Checklist for Your First Business Website

Checklist for Website Design

Launching your first business website can feel overwhelming—but with a clear checklist, you can avoid costly mistakes and ensure your site is professional, functional, and built to grow with your business.

1. Planning & Strategy

☐ Define your website’s purpose (branding, lead generation, e-commerce, portfolio, etc.)

☐ Identify your target audience and what they expect from your site

☐ Research competitors’ websites for design and feature inspiration

☐ Decide the type of website you need (corporate site, e-commerce store, portfolio, blog, or hybrid)

☐ Plan your website structure (Home, About, Services/Products, Blog, Contact, etc.)


2. Domain & Hosting Setup

☐ Choose and register a short, brand-friendly domain name

☐ Select a reliable hosting provider (consider speed, uptime, and support)

☐ Get an SSL certificate (HTTPS) for secure browsing

☐ Set up professional business email (e.g., name@yourbusiness.com)


3. Design & User Experience

☐ Choose a modern, responsive theme/template (mobile-friendly is a must)

☐ Keep branding consistent (logo, colors, fonts)

☐ Ensure navigation is simple and intuitive

☐ Optimize for accessibility (contrast, text size, alt text for images)

☐ Use professional, high-quality images and visuals


4. Content Essentials

☐ Write a clear, compelling homepage with value-driven messaging

☐ Create an “About Us” page to build trust

☐ Add service/product pages with benefits and CTAs

☐ Include testimonials, reviews, or case studies for credibility

☐ Publish at least 2–3 blog posts/resources (for SEO and authority)

☐ Proofread for grammar, clarity, and professionalism


5. Technical Setup

☐ Install WordPress (or chosen CMS) and configure it properly

☐ Set up SEO plugins/tools (e.g., Yoast SEO, Rank Math)

☐ Optimize site speed (caching, image compression, CDN)

☐ Ensure mobile responsiveness across devices

☐ Implement security measures (firewall, anti-malware plugins, backups)


6. SEO & Analytics

☐ Research and use keywords relevant to your business

☐ Add meta titles, descriptions, and alt text for images

☐ Create a sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console

☐ Set up Google Analytics (GA4) for traffic tracking

☐ Optimize URLs (short, keyword-friendly)


7. Legal & Compliance

☐ Add Privacy Policy and Terms of Service pages

☐ Include a Cookie Policy/Consent banner if targeting EU users (GDPR compliance)

☐ Display contact information clearly (address, phone, email)

☐ Ensure ADA/WCAG compliance for accessibility


8. Conversion & Lead Generation

☐ Add clear CTAs (Call-to-Actions) across pages

☐ Set up lead capture forms (newsletter, inquiries, quote requests)

☐ Integrate with CRM or email marketing tools (Mailchimp, HubSpot, etc.)

☐ Add live chat or chatbot for real-time support (optional but useful)


9. Testing Before Launch

☐ Test website speed on tools like Google PageSpeed Insights

☐ Check for broken links and 404 errors

☐ Test all forms, checkout process (if e-commerce), and email integrations

☐ Check cross-browser compatibility (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox)

☐ Verify responsiveness on mobile, tablet, and desktop


10. Post-Launch & Maintenance

☐ Set up regular backups (daily or weekly)

☐ Monitor uptime and performance

☐ Update plugins, themes, and WordPress regularly

☐ Continue publishing fresh content

☐ Monitor SEO rankings and refine strategy

☐ Collect user feedback for improvements

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