Website launch checklist
Website Security
Tighten up your website security by installing one of a number of WordPress plugins (eg Wordfence, iThemes Security and MalCare) Configure to protect your site from spam and malware.
Add SEO Plugin
Add a SEO plugin such as Yoast. This will give you guidelines to making your website search engine friendly. If you are interested in a full SEO campaign to get your website ranking above your competition. Get in contact with us.
Link to Google Analytics
Once your website goes live you will want to track the number of visitor and their behaviour so you know what content is performing best. This allows you to make necessary changes and focus on content that generates more traffic. Create a Google account and add the tracking code, visit it regularly to see all your website traffic data.
SEO friendly Url’s
When you launch your website it’s important that your website URLS are SEO friendly. Where possible the page URL should include the main subject of the page.
Add a Favicon
Add a favicon to highlight your branding in the browser address bar. Most modern themes allow you to do this easily through the theme settings.
Google has also added the favicon to it’s search results, so having one in place helps you business stand out from the competition.
Allow Search Engine Indexing
Some CMS platforms allow you to block search engine indexing while the website is in the building process. Remember to switch this off when the website goes live.
Install SSL Certificate
Make sure that your website has a SSL Certificate. More and more browsers are now declaring a website insecure if they do not have a SSL Certificate installed. Trusting a site we a big part of the user experience so do not overlook this.
Submit to Search Engines
When you are happy that you website is ready to launch submit it to the major search engines so they know to index it. Use Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools to submit your site to the main search engines in the UK.
Check for Broken Links
In the building process it is quite common for URL’s to change and you need to check that there are no broken links before launch. Broken links are bad for your sites reputation and negative to the user experience. There are a number of free tools to check for broken links such as brokenlinkcheck.com
Check your Website is Responsive
It’s essential in today’s world that your website is responsive for all devices. Do not accept web design that is not responsive to Mobiles, Tablets, Laptop and desktops. User experience for all devices must be easy and smooth to encourage interaction, leads and sales.
Proofread Content
In the building process it is very easy to make mistakes when adding new content. Proofread all the content on your site to ensure it makes sense and there are no spelling or grammar mistakes. Ask a friend or colleague to read over everything, it’s easy to miss mistakes when you’ve spend a lot time editing.
Remove any unnecessary content & plugins
When putting together your website you will more than likely experiment with different plugins and content before you settle on your final draft. Before you launch remove any redundant plugins, pages / posts or images. You should also remove all your previous revisions on posts and pages, this will help with the speed of your site.
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