Are you about to launch a website using WordPress? If you are, you might notice a few problems that come up when you have a massive to-do list.
It could be that you’re:
- Overwhelmed by how big the project is, and
- You miss some important steps in the confusion
Launching a site can feel challenging. You don’t want to miss checking something crucial to your success. Fortunately, this post is here to help.
Today, we’ll look at all the tasks, big and small, that need your closer attention. We’ll explain why they’re important and how to check each one off your WordPress website checklist.
Ready? Let’s jump right in and get started with making sure everything’s working right.
- 1. Install a WordPress Backup Option
- 2. Set Up Your Security Plugins
- 3. Create a Custom 404 Page
- 4. Secure Your WordPress Admin
- 5. Create a Coming Soon Page
- 6. Your Ecommerce Features Work
- 7. Your Forms Work Properly
- 8. Your Site Functions in All Browsers
- 9. Your Themes and Plugins Are Up to Date
- 10. Your Site Is Accessible
- 11. Connect Your Site to Analytics
- 12. Set Up Meta Tags
- 13. Optimize Page URLs for Search Engines
- 14. Use Alt Text in Your Images
- 15. Test Your Social Integrations
- 16. Your Site Is Responsive Across All Devices
- 17. Your Site’s HTML and CSS Code Is Valid
- 18. You’ve Site Has a Favicon
- 19. There Are No Spelling and Grammar Errors
- 20. You’ve Have Content in All Areas
- 21. There Are No Web Page Formatting Errors
- 22. Your Print Style Sheet Is Created and Tested
- 23. Your Site Has No Broken Links
- 24. Your Footer Has a Copyright Notice
WordPress Website Prelaunch Checklist: Functionality
Before launching your site in WordPress, you need to make sure everything functions as it should. The last thing you want is for people to visit your website for the first time and discover it’s not even working!
Talk about a bad first impression.
Try to complete this section of your checklist at least 4 weeks before you launch. That way, you can iron out any issues that take more time to finish than those further down your list.
1. Install a WordPress Backup Option
You should always have a backup solution on your website. Backups are like an insurance policy for your site. If anything goes wrong, you’ll always have a backup to restore things to the way they were.
There are many good WordPress backup plugins available, both free and paid. Plus, they usually take only a few minutes to set up.
Make sure the plugin you choose automatically schedules your backups to save to the cloud. Cloud storage services like Google Drive, Amazon S3, and Dropbox are popular options.
We recommend using BackupBuddy. It can store backups in more than one location, and it’s easy to install.
2. Set Up Your Security Plugins
With a backup solution in place, you should turn your attention to the security of your website. Adding robust security protocols provides even more protection against hackers.
There are plenty of plugins that can help you, along with some wise advice in this ultimate WordPress security guide.
3. Create a Custom 404 Page
3.1 Hello Guy How Are You
3.1.1 Wow I’m Fine Thanks You
3.1.1.1 Wow Oh I’m Pleasure
Sometimes a website visitor might land on a missing page or URL with a typo. In most cases, they’ll close the page and head somewhere else. This is a missed opportunity for your site, but you can solve it quickly.
Installing a 404 page before you launch your WordPress website helps you engage your visitors and direct them to another area on your site.
SeedProd makes a 404 page plugin to make this easier. It also offers several ways to help you collect more leads.
