Creating your website is one thing, but making sure that your website has a solid audience is a completely different matter. Launches are meant to be exciting by nature. Having a big launch is a great way to start your new project with a bang, but building an audience to anticipate your new project isn’t as easy as it sounds. If you’re planning on launching a new website, then it’s best to start building excitement around its release at least a month or two before the big day.

“Shouldn’t a post or two about the release be enough?” Not really. The engagement that you gather from these posts may contribute to the initial traffic that your site gets once it has been released. However, if you’re looking to maximise your traffic and drive a high volume of sales on the first day of launch, then you will need to build a good amount of hype ahead of time. More traffic means that you have a higher chance of making a sale, and that will always be a good thing.

So, how exactly can you advertise a new website launch? We’ll be discussing some of our top tips that you can use to get people excited about your big day. Read our full guide below to learn more!

Release Teasers and Excerpts

Everyone loves a good sneak peek before a launch. You can show a few snippets of your new website by posting a screenshot or showing a glimpse of some of the pages. Get creative with it! You can even take things to the next level by posting these snippets as if you’re telling a story to your audience. Pair the screenshots or clips with a catchy caption. Let everyone know the story behind your website, how it came to be, or if you had any inspiration in mind while designing it. Adding these elements to your snippets gives them depth and could make your audience feel more invested in your release, which causes them to anticipate your new site and start feeling excited about the launch.

Start a Countdown

If you already have a considerable following, then you can start by integrating a countdown tool or a coming soon page on your website. Take note that this should only apply if you’re launching a brand new website and not just relaunching an existing, redesigned platform. If you transform an existing site into a coming soon page, then you may be throwing all of your hard work in SEO and ranking out of the window.

Instead, you can try posting a countdown on your social media accounts. These countdowns can be executed through visual art, like pictures or short videos, and posted every day as you lead up to your launch. This can serve both as reminders that you have a launch coming up soon and as informative posts that express why people should be looking forward to it. It’s a great way to build brand recognition and awareness as people become more interested in your new website.

Create a Trailer

Creating a trailer or a highlight reel to show off your website’s best features is one way to get everyone pumped up for its release. If you have some skills in video editing, then feel free to do it yourself. If you don’t, then working with a professional is a good choice. Remember, you’re using this trailer to build hype around your website, so it’s most likely going to be shared a lot as you continue promoting the launch. Incorporate eye-catching elements into your trailer and showcase the best parts of your website. Try not to give out too much though! Just share enough to keep your audience on the edge of their seats as they look forward to the big reveal.

You can make one long trailer or separate mini trailers into parts. We recommend posting them through platforms that specialise in this kind of format, like Instagram reels or TikTok.

Launch a Giveaway

Whether you’re launching something new or just want to boost your engagement, a giveaway is a foolproof way to maximise your reach on social media. It’s a given that everyone loves free stuff. You can give away one of your products, a few special discount vouchers, or pretty much anything you’d like. For this to be effective, you need to add sharing and engagement to the mechanics. Some effective methods include asking your audience to share the giveaway post, tag their friends, or both. You can also ask them to set a reminder for your website launch or opt-in to your newsletter.

Lastly, make sure that you’re linking to your new site at the end of each post so the purpose of the giveaway is crystal clear.

Utilise a Limited Time Offer

Limited-time offers and deals build a sense of urgency, which is a great way to get people excited about your launch. You can basically do anything you want with this. You can try hosting a flash sale for your products that last only for the first few days of your launch. Buy 1 take 1 promos and other combination deals are also neat ideas. Some businesses even choose to launch limited-edition, new products just for the launch of their new projects. If you decide to make a limited edition item, then people will definitely be rushing to your website to grab their own before stocks run out.

Announce it weeks or even a month before the launch and be sure to mention the offer as you post your reminders. This way, your website will experience a good amount of traffic even on the first day of its launch.

Collaborate With Influencers

Influencers are basically social media prophets. They deliver the news and it spreads like wildfire across the internet. Partner up with content creators and influencers to spread the word and reach a wider audience. For small businesses, it would be best to work with content creators that influence your target or local audience. For example, we are a web design company in Johannesburg. Since we want to target leads from Johannesburg or South Africa, then we would reach out to content creators popular in these areas.

Depending on the terms of your collaboration, you can either pay them or send complimentary gifts such as a sampler or a PR kit. If you send them a gift, then they can also talk about this in their content. This gives you a chance to promote both your site and your products. It’s a win-win!

Start Building a Network

Similar to reaching out to local influencers, you can also promote your site by building your network. Of course, you should always start with your family and friends. Once you’ve informed your closest companions, then branch out and try collaborating with other businesses. Again, it’s best to reach out to nearby businesses so that you can target local leads.

Let’s go back to the example from before. We’re a web design agency from Johannesburg that is building hype for our new website. In this scenario, you could try reaching out to businesses that would benefit from your partnership. For example, you could reach out to other small businesses in Johannesburg or South Africa and offer your services. You could create websites or graphic designs for small businesses and in turn, they could promote your launch on their handles.

Affiliate Programs

Spread the word and build a larger audience by starting an affiliate program as you prepare for your launch. First, you could reach out to existing customers and offer them a cashback or discount voucher. They can receive the rewards if they successfully invite someone to tune in to your launch, set a reminder, or opt-in to your newsletter. You can track this by adding a field to input referral codes whenever someone opts in. Get creative with how you want to execute this! It’s similar to hosting a giveaway but the key difference is that you are nurturing old clients with this method. These people can vouch for your product, which can encourage others to try your brand out as well.

Start an Email Campaign

Email marketing is another good method to advertise your launch. In a way, it’s similar to posting countdowns and reminders on social media. However, email marketing allows you to take on a more personalised approach. Customers and leads may appreciate this, as it shows that you took the time to get to know them and reach out to them personally. It also gives you a direct way to contact them directly. Being able to contact leads individually through email gives you the chance to utilise different tactics and strategies to encourage them to look forward to the website launch.

Create a Customised Hashtag

Hashtags are a great way to organise your content while building brand recognition with your audience. Use the hashtag in all of your posts, such as your countdowns, trailers, announcements, and other relevant content. As people see the hashtag frequently on your feed, they will eventually come to recognize your brand and possibly take an interest in your launch. Just make sure that your hashtag is catchy, unique, and related to your brand. Avoid using common or generic hashtags, as other brands may have used them first. This can cause confusion with your audience and could divert attention away from your launch instead.

It’s Never Too Early To Start Promoting Your Launch

Building up hype around your new website requires a lot of time and effort. Don’t miss out on any opportunities by starting late or procrastinating. Try out these tips to boost your next website launch!

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