Grand (Online) Opening: How to Promote Your Website

bright blue caps pens with matching stylus on light blue desk with new website promoted on pen barrels

When it’s time to reveal your new website, you want to get your crowd excited about all the big changes. A lot goes into a new website, including time, resources, and risk. But if executed correctly, the payoff can include more customers, larger order values, and a stronger brand presence. Promoting your website is key to creating that payoff. Following are some tried and true tips for how to promote your website to entice new clicks and bigger conversions.

Promote Your Website with…Your Website

Use existing web traffic, which is usually comprised of target prospects and existing customers, to create buzz around the next generation website.

We Interrupt This Website: Deploy pop-up alerts with a count-down to launch of the new site to encourage traffic “stickiness” surrounding the big reveal.
Worthy of WordPress: If you have a blog (on WordPress, another platform, or hosted directly on your site), devote a post to upcoming enhancements to the website, and associated customer benefits. Use bullets and lists to make it easy for readers to resonate with the features they want most.

Best Emails for the Big Launch

Scream it from the rooftops (er, the inboxes)! Let current customers and prospects get in on the new website excitement by announcing it in a special email blast. Make it fun for your recipients by offering an Easter egg or special promotion attached to browsing. A few tips:

Send Out a Teaser Email: Engage your audience in the new launch with a little pre-launch website promotion. Example: “Get ready to click! New website reveal coming soon. You’re gonna love the new look!”
Keep It Simple: Focus your email copy and any images exclusively on promoting your website. This ensures maximum impact and engagement. Nothing to do but check out the new digs!
Highlight New Features: Tell them why you upgrade your website and how it helps your customers. Point to new collections and services. Make note of easier navigation or faster check-out. Example 1: “You said you wanted live chat. We listened!” Example 2: “Enjoy our easy to navigate appointment calendar and free shuttle service.”
Include a Promotional Discount: Get everyone in on the new launch with a limited time offer. Example 1: “Customers like YOU are the inspiration behind our next level website. Browse the new site, let us know what you think by replying to this email, and enjoy [X%] off on your next purchase.” Example 2: “New website launch offer. Limited time only!”
Tell a Friend: A new website is a great time to encourage referrals. Incentivize customers to share the new website with a discount or referral code.
Sincerely Yours: Make sure your website is included in your online signature for passive promotion with every email.

Send a Text Announcement

Many businesses communicate with customers via text. Announce your new website via a short text, including an enticing offer and highlight one great thing about the new website. “Our new website is live and faster than ever. Enjoy 10% off when you shop today.”

Tease the Launch on Social Media

Use social media to post teaser announcements before the official launch. Because social media is free, and your followers may not see every post, have some fun with different angles to promoting your website.

Show Don’t Tell: Use video to show users clicking through easier navigation or new areas
Tease New Offerings: Post a screenshot of new collections and services
Tease New Features: Highlight new features like blogs, online bookings, and new delivery options
Hashtags: When you launch, encourage followers to tag your new website for a chance to win a discount or free service

Best Customized Products to Promote Your Website

Get the most ROI for your website revamp by making it equivalent to a red-carpet event with ongoing buzz. Customized giveaways keep your website top of mind well beyond the new launch.

If you have a physical store and also a shoppable website, giveaways promote your website among physical store customers wanting to shop from home or outside of store hours. Promote your new website at point of sale with promotional pens, notepads, and more. Use direct mail to drive traffic to your website with sticky notes and magnets that highlight your website.

Choose promotional products that offer the most visible exposure, and enough imprint space to include your website. We like these:

Water-Resistant Budget Shopper Tote: Bright tote colors draw attention, and there’s plenty of room for your new website as well.

Morris Tote Bag: Trendy two-tone design, long straps, and front pocket ensure your recipients grab this one first, and your website gets seen all over town.

Grande 16 oz Ace Double Wall Tumbler: Note double walls for colder drinks, plus a color-matched straw for spill-free sipping on the go. Your recipients are sure to keep this tumbler close and your new url on display.

Colorblock Raven Pen: The two-tone design grabs the eye and trains it on your url on the barrel. Best of all, the low price point makes this pen a great giveaway for website promotion via direct mail and customer service counters.

Mabel Notebook & Pen Set: With your new website featured on both the notebook cover and pen barrel, your updated url gets double the exposure on this modern, sophisticated set.

Full Color 4”x 6” 50-Sheet Post-it® Notes: Great for direct mail, employee supply cabinets, and point of sale, this customized pad of Post-it Notes promotes your website every time a note gets stuck!

How to Promote Your Website: Everywhere!

Employ as many of the channels above as you can, and add more where applicable, including newsletters, blog posts, your email signature, online forums like Reddit, and directories like Yelp.