10 essentials for your website launch checklist
A website launch can be very exciting, but it can be nerve-wracking as well. You want to make sure that your launch goes off without a hitch, and that it is well received. Here are ten essentials you are going to want to put on your website launch checklist, to make sure everything is just perfect.
Pick a Launch Date – This may seem simple, but it is vital. A launch date gives you a deadline, and something firm to shoot for that will help guide the process along.
Stage Your Site – Staging your site is a great way to proof your content and make sure that all of your code works – before you actually go live and it’s too late to turn back. You can stage your site on a private server so it’s identical to what you want to use when you do go live.
Prepare for the Worst – Talk to everyone involved in the process and ask them about concerns, and then develop backup plans. Hopefully none of the concerns become a reality, but at least you will be prepared.
Put Testing Procedures in Place – Pretty soon you will need to test your website to make sure that all components work properly, and to scan for bugs or problems before a customer stumbles onto them. It is a good idea to choose one person that is in charge of this task.
Create a Post-Launch Enhancement List – Rarely is anything perfect and exactly what you visualised when you came up with the concept, which is why having a set of things that you want to enhance once the site is live is a good way to reach your final goal.
Double Check All Images – Sometimes images do not properly compress, and this can negatively affect the page load time. Double check that all of your images are the same size and quality, and that they have text associated with them for search engines.
Determine Who is Key to the Launch Team – Chances are this will be your technical and engineering leads, but narrow it down regardless and collect all contact info, so that if there is a problem they can get right on it.
Test Your Forms – Most visitors will only head to your website once, so you have to ensure everything works. Make sure that auto-submit forms collect information correctly, and that the form leads users to the appropriate page afterwards.
Double Check Your SEO Optimisation – There is no point in launching your website if no one is going to find it, if you don’t have the time or expertise engage with a digital marketing agency to market your site online. However before you go live make sure every page has a meta description, and a unique title tag, if you want your website to be properly SEO optimised. It’s better to check that now rather than later, because the longer you wait the longer you will stay off search engines.
Test All Links – If a link does not work, a consumer will often view the website, and therefore the product or service, as shoddy. Thus, it is vital that every link redirects to the right location.
Read Over Content with a Fine Eye – While you may have edited all content, sometimes things get rearranged, or typos get missed, while content is uploaded onto a website. Poor grammar, spelling errors, typos, incorrect formatting, and similar issues can all put a customer off. Check your content once, and then check it again to make sure everything is correct.
