20 things to check before putting your new website online
Validating your website before putting your website online is essential for better positioning. Indeed, the first impression can have an impact on your visibility and the way users perceive you. In this article, we will look at 20 things to check before putting your new website online. We’ll also give you some tools you can use for your testing.
Validating your website is very important for these reasons.
Validation is about reputation as well as accessibility. Indeed, we all know that to err is human; Therefore, there is a good chance during the development process you missed crucial points. So, validations can act as a checklist to get through the important elements of your web project. Below are some benefits.
Compliance with standards
Validation allows you to check whether your website meets development standards and best practices. Even if your site appears to be working fine, there may be syntax errors or outdated practices in the code that could cause problems. So, validation ensures that your site is built cleanly and complies with established standards.
Consistency across browsers
Different browsers interpret HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code slightly differently. Thorough validation then helps you identify compatibility issues that might arise on certain browsers. Therefore, this helps you ensure that your site is consistent and functional across all popular browsers.
Error detection
Validation can reveal coding errors that you might have missed during initial development. This includes missing tags, incorrect closures, syntax errors, and other issues that could affect the proper functioning of your site. By correcting these errors, you improve the stability and reliability of your site.
Optimized performance
Validation helps detect inappropriate development practices that could slow down the performance of your website. For example, things like unoptimized images, large scripts, or loading errors can be identified and fixed, improving the loading speed and overall efficiency of your site.
Preparing for future updates
By validating your website, you ensure that it is ready to receive further updates and developments. Indeed, you will easily be able to make updates if your website respects the recommendations of the solution you are using.
What elements do you need to validate?
So, even if your website seems well developed, validation is essential to ensure
- conformity,
- compatibility,
- error detection,
- performance optimization
- and preparation for future updates.
Therefore, before your website goes live, below are the 20 things you need to check.
1 – Validation of the performance of a site
The performance of your website is essential to facilitate access to your information. In fact, the slower your website is, the more customers you could lose. There is also a study by Think With Google which established a correlation between loading time and conversion. And, according to this study, the slower your website, the higher the abandonment rate.
Validating the performance of your website will consist of using performance analysis tools to evaluate your website. Using these tools, you will have recommendations on what to improve. I offer you this article with video which explains how to use LightHouse . Below are some tools you can use:
- LightHouse
- PageSpeed Test
- GTmetrix
2 – Validation of HTML-W3C Validator syntaxes
With the evolution of technologies, it is normal for a developer to use syntaxes that are no longer valid. This is the reason why you can use the tool like W3C validator to evaluate HTML documents. W3C Validator will give you a set of errors that you have on your website. This will allow you to publish a quality website.
3 – Validation of errors linked to natural referencing (SEO)
To facilitate your indexing on search engines, you must apply a set of recommendations. Among the recommendations, we can cite:
- Better use of tags
- Optimize the meta title and meta descriptions
- Add alternative tag for photos
- Validate the quality of your content
There are several tools you can use for this purpose. Among the tools, we can cite:
- Neil Patel SEO Analyzer
- Ahrefs
- Moz
- SEMrush
The principle of using these tools is similar. You have to :
- Enter your hyperlink
- Click on analyze
- Next, the tool will generate a report that you can use to better fix your website.
4- Validation of compatibility with browsers.
The compatibility of the site with browsers is another important aspect that should not be overlooked. In fact, it is almost impossible to predict which browser a potential customer uses. Sometimes, even if the browser you are using is supported, its version may not be compatible with your site. Validating a website’s compatibility with browsers can help:
- Ensure the site works correctly on the most popular browsers.
- Check if site performance varies depending on browser.
- Resolve any possible compatibility issues.
Below are some tools that can help in this regard:
5 – Validation of the security of your website;
Solution security plays a vital role in all online activities. Indeed, Whether you have a blog, a business website or an e-commerce platform, you need to secure your website. Therefore, it is essential to protect your website to avoid losing your data or compromising your customers’ information. To do this, follow the following tips:
Use Captcha to protect yourself against spam
A captcha protects your forms and your website against spam. One of the most popular captchas is Google reCAPTCHA. So, you can access the Google platform and choose the one that suits you best. For example, reCAPTCHA v3 protects your website from spam and abuse. Plus, it prevents automated software from harming your site while allowing legitimate users to browse with ease.
I would like to point out that you can run reCAPTCHA for an unlimited time with different actions on the same page. If you use a CMS such as Magento, WordPress or PrestaShop, you can get a plugin that will help you add Google reCAPTCHA to your site. Moreover, for WordPress users, we have developed anextension that you can acquire for free in our store .
Use an SSL certificate to encrypt communication
Encrypting the communication between your users and your server adds an extra layer of security to your solutions on your website. Additionally, it helps encrypt connections to protect sensitive information provided by customers, while authenticating your organization’s identity.
Here are the steps to follow to install SSL certificates on your server:
- Generate a certificate signing request (CSR) containing public key and server information.
- Request the SSL certificate from a secure source on the Internet based on your specific needs.
- Install the SSL certificate once you receive it by email or via the customer dashboard.
- Associate SSL with your website.
Set the type of password that users enter on your website.
For example, you can use character schemes or require users to enter specific character types. Preferably, you can further strengthen security by implementing two-factor authentication. This will require users to enter their password and validate their identity with a code sent to their phone.
To ensure the security of users accessing your server, it is recommended to use a strong authentication method such as SSH keys. Here are the steps to configure SSH key authentication securely:
- First, make sure to place each user’s public key in a specific directory on the server.
