Launching a website is exciting, but it can also be stressful. There are a lot of things that can go wrong, so the best thing you can do is to go down a checklist and make sure that you’ve double-checked everything pre-launch and post-launch. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a checklist of things to do before and after you launch your website!
Before your website makes its debut, there are several things to double-check. Here are the things we recommend checking before you launch.
Not all browsers will display your website the same, so it's essential to test your site for compatibility on different ones. If you are launching a redesign of your old site, take a look at your analytics tools to see which browsers your visitors use most frequently.
You'll want to ensure your new website performs well on those browsers specifically. Pay attention to the page layout, font, and other design elements when testing on each browser.
One way or another, a user will find a way to land on a page that doesn't exist on your website. You need to ensure that you have a way to lead them back on track. Create a custom, user-friendly 404 page so that in the event of a broken link, your users don't leave your site without engaging with your content.
You'll want to make sure all of your old webpages redirect to the correct new pages to avoid having your users getting sent to your 404 page.
Typos can take away your brand’s credibility in an instant. Have more than one person check your website copy or use a tool like Grammarly to help scan it for any errors.
Don't forget to include share icons on your pages to make it easy for your website visitors to share your content on social media, email, and other mediums. This can help increase your website's reach and hit your new goals.
Make sure users can easily subscribe to your content. If your website visitor wants to receive updates via email make sure you have forms that submit data correctly.
Also, don't forget to exclude IP addresses from your office or anywhere else where your internal team would regularly access your website. You don't want to get misleading results!
Images make your website visually appealing, but be sure to optimize them so they don't drag you down. First, make sure that they are the correct size and quality. You don't want a blurry image or an image that is so big that it causes your page to load slowly.
Next, you'll want to make sure that your photos have alt-text so that your website is accessible. Lastly, make sure that you are only using images that you have purchased licenses for to avoid any legal trouble post-launch.
After you have checked everything from this list, get sign-off from key management and prepare to launch! Remember that on your launch day, you'll need all hands on deck to help in case you come across any bumps along the road.
Websites are not a set-it-and-forget-it type of investment. You'll need to check in on your metrics frequently as well as a few other things post-launch.
Some of these checklist items are very technical, so if you don't know how to do this, be sure to ask your web company if these things are complete.
Document your website metrics 1 month after launch, and after that keep up with it quarterly to see if your new site is helping you achieve your goals.
By following this pre-launch and post-launch checklist, you are making sure that you have everything covered. Again, launching a website isn't an easy task, but hopefully this quick guide will help simplify the process.
If you are looking for a place to keep track of your whole website design process, then download our free planning template!