Whether you are building a website for your business for the first time or you have just revamped it, we recommend that you keep our tips in mind and avoid common mistakes. We also bring you a list of the basic elements that you should check that they work well before launching it to the public. Yes, before, because if you do these tests when it is already available online, it is likely that Google will include it in its index and penalise it for having errors. So use this list to check that everything works on a test server.
Basic list of tests for a web site:
- All URLs working. From the main one to each landing page. Errors 3XX, 4XX should be prevented (404 is the most known, when there is no content on a page).
- All links are working. This is not the same as the previous one. Here we mean that every clickable link on your site leads to the correct page. The priority is your internal links, but also check the ones that lead out.
- Design a 404 page of your own. If someone mistypes the URL of your site or one of its pages or if an error happens with a link that you overlooked or didn't update, it's best to have a page of your own to redirect people.
- Review all the HTML and CSS code of your page. Prevent and correct errors.
- All content loads. It is essential that every element of the site can be seen as you designed it. This includes images, drop-down menus, typography, etc.
- The site displays correctly on multiple devices. Being responsive is no longer an option.
- All elements load fast. If your loading time exceeds two seconds, there is a problem to solve.
- Redirect all your visitors to the same home page. You decide whether or not to use "www." as the main name and redirect everyone there.
- Use https. Yes, it is already indispensable.
- Use ideal URLs for SEO. Avoid prepositions, adjectives and articles, and use the main keywords. Eliminate date data unless you are a medium.
- Install Google Analytics and verify that it works.
- Verify that the navigation is user friendly. Test with new visitors to see if someone unfamiliar with your site can easily get to all the information.
- If you have a login function, verify that it works and that there is a way to recover forgotten passwords.
- Checks each form. Not only that the data submission works, but it protects the fields against malicious code injection and limits the type of information that can be placed in each one.
- Create constant backups of the site. Follow the 3-2-1 rule: At least 3 copies of your information, in at least 2 types of storage and at least 1 copy in another physical location.
- Ensures the security of accounts and terminals with administrator-level access. Human error is the most common way to exploit vulnerabilities. Therefore, you must ensure that there are no viruses on computers from which the site can be modified. It is also important that there are no weak passwords and that non-updated versions of software are not used.
- Ensure the security of the servers. If you have your own servers, it will be your full responsibility, so your system administrator should install antivirus and make frequent checks. If you hire an external service, use a reliable one and contract its security options that will alert you of potentially malicious code.
- Verify that text formatting is uniform throughout the site. Include fonts, alignment, size, etc.
- Check spelling and writing. Yes, of the entire site, both in images and text.
- Include links to social networks. If your business doesn't have social networks, you're in trouble.
- Includes links to privacy notice and terms and conditions.
- Includes contact information.
- Verify that the integration of other tools works. From plugins to make a carousel of images, to Facebook integration for comments, Google maps to include your points of sale, and tools like Hubspot or Salesforce: everything should work properly.
There is much more to do and most of the items on this list can be expanded into several more. Nevertheless, it is a guide that will help you launch a solid, secure and useful website for your business. Of course, you will need experts in different areas (programming, design, SEO, content, etc.) to ensure that everything works properly.