- When a user attempts to connect to the server, the server will ask them to prove that they have the associated private key.
- The SSH client will then use the private key to respond to demonstrate that it is in possession of the private key.
- Once this proof is done, the server will allow the client to connect without having to enter a password.
Improve server security.
You have certain features on your servers, such as IP blockers or other tools that can protect your website from brute force attacks. Here are some security measures you can apply with your solutions:
- Regarding the IP blocker, you can stop any attack after a specific number of attempts.
- Some servers also offer the ability to force users to change their password after a certain period of time.
- You can force users to choose and use different passwords if they have used one before.
- Additionally, you can restrict access to the server only to authorized users through specific IP addresses.
Regularly scan your code and update your website
Analyzing your code regularly and receiving alerts for potential attacks will help you stay vigilant. For this, SiteLock is one of the software that you can use to perform regular scans of your website. This is because it automatically scans for known vulnerabilities and malicious code, and automatically removes them from your website. Additionally, if you use a CMS such as Magento, by registering your site for a security scan, you will be able to identify areas that require additional protection.
To install your SiteLock security seal:
- Sign up and access your SiteLock dashboard.
- Follow the wizard’s instructions to complete the verification.
- Once registration is complete, you will be able to access the code needed for your site.
Automate security scanning of your website.
Many automated solutions can allow you to scan your website every week. Some of them are free and for some you have to pay.
6 – Validation of the adaptability of your website to all types of screens
The number of users who browse on mobile phones continues to increase every day. Therefore, if your website is not mobile and tablet friendly, you risk losing many potential customers.
Google offers a useful LightHouse for your validation. Indeed, the latter assesses whether your pages are mobile friendly. So you can use it to detect adaptability issues and make improvements to your website.
7 – User Tests
User testing involves direct interactions with the site by real people to identify usability issues. This helps improve user experience by revealing unexpected obstacles. To conduct these tests, recruit target users, give them specific tasks on your site, and observe their interactions. Analyze the results to make necessary changes.
8 – Content Audit
A content audit checks the accuracy, relevance, and engagement of the material published on your site. This improves SEO and user engagement. Review all text, images and videos for quality and relevance. Use tools to detect and repair broken links.
9 – Data Integrity
Validating data integrity ensures that information stored and transmitted remains accurate and secure. This reduces the risk of data corruption. Test all databases and API integrations for errors and potential vulnerabilities. Ensure data transactions are secure and compliant with industry standards.
10 – Legal Compliance
Ensuring legal compliance protects against litigation and fines. This is crucial for data protection and accessibility. Check compliance with laws such as GDPR and accessibility standards. Consult a legal expert to assess the legal aspects of your site.
11- Validation of RSS/Atom Feeds
Validating RSS/Atom feeds ensures that your subscribers receive correct, real-time updates. This improves user loyalty and traffic. Test flows for proper formation and operation with flow-specific online tools.
12 – Load Tests
Load testing evaluates the site’s ability to handle large volumes of traffic. This prevents outages during peak usage. Simulate massive visits using load testing tools to identify and fix performance issues.
13 – Verification of Compliance with Payment Guidelines
Compliance with payment standards ensures secure transactions. For e-commerce sites, this is essential to protect customer financial information. Test payment systems for security and PCI-DSS compliance with specialized tools.
14 – Code Quality Analysis
Analyzing code quality helps maintain a secure, efficient and easy-to-maintain site. Use code analyzers to detect bad practices and vulnerabilities. This includes reviewing source code to eliminate unnecessary and complex code.
15 – Checking Redirects and Internal Links
Checking redirects and internal links avoids navigation errors and improves SEO. Review all links to make sure they go to the right pages. Use tools to detect and repair broken or misconfigured links.
16 – Optimization of the Database
Optimizing the database improves site performance. This ensures fast loadings and a better user experience. Analyze and optimize database queries. Make sure indexes are used efficiently and the data structure is optimal.
17 – Disaster Recovery Tests
Performing disaster recovery testing ensures that your site can quickly be restored after a major disruption. This is crucial to maintaining business continuity and user trust. Set up automatic backups regularly and test restore procedures to ensure they work properly. This includes verifying recovery times and the integrity of the restored data.
18 – Verification of Internationalization
Validating your website will also involve taking into account the language of your audience. For multilingual sites, it is important to verify that the language and currency configurations are correct. This ensures a consistent user experience across different cultures. Test all language versions of the site to verify the accuracy of translations and the correct functionality of currency formats. Also make sure that cultural adaptations respect local nuances.
19 – Audit of Cookies and Local Storage
Auditing cookies and local storage ensures compliance with privacy and security standards. This builds user confidence by ensuring their personal data is protected. Review your cookie and local storage management practices. Test the site to ensure that only explicit consent allows data collection and storage.
20 – Eco-Design Assessment
The eco-design assessment measures the environmental impact of your website. This includes analyzing energy consumption and data usage. Implement sustainability practices to reduce this impact, such as optimizing images and reducing server requests. This not only improves site performance, but also contributes to broader environmental responsibility.
Conclusion
There are several tools that allow you to validate whether your website has been well developed. However, you can consider these suggestions to lay the foundations. If you would like to benefit from the expertise of a professional for a more in-depth analysis, you can contact us . We are able to provide PDF reports on the performance, security or SEO of your site, for example.
Gilblas Ngunte Possi
Founder and Full-Stack Developer at Prositeweb.
My proficiency with modern tools and a keen analytical sense regarding information technology enable me to provide superior guidance in the development and implementation of your web solutions.
