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What You Need to Launch a New Website in 2025
Joe Smith | 11.07.25
Planning to launch a new website? This in-depth guide walks you through every key step. Perfect for small businesses starting from scratch or relaunching with confidence.
Introduction
These days, having a great website for your business is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a small business owner, or looking to expand your existing service, a website serves as your online storefront, showcasing your brand and offerings to a global audience. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential steps required to successfully launch a new website, covering everything from domain name selection to SEO strategies, ensuring you have the knowledge and tools needed to make your online presence effective.
Domain Name Selection
Importance of a Domain Name
Before you launch a new website, keep in mind that your domain name is your online identity. It’s often the first impression potential customers will have of your business. A well-chosen domain name can boost your brand’s credibility and make it easier for customers to find you. Furthermore, a memorable domain name can enhance your marketing efforts, providing an effective way to drive traffic to your site. An effective domain name should reflect your business name, be easy to spell, and incorporate relevant keywords when possible.
Tips for Choosing the Right Domain Name
Choosing a domain name involves a few key considerations. First, opt for a name that is short, simple, and easy to remember. Avoid using hyphens or numbers, as these can easily confuse your audience. Consider using a relevant keyword that hints at what your business offers, which can also improve your SEO ranking. Additionally, check the availability of your desired domain across social media platforms to ensure a cohesive brand presence.
These days, having a website for your business is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a small business owner, or looking to expand your existing service, a website serves as your online storefront, showcasing your brand and offerings to a global audience. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential steps required to successfully launch a new website, covering everything from domain name selection to SEO strategies, ensuring you have the knowledge and tools needed to make your online presence effective.
Website Hosting Options
Types of Hosting Services
Once you've secured a domain name, the next step to launch a new website is selecting a hosting service. There are several types of hosting options available: shared hosting, VPS (Virtual Private Server), dedicated hosting, and cloud hosting. Shared hosting is the most affordable and is suitable for small websites. VPS offers more resources and control, while dedicated hosting provides an entire server for your site, ideal for high-traffic websites. Cloud hosting is a newer option that provides scalability and reliability.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Hosting
When choosing a hosting provider, consider factors such as uptime reliability, customer support, scalability options, and pricing. Uptime refers to the time your website is operational; look for a host that guarantees at least 99.9% uptime. Customer support is crucial, especially if you encounter issues; a host with 24/7 support can save you a lot of headaches. Also, consider future growth; choose a host that can accommodate increased traffic as your business expands.
SiteJacket's own hosting services provide a 99.9% uptime guarantee with a local data centre meaning that wherever you are in the world, your visitors will have a fast connection to your website.
Content Management System (CMS)
What is a CMS?
A Content Management System (CMS) is software that allows you to create, manage, and modify content on your website without needing specialised technical knowledge. A CMS simplifies the website management process, enabling business owners to focus more on creating valuable content and less on technical details. It usually offers templates, plugins, and tools that ease the design and functionality of your site. Also, if speed is a factor for your business, utilising a CMS can help you launch a new website quickly.
Popular CMS Platforms
There are several CMS platforms available, with WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal being among the most popular. WordPress is widely favoured for its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and large community support, making it ideal for beginners. In fact, all SiteJacket websites are built on WordPress including the one you're reading this post on! Joomla offers more complex features, suitable for e-commerce and social networking sites, while Drupal is best suited for developers needing a robust and scalable solution. Choosing the right CMS depends on your specific needs, technical skill level, and business goals.
Security Plugins
Why Website Security Matters
Website security is paramount in maintaining your business’s credibility and protecting sensitive customer information. Cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated, and a single breach can result in data loss, reputational damage, and financial liabilities. Implementing robust security measures and using security plugins can help safeguard your website against attacks, ensuring you remain compliant with regulations like GDPR.
Essential Security Plugins to Consider
For those using WordPress, several security plugins can enhance your website's protection, including Wordfence Security, Sucuri Security, and All-In-One (AIOS) Security. These plugins offer features such as firewall protection, malware scanning, and login security. Upon launch, a new website should have its software and security monitoring regularly updated. It's important to keep on top of your website for vulnerabilities to maintain a secure online presence.
