It’s Time to Launch That Website: A Guide to Overcoming the Perfect Website Myth
Launching a website can feel like standing on the edge of a diving board. The fear of imperfection and the pressure of expectations often create unnecessary delays. The good news? A website doesn’t have to be flawless to make a big impact. Here’s how to overcome the myths, embrace imperfection, and launch a site that serves your goals.
The “Perfect” Website Myth (and the Imposter Syndrome Reality)
Let me share something with you: I’ve been exactly where you are. When I was launching the Eve website, imposter syndrome hit me HARD. And I’m a web designer, for crying out loud! The thoughts racing through my mind were relentless:
“It has to be the best website EVER.” “What are people going to think?” “Does it look like I’m abandoning my other company?” “Is this coming out of nowhere?” “Will this actually be valuable for these women?” “What if I can’t serve them to the highest potential?” “What if they hate everything? What if they hate ME?” “Do I have the energy for another company?” “Do the colors feel cohesive?” “Do I need to get a pedicure for my photoshoot?” “How do you spell entrepreneur?” (Seriously, I googled it.) “Did the kids switch the laundry?”
Sound familiar? Here’s the truth: A “perfect” website is like a unicorn – magical in theory, but it doesn’t exist in real life. And you know what? That’s 100% okay!
Is there validity in any of these thoughts? Sure, some. But can we dispel most of them right off the bat? Absolutely. Here’s what I realized: I know I’m great at doing this. I can’t be responsible for how other people use or interpret this information. All I can do is move ahead with what I feel confident with right now and make tweaks as I learn and grow. That’s all any of us can do. We do our best until our best is even better and continuously raise our own personal bar.
Your Website is Your Digital Ally (But Don’t Get Too Caught Up in Its Looks)
Think of your website as your business’s trusted ally. It’s there to support you, grow with you, and yes, sometimes it needs a makeover. But just like you wouldn’t ditch a friend because their haircut is so last season, you shouldn’t hold back your website because it’s not “perfect.”
Here’s the deal: Your website is meant to evolve. As your business grows and changes, so will your online home. Embrace it!
Let me share a hard lesson I learned: I hemmed and hawed over the design of the Eve website for far too long. I was caught up “being the designer” and having to show off rather than focusing on site speed, goals of the pages, and conversion. I launched a fabulously beautiful website. The feedback? It was indeed one of the most beautiful websites… but they weren’t sure what we offer. Talk about missing the mark!
Perfectionism is Procrastination’s Fancy Cousin
Let’s be real for a second. When you’re obsessing over every pixel, you’re not being thorough – you’re procrastinating. I know, because I’ve been there!
Remember: Done is better than perfect. Your future clients aren’t sitting around waiting for you to choose between eggshell and ecru for your background (spoiler alert: they can’t tell the difference).
Focus on Function, Not Just Fashion
I love a pretty website as much as the next person, but here’s the truth: If your site isn’t converting visitors into clients or customers, it’s just a pretty face with no substance.
Here’s your website’s job description:
- Load fast (because no one has time for slow sites)
- Be mobile-friendly (because we’re all glued to our phones)
- Have clear calls-to-action (guide your visitors on what to do next)
Speaking of mobile-friendly, let me share an embarrassing moment: I was in a board meeting, reviewing a client’s new website build and showing an example of a recent build on my phone. I opened the stunning website only to find a huge misalignment on the homepage that blocked the main call to action and client’s logo. A quick bit of code fixed the issue, but man, was that embarrassing! People think mobile optimization is a small task, but it’s really much more than that. It’s actually a second site design.
SEO and Accessibility: The Power Couple Your Site Needs
SEO and accessibility aren’t just buzzwords – they’re your website’s power couple. They work together to make sure your ideal clients can find you and fall in love with what you offer.
I used to think SEO and accessibility were a side note. Something to DEAL with after the dev was done. Boy, was I wrong. Luckily, I’ve been designing and developing websites since the dawn of the internet, so I’ve jumped on the SEO/Accessibility bandwagons as each became a thing through the years.
Quick SEO tips:
- Use those keywords thoughtfully throughout your content
- Give your images alt text (Google loves it, and so do screen readers)
- Craft compelling meta titles and descriptions (think of them as your site’s elevator pitch)
Accessibility musts:
- Ensure folks can navigate with just a keyboard
- Use fonts that are easy on the eyes
- Keep your color contrast strong (no light gray on white, please!)
Now you’re reading this and thinking, “But my website doesn’t have any of these things!” Don’t worry. By installing a few plugins, you can start to optimize your site to be more SEO friendly and accessible. Do this and you’ll likely see a big bump in your website traffic over the next few months.
Launch Now, Shine Later
Here’s a bit of tough love: Get it live.
Your website out there doing its thing is infinitely more valuable than a “perfect” site that’s sitting in draft mode. Trust me on this one.
I launched the Eve website and then I ran and hid under the covers. I didn’t promote it. I didn’t even tell anyone. And then I sponsored the Make It Happen Summit, and all of a sudden, my site was in the spotlight. What happened? Not much. I had a few people take me up on my lead gen tool. But you know what? That was a start. And it was better than no one seeing it at all.
Keep Growing, Keep Glowing
Once your site is live, the real fun begins! Think of it as a digital plant – it needs regular care and attention to truly flourish.
- Water it with fresh content
- Prune away what’s not working
- Let it soak up the sunlight of user feedback
You’ve Got This!
Remember, your website is a journey, not a destination. It’s okay if it’s not perfect right out of the gate. What matters is that it’s out there, working for you and your business.
Now it’s time to take a deep breath, trust yourself, and hit that publish button. Your future clients are waiting to meet the amazing you!
