Soft VS Hard Website Launches For Your Small Business

There are essentially 2 ways you can launch a website: hard or soft.

First, let’s tackle what these mean, in non-designer language.

Hard Launching A Website

When you launch your site as a “hard launch” it means it’s completed. You’ve got everything you need and it’s done. There are no pages still being worked on and you’re not waiting on official photos to replace the stock images.

Soft Launching A Website

A website soft launch is totally the opposite. You put the site out in bits and pieces as they get done. For example, it might start with a coming soon page that turns into a home and about page. You might then make the contact page and blog live. It’s all about phases and what your team (or you) can handle.

So is it better to do a hard launch or a soft launch when it comes to your website?

The short answer: it depends. 

The Pros and Cons of a Soft Launch

Soft launching a website means that you are coming out “incomplete” and, depending on the target audience or your services/products, it might not help at all. But if you’re all about the MVP method (minimum viable product), testing the market, seeing if what you envision for your site is actually what people want, then a soft launch is your go-to.

With a soft launch, your investment is also smaller. Let’s say you’re an e-commerce company looking for a custom website. Starting with a soft launch can get you there with a lower budget because, while you work on the bells and whistles, nothing is stopping you from selling. You might even realize that what you thought was important actually isn’t and can allocate those funds elsewhere.

It’s all about deciding what part of the site you’ll launch first.

Let’s say you’re a handbag company with no products to sell yet. Launching a product page won’t help you at all but if you launch your other main pages, such as the home, about, and contact, you can still get your message and brand across. This will draw people in and get them to start jiving with your marketing.

What about a blog? If you know that you won’t have time to blog until 6 months after launch, would it be better to phase that in during the soft launch vs needing to be on top of it for a hard launch?

Is money a bit tight with your business? A soft launch might support in starting to sell services - even if it’s not a fully robust package. This will get you some income while you continue to work on the other aspect of your website.

The Pros and Cons of a Hard Launch

Want to come out of the gate looking like a rock star? A hard launch can do that. Especially if you build up the hype ahead of time. 

A hard launch means that your website is complete. There’s going to be none to very little tweaks in the design, copy, anything. It doesn’t mean it’s set in stone - just that you’re launching it the way it’s supposed to be.

A few of my clients that opted for a hard launch of a large custom site found that there was A LOT to decide and work on at once. Not only were they juggling building up their marketing, but also creating the content and making approval decisions on the site (plus, you know, 20 other fires that happen when you start a small business). 

Other clients loved it. We completed their website and made it live while they sipped some champagne - at least I typically do ;)

Hard launches can feel like you’re just bleeding money (trust me, I’m the one invoicing for them) without much of a return. Not only are you getting a lot of the fancy functionality you want as the end result but you’re also likely paying for a big marketing campaign.

So is a soft or hard launch better for your small business website?

Overall, a soft launch is less costly up front and allows you to test or pivot while a hard launch typically comes with a bigger publicity hype. It all depends on how well you think your product or service will do when it comes out or if you’d prefer to refine a bit more. 

Keep in mind that a soft launch often leads to a hard launch. Ever see a restaurant open its doors and do a ribbon-cutting a couple of months later? The same can go for your website.

Things to ask yourself when choosing a hard or soft website launch:

• Do I have the immediate budget for all the bells and whistles I want on the site?

• Will I be able to push marketing at the same time in order to gain a big following for launch day?

• Do I still need to refine my product or service?

• Do I need to test what my target market wants from my website?

• Am I still working on my branding?

• Will all other aspects of the business be ready when the website does a hard launch (i.e. distribution, etc)?

Do you still have questions on whether you should do a hard or soft website launch?

Deciding the best strategy can be tough. Contact us today and we can sift through all the ins and outs.

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