The Definitive WordPress Pre-Launch Checklist

Web developers put in a lot of effort when creating their WordPress site. So, why not take the time to run through this checklist to make sure you get the most out of your efforts. To begin, you should start by making sure you have all the pages you need, checking for your sites readability, functionality and appearance.

The WordPress Pre-Launch Checklist:

• Navigation Bar
• Logo
• Design
• Text
• Images
• Calls to Action
• Links
• Forms
• About Us/Contact Page
• Sidebars
• Popups
• Social Media
• Widgets
• Login/Portals

Readability

When taking a look at this list we want to make sure one thing is consistent. We want to make sure our users have an easy time reading our content. We all know how easy it is for a user to bounce (abandon the website) and continue their search elsewhere. For this reason, we should be taking a look at our forms, call to action, about us/contact page and text to make sure our users can understand our content easily. Another thing to keep in mind is that it's easy to design our WordPress site based on how we want it. Although this may not be a bad thing, we need to look at our site from the user's point of view and make changes that will make our content more readable. This can mean avoiding the use of slang or any words that may make it difficult for the user to understand. This also means proofreading your work to make sure there are no misspellings or errors.

Functionality

Again, knowing a user can bounce at any given moment means every second count. Furthermore, we need to make sure that our Login/Portals, Widgets, Links and Navigation Page are all working smoothly, in order to provide an excellent user experience. For example, take a look at your contact page and see if all the information is correct and working. If not, what will the user think? Having functionality means your business is professional, trustworthy and credible. Again, think about every aspect of your site from the user's point of view. Would you do business with a company whose page is full of bugs and issues? These are things to keep in mind as we continue.

Appearance

Once we make sure our content is relevant and functional, we can then move to this final step. Many sites nowadays have plenty of good content on their sites, yet it's not visually appealing. In addition, their content is not organized and looks messy. This is a step that many can overlook as they don’t understand the impact of visual appeal. We need to think about what is most important on every page. We should be thinking about what we want our users to see first as they move through our website. We should be thinking about colors and ask ourselves if these colors represent us in a way that we want to be represented. We need to use these colors to make calls to action stand out and jump out at the user. Keeping this in mind, navigating through your page should be very smooth and content should be easy to find. Doing this will create a site that is both elegant and functional.

Summary

In conclusion, when developing your WordPress site, we need to keep an open mind. We need to be willing to make changes where they are needed and keep the users best interest in mind. Furthermore, we need to create relevant content that is easy to understand and easy to navigate through. We should then make our site look visually appealing in order to not only sound professional but also look professional. Once you have followed these steps and you're happy, don’t forget to test your results, and track your progress. Are users seeing what you want them to see? Are they navigating through your page easily? And are they wanting to know more or abandon as soon as they reach your site? Keep these questions in mind as you progress, and you will be on your way to creating a stunning WordPress site.

If you need professional assistance, do not hesitate to contact our web development team.