Read Time: 4 minutes
TL;DR
- Just because you’re working with a web development firm doesn’t mean you’re off the hook—it’s important to identify exactly who will do what and by when.
- Decide who in your business will be responsible for communicating with the web development team, as well as who will be responsible for forming an in-house review team to review and approve the website content, design and functionality.
- Be realistic when choosing your go-live date—setting a rushed launch date is the most common mistake businesses make when creating a new website, and the best way to guarantee that something will go wrong.
- You, as the client, have the ultimate responsibility to make sure that all of the components of your website accurately represent your business and are without errors.
- Plan with your website development team how to address any issues that arise on launch day or thereafter so the end result will be an effective website that does everything your company needs it to do.
These days, having a functional and attractive website is a key part of any business marketing strategy. However, making sure your website is up to snuff requires a little more than simply assembling a page and hitting publish. Creating an effective business website requires careful planning and review or the resulting site could be a disaster.
If your business is in the process of creating a new website or updating your current website design, there are some guidelines to follow to help ensure a successful launch when the time comes. We’ve prepared a site launch checklist to help make sure your business will be ready to celebrate its new website on time, and without issue. Here’s what you need to do:
Commit a Plan to Paper
One of the keys to making sure a new website is complete and ready to launch on time is to specifically lay out exactly who is responsible for all of the tasks involved in the creation of the website. When you’re working with a first-class web development firm like Comit, it can be tempting to just turn over the work and assume that everything will come out exactly like you’ve envisioned it, but that isn’t exactly how the process should work.
First, figure out who in your business will be responsible for communicating with the web site’s designers. If you don’t have a point person in-house, communication can be haphazard and create unnecessary delays. Then, decide who will assist the point person to form an in-house review team who will be tasked with looking over the work as it proceeds to make sure everything meets with the specifications laid out at the beginning of the project. Doing so will make sure there are no surprises come launch day.
Be Realistic
After discussing the scope of the work with your designer and getting their input as to an appropriate launch date, take time to consider your internal processes so you can leave enough time to get the job done right. The most important part of this step is to take everything you’ve learned about the work that needs to be completed and come up with a realistic launch date that all of the stakeholders agree is possible. Setting a rushed launch date is the most common mistake businesses make when creating a new website, and the best way to guarantee that something will go wrong. Save everyone the headache and be realistic, and leave plenty of padding time for any unforeseen complications.
Conduct Thorough Error-Checking
Even though a web designer will always review their own work before presenting it to a client, the client themselves has the ultimate responsibility to make sure that all of the components of the website represent their business well and are without errors. To make sure that’s the case, task your in-house review team with the following items to check as the work progresses:
- Check all copy for spelling, capitalization and punctuation errors
- Look for inconsistencies in the copy like the uneven use of conjunctions or improper word localization
- Make sure all graphics and multimedia elements are correct and functional
- Check that each page is complete and delivers its message exactly as your business intends it
- Make sure that all dummy text and placeholders have been replaced with final content
- See that all hyperlinks, internal and external, are functioning as intended
- Test that the responsive design works on all pages on all platforms
- Check that the site loads correctly and quickly
- Make sure all business contact information is accurate and appears where it should
- Conduct a test of all forms and interactive elements to make sure they function as they should
The Final Countdown
Once all of your new website’s stakeholders agree that everything is done, and the testers have left no stone unturned, you’ll be ready for a successful launch. If you want, you can even engage the services of a third-party usability testing service to give you some impartial feedback before your new site goes live. Make sure to plan with your designer to address any issues that arise on launch day and thereafter so the end result will be a business website that does everything your company needs it to do. Once the dust settles, you’ll all be able to sit back and savor the feeling of satisfaction that comes from a job well done.
Creating a new business website is quite a bit of work for all involved, but it helps to have a designer that’s been through the process and knows where the common pitfalls and problems lie. Here at Comit Developers, our team has all of the expertise, experience and tools that it takes to make sure your new business website is everything you imagined it could be. If your business needs a new website, contact us today and let us do the heavy lifting for you from now until launch day – so you can save your strength for the celebration!
