Five Things You Must Do After Your New Website Launch.

It is done. Your website is finally live. You’re ready to get on with it. Ready to share your new sense of confidence and legitimacy with your clients and the world.

So now it’s time to get the word out. To actual humans and to the Google. You may be surprised to know that just launching your website does not make it appear at the number one spot on Google, or even on the first page. This takes time.

Here are a five key things you can do to add some momentum to your big digital debut.

#1 Add your website address to all of your social media accounts

If you’ve started your business with social media rather than a website, you do have followers and audience who are interested in what you have to offer. Let them know about your new website.

Add your website address to your Facebook page, your LinkedIn (even if you can’t have it as an external link). If you’re on Instagram use a service like Linktree or Later to include a link in your bio. Same goes for your Twitter account.

If you’ve had any of these accounts for awhile they will likely come up on a Google search before your new website does. Having your website link on your social media account will help direct people there, so they can find out more about you, your offer and get in touch.

#2 Set up a Google Search Console account and submit your website

Okay, this is a liiiitle bit tech-y but it’s not that hard and Google provides really easy to follow resources on how to do this.

First, what is Google Console? As Google puts it: “Search Console tools and reports help you measure your site’s Search traffic and performance, fix issues, and make your site shine in Google Search results.”

By setting up an account and submitting your website you are letting Google know you exist. Google will find your site eventually (Google will find us all eventually!) but by setting up Google Search console and submitting your site, you're accelerating this process, and by extension your SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) ranking, meaning how soon you show up when people Google you, or the kind of services or products you offer on your website.

Here’s a helpful guide on how to get started with Google Search Console. If I’ve created a Squarespace website for you, here are specific instructions on how to connect your new site with Google console.

#3 Write and schedule at least three blog posts

If you don’t have a blog, you can obviously skip this step. However I think there are a lot of reasons you should blog for your small business.

Good reasons to blog for your business are that it helps Google find you and because it helps leads and potential clients to know, like and trust you. Finally, blogging is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and authority on what you do.

Most clients come to me wanting a blog on their website. I thoroughly applaud this decision.

However! You need to have content first! I recommend getting started with at least three posts ready to be scheduled and queued.

The only thing worse than no blog is a blog with no content or old content, published months ago or even last year. Ideally you should post once a week or bi-weekly to your blog.

People need to see that your business is a living and breathing thing. That the lights are on and somebody is home.

You can do this with regularly updated blog content. Not every post needs to be long (1000+ words). Write shorter blog posts more frequently if that works for you.

Marketing genius Seth Godin posts every day and sometimes the posts are a couple of sentences long.

One last advantage of having a blog on your website is that you’ve got something to point your clients to and share on your other social media outlets. All of this helps drive awareness and traffic to your new website.

#4 Send an Email to everyone you know letting them know your new website is live

For some of you this may feel like a no-brainer. For others, especially more introverted types, this will feel terrifying. It may feel like you’re boasting or bragging or jumping up and down saying ‘look at me! look at me!’

You gotta do it though.

There is no point in going through all this effort and then not letting people far and wide know about it.

Even if it’s just family and friends, they need to know. They probably know someone, or know someone who knows someone who is interested in what you’ve got to offer.

You can be low key about it.

If it’s the case, share what a challenge it was to get started, what you went through to get it live and how proud you are of your new site.

Ask and be open to feedback. Explain that the site has just been launched and if anyone sees any typos feel free to let you know. Thank them for taking a look and for being in your life.

You can turn your big announcement into a way to connect and to shine.

#5 Set up a Google My Business Account

Yes, another Google thing.

Google is still one of the best ways for people you don’t know to find out about you, your website and what you have to offer.

This is especially good if you offer local services. I’m writing this at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, but one day, things will go back to some state of normal, and many people like to work with people who are nearby.

Google Business is free to use. You have to set up an account and confirm your business which you can do by postcard, phone, email or instant verification.

You can set up your account with images, offers, your location.

Ask customers to include reviews. Side story: I was finishing up my yearly taxes and I told my accountant that he had improved the quality of my life 1000%. He thanked me sincerely and then asked me if I wouldn’t mind adding it as a review on his Google My Business page. It took about ten seconds and I was happy to do it.

You can include things like questions and answers and of course a link to your website. This is just one more way to improve your search rankings in Google and entice people to click over to your site with some rich information about your business. Here are instructions on how to get Google Your Business set up.

These five things won’t make your new website shoot up to the top of Google or get an immediate tsunami of traffic to your site.

They will, however, help get your new business website on a solid footing to steadily increase your visibility. In time, along with your regular and consistent marketing efforts, this will lead to more, leads, more clients and more money.