Website Launch Checklist Template
Websites have many moving pieces. And when you’ve put so much time and effort into a new site, you want things to be perfect. From crafting the perfect copy to creating intuitive functionality, a beautiful design, and optimizing for search engines, it’s a challenge to make sure everything is in place at once and working together.
Fear not! From launching countless websites over the years, we’ve developed a free site launch template that we think you’ll find helpful. Our website launch template addresses all of the main components of a website so you can go through the list and check things off. Feel free to copy the list and make it yours. There is a tab for both WordPress sites and SquareSpace sites, but this template should be a fantastic starting point for launching a website on any platform.
Get Content Right From the Start
Content is everything to your website. It delivers your message to both users and search engines. You want your copy to clearly communicate what you do and who you serve—without spelling and grammar mistakes. Formatting is also key. For example, if you have bulleted content on your website, you’ll want it to look the same everywhere it appears.
If a direct migration isn’t possible for your blog posts, transferring that content to a new site can be a time-consuming, but important, task. Start with any blog posts that you plan to link to from your website’s main pages, posts that are part of current campaigns, and anything that you have recently posted about on social media. You wouldn’t want anyone interested in your content to be sent to a dead page. It’s also important to identify the blog posts that are bringing the most traffic to your site and have those transferred over before you launch. If you can’t migrate all of your blog posts over, be sure to set up 301 redirects to similar pages or your homepage.
Without Functionality, Expect to Lose Engagement
If a user can’t figure out how to navigate around your site, they’re gone. Make sure your header and footer menus link properly and are easy to access. Any forms or buttons should be tested, ensuring they deliver the intended content and are set up to give proper internal notifications if applicable.
Next, it’s time to check and see how your website appears and performs across different platforms. How does your website look on different browsers? How about mobile? Are there any plugins that could help with site speed?
Hotjar is a tool that we like to use to test usability. By installing Hotjar, you can use heatmaps and recordings to see how people navigate through your site, giving you insight into what is working and what isn’t.
Build It to be Found
What’s the point of having a website that no one can find? SEO should be taken into consideration from conception to completion. When building your site, create a keyword-optimized title tag, make sure to add all H1 and H2 headers, and give all images alt tags. Creating a custom 404 page is recommended so it someone reaches a dead page, you can help redirect them back to a different page that is more helpful.
Don’t forget about creating a privacy page! Privacy laws dictate that if you collect personal information from your website, then you need to have a Privacy Policy posted to your site. Many services used to enhance website performance, like Google Analytics, HubSpot, advertising plug-in, etc., also require you to have a Privacy Policy.
A Good Design Instills Trust
The way your site looks is important. You want the design and branding on your site to be uniform. Visitors shouldn’t feel like they are hopping around to different sites as they cruise through your web pages. Check for consistency in colors, formatting, and design. Make sure all images are properly sized (too small can turn images grainy but too large can slow down loading speed). Do you have a favicon; that tiny logo that appears in search tabs? You’ll want to upload one of those so people can easily spot your website when they have multiple tabs open.
Connect with Integration
Integrations have become more important over the last few years. Being able to connect various systems has made online business easier for countless companies of all sizes. Before you launch, make sure you have integrated tools like Google Analytics or your CRM, like HubSpot. You’ll want to start tracking website performance and collecting leads from day one.
The Day has Come!
Launch day has finally arrived! Your website deserves more than just a flip of a switch. There are a few tasks you’ll want to complete, plus it doesn’t hurt to double-check on some crucial elements. You’ll want to check out the site’s speed and troubleshoot any issues, confirm permalinks, note the site launch in Google Analytics with annotations, make sure the site isn’t blocking search engines, etc. You’ll also want to use a site such as Uptrends or Pingdom so you get a notification if your website goes down. Once these tasks are done, you can breathe a sigh of relief, high five your team in celebration, and jump into promotions.
New Website Promotions
You put some elbow grease into your site, so don’t be afraid to flaunt it. We recommend doing an announcement to your audience via email and social media. You can also add an announcement in your email signature with a link. Writing and promoting a blog article about the new site is also a great way to show off your shiny new digital storefront.
All of these items and more are included in our website launch checklist, but If you need some assistance or some advice with your website, we can help! Drop us a line and let’s chat!
