By The E Team
www.theeteam.com.au

So you've just unleashed your brand spanking new website onto an unsuspecting public.

Congratulations! Most websites require a considerable investment of time and effort so it's important that you stop to admire the handiwork of you and your web team.

But don't stop too long because unlike times gone by, websites are no longer 'set and forget'.

In fact the launch of your website is the very start of your website journey, not the conclusion.

It's just like a newly landscaped garden. Looks impressive and beautiful now but unless you are prepared to invest in careful maintenance and upkeep, your Garden of Eden can soon look like a front yard on the Highway to Hell.

But we digress. The arrival of your new website represents a great opportunity to gather some promotion for your business and get back in touch with clients and prospects.

So here's a handy checklist that will not only bring your website lots of traffic but go a long way to giving it an early Return On Investment!

Pre-launch to a small, friendly group to iron out bugs
No matter how many times you've proofed, re-proofed and checked your website, chances are that it contains some minor errors that you and your team managed to overlook, or even an upsell or cross-sell opportunity you've missed. Before you launch the site to the wider public, conduct a test launch to a handful of allies that will give you honest feedback on the pros and cons of your new baby.

List with free online directories
As any respectable Search Engine Optimiser will tell you, relevant incoming links are the online equivalent of ongoing free advertising in the local press. The more relevant links to your website Google's (et al) 'bots' can find, the higher it will rank you. Here's a quick but not exhaustive list of free directory sites you should provide a free profile for. Note that some of these may approach you to advertise but this is not obligatory.

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