When you release a new product, it’s important that you get the product launch right. If you can capture people’s attention and build some hype, you can capitalize on that momentum and make a lot of sales in the first few weeks. But if the launch is a flop, people will quickly lose interest and it’s hard to get people excited about it again.

How To Prepare Your Website For A New Product Launch

One aspect of the product launch that businesses tend to forget about is the website. They simply focus on the sales page itself. However, there is more to updating your website that creating a new sales page. By making changes to the website, you can prepare for the new launch and get your existing customers excited about it. These are the best ways to prepare your website for a new product launch.

Finalize The Bulk Of The Product First

In all of the excitement of a new product launch, many people forget about creating a timeline from announcement to live. This is important because you need to deliver on time if you are building the anticipation.

For example, if you add a new page to your site advertising a new product coming soon, and then it’s another year until it’s actually launched because you keep making last minute changes to the product, people will forget all about it. When you do finally launch the product, sales will be low and the launch will be a disaster.

That’s why you need to stop tweaking the product and get it ready for launch before you start making any changes to the website. If you have the bulk of the product ready to go, then you don’t have to worry about delays and disappointing your audience. Don’t start announcing you have a new product coming soon, and you’re just at the conceptual stage. When the lead time is too long between your initial announcement and launch, you lose all interest in the product.

In all of the excitement of a new product launch, many people forget about creating a timeline from announcement to live. Don't make people wait too long or they will lose interest. Click To Tweet

Set Up The Product Page Early

You need to make sure that everything is ready to go so when launch day comes around. If there are any technical issues, it could have a big impact on sales. That’s why you need to get a web design company to create the product sales page and test it early on.

During the build and test phase, a simple coming soon page will get visitors interested. That way, people will see it on there and it will build a bit of hype, and you can be sure that it’s all ready to go when you launch.

If you are able to create a notification list via email marketing or text messaging before your product launch, even better. This way, when you launch with your official “it’s live” announcement, you’ll have a list of interested prospects at the ready to communicate with.

Then when it’s time to go live, you can simply turn off your ‘coming soon’ page, and turn on your sales page.

Add A Countdown Timer

A countdown timer is a great visual cue to remind existing customers that you have a new product coming, so they are ready and waiting to buy it as soon as it is launched. Don’t take over the whole site with it, but put it somewhere visible on all of the pages, in the top corner, for example.

A countdown timer is a great visual cue to remind existing customers that you have a new product coming, so they are ready and waiting to buy. Click To Tweet

Add A Popup

Other ways you can draw attention to the new product is with a popup strategy. Before you shake your head no, popups work. So add a popup to your website announcing benefits of the new popup. You can also use an exit popup if you want to add another subtle way to tell more website visitors about the product.

Add A Banner Header

Adding your new product to your banner header is another way to get eyes on your new product. This could be a temporary addition specifically during the launch period, or you can rotate the banner with new products every time. No matter how long it stays up, the banner header on your website is a great in your face place to add visuals about your new product that people will definitely see.

Don’t Change Too Much

Even though your new product is going to be the focus of your marketing efforts in the near future, it’s important that you don’t go overboard and build the whole site around it. If people enter your site and all they can see is promotions for your upcoming product launch, how are they supposed to find your existing products? You don’t want to alienate them by bombarding them with adverts for a new product. I think many of us have experienced this overkill on the new product, and it tends to be annoying.

Therefore, you want to create your new sales page, and put some information on the launch in the sidebar, but keep the rest of the navigation features the same.

Now That You’re Ready

It’s important that you prepare your website ahead of the product launch so people know that it’s coming. Focus on the benefits of the new product with your teasers, and you’ll get people excited and ready to buy. Set up these features on your website, and more important, test all links before your big launch day.

You want to make sure you are ready to deal with the orders when they start coming in, and minimize any tech issues in advance. There’s nothing worse than buy links that don’t work!

Ciao,
Miss Kemya