It is completely normal to get overwhelmed when building or launching a website. The whole team go through various stages during the entire process, which is why it is recommended to use a checklist that suits the nature of the website and its needs.

Steps to create a checklist:

Users’ Research Work

Quantitative and qualitative research methods are equally important to understand the needs and requirements of the users. It is crucial to understand your users’ problems so that you craft solutions around them. Once you know the users, divert your research to evaluate the early stages with your target audience. Gather valuable insights from your current users, or go for a testing phase. Other options for this can be interviews and focused groups too. This way, you can understand your users and whether your designs can meet their requirements. The research work takes time, but it saves money, time and energy.
Moreover, it allocates all resources to use efficiently.

Market and Competitors’ Research Work

You need to conduct thorough market and competitors’ research. It gives you confidence about how to fit into the market and stand out from your competitors.
Market research helps to understand your website’s market, its dynamics, how you can narrow down your target audience, how to create your users’ persona and so on. Competitor Research helps to know more about your competitors, their pinpoints and how they are sustaining and growing in the market. Moreover, it broadens the thought process by understanding their weaknesses and strengths.

Plan the layout

It is suggested to start with the bigger picture and become more specific and detail-oriented.

• The web design software allows you access to whether you want to start from scratch or customize any template. So browse and understand them to check how they can align with your whole project.
• Choose which pages should be a part of it and which should not.
• Get references and creative ideas from other resources.
• Create a rough sketch of how each page should be organized.

Use wireframes for layout

After you plan out your website’s layout, put it to the test with wireframes. The two-dimensional illustrations help in web structure, layout, information architecture and desired user flows.
Using wireframes to evaluate basic interfaces in your web design is suggested rather than focusing on branding elements. This way, you can identify users’ problems in the early stage, and it saves your heavy investment.

Branding

Your website is your company’s reflection. Therefore, please refrain from inconsistent branding techniques so your customers will not get distracted by the feel and function.

• A logo is a very important aspect of your brand identity. However, make sure it must be a professional one.
• Typography is a crucial aspect which impacts your customers’ behavior. Choose a maximum of three basic and simple fonts. It makes your website easily readable.
• The color Palette must be aligned with brand color schemes. Add the principle of color theory and also examine what your competitors’ branding techniques are. Be consistent with it.

Domain Registration

Register your domain name as early as possible, as you want to avoid snatching it. There is no need to rush into it; take your time, evaluate the necessary information, and choose a good domain name. This way, you can build credibility, brand awareness and SEO rankings. You can choose a good domain name by:

• Avoiding confusion and tough words.
• Making it simple and short
• Sticking with .com, .org etc.
• Eliminating hyphens, commas and slashes.

Web Hosting Service

Find a reliable service, as it significantly impacts the quality of your website. It includes your security, speed and SEO rankings as well.

SSL Certificate

It helps you to create secure connections between your browsers and servers. Moreover, it gives security about cybercrime and shows your ownership. But, most important of all, it secures your users to navigate the website.

Quality Images

Use top-notch quality images on your website. Try to avoid copy images, poorly sized, boring and redundant. Images need to be eye catchy and relevant as they reflect your brand identity and create an impression on the customers. Instead, create your pictures, use them intentionally and place appropriate sizes.

Engaging Content

The content on your website must be crisp, detail oriented and relevant to the product. It helps to better connect with your customers. You need to design website copy by interacting with customers, use their tone, write with their purpose, problems and needs, give enough breakups in your content and proofread

Now, you have launched your website, but this is not it. The process is never going to end. You need to ensure its performance, user testing and gathering experience insights.