New website – here are the SEO considerations you need to make

When launching a new website, there are many factors you should consider. It is often extremely valuable to seek advice if you are preparing to launch a new website. This ensures that the final result meets your expectations and that everything functions technically as it should.

One of the first things to consider is the objective of your new website. Is your goal, for example, to serve existing customers, attract new customers, create an exclusively informative site, or perhaps something entirely different?

Naturally, you can have a website that both serves existing customers and attracts new ones, but it is always a good idea to clarify what the primary purpose is. This will also greatly help those designing your website, so the design and features are tailored around this objective.

Once you have defined the purpose of your new website, you then need to ensure that the technical foundation is in place so that Google can find your website. If Google cannot find your site, you will not appear in Google search results, which means no one will be able to find you on relevant searches. This is critical, and if this is not addressed when launching your website, you risk losing important data and conversions.

Checklist for a new website

Before you launch a new website, there are a number of things you should pay particular attention to in order to ensure the launch goes as smoothly as possible. It can seem overwhelming, especially if you have never launched a website before. 

Below is my suggestion for a checklist you can rely on when launching a new website. This list is not exhaustive but simply my recommendation on what is good to have in place:

The visual elements

• Is your design appealing and does it match your industry and business objectives?
• Is your site responsive and dynamic, so the design automatically adapts to different screen sizes? (Mobile, tablet, laptop)
• Have you tested your new website in different browsers (Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and the like) to ensure that your website appears as intended in all cases?
• Does the design contribute positively to the user journey? And does it make it easier for users to convert? (Add to basket/purchase, fill out a contact form, download a PDF, and so on)
• Do you have a clear menu structure that is logically built based on a keyword analysis?
• Ensure your contact details are correct, displayed in the footer, and on an “About us” page if relevant. This gives users the assurance that there is a real company behind the site.
• Link to your social media networks in the footer. This helps to build credibility for a brand new website.

Technical aspects

• Is all tracking set up correctly and functioning as intended? (e.g. Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Ads, Facebook Pixel)
• Are you using the ‘https’ protocol instead of ‘http’, and have you set up an SSL certificate that works correctly?
• Is caching set up and are files on the website cached correctly?
  • Feeds and similar elements should be dynamic so they are automatically cached and updated.

• Is your website speed optimal?
  • Compress or combine Javascript, CSS, and HTML files.
  • Compress and crop your images/videos, and use lazy loading.
• Have you set up any necessary redirects?
  • If you previously had a website that you are now relaunching, you need an overview of old and new URLs to minimise the chance of users landing on a dead 404 page.

Tell Google about your website via SEO

• Is your new website visible to search engines?
  • Ensure that nofollow, noindex, and disallow are only used where appropriate.
  • For example, if your entire website is set to noindex, Google will not be allowed to crawl and index your site – which means it will not appear in the search results, and no one will be able to find you this way.
• Have you taken care of your on-page SEO?
  • Based on a keyword analysis, have you ensured the following:
    • A clear and user-friendly URL structure built around relevant keywords.
    • Correctly completed title tags and meta descriptions on your landing pages. This helps Google understand what content can be found on the pages and makes you visible for relevant search terms.
    • Files are named correctly and with relevant keywords in mind (PDFs, images, videos, and similar)
  • Have you set up a useful 404 page to guide the user if they land on a dead page?
  • Have you created an XML sitemap that you can submit to Google via Google Search Console?
    • This helps prompt Google to notice that you have launched a new website that should be included in their index.

Conversion optimisation

• Can users perform the desired action (convert) that your website is intended for?
  • Make a test purchase so you can ensure that the buying journey is as simple and seamless as possible, and that users can actually place an order with you.
    • For example: Does the “add to basket” button work, are shipping methods and payment options in order, etc?
  • Test your contact form to ensure it works properly.
    • Is it easy to use, both from a laptop and a mobile?
    • Do users land on a “thank you for your enquiry” page so they know their form has been sent, and do you have the ability to track enquiries this way?
    • Is the sender email address correct?
    • Are all completed fields coming through?
• Let a handful of people (family members, friends, colleagues, your network) test your site. This way you may be able to spot optimisation opportunities and any critical errors before you go live with your new website.

Summary

All in all, there are a great many things you should have in place when launching a new website. My checklist should therefore be used as a guideline, as it is by no means a complete answer key. What else is important for your particular website will to a great extent depend on your specific website type and its purpose.

If you need advice for your new website, our SEO team is ready to assist with guidance and everything required to ensure you can launch your new website with complete confidence.