Shortly before a new website goes live, it is tempting to just press the button. But a final, thorough check pays off: mistakes spotted now cost minutes. Mistakes spotted by customers cost trust. I use this list myself before every launch.
Content
- All copy is approved, placeholders are removed.
- Names, phone numbers, email addresses, addresses and opening hours are correct and written the same everywhere.
- Prices, offers and contact people are up to date.
- Images are sharp, appropriately sized and, where they carry content, have descriptive alt text.
- There are no typos in headings and buttons. Read the most important pages out loud once.
Features
- Submit every form once yourself: does the message arrive, and does the sender get a confirmation?
- Test booking, shop and payment with a test transaction.
- Click every link, including in the header and footer. Does none lead nowhere?
- Phone numbers and email addresses can be tapped on a phone.
- Embedded content such as maps or videos loads and behaves as expected.
Display on different devices
Check the website on a phone, a tablet and a large screen, in different browsers. Make sure text is readable, nothing is cut off, buttons are large enough and the menu opens and closes. Also try using the site with the keyboard only. What can come up is described in the post Accessible website.
Technology and speed
- The website is only reachable via HTTPS, and the address with and without “www” leads to the same page.
- A check with Lighthouse or PageSpeed Insights shows no major problems with loading time, accessibility and best practices.
- There is an error page for addresses that aren't found, leading back to the home page.
- Backups are set up, and someone is responsible for outages.
Google and AI assistants
- Every page has its own title and description.
- The search engine block from the preview has been removed. This is one of the most common mistakes of all.
- The robots.txt file allows access, and a sitemap exists.
- Structured data about the business and services is included and error-free.
- If there is an old website, all old addresses redirect to the matching new pages.
More on the basics on the SEO page and in the post How AI assistants find businesses.
Legal
- The legal notice and privacy policy are complete and can be reached from every page.
- All embedded services are listed in the privacy policy.
- Services that need consent only load after it is given.
- For shops: cancellation policy, terms and conditions and information on prices and shipping are in place.
- You hold the usage rights for all images, fonts and texts.
These points are guidance, not legal advice. If in doubt, have legal texts checked by an expert.
Logins and responsibilities
- The domain is registered to your business.
- You have access to the domain, hosting, email and, if applicable, the shop or editing interface.
- Logins are stored securely, not in an open spreadsheet.
- It is clear who makes changes, installs updates and is the contact when problems arise.
On launch day
- Don't launch right before a weekend or holiday, so there is time for corrections.
- After switching over, open the website from another device and network.
- Test the forms again on the real address.
- When moving, check that emails still arrive.
In the first weeks afterwards
- Register the website in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools and submit the sitemap.
- After a few days, check whether the pages are being indexed and whether errors are reported.
- Link your Google Business Profile to the new website.
- Add the new address everywhere: email signature, profiles, business cards, directories.
- Collect first feedback from customers and make small improvements.
How to set up the Google profile is covered in the post Setting up a Google Business Profile. If you'd rather not handle technology and changes after launch yourself, I offer hosting and maintenance as a monthly plan.
Print the list or copy it into your to-do list. Much of it only needs checking once, but it is exactly these one-off mistakes that customers would otherwise notice first.
