How to Create a Website Launch Checklist for Your Agency

web designer on lap top

As a web designer, we all have a responsibility to ensure that a website launches flawlessly. Even if you don't have a team yet, it's important to have a website launch checklist to ensure that you don't miss any of the important steps for an effective launch. But as I've found in my years as a business coach, most agencies rely on varying processes that are delivered irregularly.

Having a concrete website launch process is an incredible asset for your agency as it creates confidence for both yourself and your clients.  A checklist will help you identify critical factors like: social media integration, site speed optimization, and SEO readiness. 

What a Website Launch Checklist Should Cover

A website launch checklist should be a list of all tasks for you and your team to complete before a launch. The list should contain all of the tasks (with relevant details) to complete before executing the launch process.

An example of tasks to include:

  • Proofread content – Have a second set of eyes review the content of the entire site. Checks should include ensuring font styles and sizes are consistent and that there are no typos.
  • Check forms – Ensure confirmation on the page (or redirect page) is shown and check that notifications are sent and received. 
  • Create a custom 404 page – It should catch attention and guide the visitor to a correct web address. 
  • Legal pages  – Ensure that Privacy Policy and Terms of Service pages are complete and in the footer. Use a service or a template to create these pages, we recommend one of the following: 
    1. Termageddon
    2. Termly
    3. Privacy Policy Generator
    4. PrivacyPolicy.com
  • Responsive design check – ensure that your website works on different screen resolutions and all devices. We recommend using these tools to check your site on different resolutions:
    1. Google's Mobile Friendly Test
    2. Website Planet Responsive Design Checker
    3. Responsinator
  • Cross browser checks – ensure website functionality across the latest versions of common browsers.
  • Performance/speed testing – It is critical to test your site's performance AFTER it has been moved to the production server.
  • Favicon – ensuring that your website has a favicon is probably the most basic task we do, and yet it’s so frequently overlooked.
  • Meta titles and meta descriptions on all pages – Ensuring all pages have unique titles and meta descriptions is an SEO task, but it is also a good practice.
  • Activate all plugin licenses if on Care Plan

      This is by no means an exhaustive list and there are also several post launch tasks which should include setting up Google Search Console, setting up Google Analytics, installing an SSL certificate to name a few. 

      How to Develop a Website Launch Checklist

      Develop the checklist by using your experience, knowledge of industry best practices, or feedback from clients. You can of course use project management tools (we love ClickUp and Asana) or you could develop a list in a spreadsheet. 

      Determine what is critical for any site that you develop. If you specialise in eCommerce websites then there will be additional tasks that will need to be included such as testing the checkout and purchase notifications. There may also be specific items that might also be required by your client or industry. 

      Many tasks will require sub-tasks as well to cover all of the detail and this also allows for tasks to be delegated to different team members. 

      We have recently developed a tried and tested template for standardising the website launch process and it is exclusively available for our Mavericks Club members. 

      Our system delivers results by:

      1. Ensuring Client & Employee Clarity
      2. Ensuring Nothing is Forgotten – No object will fall through the cracks during the launch of your client's website.
      3. Generating Positive Feedback – Through a thorough, systemized and vetted QA process – delivered through a series of checklist items, you ensure a professional service delivery.

      If you would like to learn more about how we help digital agency owners with detailed plug and play processes just like this, schedule a clarity call with one of our team. 

      Wrap Up 

      A client's website is an integral part of their business. Implementing a comprehensive website launch checklist in your business is an important part of maintaining a positive client relationship. 

      Delivering a beautiful and functional website by ensuring nothing is forgotten and no task fell through the cracks during your client's website launch, will go a long way in receiving positive feedback and you will have a very happy client!

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      Troy Dean

      Troy Dean

      I am the Founder of Agency Mavericks. The reason I get out of bed every day is because I love helping people to grow their web design or digital marketing businesses. I do this through coaching, creating courses, speaking, consulting and heading up our awesome community.

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