A launch website has one job: when someone hears your name and looks you up, they should understand what you do, believe you're real and know how to get in touch, all within a few seconds on a phone. This service delivers a small site built for that job, plus the Google listing that helps local customers find you in the first place.
What a launch website is (and isn't)
It's a short, focused site, not a scaled-down version of a large competitor's. A new company doesn't yet have dozens of projects to show or years of reviews, so the site leans on clarity: a plain headline, the services you actually offer, the area you serve, who's behind the business and an obvious way to call, text or email.
It isn't a blog, a booking system or an online store at launch. Those can be added once you know they're worth it. Starting small also means the site can be live in weeks, while the brand is still fresh in your mind.
Who it's for
The service suits:
- founders who've settled their name and brand and need to be findable before their first customer conversations
- owners launching a second brand who don't want it buried as a page on the parent company's site
- anyone whose current "website" is a social media page and who is starting to lose enquiries because of it
If the name and positioning aren't settled yet, start with naming or the brand sheet. Building first and deciding later usually means paying for the copy twice.
What's included and the timeline
A typical launch website takes four to six weeks:
- Week 1: plan. A site map, a list of the questions each page must answer, and agreement on the domain and hosting account, both in your name.
- Weeks 1–3: words. We draft the copy from your brand sheet; you correct the facts. Words come before design, so the layout fits the message.
- Weeks 2–4: build. A fast, mobile-first build with clear headings, your contact details on every page and basic search settings.
- Weeks 3–5: Google Business Profile. If you're eligible, we help you create and verify the profile, choose categories and write a description that matches the site.
- Weeks 5–6: launch and check. We test on several phones, set up simple analytics and confirm a search for your exact name shows the site.
Keep your details identical everywhere. The legal or registered name on file with the Ontario Business Registry, the name on your website and the name on your Google profile should match the way you actually trade, or customers and search engines get confused.
How we measure results
For a launch site, we look at a few simple numbers rather than vanity traffic:
- Name search: does a search for your exact name show your site or profile on page one within about six weeks?
- Contact rate: of the people who visit, what share call, text or email? Early on, even 1 in 20 is a useful baseline.
- Profile actions: calls and direction requests from your Google Business Profile.
- Enquiry quality: are people contacting you for the services you actually offer?
Google says its local results depend mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. A new company can control relevance immediately through accurate categories and descriptions; prominence builds as reviews and mentions accumulate.
Mistakes to avoid on a first website
- Hiding the phone number. If the only way to reach you is a link at the bottom of the page, you'll lose people who were ready to call.
- Writing about yourself first. Visitors want to know whether you can solve their problem. Your story belongs on the about page.
- Listing every town in Ontario. Claiming the whole province on a launch site looks thin and rarely helps. Name the areas you'll genuinely serve this year.
- Letting someone else own the domain. If a builder or relative registers it in their name, you may struggle to get it back later.
- Launching without checking speed. Heavy images and sliders slow a page on mobile data. Test before you share the link.
Our first-website guide goes deeper on page structure. When the site is live, the launch marketing plan decides where the first visitors come from.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages does a launch website need?
Usually five to eight: home, one page for each main service, an about page and a contact page. More pages can come later, once you know which questions customers actually ask.
Who owns the website?
You do. The domain is registered in your name or your company's, the hosting account is yours, and you receive the login details and the content files. If you stop working with us, nothing has to be transferred back.
Do I need a Google Business Profile?
If customers find you locally, or you serve them at their address, it's usually the single most useful free listing a new company can set up. Businesses that only sell online may not qualify, and Google's own rules decide eligibility.
Can I build the website myself and just get your review?
Yes. Some founders use a website builder and book two or three hours of review time. We go through structure, wording, speed and the contact path, and give you a written list of fixes.