The excitement of launching a website can cause you to overlook crucial steps that are necessary for success. You need a website launch checklist so you can make a great first impression on your users and search engines.
A smooth go-live process will help avoid costly errors and technical issues post-launch. So, before you hit that publish button and make your website accessible to the world, here are some essential steps for a seamless launch.
A. Finalizing the Website Design and Development
When you started designing your website, you had a purpose and set goals. Website design and development are the soul and body of your website. Design, the soul, determines how it will look and feel. Development, the body, makes sure that everything runs smoothly.
Check out these four website design principles to boost your conversion rate before we discuss tips for finalizing your development phase.
1. Check for Browser Compatibility
Before launch, ensure your website is compatible with most web browsers, especially Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer.
Test your website’s functionality and design on different browsers to ensure a consistent user experience. This step is crucial as not all browsers render websites similarly, and some may have compatibility issues.
2. Optimize for Mobile Devices
Let’s say you have a PC and a smartphone. Which is most convenient for you when you’re lounging, lazing in bed, commuting, or waiting at the doctor’s clinic? Your users, just like you, are likely to surf more on smart mobile devices than PCs.
Handheld devices aren’t as big as PCs, and their RAMs, storage spaces, and processors aren’t as powerful. Users want a seamless experience no matter what platform they’re accessing your website from, so it’s important to confirm the site is responsive across all devices and optimize it for mobile viewing.
3. Test Site Speed
A slow website can put off potential visitors, tainting your image and tanking your search visibility.
Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test your website’s load time and make necessary optimizations. Google’s Core Vitals emphasize speed, so ensure your website falls within good ranges for:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP).
- First Input Delay (FID).
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
4. Validate HTML and CSS
HTML and CSS are the backbone of your website. Before launch, ensure they’re valid and error-free. Use W3C’s Markup Validation Service to check for any errors in your HTML code.
Similarly, use W3C’s CSS Validation Service to validate the Cascading Style Sheets you deployed on the site. Fix any issues found to prevent potential problems with user experience.
5. Make Site Navigation Functional and Intuitive
A well-organized and intuitive navigation system is crucial for user experience. If users can’t figure out how to get around your website, they’re likely to leave and look for alternatives.
Keep navigation menus simple, with clear labels that accurately describe the content on each page. Use logical hierarchy in your menu structure so visitors can easily find what they’re looking for. That’s what makes a good website.
6. Include Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
A call-to-action (CTA) prompts users to take a specific action. CTAs are essential for converting visitors into warm leads and eventually paying customers. They can be newsletter signups, check-out processes, or forms soliciting information and opinions.
Ensure your CTAs are visually appealing, grabbing users’ attention more than the rest of the page content and clearly urging them to take action. Use action words like “Sign Up,” “Buy Now,” or “Learn More” to create a sense of urgency.
B. Optimizing Content for Users and Search Engines
Do you know why SEO is important for your website? Creating a functional and pleasant website is only half the battle.
To drive traffic to your site, you must also optimize your content for users and search engines. Here’s some ideas to help you improve your visibility:
1. Use Relevant Keywords
Keywords are words or phrases that people use when searching for something on the internet. Embedding relevant keywords in your content boosts the odds of your site ranking favorably in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Execute keyword research to gauge which terms and phrases are most relevant to your business or industry. Understanding the user intent behind the keywords is the extra homework to ace the challenge.
Create high-quality, informative content that incorporates these keywords naturally. Also, embed keywords in your page titles, headings, meta descriptions, and image alt tags.
2. Write for Humans, Not Just Search Engines
While using keywords is essential for search engine optimization (SEO), publishing engaging and useful content for your target audience is equally important. Write in a clear and conversational tone that resonates with your readers.
Avoid keyword stuffing, which involves excessive keyword use to manipulate search engine rankings. Most search engines penalize this practice, and it can also turn off potential customers.
3. Use Internal and External Links
Internal links are hyperlinks that connect one page of your website to another. Internal links help users with seamless navigation as they go deeper into your rabbit hole of related posts, pages, and products.
Internal and external links also help crawling bots understand your website’s structure and hierarchy, improving its crawlability and indexability.
Additionally, external links to reputable sources can also boost your website’s credibility as you allow users to review your information sources.
4. Proofread and Edit
Writing for humans entails making an effort to communicate clearly, without confusion, and with authenticity.
