A good product launch should attract new customers and media buzz. It’s an opportunity to get people excited about what you have to offer and highlight complementary products you already sell. Each year, companies launch about 30,000 new products.
If you want to grab consumers’ attention, you need to make sure your launch stands out. Here are seven ideas for launching a new product on your website that can help you generate buzz among customers.
1. Announce to Current Customers
About 80 percent of new products fail, and one big reason is lack of preparation on the part of the company launching the product. One way to prepare for your launch is to keep current customers informed of what you’re doing. Take the time to announce your product launch to them first. Your current customers are already your loyal fans, so make them insiders to your company news. Apple announces changes that are going to be available on new iPhone versions before they launch the new product. Doing so creates excitement from those who already love Apple products and allows the media to write about the product in advance. They also create a news release for their website to grow excitement.
2. Run a Contest
If you want to get people excited about your new product or service, host a contest on social media to generate interest among your target audience. A Facebook contest can give you 34 percent more fans per campaign. Those who are interested in winning your product will probably also be interested in buying your product. You can also narrow down your audience for the campaign, creating a highly targeted group of leads.
3. Highlight Strong Images
Internet readers pay closer attention to information that includes relevant images. Adding bold, beautiful photographs of your new product draws users’ attention to the item. The key is to choose images that show how useful your product or service is, but that also are bold and beautiful. Not only that, but the colors in the images have to complement the rest of your website design. Hire a good commercial photographer with experience in your industry. The last thing you want to do is put amateur photos on your site that don’t highlight your product in the best light.
HydroWorx uses a slider with strong images of their products to draw the consumer in. The images show the product in action with real people using the different features for water therapy. This allows the consumer to see how the product looks and works in a real-life setting. It also gives the user some idea of the size of the product and where they might be able to place it in their home or rehabilitation facility.
4. Don’t Ignore Cornerstone Products
Nearly every successful company has one or more products that consistently sell at a steady rate. Don’t get so focused on a new product launch that you ignore marketing for your base products. Companies that create new products, but also maintain what is already successful for them, grow faster than their competitors. Create a balance between promoting your new products and ones that have already taken off.
5. Show Features With a Video
A great way to show off the features of a new product is through a video. Consumers view 360-degree videos about 29 percent more than traditional videos. A 360-degree video allows you to show the consumer your new product from every angle, and even show the product in use. The more detailed the video, the more enticing it will be to consumers, but remember to keep it short and sweet. Moissanite uses 360-degree videos to highlight their most recent jewelry releases. Note how the video allows the user to look at just the ring from different angles, or to put the ring on a hand and look at it as though someone is wearing it. You can also swap out the metal type.
6. Create Pre-Launch Authority
If your product takes you into a new sphere in your industry and stretches past what your company has done in the past, spend some time creating some authority in this category. Create content about the area so your website ranks better for the search terms that relate to the new product or service. You also should establish authority in the area through your social media channels. Write articles, create videos, offer whitepapers and dig deep into the topic to draw your target audience to your site.
7. Allow Pre-Orders
If you have a firm launch date, allow customers to pre-order the item. A pre-order period is a perfect time to pull in influencers in your industry and offer a special discount to anyone who wants to pre-order. Since product launches aren’t always successful, knowing you have a certain number of orders in hand allows you to more easily guess on inventory and starts you off with money in the bank.
Unveil a New Product or Service
Take time to plan out your new product launch. A smart strategy includes your website, but also examines how you can integrate additional content marketing efforts. The goal is to reach as many people as possible, so reach out on social media, via email and through your networks.
