The Problem with Blank Pages
When someone types your domain and finds nothing, or worse, a default hosting provider page, they assume your business is not legitimate or no longer operating. First impressions happen fast, and a blank domain creates an immediately negative one.
This happens more often than you might think. Between registering a domain and launching a finished website, weeks or months can pass. During that time, people who hear about your business, receive your business card, or see your social media profiles may try to visit your site. A thoughtful "coming soon" page turns that gap from a liability into an opportunity.
What a Good Coming Soon Page Includes
An effective coming soon page is simple but purposeful. It should accomplish three things: tell visitors who you are, let them know you are launching soon, and give them a way to stay connected.
- Business name and logo: Establish your brand immediately
- Brief description: One or two sentences explaining what your business does
- Expected launch date: A general timeframe is fine, like "Coming Spring 2026." Avoid exact dates unless you are certain
- Contact information: An email address or phone number so interested visitors can reach you before launch
- Email signup: An optional form where visitors can enter their email to be notified when you launch
- Social media links: Connect visitors to your active social profiles where they can follow your progress
Common Mistakes
Avoid these common missteps with under construction pages:
- Using a generic "under construction" template with a hard hat icon. These look unprofessional and dated
- Leaving a coming soon page up for months without updating it. If your launch date passes, update the page or remove the date
- Not including any contact information. If someone wants to do business with you right now, they need a way to reach you
- Forgetting about mobile. Your coming soon page should look as good on a phone as it does on a desktop
- Blocking search engines. Unless you have a specific reason to prevent indexing, let search engines find your coming soon page so your domain starts building authority
Using the Pre-Launch Period Strategically
The time before your website launches is a marketing opportunity. An email signup on your coming soon page lets you build an audience before you even have a product page to show them. When you do launch, you have a list of interested people ready to visit.
You can also use this period to generate interest on social media, start creating content for a blog, collect testimonials from early customers, and finalize your branding. Every piece of groundwork you lay before launch makes the launch itself more effective.
When you are ready to send that launch announcement, make sure you know how to write a great welcome email that sets the right tone.
Maintenance Mode vs Coming Soon
There is a difference between a new website that has not launched yet and an existing website that is temporarily down for maintenance. The messaging should be different for each situation.
A coming soon page is forward-looking and builds anticipation. A maintenance page should be apologetic and informative. It should explain that the site is temporarily unavailable, give an estimated return time, and provide alternative ways to reach the business (phone number, email, social media).
For maintenance, use the proper HTTP 503 status code so search engines know the outage is temporary and do not remove your pages from their index. A 200 status on a maintenance page can cause search engines to index the maintenance content instead of your real pages.
When to Move Past the Placeholder
A coming soon page is a temporary solution. If your website has been "coming soon" for more than two or three months, it starts working against you. Visitors and search engines begin to see it as a dead end rather than a preview.
If your full website is not ready, consider launching with a minimal version instead. A single-page site with your core information, services, and contact details is far better than a perpetual placeholder. You can always expand the site later. Done is better than coming soon.