Websites can have as many moving parts as a jumbo jet, so it’s easy to lose track of something. That’s why checklists abound here at Talance HQ. They’re one of the best ways we know to make sure we don’t forget something while juggling all the building, writing and planning pieces. We know that when it comes time to launch, it’s particularly easy to forget something important.
Below is a list of top items that can make the launch of any website easier and more organized. We’ll keep adding if we think of anything new. Did we forget something? Add it in the comments, and we’ll update.
Also check out our 9-point SEO checklist to help you show up at the top of those search engine results.
[This appeared in our January newsletter. Wanna subscribe?]
Copy
- Spelling correct on every page
- Check for typos
- All pages reviewed and accounted for
- Outdated content removed
- Placeholder content removed
- Check for consistency in writing voice, tone and style (including first person vs. third person, singular and plural, eccentric capitalizations and words like “website” vs. “web site”)
- Non-spelling errors, such as old addresses, phone numbers, former employees, etc., corrected
- Stylistic inconsistencies fixed
- Terms of use updated
- Copyright updated
- Privacy policy updated
- Contact information accessible on every page
- All hidden copy checked (error messages, JavaScript functions, transcriptions)
- Jargon removed
- Content quality evaluated
Formatting
- Most important info listed at the top of the page
- Appropriate use of bold and bullets for easy scanning
- No written text within images
- Colors and typefaces consistent on every page
- Each page format uniform
- Images resized and consistent
- Menus not overloaded with too many items
- H tags used for headlines rather than bolds or size increases
Technical Quality Assurance
- Internal and external hyperlinks work
- Pages checked against WCAG guidelines
- Private data secure (passwords, contact info, etc.)
- Usability testing complete
- Sitemap updated
- Everything works
- Important pages print OK
- All old URLs point to new URLs
Accessibility
- “Alt” attributes used for all descriptive images
- Pages accessible
- High contrast color used everywhere
- Color and size used for critical information
- Tested on most common browsers
- Tested on mobile devices
Marketing
- PR releases written
- Social media launch campaign planned
- Off-line promotion planned
- Friends, colleagues notified
- E-newsletter notification written and ready to send
- Business cards, letterhead, envelopes and other printed material updated with new address
- Voice mail updated with new address
- Email signature updated with notification about launch
- Link submitted to directories and search engines
- Ads created
- Blog entries planned or written
- Marketing plan revised
- SEO checklist completed
Support
- Training completed
- Extra help on website support procured
- User feedback surveys written
- Maintenance and update schedule created
- Plan established in case of heavy traffic
- Databases set to backup in case of roll-back