Before a website goes live, page checks are the final line of defense. Many businesses make common mistakes at this stage, leading to issues such as broken links, content errors, and abnormal display on mobile devices after launch. Below are several typical mistakes and corresponding check strategies.
Mistake 1: Focusing Only on the Homepage, Ignoring Inner Pages
The homepage is the storefront, but users often visit inner pages like product pages, article pages, and contact pages. If you only check the homepage, you may overlook typos, distorted images, or broken links on inner pages. It is recommended to open each page by section, and carefully verify that titles, body text, images, and contact information are complete.
Mistake 2: Checking Only Page Display, Not Link Redirects
A page opening does not mean all links are correct. Common issues include navigation menus pointing to old URLs, internal links in articles leading to non-existent pages, and buttons that do not respond when clicked. During checks, click every link in the navigation, footer, and body text to confirm the target pages exist and match the content. Also, verify that external links are not broken.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Display Effects on Different Devices
Users now access websites via mobile phones, tablets, and computers. If you only check on one computer, you may miss responsive layout issues. It is recommended to use screens of different sizes or browser developer tools to simulate mobile views, checking for text overflow, image stretching, and button clickability.
Mistake 4: Verifying Only Text Content, Not Images and Files
Images not displaying and file download failures are common post-launch issues. During checks, confirm that every image loads properly, and that image formats and sizes are appropriate (oversized images can slow down page loading). For downloadable files like PDFs or Word documents, perform an actual download to ensure the files are not corrupted.
Mistake 5: Forgetting to Test Forms and Interactive Features
Interactive features such as contact forms, online messages, and search boxes, if not tested before launch, may lead to submission failures or not receiving emails. It is recommended to simulate a user filling out and submitting a form to confirm that data is correctly sent to the designated email or backend. Also, test the search function to see if keywords return results.
Mistake 6: Overlooking Basic SEO Information
Before launch, check that each page's title, keywords, and description are filled in and relevant to the page content. Also, verify that URLs are clean, avoiding garbled characters or overly long parameters. These basic elements affect how search engines understand the page, but there is no need for over-optimization—just keep them natural and accurate.
Mistake 7: Skipping a Final Overall Walkthrough
Scattered checks can easily miss things. It is recommended to schedule an overall walkthrough before launch: start from the homepage, simulate a user's browsing path, click every entry point, and record any issues found. Create a simple checklist listing page names, check items, and status, and tick each item to ensure nothing is overlooked.
Pre-launch checks are a crucial step before a website goes live. Avoiding the above mistakes can effectively reduce post-launch issues. If there is no dedicated person on the team, consider asking the website builder for a checklist or follow the strategies above to conduct your own review.
