Launch day is an EXCITING day for a website project.
We’ve been putting in weeks of work, revisions, collaboration, research, and creativity to make a beautiful, strategic new website and TODAY is the day we get to launch it.
And while the excitement is very real, the actual PROCESS of launching a website is actually far less sexy (and far more technical) than most people realize.
Something I often hear from clients is that a lot of them have had pretty negative experiences with launching their websites in the past…
Unclear expectations or not knowing the process
Being sent the final website and told to launch on their own
Not knowing how to announce to their community
Sent a big list of technical terms they don’t understand
But your website launch really doesn’t need to look like that. Launching is technical, yes, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be a negative experience.
I start talking about the website launch process pretty early in my client projects. Sometimes I even go over it in the discovery phase or the kickoff call.
As you can see from my launch checklist above — it’s a lot more technical than most people would think and I definitely don’t walk clients through this jargon-filled list!
Instead, I break down the basics of what I need from them (Google Analytics ID, access to their domain manager, access to their Google Search Console) and give a high level explanation of what I’ll be doing and how long each step should take.
This keeps everyone in the loop without overwhelming clients with the tiny details.
Once everyone is clear on the launch process and we’ve selected a date that works well for everyone, we book it in the calendar.
Here’s What My Launch Days Look Like:
Massive sweater, ON! Laptop, CHARGED! Cup of tea, IN HAND! Here’s what a day in the life looks like on website launch days…
8:00 AM — I try to not have other calls or deadlines on website launch days. Even when a website launch doesn’t actually take me all day, it always feels way easier to have the launch be my main focus of the day.
In the morning I go through my regular routine (Bible, inbox, LinkedIn, water refill) and then I head to my Notion to get the information I’ve already collected from my client (domain info, Google Analytics, ID, etc.)
9:00 AM — I log into ShowIt (my preferred design platform) and open up the preview of their website on both my desktop and my phone.
I spend some time just operating through their website on both devices to ensure everything flows perfectly from the user side. I also check the SEO settings, all the links, and triple check things like the favicon and design settings.
10:00 AM — After checking everything for the one millionth time, I get into the technical stuff. Sometimes I wait until later in the day (if it works better for my client) but typically I do it in the morning.
I submit the domain, update DNS, communicate with the ShowIt support team about getting the SSL set up, add the Google ID… (see, I told you it was more technical than fun!) and sit around a bit to make sure everything is connected properly.
12:00 PM — Once everything is set up and the domain is connected (takes between 1-3 hours on average) I let my client know that their new website is OFFICIALLY LIVE!! Usually accompanied by some excited emojis or GIFs!
Then I send them a final project email which has a whole bunch of things in it:
Their final invoice (because ya girl needs to get paid)
All the deliverables (branding, etc.) from the project
Social media graphics to help announce the new website
Video tutorial for how to update imagery and text if needed
A link to leave me a Google review to support my business
This is the really exciting part of the project — the technical steps are complete and the website is now live. People can take a look, my client can share the excitement on their marketing channels, and a big project is checked off their list.
1:00 PM — I usually try to get out for a walk after the launch process to stretch my legs and clear my mind. It’s a lot of detailed work so I like to take a breather and spend an hour outside or making lunch.
The rest of the afternoon is spent archiving the project on my Notion and Drive, taking notes for my case study of the project if I have the time, or working on another client project like case studies, brand messaging, or another website.
My Tips For Smooth Website Launches
Now that you know what my launch days look like with clients (at least a rough idea!) here are some of my general website launch tips whether working with a contractor like myself, an agency, or even DIY:
// BE PREPARED
Preparing for launch day is my #1 piece of advice. Have your process planned out. Have all your passwords on hand. Have your launch content and announcements ready. Write out your checklist. When you know what to expect there are WAY fewer opportunities for mistakes or errors.
// TEST EVERYTHING TWICE
Test out your website preview on several devices and ask others to test it out as well. I’ve had so many last minute things spotted by having a few people help with this step. When you’ve been looking at the same website for so long it really helps to have new eyes review it with you.
// DON’T PANIC IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG
Unless you’re a big corporation with massive traffic, having your website be down for an hour while you move your site or fix something will not be a huge deal. We can get so in our heads about our business but believe me, just take a breath and work to resolve the issue. I see it over and over that it’s really not that big a deal.
// SET UP YOUR ANALYTICS AND SITEMAP
Don’t forget to add your Google Analytics, set up redirects if needed, and submit your sitemap to Google Search Console to ensure your website will still be tracking your metrics and ranking on Google.
// SPREAD THE NEWS FAR AND WIDE
It’s exciting to launch a new or refreshed website! Don’t be shy. Share the announcement everywhere — social media, email, anywhere you connect with your clients! Sharing the news is a great way to boost traffic to your new site as well.
And those are my tips! If you have a website project you’d like to chat about, just reach out and let me know. Currently booking for June and July 2025.
🤠 What’s Cool…
Crushing my 10K race this weekend! My friend and I decided to register for the Mother’s Day 10K race back in February to help motivate us in our running journey.
What a rewarding journey the past few months have been! Especially getting to work together for support, encouragement, and training.
I’ve never felt like an amazing runner to be honest. When I started running again last year I branded myself as a ‘slow runner’ because for me it was always more about getting outside and moving as opposed to being super speedy.
But practice really does create improvement and I was so proud to finish the race with a time of 1:07! Challenging myself with something like this was so humbling. I really had to push myself to see results and it felt SO good to cross that finish line.
📚 Currently Reading…
I really needed an easy palette cleanser book last week, and Ruth Ware’s Zero Days thriller novel absolutely DELIVERED.
The story follows a woman who is on the run from the cops after coming home to find her husband murdered. It’s a fast-paced book that reads exactly like an action movie.
(We had actually just watched The Fugitive which is pretty much the same storyline).
Zero Days was the perfect book for me last week — fast, engaging, and enjoyable without being ‘amazing’ or taking too much brain power (the twist is not hard to spot).
I’ve also read The It Girl by Ruth Ware, and I enjoyed that one too! Very similar in the pacing and also reads like a movie. I think this style of book is so fun sometimes, especially after wading through some massive, chewy books for the past few weeks.
🍊 Working On…
Here’s what’s going on at Belle White Creative HQ this week…
Launching a client website: That’s what inspired my topic for today’s edition of Belle’s Book Club hehe. I’m sooo excited to share this one!
So many discovery calls: Feeling excited to book some new projects for Spring and Summer! Here’s more info on how I prepare for discovery calls.
Writing new blog posts: While I’m booking my next round of projects, I’m working on adding more to my blog for boosting SEO, educating my community, and creating content for Pinterest.
Reading more IRL books: I stopped at this massive book sale event this week and picked up some great reads. Going to try and read some physical books instead of only reading on my Kobo!
Attending my first coworking session: Such a fun idea — a bunch of solopreneurs and WFH folks gather to cowork for the afternoon at a cafe.
Thank you so much for being here and chat next Wednesday,
xo — Belle