Seven things to check before launching a new website
Most launch problems can be avoided with an hour of checking. Here are the seven things that are most often forgotten, from old addresses to who calls whom when something goes wrong.
Short answer
Most launch problems are not caused by something being built wrong, but by something being forgotten. This list takes an hour to go through.
1. Old addresses lead somewhere
Does the old site have pages the new one does not? Every old address should lead on to the page that replaces it. Otherwise both visitors and search engines land on an error page, and what you have built up in search results is lost.
2. The forms arrive
Send a test message from every form and check that it lands with the right person. It is the most common fault, and nobody notices until someone wonders why no one is getting in touch.
3. The site works on a phone
Go through the most important pages on a real phone, not just in a shrunken window. Does the menu open? Can the buttons be hit? Can the text be read without zooming?
4. Every page has a title and a description
They are what shows in search results and when someone shares a link. Check the home page and the pages you most want people to find.
5. Measurement and consent work
If you measure visits, the measurement should be running from day one, and the visitor should be asked for consent where it is required. Otherwise you have no numbers from exactly the weeks you are most curious about.
6. There is a backup
Take a copy of the old site before it is shut down, and check that the new one is backed up automatically. Ask how long a restore takes.
7. You know who calls whom
If something goes wrong on the first day: who notices, who do they call, and who can fix it? Write down names and numbers before launch.
The list at a glance
| Check | How |
|---|---|
| Old addresses | Open ten old links and see that they lead somewhere |
| Forms | Send a test message from each one |
| Phone | Go through the most important pages on a real phone |
| Title and description | Check the home page and the most important pages |
| Measurement and consent | See that visits are recorded from day one |
| Backup | Save the old site and ask how a restore works |
| Who to call | Write down who notices faults and who fixes them |
After launch
Look at the site again after a week. Are messages coming in through the forms? Are there pages showing errors? Most of what needs adjusting shows up in the first few days.
When we launch a site we go through it together with you, and then we stay on for operation and maintenance if you want us to.