5 Things to Do After Launching a Web Site

Gaining press and getting people interested in what you are producing are some of the hardest things to do once your Web site is finally up and running. Will they love me or do they hate me? Well first they have to find out who you are. Here are five things I always try to do when it comes to launching a new Web site or project.

1. Get the Web Site Finished - Nobody likes to get all hyped up over an idea to go find out it isn’t even done yet. It might sound like something most people would think of, but you’d be surprised by the number who do not.

2. Tell Your Friends and Family First - Word of mouth advertising is always the best, so when launching a new Web site or project this should be the first area you focus on when it comes to spreading the word about what you are trying to do. These people are also the easier to beg and plead with when it comes to asking to share it with friends and people they know that you do not. I’d much rather beg my best friend to do something for me than a total stranger.

3. Use the Social Web Experience - Now I am not going to tell you to go submit yourself to every social news Web site, because that it usually frowned upon. You can use some of these thing to your advantage though. Try to get yourself on places like StumbleUpon and Del.icio.us. They can bring a lot of fresh faces to your Web site, especially if it leans a little towards the geeky side of things.

4. Find the Network for Web Sites Like Yours - Next step should be to find forums, blogs and other social means of communication on the Web and spread your message there about your new project or idea. Make sure you an established personality or member of these forums or groups that you post at before you start plugging yourself as well. Nobody likes to be the guy who makes his introduction while plugging something. It looks a little tacky.

5. Reach Out to the Press - Is there a certain group of professional press you can reach out to in your area of business? If so - you might hit them up for a review or a mention of your new project or Web site. If your Web site is about soccer, and your doing something nobody else has done before, some soccer news outlets across the Web might be interested in your story. It never hurts to at least pitch the idea to them. If they can’t use you now, they might keep you in mind for something in the future.