The Ultimate Checklist Before Launching Your Squarespace Website
Kicking off a new website? It's kind of like launching a rocket - super exciting, a tad scary, and definitely a big deal! 🚀 But hey, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to nail it. Let's dive into this ultimate checklist before launching your Squarespace website to make sure you launch with confidence and success!
1.Content Clarity
Your content is the voice of your site. It’s how you connect with visitors, so it’s essential to be clear, engaging, and error-free.
To-Do List:
Proofread your content to eliminate spelling and grammar mistakes.
Ensure your message is clear and your tone matches your brand.
Check that your calls-to-action are compelling and visible and make sure you don’t have too many CTAs with different objectives on one page
Check that your contact information is accurate and easy to find.
Verify that all your legal pages (terms, privacy policy) are up-to-date.
Keep paragraphs and sentences short for easy reading.
Use bullet points or lists to break down complex information.
2. Design Details & Mobile Responsiveness
Your website's design is the first thing visitors notice. Double-check your fonts, colors, and images. Ensure everything aligns with your brand and there's consistency across all pages. It's like dressing up for a big event - you want every detail to be just right!
To-do list:
Check font readability. Are your fonts easy to read on all devices?
Ensure all images are high-quality, properly sized, and optimized for the web.
Verify that buttons and calls-to-action stand out and are easy to find.
Double-check the spacing and alignment of all elements for a polished look.
Preview your website in different browsers to ensure a consistent appearance.
3. Functionality Check
Your website should run as smoothly as a well-oiled machine. Every button, link, and form plays a crucial role in the user experience.
To-Do List:
Test every hyperlink. Do they lead to the correct pages?
Submit forms and check if the responses are properly recorded and notified.
Ensure the navigation menu is intuitive and user-friendly.
Confirm that any integrated third-party tools or widgets are functioning.
If you have an e-commerce site, walk through the purchase process.
Check the site’s loading speed (using tools like GTMetrix) and reduce heavy elements if necessary.
Ensure interactive elements (buttons, links) are easily clickable.
4. SEO
SEO is the map leading people to your website’s treasure. It’s crucial to optimize your content so that search engines and humans love it. Insert your keywords, craft captivating meta descriptions, and make sure each page has a clear, descriptive title.
To-Do List:
Insert keywords into page titles, headings, and content.
Write compelling meta descriptions for each page.
Use alt text for images, including relevant keywords.
Use SEO-friendly URLs that describe your content.
Use header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to structure your content effectively.
Optimize image file names and include descriptive alt text.
5. Speed and Security
A fast-loading, secure website is non-negotiable. It’s crucial for user experience and for keeping your and your visitors’ data safe.
To-Do List:
Optimize your images and files to ensure fast loading times.
Enable AMP (Go to “Setting” then “Blogging” and make sure “Use AMP” is checked).
Ensure your SSL certificate is active for secure connections.
6. Legal and Compliance
Before launching your Squarespace website, it's important to cover the legal basics to keep everything on the up and up.
To-Do List:
Write a Privacy Policy (Explain how you handle visitors' info, especially if you're collecting emails or have an online store)
Create Terms of Service (Set the rules for using your website. It's like the rulebook for your site's visitors)
Activate the Cookie Consent
Check Your Content (Make sure you're allowed to use your images, fonts, and any other content. If it's not yours, get permission or use something else)
7. Social Sharing
To-Do List:
Enable social sharing buttons at the bottom of each blog post, allowing visitors to share your content on their social platforms easily.
Add Pinterest Share Buttons on blog posts or product pages or alongside high-quality images to enable visitors to pin your products to their Pinterest boards.
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