In today’s article, we’re going to share some of our tips and tricks on creating buzz around website launches in 2021. If you happen to have prior marketing experience, some of these might sound familiar, but please keep in mind that not everything used in conventional marketing applies to its digital counterpart. So stick with us until the end, and you might just learn a couple of new tricks to use for your next website launch.
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Timing is crucial
Launch your website during the weekend.
Launching your website during the weekend might make sense at first glance, but believe us, this is not a wise decision (except in some particular circumstances).
There are two big reasons for this: technical difficulties and mindsets.
First (and probably more important) are the potential technical difficulties. Building a fully-functional website is not as easy at it seems and something can always go wrong. As a matter of fact, something almost always goes wrong, especially during the initial stages of development – that’s why you have QA (quality assurance) teams. But even the most vigilant of QA experts can’t miss things. Or, your website might get more visits than anticipated and get overloaded. Or the servers might go down. And, if anything happens, you need the problem to be addressed immediately. Which is … unlikely to happen during the weekend. Experts are people too. They want to be able to kick back and relax on their days off. So, unless you’ve got a dedicated team on call, we’d advise you to leave the big openings for the weekdays.
And this brings us to the second point, which is – mindsets. During the weekend, people’s brains switch to the “rest and relaxation” mode. They don’t want to think too hard. They don’t want to explore new things. All they want is to take some time off and spend time with their loved ones or enjoy their hobbies. If your website, product or service are not about their hobbies, you’re probably better off waiting for the weekend to end.
Sharing is caring
Share with your friends and industry peers.
When trying to create buzz on social media, start by sharing the website with your friends and acquaintances. Even just by getting a reaction from the people in your niche, you are already spreading your message to more people than you would reach on your own. Your industry peers are much more likely to interact with your post than the average users, and an endorsement from them can have lasting positive effects for your business.
Show them how it’s done
Show off the building process.
Depending on the project, you could demonstrate some specific functions, talk about your business’s story, use the teaser as an opportunity to explain your mission or even just show off your products or services. Here anything goes, as long as it can resonate with your target audience.
This one can be as simple as slapping a pretty picture and “coming soon” message, along with a few inspirational lines of copy on the page. It’s important to let your visitors and potential customers know what to expect, but don’t overdo it. You still want to leave something for when everything is actually up and running. Something that will keep visitors thinking about your launch and make them want to come back to check it out.
As a side-note, this is also a great way to expand (or start building) your mailing list. Something as simple as “sign up now and stay up to date” or “don’t miss the big opening bonus” can really kick-start your email marketing campaigns. Just don’t overdo it.
The Insider’s Scoop
Offer special bonuses to your first members.
Pre-order bonuses, exclusive content, special platform benefits or even something as simple as an “early member” badge can go a long way towards getting people to sign up for your product or service. What’s even better is that people receiving such benefits are likely to stick with you over the long run.
Giving back to the community
Host a giveaway.
Giveaways are one of the most popular ways of generating engagement. Think of it like that – if people feel like they’re gaining something off of taking a minor and relatively effortless action, they’re very likely to follow through.
Depending on your target audience and business niche, you could use your product or a coupon as the grand prize. This a win-win situation – you’re both creating hype and getting people to try out whatever you’re selling.
On top of that, you can also use the giveaway registrations as a way to build up your mailing list. Some companies even opt to include a sharing requirement, where users must share the giveaway on social media to be eligible for participation. Again, this will vary based on your field and audience – it might work really well or end up backfiring. Remember, by doing this, you’re essentially asking people to endorse your product or service before they know whether it’s good or not.
Create a Countdown Timer
Countdowns can really help you build up that anticipation, and usually, all it takes is a post or two on social media (as long as you have an audience or a way to reach it). Movie teasers are a great example here. “A change is coming…”, “This summer, on …”, “A week from now, the … will change forever”. The possibilities are endless, so don’t be afraid to get creative.
To add a bit of extra “punch” to your message, remember that you are not doing this for yourself. Yes, creating and publishing something like this will make you “feel cool”, but you’re actually doing it for your audience. As always, you want to focus on your ideal customer. Think about their needs and wants. Why are they going to be buying your product? What problem does it solve? How would it impact their lives?
Invest in the future of your project
Run some paid ads.
Nobody will visit your website if they don’t know about it. And don’t get us wrong here – we’re not trying to bring you down. As a matter of fact, we’re sure that you’ve got a wonderful website with stunning pictures and exciting content. But how would the average user know that it exists? If you are a well-known industry leader and if people are excited about your company, they are going to keep an eye on you either way. However, if you are still new and building your brand, you can’t expect that people are just going to “stumble onto you”.
You might have the next best thing since sliced bread, but if nobody comes to see it, you’re not going to achieve much.
And this is where paid ads come in. Yes, we know that nobody likes ads, but hear us out. If you craft your ads well, if you custom-tailor the content to your ideal customer’s needs and wants, they will want to check you out. They just won’t be able to help themselves.
Pictures are more fun when they move
Publish a dedicated video.
The video doesn’t need to be specific about your website either. You could talk about your company, your product or service or your mission, vision and values as a business. You can share insights and valuable information, or even just talk about the latest developments in your field. As long as you mention the website and let people know that they should check it out, you’re doing it right.
Dare to be bold
Don’t be afraid to share your website on social media.
Don’t be afraid to get your message out there and don’t be boring. As long as you remain realistic, you can get away with making even the most outrageous statements, like claiming that your plan is to (eventually) “completely change the face of the industry”, “transform the digital landscape” or “revolutionise the field”. Plenty of businesses do that and, as long you craft your message well and actually manage to deliver, you can ride the hype wave for years.
Don’t be afraid to get your message out there and don’t be boring. As long as you remain realistic, you can get away with making even the most outrageous statements, like claiming that your plan is to (eventually) “completely change the face of the industry”, “transform the digital landscape” or “revolutionise the field”. Plenty of businesses do that and, as long you craft your message well and actually manage to deliver, you can ride the hype wave for years.
