When Should You Go Live With Your New Website?

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Transcript

One of the things I get asked by people who are starting a new business is when should I go live with my new website? Should I work on my website and get it all perfect and then go live or should I just go live with something that is not really the final product that maybe I don’t really like but to just get it out there for now?

I’m going to give you the answer. You want to go live with Something, even if it’s little one page, anything as soon as possible. Here’s why Google and search engines look at overall age of a website that factors into their algorithm. So many times when a website is launched, it is put into what’s called like a probation period, anywhere from three to six months.

And what that means is, is that during that time, you probably won’t get any traffic or very little. You might get tested to see how people are reacting to your website. Do they stay on it? Does it have good information? They want to see oh is this website set up and then all of a sudden a ton of content is going to be added to It because it’s going and links going to be added to it because it’s a spammy website So they want to see like what type of website is this website going to be all about So what you want to do is get something up immediately Okay, as soon as you registered your domain name you want to secure hosting and it doesn’t have to be the final place Where you’re securing hosting it can be a free website hoster for now.

That’s okay As long as you can point your domain name to it when you go to your domain name That this website appears that it’s live. Okay, then after You do that, you want to immediately submit your site map to Google so that Google understands what your site is about and they know all of the pages that are on it.

Okay? So if you have three pages, Google will understand you have three pages. If you have 10, they’ll understand you have 10. If you have one, understand one. But you want to do this right away as soon as possible. All right? So that is your answer for new business owners. Get something up. Let’s get it going.

Let’s get something up. And then, while it’s up, marinating, online, we can work on our perfect website to be revealed when we’re ready.

Let’s go over this a little more in detail

 

The Dilemma of Website Launching

Are you a new business owner or entrepreneur gearing up to launch your website?

One of the most common questions that arise is when to go live with your new online presence.

Should you work tirelessly to perfect every aspect of the site before launching, or should you go live with an imperfect but functional version to get the ball rolling?

The answer is clear: Go live with something, even if it’s just a one-page website, as soon as possible. Here’s why:

An early website launch is crucial for your online success and SEO strategy.

The Age Factor in Search Engine Algorithms

Search engines like Google take the overall age of a website into account when ranking it in search results. This factor is often referred to as the “domain age” or “website age,” and it plays a significant role in how search engines evaluate the credibility and authority of your site.

When a new website is launched, it typically enters a probationary period that can last anywhere from three to six months. During this time, the site may receive little to no traffic, as search engines closely monitor user behavior and engagement to determine the website’s legitimacy and relevance.

Search engines want to ensure that your website isn’t a spammy or low-quality site that will suddenly be flooded with content and links in an attempt to manipulate rankings. They need to see that your site provides a positive user experience and valuable information before granting it a higher level of trust and authority.

By launching your website early, even with a minimal amount of content, you’re essentially starting the clock on this probationary period. The sooner you get your site indexed and established, the sooner it can begin gaining trust and authority in the eyes of search engines.

Submit Your Sitemap to Google


Once you’ve launched your website, even if it’s just a basic one-page site, you’ll want to immediately submit your sitemap to Google. A sitemap is a file that provides information about the pages, videos, and other files on your website, as well as their respective URLs.

By submitting your sitemap to Google, you’re letting the search engine know exactly what your site is about and what pages are currently live.

Submitting your sitemap right away is crucial because it gives Google a clear understanding of your website’s structure and content from the very beginning. This early indexing can help your site establish itself more quickly in search results, even if you haven’t yet built out the full scope of your planned website.

The Marinating Period: Building While Indexed

By launching your website early and submitting your sitemap, you’ve effectively kickstarted the process of getting your site indexed and recognized by search engines. This initial step is crucial, but it’s just the beginning of your SEO journey.

If you need guidance during this critical “marinating” phase, consider enrolling in our hands-on SEO Courses. These Courses will teach you how to optimize your site for maximum visibility and impact

While your website is “marinating” online, gaining age and establishing its presence, you can work on developing the perfect, fully-fledged version of your site. This might include adding more pages, optimizing content, improving design and user experience, and implementing other SEO best practices.

Need help with these tasks? Our Professional SEO Services can take the burden off your shoulders. Our team will work diligently to ensure your website is search engine optimized and ready to captivate your audience..

Launching Early: A Strategic Advantage

By launching your website early, even with a minimal version, you’re giving yourself a strategic advantage in the world of SEO. Here are some key benefits of this approach:

1. Head Start on Domain Age: As mentioned earlier, domain age is a crucial factor in search engine algorithms. By launching early, you’re essentially starting the clock on your site’s age, giving it a head start over competitors who wait to launch a more polished version.

2. Early Indexing and Crawling: Submitting your sitemap right after launch ensures that your site gets indexed and crawled by search engines from the very beginning. This early indexing can help your site gain visibility and establish a presence in search results more quickly.

3. User Engagement Data: Even with a basic site, search engines can start gathering data on user behavior and engagement. This data helps them determine the relevance and quality of your content, which can positively impact your rankings down the line.

4. Backlink Accumulation: While you’re building out your full website, you can start accumulating backlinks to your domain. These early backlinks can contribute to your site’s authority and help boost your rankings once your polished site is live.

5. Brand Awareness and Marketing: Having an online presence, even if it’s minimal, allows you to start building brand awareness and marketing your business from the get-go. This can help drive traffic and engagement, which can further contribute to your SEO efforts.

By getting your site indexed early and starting the clock on domain age, you’re giving yourself a head start in the race for higher search rankings and increased visibility. So, don’t wait for perfection – launch early, submit your sitemap, and start building your online authority from day one.

This is the Toto way.

About the Author

Jennifer DeRosa

Are you looking to build your own website but don't know where to start? Meet Jennifer DeRosa, the author of "Building DIY Website for Dummies" and the founder of Toto Coaching. With over two decades of experience in website design and development, Jennifer has helped countless businesses establish their online presence using platforms like WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, and Shopify. In her book, Jennifer shares her expertise on how to build a website from scratch, guiding you through the process. But that's not all – Jennifer also offers companion courses at Toto Coaching, where you can learn how to optimize your website for search engines (SEO), build a WordPress website, and develop strategies to convert leads and presell services. As the owner of Toto SEO, Jennifer also helps small businesses improve their online presence and SEO. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry, having owned a web development agency for over 23 years, spoken at numerous events, attended WordCamps and WooCamps across the country, and even ran local WordPress Meetups. She is a frequent speaker for WordPress Meetups, SCORE, and others. Jennifer's thirst for knowledge recently led her to complete a course on No Code Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at the prestigious MIT University. Her career also includes consulting roles with industry giants such as Mercedes Benz Credit Corporation, US Surgical, GTE, GE Capital, Unilever, and Calvin Klein.

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