26 Point Checklist for Your Website Launch

The launch date is on the calendar, all things are a go. The countdown begins, and then, WHAM, something goes wrong and we have to pull the plug. Why does it matter? Because during a website launch, the online-health of your business is at stake. You don’t want your business interrupted or to lose ranking during the transition. So, in order to make sure the launch goes smoothly, we test and retest these 26 things before and just after launching your new website.

Getting Ready for the WebsiteLaunch

1. Test and Retest functionality and visuals – This is all about making sure you get a quality website. 
2. Browser Testing – Website should be looking good and working great on all important browsers – mobile included.
3. Proofread – Our proofreader checks all the text on the website that has not already been proofread.
4. Non-developer Review – Our tester who is not a web developer reviews the website with fresh eyes to spot remaining issues.
5. 301 Redirects in place – Redirects are important in helping Google find the new versions of your old pages if the URLs changed.
6. 404 Page Ready – When people do enter the wrong URL, the 404 page is there to help them find what they are looking for.
7. Tracking Code Installed – If we’re using Google Analytics, Webmaster Tools, or other tracking codes, we install it before the site is live.
8. Remove all Test Content – The site is cleared of any temporary content so it’s ready to go live.
9. Update Contact Form Settings – The website will start using your real email addresses for the contact forms. We’ll test the forms and ask you to confirm that they are working correctly for you.

Final Steps Before Launch

1. Security Enhancements – We make sure the site is loading under HTTPS and test any secured pages that were created.
2. Search Engine Optimization – SEO Titles and meta descriptions are written, and keywords inserted to help your site rank higher and encourage clicks to your website.
3. Printer-Friendliness – We check that your printer-friendly pages work correctly. 
4. Website Handbook – We give you the Website Handbook. It includes how-to videos, step by step tutorials and other important information. This will help you run your website after the launch.
5. Confirm Deliverables Have Been Met – Review the proposal WITH the developer to verify that everything is covered. Review the entire website and test functionality.
6. Launch Steps Defined – Before we launch, we get the necessary DNS information and schedule the launch.
7. Schedule Post-Launch Followup Meeting
8. Backup the Current Website – We download a complete backup of the currently live website.

After Website Launch

1. You are In-the-Know – We will keep you informed during the launch with expected time frames, any important happenings and we’ll confirm once the launch is totally complete.
2. Verify Secure Areas – Check that password-protected areas are actually asking for passwords.
3. Verify that Google Can Still Read Your Website – We make sure that the robots.txt file is allowing Google to index the website.
4. Speed Optimization – Besides the website being built with speed in mind, we can configure speed tools for caching and cutting load time further so that you meet the 5-second page loading speed recommendations put forth by Google.
5. Check for Broken Links – When a site goes live, it’s URL changes. We check for broken links and correct any we find.
6. Download Backup – We store a full backup of the website and confirm that the automatic backup begins to handle future backups.
7. Test Auto-Publishing to Social Media – If your website should auto-post updates to Facebook and Twitter, we verify it’s working by making your first new post after launch.
8. Check Google Webmaster – We’ll check for 404 errors in Google Webmaster tools. If we find some, we’ll put redirects in place for any important pages that don’t redirect properly. We’ll also verify that Google Analytics is tracking visitors properly.
9. Post-Launch Followup Meeting – We’ll meet to confirm all tasks are complete, make sure everything is working properly and answer all questions.

To ensure that your website launch goes smoothly, work with a web agency that knows what they’re doing. Effect Web Agency has partnered with businesses across the United States for over 15 years. We don’t just build beautiful websites that are mobile-friendly. We offer ongoing support in the form of digital marketing, metrics, and business coaching. Call today and find out how you can have a more strategic web design.