15 Checks to Make Before Launching your Website
Launching your website can be one of the most exciting times in your career. You’ve worked hard to get to this point, and now you’re looking forward to seeing your work go live. However, doing final checks is crucial to ensure everything is perfect. This guide will walk you through 15 important checks to make before launching your website.
Content and Design
Content and design are two critical aspects to review before launching. Users will pay close attention to the information and the style of your website. Ensure they have the best experience possible to encourage return visits.
1. Check for Textual Content Errors
Spelling and grammatical errors can easily slip through, especially on a website with a high word count. Carefully read through all text on your website to ensure there are no mistakes. This includes checking for proper grammar, punctuation, and overall coherence. Using tools like Grammarly can help you spot and fix errors efficiently.
2. Ensure Correct Formatting
Ensure that all text is formatted consistently across your site. This includes checking that headers, subheaders, and body text are uniform in style and adhere to your design standards. Consistency in formatting enhances readability and overall aesthetics.
3. Verify Audio & Video Functionality
Audiovisual content can significantly enhance user engagement. Ensure all audio and video files are working correctly and are relevant to the page they are on. Test these elements on various devices to ensure compatibility and functionality. For more insights on optimizing video content, visit Wistia’s Blog.
4. Link Your Social Media Channels
Social media integration is crucial for modern websites. Ensure you have set up and linked your social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to your website. Test these links to ensure they are functioning correctly. Learn more about social media integration from Hootsuite.
5. Check Your Website’s Branding
Your website should consistently reflect your brand’s identity. This includes logos, colour schemes, fonts, and overall messaging. A cohesive brand identity helps build trust and recognition among your visitors. For branding tips, check out Canva’s Guide to Branding.
Usability
Usability determines how easily visitors can navigate and interact with your website. A user-friendly interface ensures that visitors stay longer and find the information they need without hassle.
6. Check Your Site’s Accessibility
An accessible website caters to all users, including those with disabilities. Ensure your site includes alt-text for images, proper headings, high-contrast colour schemes, and is easy to navigate. Tools like the Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WAVE) can help identify accessibility issues.
7. Make Sure Calls-to-Action (CTA) Are Clear
CTAs guide users towards desired actions, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. Ensure your CTAs are clear, concise, and prominently placed on your website. For more effective CTA strategies, visit HubSpot’s Guide.
8. Check That Images Are Optimized
Optimize images to balance quality and load times. Large, unoptimized images can slow down your site, affecting user experience and SEO. Use tools like TinyPNG to compress images without losing quality.
9. Ensure Navigational Buttons Are Working
Test all navigational buttons to ensure they lead to the correct pages. A smooth navigation experience is critical for user satisfaction. Make sure your site search function is also working correctly.
10. Make Sure Your Website Is Mobile-Friendly
With more users accessing websites via mobile devices, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly is crucial. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check your site’s mobile compatibility. Ensure content scales correctly and is easily readable on different screen sizes.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
SEO is vital for increasing your website’s visibility in search engines. Optimising your site for SEO helps attract more organic traffic.
11. Double Check All Links on Your Website
Ensure all internal and external links are working correctly. Broken links can harm your SEO and frustrate visitors. Use tools like Broken Link Checker to identify and fix broken links.
12. Test Your Website on Different Browsers for Compatibility
Your website should function correctly across different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.). Test your site on various browsers to ensure compatibility and consistent performance.
13. Make Sure Redirects (301 & 404) Are Set Up
Setting up redirects can be a boring and sometimes lengthy process, however if you don’t, you run the risk of confusing your visitors.
When launching your new website, you should make sure to avoid broken links by setting up redirects to your new websites. This will allow your audience to easily find you and get to the right place.
If any of your existing URLs are changing in any way, you should make sure to set up 301 redirects to redirect to the new website URL. It’s also a good idea to set up a custom 404 error page for visitors to see when they attempt to visit an area of your website that doesn’t exist. For more information on setting up redirects, check out Moz’s Guide.
14. Don’t Forget About Favicons
A favicon is a small icon that appears in browser tabs, helping with brand recognition and improving the user experience. Ensure you have a favicon set up for your website. Learn how to create a favicon from Favicon Generator.
15. Check Your Robots.txt File
A robots.txt file guides search engines on how to crawl your website. Ensure your robots.txt file is correctly configured to optimize your site’s SEO. For more details, check out Google’s Guide on Robots.txt.
Additional Tips and Resources
Content Management Systems (CMS)
If you’re using a CMS like WordPress, ensure all plugins are up-to-date and working correctly. Outdated plugins can pose security risks and affect site functionality. Learn more about CMS security from WordPress.org.
Security
Implement security measures to protect your website from attacks. Use SSL certificates to encrypt data, and ensure your hosting provider offers robust security features. For more information, visit UKHost4u’s Security Solutions.
Speed Optimisation
Page load speed is critical for user experience and SEO. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test and improve your site’s load times.
Analytics
Set up analytics tools like Google Analytics to monitor your site’s performance and gather valuable insights. This helps you understand user behaviour and make informed decisions. Learn how to set up Google Analytics from Google’s Help Center.
Backup and Recovery
Ensure you have a reliable backup and recovery plan in place. Regular backups protect your data and allow you to restore your site quickly in case of any issues. For backup solutions, check out UKHost4u’s Backup Services.
Legal Compliance
Ensure your website complies with legal requirements, including GDPR for data protection. Display clear privacy policies and terms of service. For more information on GDPR compliance, visit ICO’s Guide to GDPR.
User Testing
Conduct user testing to identify any usability issues before launch. Gather feedback from real users to improve your site’s functionality and user experience. For user testing services, visit UserTesting.com.
Conclusion
Launching a website involves careful planning and meticulous checks to ensure everything works perfectly. By following these 15 essential checks, you can launch a website that is user-friendly, optimized for search engines, and ready to provide a great user experience.
Remember, a successful website launch sets the foundation for your online presence. Take the time to get everything right, and your efforts will pay off in the long run. If you need any assistance or have questions, feel free to contact UKHost4u’s Support Team or use our Live Chat. Happy launching!
To learn how to optimize your robots.txt file for SEO, check out ThemeIsle’s guide:
