Methods of preparing an aromatization catalyst

A method of preparing a fresh catalyst comprising:

• impregnating a metal into a catalyst support to produce an impregnated catalyst, wherein the metal comprises iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, or combinations thereof, and wherein the catalyst support comprises zeolite;
• dispersing the metal in the impregnated catalyst to produce an impregnated, dispersed catalyst, wherein dispersing the metal into the impregnated catalyst comprises contacting the impregnated catalyst with a dispersing composition in a temperature range of from about 200° C. to about 1000° C., and wherein the dispersing composition comprises oxygen and a chlorine-containing compound;
• contacting the impregnated, dispersed with activating composition to produce an impregnated, dispersed, activated catalyst, wherein the activating composition is in a liquid phase;
• and
• thermally treating the impregnated, dispersed, activated catalyst to produce the fresh catalyst.