Check for the following language errors that could negatively affect your reader’s perception of your website:
- Spelling typos: You may come across as careless or sloppy if your content contains spelling mistakes.
- Syntax mistakes: Grammatical errors can confuse readers and make your content difficult to understand.
- Punctuation errors: Incorrect use of punctuation marks can affect the meaning of your sentences. For example, serial commas have caused contractual lawsuits before.
- Factual errors: Always fact-check your content before publishing it. Provide supporting sources for any claims you make.
- Readability: Use shorter sentences and paragraphs to improve readability, especially on digital platforms. Ignoring this can lead to high bounce rates and low engagement on your website.
- Passive voice: Active sentences are generally more engaging and direct than passive ones. Be mindful of the tone you want to convey when using either.
- Repetition: Avoid repeating information unnecessarily, as it can bore readers or make them lose interest in your content.
C. Testing Website Functionality
After creating and editing your content, it’s important to test your website’s functionality before publishing it. You must catch any potential errors or issues affecting user experience.
1. Check for Broken Links
Search engines understand the frustration users experience when they click on a broken link, expecting to find relevant information or products. Therefore, broken links are terrible for your SEO as search engines penalize such sloppy mistakes.
Links break when the publisher to whom you linked edits or deletes a page or post. You can also have broken internal links when you delete or edit linked posts.
Use online tools like W3C Link Checker to automatically check your entire site for broken links.
2. Verify Email Notifications
If your website has a subscription or contact form, test if you receive email notifications when users submit it. The communication channels you set up for your website should be reliable and functional.
3. Check Individual Page Loading Speed
Slow-loading pages can drive users away from your website. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check each page’s loading speed and make improvements if necessary.
D. Ensuring Security and Compliance
When handling personal information or sensitive data on your website, it’s crucial to prioritize security and compliance.
Here are some ways to ensure a secure and compliant website:
1. Implement SSL Certificate
An SSL certificate encrypts communication between the user’s browser and your website, protecting sensitive information from potential hackers.
2. Regular Backups
Regularly backing up your website’s data can save you in case of any unexpected issues, such as hacking or server crashes.
3. Comply with GDPR and CCPA
If your website collects personal data from users in the EU or California, you must comply with their respective data protection laws.
4. Optimize Accessibility
You want to serve all members of the public for moral reasons and to maximize your reach. So, accessibility features should be used to onboard persons with special needs.
Significantly improve user experience by deploying accessibility features such as:
- Alternative text for images.
- Keyboard navigation.
- Screen reader compatibility.
E. Preparing for Search Engine Visibility
A beautifully designed and secure website means nothing if it doesn’t appear on search engines. Here are some ways to improve your website’s visibility:
1. Submit Sitemap to Search Engines
Submit your XML sitemap to multiple search platforms so their crawling bots establish site structure for easy navigation.
2. Utilize Social Media
Popularize your website via social media platforms to drive traffic and increase visibility.
3. Set up and Test Google Analytics and Search Console
Google Analytics is free and helps webmasters track and analyze their site traffic and performance. Google Search Console complements your tracking efforts by generating insights into how search engines crawl and rank your site.
Don’t go live with your website without setting up and testing these tools first.
4. Confirm Robots.txt File
A robots.txt file instructs crawling bots to ignore posts and pages you think aren’t ready for indexing. Correctly setting up this file is crucial to avoid any issues with search engine visibility.
F. Announcing Your Website Launch
Congratulations! You’ve completed all the necessary steps to build a successful website. You’re also adequately ready to go live, but don’t launch the site just yet.
Make a big deal out of your website launch by creating anticipation and excitement. Here are some ideas:
- Send an email blast to your contacts informing them about the upcoming launch.
- Tease sneak peeks of your website on social media platforms.
- Create a countdown timer leading up to the launch date.
- Offer exclusive early access or special discounts for those who visit the site on launch day.
Building hype around your website launch can generate more traffic and interest in your brand.
Adopt the Web with Us
If you decide a more seasoned touch is needed, contact us to design, develop, and populate your site with unique content. Our experienced team will create a professional and visually appealing website that aligns with your brand’s goals.
We’ll work closely with you to understand your vision and also make sure all the details are taken care of, like adding Google business hours to your website. We want to empower you to focus on your core business while we handle the technical aspects of your website.
Take advantage of our experience in building an effective system for small business website management. Let us help you launch your website successfully and take it to the next level.
