Launching a new website is an exciting time (and we should know!) but many rush to make a website live before it is truly done.
Testing forms a critical part of website development, this is the stage at which you check everything looks as you want it to, that it provides the right information, that you can browse as you should and that you have a plan in place to shout about your new site from the rooftops!
There are some obvious (and less obvious) things you should be on the lookout for on any new site before giving it the green light, so let’s get stuck into our website launch checklist:
Check for errors
Check, check and triple check all aspects of your new website. This means looking at the copy for errors, ensuring all links work and lead to the correct location and making sure that the site works across all devices (mobile, desktop, tablet, etc.) and browsers.
Usability is key
Does your site load quicky? Is the site easy to navigate? Will your visitors be able to find the information they need in as few clicks as possible? Look at your site objectively through the eyes of your prospective customers, and ask yourself whether the site would do all it can to encourage you to find out more and convert into a valuable lead.
Optimise your site
Once your site is ready for your potential customers, now it’s time to get it ready for search engines. These days, effective SEO is very closely linked to the experience a user will have on your site, so if you’ve taken care of the above points you are part of the way there in terms of optimisation. But in addition to this, you must ensure that search engines are able to identify what each page on your site is about and that it will provide the right answers to a user’s query. This means adding a variety of elements including title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, alt tags, etc.
Get ready to redirect
If your new site is replacing an existing one, you should implement redirects. Map out where you want older pages to now link to and add a 301 redirect to achieve this. This ensures that those visiting your site from indexed pages aren’t met with 404 errors.
Legal requirements
Now for the boring (but necessary) legal requirements. Make sure you have a cookie policy in place on the site, appropriate terms and conditions, privacy policy, modern slavery statement (if required) and, of course, ensure your site and its data collection activity meets GDPR necessities.
Share, share, share
Congratulations your site is ready to go live! Now comes the fun part, sharing it to your heart’s content. Get your social plan in place (along with some engaging visuals), let your customers know via email newsletters and monitor traffic levels to your site to ensure it’s getting the traction that it deserves.
Looking for a new site for your business? Contact the experts here at Entyce Creative today for more information on our website design and development services.