Email Inboxes
Setting Up Professional Email Addresses
Before you launch a new website, establishing a professional email address is crucial for communication with customers and partners. Instead of using generic email providers, opt for a custom domain email (e.g., info@yourbusiness.com). This not only enhances your professionalism but also helps build trust among your clientele. Most hosting providers include email services as part of their packages, making it easy to set up. Every new website built with SiteJacket comes with free professional email addresses.
Best Practices for Email Management
Managing your business emails effectively is essential for productivity. Use folders to organise emails based on categories or projects, and regularly delete unnecessary messages to keep your inbox clutter-free. Additionally, utilise filters to automatically sort incoming messages, ensuring that important communications are prioritised. Regularly backing up your emails can also prevent data loss.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Basics of SEO for New Websites
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the practice of improving your website’s visibility in search engine results. A well-optimised website attracts more organic traffic, which can lead to increased sales and customer engagement. If you're planning to launch a new website, start with considering fundamental SEO practices, such as keyword research, creating quality content, eventually optimising your site’s structure. Ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly is also critical, as these factors influence search rankings.
Having good SEO for your website is important, as there is no use having the best website in the world if no-one can find it. Ultimately, businesses want to reach as many people as they can to sell their products and/or services, and a well-optimised website will put it in front of the people most likely to become customers.
SiteJacket offers SEO service packages, tailored to your business's specific needs. If you have an existing website that's not being seen by the right people, or you want to ensure a successful new website project, contact us today to see how we can help you.
Tools and Techniques for Effective SEO
Several tools can assist you in your SEO efforts, including Google Analytics, Moz, and SEMrush. Google Analytics helps track website traffic and user behaviour, providing insights that can guide your content strategy. Meanwhile, Moz and SEMrush offer keyword analysis tools that can identify opportunities to enhance your site’s ranking. Regularly updating your content and engaging with your audience through social media also contributes to effective SEO.
If you are worried about the state of your own SEO, SiteJacket offers a free SEO audit of your website. Alternatively, if you would just like to see how SEO is performing over a period of time, we also offer a robust Website Analytics Report service, pulling in data from a large range of tools to give you valuable insights on your website's effectiveness.
Choosing a Professional Web Design Service
Advantages of Professional Design Over Template-Based Builders
Choosing a DIY website builder like Wix or Squarespace may offer ease of use, but hiring a professional web design service can provide a more tailored approach when planning to launch a new website. Professional designers bring expertise and creativity, ensuring that your website is not only visually appealing but also functional and optimised for conversions. They can create a unique design that reflects your brand identity and incorporates advanced features that might be lacking in template-based solutions.
How to Select the Right Web Design Service
When choosing a web design service, like SiteJacket, consider their portfolio and past work to evaluate their style and expertise. Look for client reviews and testimonials that showcase their reliability and quality. Additionally, discuss your specific requirements and budget upfront to ensure alignment. A good web design service should prioritise communication, offering regular updates throughout the design process.
Checklist for Launching A New Website
Pre-Launch Checklist
Before you launch a new website, you should make a pre-launch checklist to ensure everything is in order. This checklist should include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Testing links to make sure they work correctly
- Checking that all content is proofread
- Ensure that the website is mobile-responsive
- Set up tracking & analytics tools
- Configure security plugins to secure your new website
- Prepare a marketing plan for the launch to promote your website effectively
Post-Launch Checklist
After you launch a new website, continue with a post-launch checklist. Again, this should include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Monitor your website's performance using the analytics tools you have set up
- Check for broken links
- Gather user feedback to ensure you're engaging the right audience in the right way
- Implement SEO strategies
- Regularly update content
- Implement regular backups to protect against data loss and to keep your website secure
Conclusion
When you launch a new website, it might seem daunting, but with careful planning and execution, it can be a rewarding endeavour that significantly enhances your business. From selecting the right domain name and hosting service to implementing SEO strategies and ensuring security, each step plays a crucial role in your website's success. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, you’ll be well-equipped to create a strong online presence that effectively serves your business needs.
If you're planning to launch a new website, redesigning an old one, or just have some questions about your project and want to talk to a professional, contact SiteJacket today. We're happy to help you get the results you want.
