Lean Launch Digital Checklist
Wondering what your first steps should be to get your new business online?
This Article is 100% Human Generated.
By Cathy Blood, Founder, NEST New Media
March 5, 2023 - Greenwich, Connecticut
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CONTENTS
Intro - it’s all about knowing where to start
Other ‘Mission Critical’ start up tasks. BEFORE you build a website.
Start-up Resources - Don’t go it alone
The Lean Launch Digital Checklist
Where to Start
I get a lot of questions about ‘Where do I start?’ How do I buy a domain? What domain names make sense? Do I need keywords in my domain? What should I build my website on? Where can I get a logo? How much should a website cost? What about social media?
If I had a nickel for every time I answered the questions above, I wouldn’t be rich, but I’d have a barrel full of nickels.
At the risk of cutting off my flow of nickels, I’ve created a quick guide to your digital launch. If you want to discuss your specific situation, schedule a one on one.
Don’t put this off. Dive in. The minute your site goes live, the SEO clock starts ticking. So don’t delay the critical decisions of choosing a domain and getting started. Launched websites won’t appear in search for several months. What are you waiting for?
A Step by Step Start-up Process
My digital launch checklist assumes you’re also doing, or have done, your other mission critical start-up tasks.
Researching the need for your product or service
Choosing your niche
Identifying your USP
Researching the size of your potential market
Identifying your target audience(s) as specifically as possible
Drafting your marketing & business plan - start with three pages
Doing financial projections and assessing capital needs
Analyzing your competition & doing a SWOT analysis
Don’t know where to start on the list above? Tap the resources available to you both locally and nationally. Many organizations exist just to make sure you have the best chance of success in your new business. They offer workshops and mentoring.
Visit www.wbdc.com, check out the many SCORE.org offerings or the free reference tools at your own local library. Talk to your business librarian!
For more small business resources visit our full resource listings page.
Business Start-ups: Lean Launch Digital Checklist
Choose & Buy a Domain - I highly recommend Google Domains. Privacy is free and they don’t try to up-sell you endlessly like a GoDaddy. Read more about how to choose a domain address and brainstorm ideas.
Purchase a ‘real’ domain based email address. This shows everyone that you’re serious enough about your new business to spend $6 a month on a dedicated email address. I recommend a basic “business starter” Google Workspace account for your business email (formerly GSuite).
Graphic Design, logos & images - Lean launchers need to be able to create their own custom graphics, and online services make this easier than ever. I recommend picmonkey.com (better photo editing and custom design - mock up logos here), canva.com (for companies that need to create vast amounts of ‘feed the beast’ social posts - but weak photo editing), pixabay.com (royalty free photo source), pexels.com (photo source), & 48hourslogo (like Fiverr, but for logo design). FYI, Canva bought both pexels & pixabay in 2022.
Select a Platform to Build Your Website on - and put up a cover/landing page asap. I recommend Squarespace (7.1 is my first choice). Wix is fine, but I prefer Squarespace for basic lean launch sites - for SEO and site export ease. Use Wordpress.org (if you have specific functionality needs and can pay someone to manage hosting, edits, & plug-in maintenance). Shopify for big commerce / product sites. Assess your website functionality needs, and choose your platform based on those needs.
Understand Basic SEO Techniques - Study up! Your website will be a tree that fell in the forest if you don’t know how to make it found. Use Google’s own SEO intro, Moz.com, LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com - often free from your local libary) to learn the basics. You’ll also be about to check your web developer or designer’s SEO work.
Set up your Google Accounts - Google Analytics, Google Search Console (aka Google Webmaster Tools), and Google Business Profile (aka Google My Business). Also set up your Bing Places Business Profile - their launch of CHATGPT-4 as their search engine driver has made this even more important.
Set up and maintain your NAP (Name - Address - Phone) Citations. This is especially important for local businesses. Be consistent in your directory listings. At a minimum, set up Google Business & Bing busines profiles.
Plant your Social Stake in the Ground (even if you might not use them all). Set up a LinkedIn Company Page, FB Company page, Instagram company page, TikTok, YouTube & Twitter account. Depending on your audience, products & services, consider Pinterest and/or Reddit. You won’t actively USE all these platforms, but owning the option is a good strategy.
About the Author
Cathy Blood, Founder, NEST New Media
I’ve got over 25 years of experience in digital media and content marketing. A few years after graduating from Yale University, I joined Lifetime Television, analyzing how TV series and movies performed with female audiences in order to value show acquisitions. That was the beginning of a long career in ‘content marketing’. With several internet start-ups under my belt I gained under-the-hood SEO knowledge that few pure content marketers or writers possess. I launched NEST New Media in 2016 to help my fellow entrepreneurs become more visible - and more successful - online. Learn more about me.
CONTACT INFO
Cathleen Blood
Founder, NEST New Media
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NEST New Media specializes in affordable SEO optimized ‘people first’ Content Strategy, Content Audits & Content Development. We’re here to help you SHOW future clients that you’re an expert and ensure that under-the-hood website issues and navigation aren’t hurting your business.
