Between the launch of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network or ARPANET in 1966 and the internet we know today, billions of websites have been launched. Definite numbers are difficult to verify, but according to web hosting site Hosting Tribunal, there are about two billion websites that exist and 400 million of them are active.
Like the internet, websites have drastically changed from what they were in the 90s to what they are now. Before, most websites are static pages you can’t interact with. Now, there could be hundreds of web pages contained in one website. There are also e-commerce features now, which are valuable for small businesses. Even without all these, websites are essential for brands’ online marketing strategies.
This is why before launching your website, you must make sure that everything will run smoothly and that your visitors won’t run into problems while browsing. To do that, we made a five-point checklist to run your website through before launching.
Page content errors
You worked hard on the design of your website, you’ve made it easy for your readers to navigate it, and everyone can access it on any device. You don’t want to waste these efforts by overlooking typographical errors or unreadable fonts. Before launching your site, go over every page and make sure every word is spelled correctly, the font types and sizes are readable, and images are optimized.
Navigation and accessibility
User experience is essential in the success of your website. If your visitors don’t know which button to click or where to go next, this might lead to a negative user experience. What’s more, if people with accessibility issues, such as those with disabilities, cannot access parts of your website, you might lose your audience. Before going live, make sure your site undergoes quality assurance testing. Plenty of companies offer outsourced software and website testing services, so take advantage of them.
Device and browser compatibility
Sometimes, websites look good and function well on desktop computers using Google Chrome as a browser, but fails to load properly on an iPhone and Opera browser. This means a website doesn’t have a responsive design. When your readers are likely using a mobile device, make sure your website is optimized for mobile browsing while also not discounting desktop or tablet users.
Forms and input validation
Websites are useful for gathering leads and providing easy ways for your audience to contact you. These can be done through contact and subscription forms embedded in your website. Before launch, make sure these fields are functioning as they should and that you’re receiving the information users submit.
Website security
Bots and hackers can hack your website and plant strings of code that can compromise your users’ personal information if your website isn’t secure. Websites with e-commerce capability are especially at risk. Before launch, make sure you’ve set up Secure Sockets Layer or SSL to ensure secure data transfer and storage and prevent hackers from entering your site.
With all of these done, your website is ready for browsing! All you need to do is continuously update your website’s security and make sure everything’s functioning as they should once your website goes live.