Why create a website before starting a business?
Launching a business is a motivating but demanding project. Before embarking on this challenge, it is essential to prepare the ground well by putting all the chances on your side. And one of the key factors for success is to create your website even before you officially start your business. Why create a website before starting a business?
A website is not just an "extra" that your business can do without. On the contrary, it's the most strategic upfront investment you can make to ensure a solid foundation for your business and maximise your chances of long-term success.
Here are the many reasons why a professional website is essential from the very first stages of setting up your company.
Test ideas and concepts with a showcase site
When you're launching a business, you're always a little apprehensive and doubtful about the viability of your ideas. Creating an initial showcase site allows you to promote your concept, products or services even before you get started.
This is your opportunity to validate your value proposition and see how your target audience reacts. You can take their comments into account to refine your offer so that it perfectly meets expectations. In this way, the site helps you to test hypotheses at lower risk before embarking on massive investment.
What's more, getting the first positive feedback from prospects will be extremely motivating in this crucial start-up phase. You'll know you're on the right track before you take the plunge.
Promote yourself to generate interest
The key to a successful launch is to start making yourself known to potential customers as early as possible. A well-referenced website allows you to raise your profile organically well before you open.
Positioning your website
Take advantage of long lead times SEO to appear on queries related to your sector in your geographical area. A presence at the top of the search engines will ensure a constant flow of curious prospects. You'll be able to capture enquiries from customers who are ready to take the plunge as soon as you open, with your site acting as an acquisition tool.
What's more, having a professional website address means you can communicate widely on it: social networks, business cards, advertising, trade fairs, etc. You'll gain legitimacy and credibility for your expertise. All this contributes to the positive brand awareness that is essential for a successful launch.
Collect email leads for the launch
Thanks to the forms and call-to-actions on your website, you can collect the contact details of interested prospects well before the official opening. The aim is to build up a database of potential customers, highly qualified as they await your launch.
Create a database of prospects
Why create a website before launching a business? Creating a website allows you to prepare the ground in advance to maximise the impact of your launch operations, whether they be your inauguration or special operations. For example, you can send exclusive newsletters to your prospective customers offering them a special deal on their first order.
The people who raise their hand, already won over by your value proposition, will be your first enthusiastic and fervent ambassadors. Why create a website before starting a business?
Securing key domain names
Another key advantage not to be overlooked: creating your site as early as possible means you can reserve your domain names before the business is launched.
Choose wisely the root and extension in .com / .ch, etc. that best identifies you to your target customers. If possible, include your brand name to make it easier to remember. Quickly secure this unique address so that your prospects can find you easily.
Similarly, record possible variants of your URL, as well as likely typing errors. This will help you avoid cybersquatting or traffic diversion, and ensure your burgeoning digital reputation. Why create a website before starting a business?
Why create a website before starting a business?
Building your brand image upstream
Why create a website before launching a business? Your website is the first point of contact between your future customers and your brand. Its appearance, content and the user experience it conveys will play an active part in shaping your brand. brand image even before the opening.
Creating a professional image
From the outset, work on your visual identity, your values and your editorial tone to reflect your company's unique DNA. The site allows you to start building your reputation and credibility well in advance of the actual launch of your activities.
This will enable you to capitalise on this emerging branding as soon as you open, rather than building your brand image from scratch. This head start will be invaluable if you want to stay ahead of your future competitors.
Referencing content to demonstrate your expertise
Why create a website before launching a business? Don't settle for a showcase site with just a few pages. From the outset, put high-quality blog content demonstrating your in-depth expertise in your sector.
These well-written articles and advice sheets will also contribute to the natural referencing of your site. They will position your brand as a indispensable reference and credible very early on.
You will benefit from this in-depth work to capture research related to the subjects and issues of your target customers. You can demonstrate the added value you can bring them by answering their questions.
Preparing the ground for sustainable referencing
As mentioned above, having your site up and running well in advance of the launch means you can concentrate upstream on the good SEO practices right from the design stage. Compliance with technical standards, text optimisation, backlinks strategy, loading speed... These elements take time to put in place and will pay off in the long term.
Patiently building solid SEO foundations behind the scenes before you even welcome customers will ensure that you have your own organic traffic. All you have to do is capitalise on this with your expertise and services once you're up and running to turn visitors into paying customers.
Testing systems and organisations in real-life conditions
Another advantage of create your online shop or take bookings before the official opening is the possibility of concrete testing of your IT systems and certain processes. Even if you don't have much volume to start with, this will help you make sure everything is working before the big day.
Why create a website before launching a business? For example, you can check that :
- The E-commerce buying tunnel is fluid
- The payment module is correctly configured and secure
- Vouchers delivery and invoicing are generated
- The software integrations with your stock management or accounting
- The procedures for AFTER-SALES SERVICE and customer complaint management
This running-in period under real conditions, even on a small scale, is ideal for detect and resolve bugs before the massive influx of customers. It will help you avoid unpleasant surprises or overcharges at the crucial moment of launch.
Gather initial feedback from customers
In addition to testing the technical aspects, the first orders placed on your site before the official inauguration are an opportunity to gather feedback from your very first customers.
Even if they are few in number at the outset, their opinions and comments on your products, services and processes are extremely valuable. This rare opportunity to get concrete customer feedback on your nascent offering must absolutely be exploited before you take the plunge.
Positive comments may be published on the site to reassure your future customers. As for constructive criticism, it allows you to optimise certain less convincing aspects and correct the situation before a significant number of people are exposed.
Speed up launch operations
On the whole, the more meticulously you prepare for the launch of your online presence beforehand, the easier and faster your start-up will be when everything comes together: premises, staff, communication, etc.
If you already have a customer base, however small, tried and tested processes and visible content, you'll be able to save precious time during the actual start-up of the company. You'll be able to ride this wave of credibility and visibility.
This acceleration effect will enable you to reach break-even faster by capitalising on the efforts made upstream thanks to the website. In this way, you'll stay ahead of your future competitors.
Don't waste your time, we'll build your website for you
After reading all these arguments in favour of a website created well before the launch of your business, you can't help but be convinced of this strategic investment. Whatever business you're targeting, take the time you need to look after your digital environment by laying solid foundations for the long term. All the effort you put in beforehand will pay off in the long run! We hope we've been able to help you answer the question: Why create a website before starting a business?