So, your website is finally complete. At this point, the links have been tested and an editor has read and re-read the copy. QA people have tried to break the website for quality control, and you have tested your website on all browsers and devices. After all your hard work, you are excited to share your website with the world and ready to start promoting.
When we get caught up in the excitement of launching a website, the last few but key steps can get ignored and this can leave a new website vulnerable to hacking or cause a poor user experience because of slow loading times.
Prompted by my own experience, I have created a quick checklist to go through before I release a new website. I create many WordPress sites, so I have included some WordPress specific website launching tweaks.
What is our website launching checklist?
- Route the name servers through Cloudflare.
- If it is WordPress site, install Autoptimize.
- Add caching code to htaccess file.
- Run the website through Google Page Speed Insights. Tweak as needed.
- If a WordPress site, uncheck “Discourage search engines from indexing this site”.
- If a WordPress site, install and configure security plugins such as iThemes security.
- Add website to Google Analytics.
- Add website to Google Search Console and submit sitemap.
Route the nameservers through Cloudflare.
This hides your websites server from potential hackers and speeds up your website with its caching and minifying tools. More info on Cloudflare here.
If a WordPress site, install Autoptimize.
This plugin will minify your code and speed up your website. More info on Autoptimize here.
Add caching code to htaccess file.
When running your website through Google Page Speed Insights (next step) you will frequently get this suggestion to help speed up your website. Caching your pages and code helps to make your website load much faster.
Run the website through Google Page Speed Insights. Tweak as needed.
Google Page Speed Insights is a useful tool that can help with page loading time and user experience. Test your own site out with this useful Page Speed reader. Notice that there is both a mobile and desktop score. Check both scores.
If it is a WordPress site, be sure to uncheck “Discourage search engines from indexing this site”.
This is a simple thing that often gets overlooked when launching a WordPress website. When on the WordPress dashboard, you can find this option under Settings – Reading.
If it is a WordPress site, install and configure security plugins such as iThemes security.
There are many security plugins out there for WordPress. iThemes is a favourite for many reasons. iThemes hides the WordPress backend, bans hackers trying to login, and sends file change warnings to you and the daily security digest. WordPress is open source and constantly under attack. Whatever plugin you prefer to use for security, make sure to use it correctly and update it as necessary.
For non-WordPress sites, speak to your developer to make sure everything is locked down. I would advise against using web hosting companies such as GoDaddy, HostGator or Bluehost. They are constantly under attack (DDOS) and vulnerable to getting hacked. Their support staff can only answer the limited questions that they have been trained to answer (they do not have IT people answer the phones).
Add website to Google Analytics.
Google Analytics will track all your website traffic and provide you with reports. This will help you to see where users drop off, which devices are most used, what areas of the world your users come from and many other detailed statistics pertaining to your targets.
Add website to Google Search Console and submit sitemap.
Google Search Console will monitor the health of your website. It will let you know where you have broken links, inform you when if get hacked, and track the most common search phrases used to find you. By submitting your site map (all the pages in your website), Google Search Engine can easily crawl through and index your website faster, instead of just finding your site organically.