Launching a new website is a big moment. After weeks of planning, designing and building, it’s tempting to hit publish and celebrate. But launch day is also when small oversights cause the biggest headaches: forms that don’t send, old links that lead nowhere, a website Google has been told to ignore.
Here are the twelve things I check before every Femme Creative website goes live. Whether you’re launching with a designer or on your own, run through this list first.
Visibility on Google
1. Make sure search engines are allowed in
Websites are usually hidden from Google while they’re being built. Before launch, make sure that’s switched off. In WordPress, check Settings → Reading and untick “Discourage search engines from indexing this site”. This one small box has kept many beautiful websites off Google for months.
2. Redirect your old pages
If you’re replacing an old website, every old page address needs to point to its new equivalent with a 301 redirect. Otherwise people clicking old Google results, bookmarks and links from other websites land on an error page, and the trust your old website built up is lost.
3. Write a title and description for every page
These are what people see in Google search results. Each page needs its own title, including what you do and where, and a short description that makes someone want to click.
4. Set up Google Search Console and submit your sitemap
Search Console tells Google your website exists and shows you how it’s performing. Submit your sitemap and request indexing for your most important pages on launch day.
Everything works
5. Test every form
Fill in every contact, booking and enquiry form yourself. Check that the email arrives, that it doesn’t land in spam, and that the person enquiring sees a clear confirmation message. A broken form is one of the most expensive mistakes a website can make, because you never hear about the customers you lost.
6. Click every link and button
Menus, buttons, footer links, social icons and phone numbers. Make sure everything goes where it should, and that phone numbers are tappable on mobile.
7. Check it on real phones
Not just a shrunken desktop window. Open your website on an iPhone and an Android, scroll every page, and try to complete an enquiry with one hand. Look for text that’s too small, buttons that are hard to tap and images that crop awkwardly.
Ask someone else to try it
Give a friend your phone and ask them to book, buy or enquire without any help. Watch where they hesitate. You know your website too well to spot what’s confusing.
Speed and security
8. Optimise your images
Large images are the most common reason websites load slowly. Resize and compress images before uploading, and use modern formats where possible. Then run your homepage through Google’s PageSpeed Insights.
9. Make sure your website is secure
Your website should load with https:// and the padlock in the browser, on every page. Browsers warn visitors about websites that aren’t secure, which is the opposite of the first impression you want.
10. Set up backups
Make sure your website is backed up automatically, and that you know how to restore it. You’ll be glad you did the first time something goes wrong.
The finishing touches
11. Add your legal and business details
Include a privacy policy, especially if you collect personal information through forms, plus your ABN and contact details where appropriate. It builds trust and protects your business.
12. Set your share image and favicon
The favicon is the little icon in the browser tab. The share image is what appears when someone shares your website on Facebook, LinkedIn or in a text message. Both are small details that make your brand look polished everywhere it appears.
Launch isn’t the finish line. It’s the moment your website starts working for your business.
After launch
Keep an eye on Search Console over the following weeks for any errors, check your enquiries are arriving, and update your Google Business Profile and social profiles with your new website. Then keep your website alive with fresh content, new work and regular updates.
Launching soon?
Every Femme Creative website goes through this checklist and more before launch, with technical SEO built in from day one. Explore my web design services or start your project. Already launched and not sure everything was done properly? A complimentary audit will tell you.
