In this article, we are creating a checklist of all the basic but essential tasks which should be done and tested before launching any new website.

1. Loading time. It should be optimal. Check everything from video, flash, image to html, css, javascript.

2. Favicon. It shows on the left side of the url in browser window. It plays a important role in branding. Code for favicon:    <link rel=”icon” href=”/favicon.ico” />

3. Website Title. It’s the first thing that shows on the top of a browser window. It is important from SEO point of view also. Code for Title:    <title>This Is My Website Title</title>

4. Meta tags. Search engines take their data from meta tags. So they play a crucial role in SEO. Code for Meta tags:   <meta name=”description” content=”this is my meta description” />

5. Proofread all the content. Always double check the content. Make sure that everything is correct including spelling, grammar and punctuation.

6. Links. You can use this http://validator.w3.org/checklink to check if your website has any broken link.

7. Forms. Test contact/order or any other form(s) you have on the website. User should get proper feedback upon successful/failed submission of the form.

8. Email Address. All the email addresses provided within the site must be created already.

9. Copyright statement. Always double check the copyright statement.

10. Analytics. To measure success of your website and to see if it is meeting the expected goal, check the detailed behavior of users. It is mandatory to have some analytical application installed on the website.  Common analytics tool are google analytics, Clicky, Mint and stat counter.

11. Sitemap. This helps a lot from SEO point of view.  You should also submit the sitemap to Yahoo,Google and MSN/Bing. Sitemap also helps a user find the right page.

12. W3C validation. To make standard compliant website, I always validate my markup and CSS on w3C.
http://validator.w3.org/ – Validating markup
http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/ – Validating CSS

13. Cross browser compatibility. Just to ensure that website is accessible across all major browsers I check my websites on Internet explorer 6/7/8, Firefox, Safari, Opera and chrome. To get more information, please visit our other article 10 helpful resources for cross browser testing.

14. Cross operating system compatibility. I always check my website on Mac, linux and windows.

15. Downtime & Server Speed. Downtime and slow server speed not only adversely effect the search engine ranking but also create a negative impact on visitors. Investment in fast and reliable hosting is always worthwhile.