Are you updating your website or creating the first website for your business? It’s exciting and rewarding to launch your website. You need to do everything you can to make sure that your site is close to perfect before sharing it with the world.
You may think you are ready to click the “publish” button. But know mistakes can happen and some things may be unfinished. So, before you launch your website, take a look at this list of things to do before you publish your website.
Review your website
This may sound like silly, but take the time to review each page, each section of each page, and even the hidden pages before publishing. You may catch a misspelled word or a broken link.
Have a trusted friend or coworker review the site too. They may catch something you missed. A second set of eyes is so helpful.
Check the website speed
Run a speed test to make sure everything on your website loads correctly. Unhappy visitors won’t be returning.
Optimize photos
Make sure any images you have on your website are of high quality. They will look good and load quickly.
Is your logo in a prominent place?
Strengthen your brand presence by having your logo in the website header and in the favicon area. A favicon is the small icon that appears in the tab on a browser. Adding your logo there enhances your brand identity.
Add analytics software
Monitor your website’s performance. Analytics allows you to measure your website traffic and conversion. You can see how visitors arrive at your site and interact with it. Google Analytics is free and gives you all the information you need.
Are you mobile friendly?
Mobile devices account for 52% of global internet traffic. Your website must be mobile friendly so your visitors have the best possible experience from their phones or tablets.
Update copyright year
Most websites include a copyright date at the footer. Before you publish, make sure your copyright date is the correct year. It may be a tiny detail, but websites with an old copyright year give the impression they’re out-of-date altogether.