July 25, 2019

Having launched roughly 20 redesigned websites over the past 2½ years, I’ve come to learn that in some cases Murphy’s Law which roughly states “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong”, is 100% accurate. I’ve dealt with everything from hosting companies not delivering on their promises; to code suddenly going haywire from being in BETA to live launch; to even the simplest things like missing Google Analytics code or silly typos.

After going through this a few times I decided to develop this useful checklist for myself and my clients to use prior to launching their redesigned website. Many of these items can also apply to launching your first website but the majority of them focus on redesigns.

1. Google Analytics/Google Search Console
2. 301 Redirect
3. Review All Content for Typos
4. Confirm The Website Functions Well On Mobile Devices
5. SSL Certificate Installation
6. Search Engine Optimization
7. Check Hosting Capabilities

1. Google Analytics/Google Search Console

Let’s get the small stuff out of the way first! Ensure Google Analytics is installed on the newly designed website and also ensure Google Search Console has been verified. You’re going to see a spike in traffic the first 2-3 days after launch and you don’t want to miss out on all that juicy traffic data.

2. 301 Redirect

301 redirects are an important part of any redesign. When you redesign your website, some of the URLs you used to have may be updated or changed entirely. Because you don’t want people landing on a “404 Not Found” page and because you want to have the “link juice” (SEO lingo) from your old pages passed on to your new pages, you should absolutely use 301 redirects. They’re fairly simple to setup but if you don’t feel comfortable, ask your web designer to do it for you.

3. Review All Content for Typos

When it comes to content review I’m a big believer in “review twice, launch once” and when it comes to the second review, have someone with fresh eyes take a look. No matter how OCD you may think you are (and my family will tell you I’m very OCD), things still get missed so before you launch your redesigned website, review it for typos.

4. Confirm The Website Functions Well On Mobile Devices

Every single website I developed over the past 3 years is responsive and built for mobile viewing but that doesn’t necessarily mean it appears perfectly on every device. Most of my websites are built using pre-created WordPress themes which promise mobile-readiness but that isn’t always the case – especially when you start to customize various pages. Double check that your website functions properly on as many mobile devices as you can prior to sharing it with the world.

5. SSL Certificate Installation

Back in July 2018, Google Chrome and other browsers like Firefox and Microsoft Edge began marking websites which didn’t have SSL Certificates installed as “Not Secure”. You can read more about what that means here. It is highly recommended that all websites install an SSL Certificate, even if you aren’t necessarily capturing sensitive user data. Some digital marketers believe it may even have a factor in SEO so it’s definitely a good bet to get one installed.

6. Search Engine Optimization

Speaking of SEO! If you had done any SEO work on your previous website, you’ll want to be sure to carry that work over to your new website. Copy your Title and META tags over, make sure to utilize 301 redirects and of course ensure your content includes your targeted keywords. Do all of this only if your new website has similar pages and content to your previous website, if it doesn’t, formulate a new SEO strategy.

7. Check Hosting Capabilities

This one is likely something your website developer will need to take care of but it’s worth mentioning. Sometimes a hosting environment that worked for a very basic WordPress website may not work for a more robust one. Double check that whichever hosting environment you choose for your new website is able to handle it. If you’re using a purchased WordPress theme for your new website, contact the original developer and ask what the minimum hosting requirements are. Once you have that information, contact your hosting company (GoDaddy, HostGator, HostMonster, Internic.ca etc.) and confirm your current setup will be able to handle it.