Is your website all set to go live? The one question among all the excitement you would have is, “How long would it take for the website to go live?” It’s easy to assume that once you’re “ready,” the site will go live with a single click. But in reality, even when everything is prepared, several technical factors influence how quickly your website becomes accessible to the public. Let’s take a deeper look at things and learn a little bit about DNS and TTL.
Timelines for Website Launch
In theory, launching a website should be a quick process, but several backend processes can affect the overall time. Here's how long each part typically takes, once everything is ready:
Domain and hosting setup: This part takes around 1-2 hours (sometimes up to 48 hours if DNS propagation is required). With WEMASY, it takes 1-5 minutes because we take care of DNS and hosting for you if your domain is registered with us.
Uploading the website files: If using a website builder or content management system (CMS) takes 1-2 hours. With WEMASY, this step takes 3 minutes.
Configuration and testing: Ensuring compatibility, testing features, and checking for bugs could take around 1-2 hours. WEMASY reduces the number of tests and makes it quicker.
Going live: Once everything is ready, going live is instantaneous, but DNS propagation can delay visibility.
With everything set up, the actual launching process should take just a few hours to a day. However, technical factors like DNS settings, TTL (Time To Live), and other server configurations can extend this timeframe. If you register on WEMASY, the process takes just 5 minutes. So, while other platforms may require several hours to a day, with WEMASY the entire launch process can be completed in just minutes.
Processes | Other systems | WEMASY |
Domain and hosting setup | 1-2 hours | 1-5 minutes |
Uploading files | 1-2 hours | 3 minutes |
Configuration and testing | 1-2 hours | 5 minutes |
Factors that can affect the Website Timelines
Even if you’ve prepped everything, several factors can delay when your site actually appears online:
DNS Propagation
TTL (Time to Live) Settings
SSL Certificate Configuration
Caching and CDN (Content Delivery Networks)
Server Settings
Let’s understand why and how these impact launch times.
1. DNS propagation and Its Role
DNS propagation is the process by which your domain name gets associated with the IP address of your hosting server across the internet. It is a critical process that impacts the visibility of your website globally.
When you point your domain to a new hosting server, DNS records need to be updated on DNS servers around the world. This update can take anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours, depending on the domain registrar and DNS setup.
Why does DNS take time?
DNS servers cache your domain’s records to avoid making repeated lookups. Once the record changes, it can take time for all DNS servers globally to recognize the new settings. This is the main delay that occurs after you click "publish"; it is not about the website being ready, but how fast the DNS information spreads to all the internet's DNS servers.
2. TTL (Time to Live) and Its Impact on Website Launch Time
One of the most critical but often overlooked factors in DNS is TTL (Time to Live), a setting in your DNS record. TTL dictates how long servers cache DNS records before they check for updates. TTL directly impacts the speed of DNS propagation and, therefore, your website’s availability.
TTL and website launch:
TTL is essentially the "expiration time" for DNS caches. If you have high TTL values (e.g., 24 hours), DNS servers cache the information for a longer time, leading to slower updates when you make changes to your domain. Low TTL (e.g., 5 minutes) speeds up the process by allowing DNS servers to check for updates more frequently.
What happens when you have a low TTL?
Pros: Faster DNS updates, especially useful for new websites or major changes like switching hosting.
Cons: Increases the load on your DNS servers due to more frequent queries. It can lead to performance issues if not managed properly.
What happens when you have a high TTL?
Pros: Stability in DNS lookups. Once a DNS record is cached, there are fewer queries, improving performance.
Cons: Slow propagation of changes. If you need to update DNS records, the changes will take longer to reflect.
What is the optimal TTL setting for a faster website launch?
If you’re launching a new website, it’s best to set your TTL to a lower value (around 300 seconds) to allow faster DNS updates. Once the site is live and stable, you can increase the TTL for better performance and reduced DNS load.
High TTL = slower updates (e.g., 24 hours).
Low TTL = faster updates (e.g., 5 minutes).
With WEMASY, we manage TTL and DNS for you automatically, so you don’t need to worry about these settings.
3. SSL Certificate Setup to Secure Website
An SSL certificate ensures that the connection between the user's browser and your server is encrypted. While SSL certificates are essential for website security, they can also affect the launch time if not set up properly.
How can SSL Delay Website Visibility?
During the website setup, your hosting provider might automatically install an SSL certificate, but it can sometimes require manual installation or configuration. If your SSL isn’t configured correctly or takes longer to install, visitors may not be able to access your website securely (even if the site is technically online).
Most modern browsers will block non-HTTPS sites, and the SSL certificate is what ensures your site is trusted. This process can take several hours to a day, depending on the certificate type and the installation method (e.g., standard vs. extended validation).
How to go about SSL Installation?
Automatic SSL Installation: Most good hosting providers will auto-install SSL certificates, but the process can take time to propagate across their servers.
Manual SSL Configuration: If you need to manually configure your SSL or purchase an extended validation certificate, this can add up to a day to your website’s launch timeline.
With WEMASY, SSL is automatically installed and configured for you, so there’s no additional delay.
4. Caching and CDN Configuration
Caching and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) optimize website speed by storing static content (like images and scripts) on multiple servers. While these tools improve performance, they can delay the launch if not properly cleared or configured.
How can a cache slow the website launch?
When you launch or make major updates to your website, cached data may still be serving old versions of your site to visitors. Clearing the cache ensures that users see the most up-to-date content.
What do CDNs have to do with website launch?
CDNs distribute content across multiple servers worldwide. However, the CDN needs to refresh its cache across all its servers to reflect the changes you made to your site. Depending on the CDN and your cache settings, this could take anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours for the updates to fully propagate across all regions.
With WEMASY, caching and CDN setup is handled in the background, so updates appear almost instantly worldwide.
5. Configuring the Server
Your web server needs to be configured properly to handle traffic, database connections, and ensure that security settings are intact. Issues with server configurations—whether related to database connection issues, missing files, or even server misconfigurations—can lead to delays.
Things to check before going live:
Server Load and Capacity: If your server isn’t optimized for traffic or hasn’t been scaled, it could affect how quickly your website responds when it goes live.
File Permissions: Improper file permissions can lead to errors, causing some pages or functionality to not display correctly.
Database Configuration: Ensure that your database is correctly linked to your website and can handle user requests once the site is live.
On the other platforms it takes longer because it involves setting up databases, configuring permissions, and fixing issues. With WEMASY, you don’t have to do any of this. We handle database setup, server scaling, and configuration automatically.
Once the technical aspects are in place, the actual act of making the site live is instant. But before clicking the “publish” button, it’s essential to:
Test everything thoroughly (especially on mobile devices and across multiple browsers).
Clear any server-side cache.
Test SSL certificates to ensure secure access.
Ensure that DNS is correctly configured and TTL settings are optimal.
When should we contact WEMASY?
To ensure your website goes live as quickly as possible, follow these steps:
First, set your TTL to 5 minutes. This will ensure that DNS changes propagate faster, allowing your site to become visible more quickly across different networks.
If your website is still not live after 24 hours, it’s time to contact us. Our team can help troubleshoot any issues, from DNS propagation delays to server configurations, and get your site online without any further delay.
At WEMASY, we’ve optimized the launch process to make sure your site goes live without unnecessary hurdles. If you’re stuck, reach out and let us assist you in getting your website up and running as quickly as possible. If you need the fastest websites, choose WEMASY.
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