Web Watch: Relaunching a Grand Old Web Site

A soft launch also has the added benefit of beefing up your site's content: By the time the general public sees it, your initial users already have begun posting photos, having conversations and connecting with one another, which makes new users feel that they're joining an active community.

What's the takeaway here? No matter how nice-looking and professional the design of your new Web site, a hurried or poorly handled launch can take away from its impact. Don't forget how important the content is, keep your audience in mind and use a soft launch to test things out before you go prime time. And when in doubt, consider bringing in an expert. You wouldn't try to design a Web site by yourself without professional experience; by the same token, it's wise to bring in professional writers or information architects to take your site to the next level.