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After your kick-off call with your SoCast Onboarding Specialist, you’re ready to begin building your new website. Use this comprehensive checklist to ensure a smooth and successful launch.
To select your website theme, go to Website > Website Settings > Theme. Choose the theme style that best fits your station. You can change your theme later if needed.
If you select SoCast Theme 3.0, click "Save" and then launch the Theme Editor to customize your site’s appearance.
Visitors expect to find the following pages. Create these under Website > Pages > All Pages:
In Website Settings, add your logo, website name, description, and keywords. This information is important for your brand identity and helps with SEO, making it easier for search engines to find your site.
In Social > Account Settings, add your social media links. This encourages visitors to follow your station on various platforms and stay up to date with your content.
Visitors often look to the footer for important information and links. Be sure to include your privacy policy and terms of service. Update these under Admin > Admin Settings > Legal > Configure Account Legal.
If you have other important links, such as an About page or FCC file, add them to the footer. To do this, go to Website > Pages > All Pages > Navigation (on the right) > Switch the Navigation Menu to “Footer” > Add Menu Items.
Visit your website on different devices—desktop, tablet, and mobile—to ensure the layout adjusts correctly. Also, test your site on multiple browsers, including Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari (for Mac users), to confirm compatibility.
Click all links on your pages to ensure they do not lead to a 404 Page Not Found. Correct any broken URLs you find. Replace any images that appear broken or display a missing image icon.
Once your site is live, you’ll want to track key metrics, such as:
SoCast provides an Omnichannel Report with basic site analytics. For more detailed insights, you can easily add Google Analytics to your website.
Search engines display your page title and description in search results. Make sure each page has a clear, relevant title and a concise description to encourage users to click through. For more information on SEO options, see our Search Engine Optimization guide.
If your site includes a blog or news section, plan your category structure in advance. Use consistent naming and organize content into categories that match your audience’s interests. Well-organized categories help users find related posts and improve site navigation.
If you or your IT team will be launching the new website, ensure you have login access to your domain provider (e.g., GoDaddy) and understand how to edit DNS records to point your domain to SoCast’s IP address.
SoCast offers a white glove service for those who need assistance. Please speak with your onboarding specialist for support.
We recommend launching your website during SoCast’s business hours to ensure support is available if needed.
When you’re ready to go live, notify your SoCast onboarding specialist so we can support you during your launch. Congratulations on your new SoCast website!