but definitely daunting. Before you get started, you need to have a plan for your new site launch. Think of it as your pre-launch checklist.

It should include the goals you want to achieve. It should also include the timeline for your new website launch and the resources you will need to make it happen. Additionally, you should consider how you will market your new website.

Goals

Think about the purpose of launching your website. Do you want to promote a product or service? Or do you want to establish yourself as an expert in your field?

It’s best to have a clear goal in mind. Setting clear targets will help you decide on the best way to launch your website. It will also help you determine the resources you need to make it happen.

Timeline

Having a timeline for your website launch is key to ensuring your site is a success. You should set a realistic launch date and plan out the steps you will take leading up to the launch.

This could include building the website, setting up a content management system, creating a launch campaign, and testing the website. It is also important to plan for post-launch maintenance, such as monitoring your new site's performance and responding to customer inquiries.

Marketing strategies

It’s important to decide on the best channels to use to reach your target audience, as well as create a budget for paid advertising or promotional activities. For instance, you may want to use email marketing or social media for promotions. Additionally, you should plan for ways to measure the success of your website launch, such as tracking website traffic via Google Analytics and conversion rates.

Choosing a web hosting solution

Before launching a website, it’s important to choose a web host solution that will best meet your needs and budget. Your web hosting solution will determine your website's performance and scalability.

There are different types of hosting services available. Below, you’ll find that each has its own unique set of features and benefits.

Shared hosting 

The most common type of web hosting is shared hosting. This is when a single server is shared among multiple websites. This type of hosting is perfect for small businesses and individuals who don’t need a lot of resources but need a reliable platform that can handle a few website visitors. Shared hosting is usually the most affordable option and provides a basic level of security and performance.

Managed hosting 

For businesses that need more resources, there’s managed hosting. This type of hosting is more expensive than shared hosting. But it provides more features and better performance. Managed hosting is a good choice for businesses that want to launch a website but don’t want to manage their own server.

Cloud hosting

Cloud hosting is a newer type of hosting that’s becoming increasingly popular. With cloud hosting, websites are hosted across multiple servers and are connected together, allowing for a more stable and reliable experience. Cloud hosting is a great choice for businesses that require more resources. So let’s say you want to keep your website up and running all the time. Then cloud hosting is worth considering.

No matter what type of hosting you choose, it’s important to do your research. This is so you can make sure you’re getting the best deal for your needs. Consider the features, reliability, and performance of the hosting service before making a decision. Plus, make sure the hosting provider has a good reputation and customer service. With the right hosting solution, you’ll be able to launch a professional website in no time.

Designing and developing your website

This step includes creating the look and feel of your website, as well as developing the functionality and content. You can hire a web developer and/or a web designer for this step. Alternatively, you can also use website builders such as WordPress or B12. A website builder streamlines the web design process.

Deciding on the visual elements

Decide on how you want your website to look. Research other websites similar to yours. This is so you can get an idea of what works and what doesn't. Consider website layouts, colors, font styles, and other web design elements. These elements should help you create a unique and professional look for your website. And once you have a site design in mind? You can then use a web design platform to create a website that matches your vision.

Developing the functionality

The next step is to develop your website’s functionality. Depending on your website, you may need to add different features. These include contact forms, e-commerce capabilities, and a content management system. You can code these features yourself, use a development platform, or hire a professional developer to build out all the pages and functionality of your website.

Preparing for your website launch

Launching a professional website is a complex process. It requires careful planning and preparation. Before your final website can go live, you need to make sure everything’s in order. Preparing for your website launch is an important step. It involves setting up the necessary systems and processes to ensure that your website runs smoothly after launch.

Testing the website

To prepare for your website launch, you must thoroughly examine your website. This includes checking your content for accuracy. It’s ensuring that the design elements are working properly and all of the internal links and external links are functioning correctly. You don't want broken links since these can harm your rankings. You should also test all of the website functions. This is to make sure they‘re working as expected. If there are errors, you should correct them before launch.

Search engine optimization

Optimize your website for search engines so that you show up in search results. You want your existing website to be visible in major search engines. This involves making sure that your website is properly indexed by search engines and optimizing the titles of web pages, meta descriptions, and images. It also involves setting up a site map for your website. Additionally, you should optimize your website for mobile devices. This will ensure your website looks great and performs well on all devices.

Implementing security measures

Have the necessary security measures in place before launching your website. This includes setting up an SSL certificate to protect user data. You should also set up a firewall to protect your website from external attacks. Additionally, a backup solution ensures that your website is protected in the event of any unexpected disasters. Make sure to implement the right security measures. Consequently, you can ensure your website is safe and secure after launch.

Ultimate website launch checklist

Launching a website can be complex. That’s why you need a comprehensive website launch checklist before pushing the website live. It should include steps for testing the website, as well as making sure all the necessary elements are in place and working properly.

First, check your website’s pages and blog post content. This includes checking for any spelling or grammar errors. Have they been edited, proofread, and approved? They also make sure all the images and videos are properly formatted and optimized. Plus, they check that all the meta tags, title tags, and descriptions of website pages are accurate and up to date.

Second, test the site across a variety of browsers and mobile devices. Usability testing is essential in this case. It will help you determine if your site is easy to use for your audience. Test all the website's forms, links, and other interactive elements to make sure they are functioning properly. Additionally, check security protocols. A website that’s properly secured can help you avoid potential malicious attacks.

Third, make sure the website is connected to all of the necessary third-party services. This includes setting up analytics, tracking links, and other services that will help them monitor and measure the performance of their website. Additionally, they should make sure all the links to social media accounts and relevant site pages are in place and working properly.

Finally, double-check SEO settings and make sure you have created an XML sitemap. This XML sitemap must be submitted to Google Search Console. You or your webmaster should also have already taken steps to create a backup of the website. A backup solution is always handy in case something goes wrong during the launch. Additionally, they should ensure that their website meets all the necessary web standards and guidelines.

By following this website launch checklist, rest assured that your website is ready to go live. This will help ensure a successful new website launch and help you avoid any potential problems that could arise if you miss a step. After the launch, it would be handy to go over a post-launch website checklist as well. A post-launch checklist helps ensure that your new site remains running smoothly.

Create a quality website with B12

If you want some help with your website launch, or to have someone do most of it for you, B12 can help. We enable businesses to launch a personalized, industry-specific website in 30 days or less, as hands-on or hands-off as they'd like to be. With the help of B12’s expert designers and copywriters, you can effortlessly create a website that reflects your unique branding and showcases your service offerings.  

Launch a new professional website in 30 days or less with B12. Start by seeing a free draft in 60 seconds, then work with our team to personalize and refine it.