Things To Be Checked Before Making You Website Live

Making your website live is an exciting time, but it’s important to make sure that everything is in order before you do. There are a few things you should check before taking your website live. In this blog post, we will discuss the most important things to look for. By ensuring that your website is ready for prime time, you can avoid potential problems and ensure that your visitors have a positive experience on your site.

 

##Plugins and extensions

Having the correct plugins and extensions installed is critical for a successful launch. Plugins are essential for adding functionality to your website, such as social media integration or contact forms, so make sure they’re up to date and properly configured before making your site live. Additionally, some plugins may need to be disabled during the transition period; make sure you take care of this before the launch.

 

##Code Quality and Performance

It’s important to make sure the code behind your website is clean, efficient, and properly documented. Use a code analysis tool to check for coding errors and performance-related issues that could cause problems down the road. Additionally, be sure to test for compatibility with mobile devices, as well as different browsers and platforms.

 

##SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is an important consideration when launching a website. Make sure your content is properly optimized for the search engines, including adding relevant keywords, meta tags, and correct URL structuring. It’s also helpful to submit an XML sitemap to the major search engines.

 

##Security

Security is one of the most important considerations when launching a website. Make sure you have the necessary security measures in place, such as an SSL certificate, firewalls, and other features designed to protect your site from malicious attacks. Additionally, check that all of your user passwords are secure and encrypted.

 

##Social media integration

Before making your website live, you need to make sure that it is properly integrated with social media platforms. This means setting up links and buttons to various social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. You’ll also want to ensure that these links are working properly and directing visitors to the proper pages on the respective sites. It’s important to keep these links updated so that visitors can easily connect with your social media presence. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to cross-post content across the various platforms in order to maximize engagement and reach.

 

##Check website for broken links and images

Links and images can break due to various reasons such as wrong file paths, changes to domain name or web hosting services, etc. Before making your website live, it is important to check for any broken links and images that may lead to a bad user experience. You can use tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider or Xenu’s Link Sleuth to quickly scan your website for broken links.

 

##Test the website on multiple browsers and devices

It is important to make sure that your website looks and functions as expected across all major web browsers, operating systems, and devices. You should test your website in both desktop and mobile versions using different web browsers such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge and Opera. If you are having trouble testing your website on different devices, you can use tools like CrossBrowserTesting or BrowserStack that allow you to remotely test your website in multiple browsers and operating systems with just a few clicks.

 

##Check the loading time of the website

Website loading times can have a huge impact on user engagement, as visitors are likely to leave your website if it takes too long to load. Therefore, you should make sure that your website is optimized for performance and loading times before making it live. You can use tools like GTmetrix, Pingdom or Google’s PageSpeed Insights to evaluate the loading time of your website and identify any potential issues.

 

##Check security features and privacy policy

It is important to have the right measures in place to protect your website from malicious attacks. Make sure that you have all the necessary security features, such as secure sockets layer (SSL) certificates, firewalls, antivirus software, and secure passwords, in place before your website goes live. Additionally, make sure that you have a privacy policy that clearly states how you will handle data collected from visitors to your website. This will help ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

 

##Test contact forms and other webforms

Before making your website live, it is important to ensure that all forms on the website are functioning properly. This includes contact forms, registration forms and any other webform you have on your site. You should test all of these forms by submitting them with dummy information to ensure that they are working correctly and sending the appropriate information to the right people. If you have an e-commerce website, make sure to also test the checkout process. This process should be smooth and easy for the user. Additionally, check that payment is being processed successfully and that the appropriate emails are being sent out after successful orders.

 

##Secure your website with HTTPS protocol

One of the most important things to check before making your website live is the security. You need to ensure that your website is secure by using HTTPS protocol which will encrypt information between the user and server, thus protecting them from malicious attacks. This can be done through a variety of ways such as purchasing an SSL Certificate or getting one for free from a Certificate Authority. You should also make sure that your web hosting provider offers secure server solutions to ensure a safe and secure environment for your website. Additionally, you should perform regular vulnerability scans to detect any security weak points in your website infrastructure.

 

##Test the functionality of all features

Once you have secured the connections to and from your website, you will want to make sure that all the features on your website are functioning as they should. You can do this by manually going through each page and feature on your website, or you can use automated tools to test the functionality of your website. Make sure that everything is working properly for all user types such as mobile devices and desktop computers. Also, check all external links and make sure they are not redirecting to any malicious sites.

 

##Website copywriting

Before making your website live, make sure that the text used for content writing is accurate and error-free. It should be written in a user-friendly manner, with adequate use of keywords. Avoid using complex jargon or redundant wording as this can confuse people. Check to see if all relevant information has been included in the copywriting and ensure that it reads naturally and flows smoothly.

 

##Web design & navigation

The website should be visually pleasing and easy to navigate. Check to make sure that the navigation menus are well organized, accessible, and user-friendly. Make sure that the page loading speed is fast enough so viewers don’t get bored waiting for content to come up.

 

##Web hosting

Make sure that your website is hosted on a reliable server. Check to see if the server can handle sudden surges in traffic and ensure that it has adequate security measures in place to protect against malicious attacks. Additionally, make sure that the web host can provide regular backups of your website data.

 

##Performance& testing

Test the website to make sure that it works as expected and is compatible with all web browsers. Perform regression testing to ensure that changes made did not cause any other problems. Additionally, check the speed of your website across different devices and networks to ensure a pleasant user experience.

 

##Legal compliance

Check to make sure that your website is compliant with all relevant laws and regulations. Ensure that the website has a privacy policy and cookie policy in place, and that GDPR guidelines are followed. Additionally, check to make sure there are no copyright or trademark infringements on the website.

 

##Check website speed and optimization

Making sure that your website is loading quickly and efficiently is essential in ensuring the success of your website. Slow load times can be an indicator of a poorly optimized website, which can lead to poor user experience and a drop in traffic. You should test your website’s load time by using tools like Pingdom or GTMetrix. These tools will check your website’s performance and provide suggestions on how to improve it.

 

##Verify if all links are working

Once you have thoroughly tested the speed and optimization of your website, you should also check that all of your internal and external links are functioning properly. This means testing each link individually to make sure they are going to the right page and that the content is displaying correctly. You should also check for any broken links, as this can have a negative impact on user experience and search engine rankings.

 

By following these steps and ensuring everything is optimized to the best of your abilities, you can make sure your website is ready for launch and can provide a great user experience.