Things to Do Before Launching Your Website (Part 1)

There is nothing quite as exciting as your web designer sending you your finished website. After all the back and forth revisions, you are now ready to finally launch it. However, this is the part where you should pause and take a moment.

If you think that you are ready to finally launch your website, go over these steps first and make sure to go through each before clicking that ‘publish’ button. What you want is to be completely sure that your website is ready for the public.

Step 1: Review, review, review

The most crucial thing you need to do is to check every web page on your website. When doing so, use the following questions as your guide:

Are there any spelling and grammar mistakes?

Everyone makes mistakes, especially when it comes to writing. Make sure to read through your website and spot typographical errors, misused words, missing punctuations, or grammatical mistakes. Even if the content team already went through this step, there is nothing wrong with going over everything again. More importantly, make sure that all words on your website are aligned with your branding and strategy. 

Do the pages reflect the appropriate formatting?

There are instances when the formatting for each paragraph does not reflect well on the site. As you proofread every section, make sure that they are also formatted in an easy-to-read way and with consistent spacing. 

Are all the links working correctly?

Make sure to click on the links in your content. Ensure that none of them are broken and that they direct you to the intended page. While there are tools you can use to double-check these links, it is best to do it manually to ensure that everything is working properly.

Are all images loading properly?

A website with broken images can be a huge turn-off. As you go through each page, make sure that all the uploaded photos show up correctly. Pay attention to the small images in your pages, too, especially the social media icons. 

Are all pages optimized?

One more thing you should check is whether you were able to utilize the SEO features of your website. Ensure that your site’s or page’s main keywords are in the right places, such as the title tags, page headings, meta descriptions, and image alt texts. Do not forget to check whether they are all spelled correctly. If not, they will not work to your advantage.

Also, keep in mind that keyword stuffing is bad for SEO, and it can negatively affect the user experience. Keep them flowing naturally.

Does each page clearly show what you want the visitors to do next?

Lastly, ask yourself whether the goal you set for each page is clear. Was it reflected in your design, images, and copy? For example, if your objective is to generate an email list, make sure that you communicate the message clearly to your site visitors and that there is an easy-to-find email signup form.

Conclusion

While you can always improve your site later, it is better to ensure that your site visitors will encounter as few mistakes as possible. What you see above represents just the first step of the final website checking process. To proceed with the next stage, check out part two of this article, where we outline the proceeding steps you need to take before deciding to publish your website. 

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