The Confidence to Launch: Preparing for a Successful Website Debut

The episode offers an in-depth guide on preparing for a successful website launch, centered around defining goals, focusing on essential content, and maintaining a clear and user-friendly interface. Malinda shares valuable insights on overcoming perfectionism, suggesting that a website's functionality and vision are more critical than achieving an ideal launch. With the help of her Easy Website Content Planner, listeners are encouraged to approach their website launch with confidence and clarity, acknowledging that progress is more vital than perfection. 

Key Takeaways:

• Launching a website doesn't require perfection; it just requires action.
• Confidence in launching comes from taking steps forward, not having everything figured out.
• Focus on creating essential content first before diving into design and platform specifics.
• Websites are dynamic; the first launch is only the beginning of ongoing improvements.
• Sharing the website consistently is key to building an audience from scratch.

"Confidence doesn't come from having everything figured out. It comes from taking action, even when you're unsure."

Additional Links & Resources:

• Stop letting content keep you stuck—jumpstart your website planning with clarity and confidence! Get your content organized in just a few hours: https://malindawatt.com/planner
• Try Siteground, my favorite website hosting company: Siteground.com
• Learn more about me and my work at malindawatt.com

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Get Over Your Sh!t! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a rating or review. Share this with someone who needs a push to start taking action—because we’re all about moving forward together!

Hosted by Malinda Watt
Edited by Chris @ Wider View Studios
Music License purchased from stockmusic.com

Transcript

0:00:00 - (Malinda Watt): Hello and welcome to get over your Shit, the podcast dedicated to helping digital course creators, entrepreneurs and small business owners stop overthinking and start executing. I'm Melinda Watt, your host and fellow overthinker, here to guide you through the maze of self doubt and procrastination that keeps us from reaching our full potential. Today, we're tackling a big milestone for many entrepreneurs, small business owners and course creators.

0:00:28 - (Malinda Watt): Launching your website Whether you're starting a new business, rebranding, or finally creating an online home for your passion project, the thought of launching your website can feel exciting and completely overwhelming. Questions like Is it ready? Will people like it? Am I doing this right? Can make the process feel daunting. But here's the truth. Launching your website doesn't have to be perfect.

0:00:55 - (Malinda Watt): It just has to happen. In this episode, we're diving into how to prepare for a successful website debut, build confidence along the way, and overcome the fears that might be holding you back. By the end of this episode, you'll be ready to hit the publish button with clarity and confidence. And if you're looking for a tool to help you feel even more prepared, I'll be sharing how my Easy Website Content Planner can make this process small, smoother.

0:01:24 - (Malinda Watt): Let's dive in. Let's start with a question. What's stopping you from launching your website right now? For most of us, it boils down to one fear. I remember working with a friend who delayed launching her website for months. She'd put hours into designing it, tweaking the copy, and testing every feature, but every time she thought about going live, she'd second guess herself. What if it's not good enough?

0:01:52 - (Malinda Watt): What if people don't like it? What if no one visits it at all? Those what ifs kept her stuck in a cycle of overthinking. But here's the thing. Perfection is an illusion. Your website will never feel perfect. And that's okay. What matters is that it's functional, reflects your vision, and gets out into the world where it can start serving your audience. This is exactly why I created the Easy Website Content Planner. It's a step by step guide that helps you get out of your head and into action.

0:02:26 - (Malinda Watt): It simplifies the content planning process so that you can stop worrying about perfection and focus on what matters most connecting with your audience. Confidence is a game changer when it comes to launching your website. Without it, you might find yourself endlessly tweaking your design, rewriting your copy, or delaying your launch until you feel ready. Spoiler alert. You're never going to feel fully ready.

0:02:53 - (Malinda Watt): Trust me, I know. I just launched this planner that I'm talking about today and I tweaked and tweaked and tweaked, but it's out and it's live and there's probably something that needs to be fixed, but I'm going to be okay with it. Confidence doesn't come from having everything figured out. It comes from taking action, even when you're unsure. A big mistake I see people make when they are attempting to DIY their own website is that they spend a lot of time trying to figure out what platform to use before they've ever actually written any content.

0:03:27 - (Malinda Watt): So do yourself a favor. Work on your content and plan what images you might put in, what colors you might like to use, what your logo is going to be before you ever step foot into the dashboard of WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, whatever it is that you might decide to use. That's why tools like the Easy Website Content Planner are so helpful. They give you a clear roadmap so you don't have to figure it all out on your own.

0:03:56 - (Malinda Watt): When you approach your launch with the mindset that it's a starting point, not a finish line, you free yourself from the pressure of perfection and open the door to growth. Now let's talk about how to set yourself up for a smooth, confident launch. Here are the key steps to prepare for success. Define your goals. What do you want your website to achieve? Whether it's generating leads, showcasing your portfolio, or selling products, having clear goals will guide your design and content choices.

0:04:30 - (Malinda Watt): Focus on the essentials. Your website doesn't have to have 15 pages or every fancy feature at launch. Start with the basics. A clear homepage that introduces your brand, an about page that tells your story, a contact page so visitors can reach out, and any must have functionality like a blog or e commerce section, or maybe a fancy form that a prospective client or customer can fill out. The Easy Website Content Planner serves as a comprehensive roadmap, guiding you through each page of your website and beyond. It ensures that nothing is overlooked, giving you some clear steps and direction to confidently move forward before launching.

0:05:15 - (Malinda Watt): Make sure your site is easy to navigate. Ask a friend or colleague to test it and give some feedback. Optimize your SEO Use a plugin like Yoast SEO to optimize your pages for search engines. The planner even includes a keyword cheat sheet to help you map out your SEO strategy, and it serves as a great reminder of just how many times that keyword needs to appear throughout your content. Create a plan for announcing your launch.

0:05:42 - (Malinda Watt): This could include an email to your list, posts on social media, or even a small launch event. The planner's content checklist ensures that you won't overlook any details before your big day. Let's address the fears that often come up during a website launch. It's not perfect. Newsflash, it doesn't need to be. Websites are dynamic and you'll have plenty of opportunities to improve them over time. No one will visit it.

0:06:12 - (Malinda Watt): Every website starts with zero traffic. Your job is to share your site consistently and build your audience over time. People will judge me. Here's the truth. The people who matter are rooting for you, and if someone is overly critical, that says more about them than it does about you. If these fears sound familiar, the Easy Website Content Planner can help you feel more prepared and confident. Here's my challenge for you.

0:06:44 - (Malinda Watt): Commit to a launch date. Whether it's next week, next month, or three months from now, write it down and start working toward it. Then take one small action today to move closer to your goal. Maybe it's drafting your homepage, writing your about section, or start some Google research and what keywords you might want to include. And if you need a little extra help getting organized, grab the Easy Website Content Planner. It's a small investment that can save you hours of frustration and get you to the finish line with clarity.

0:07:18 - (Malinda Watt): You can find the link in the show notes and that's a wrap on today's episode of get over your Shit. Remember, your website launch doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to happen. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of get over your Shit. If you found this helpful, be sure to subscribe. Share this episode with a fellow overthinker and leave a review. Your feedback helps the podcast grow and reach more people who need to hear this message.

0:07:44 - (Malinda Watt): Until next time, remember, progress over perfection. You've got this.