Are you preparing to publish a new website? Check out 12 things you need to remember.

1. Tests, tests, and tests again.

Testing on the most popular devices and browsers is your absolute must-do! And not just once, but every time you make significant changes. Don't forget about mobile devices. Nowadays, most traffic is generated from them, and today's users can quickly lose patience.

2. Check for updates.

Are you using open-source software like WordPress? There's a good chance you're also using external plugins. Don't forget to check for updates and make sure you're using the latest version. This is often an overlooked step, but take our word for it, updates occur frequently. They may even occur multiple times during the website creation process. So keep your finger on the pulse!

3. Tame your CMS

Time to make friends with your CMS. Understanding is the key to a long-lasting and beautiful friendship here. Have you ever heard the saying that control is the highest form of trust? We don't know about human relationships, but when it comes to your friendship with the CMS - we're all for it! Regularly check and make sure that you can optimally manage content, and you'll gain many benefits, including streamlining your workflow and enabling bulk actions!

4. Safety first!

If your password is a jumble of words and two numbers, we have important news... it's time to change it! Secure passwords are a necessity if you don't want to say goodbye to your virtual achievements too soon. The login address also matters, especially if your website uses open-source CMS like WordPress. And most importantly, treat access to the site as highly confidential information - don't share it with random people.

5. Never again "our server crashed on product launch day."

Is your server properly configured and matched? Consider the project's purpose, security needs, and expected traffic on the site. There's nothing worse than the site shutting down during the peak of a promotional campaign for a new product...

6. Don't make contact difficult.

Your website is ready, and every part of it encourages conversation. But what if this is where the problems start? You'll likely lose a potential customer. Check the proper functioning of contact forms and ensure that emails aren't ending up in spam. Also, take care of reCAPTCHAs to protect against spam and have an up-to-date SSL certificate to ensure the security of transmitted data.

7. Join CloudFlare.

CloudFlare is a free tool that significantly enhances your site's security. Some of its functions include protection against DDoS attacks, hiding your server's IP, or CDN, which greatly improves your site's loading speed. It will only take a moment, and the benefits will last forever. So, get to work: CloudFlare!

8. Don't forget about legal requirements.

Before publishing the site, make sure it complies with GDPR regulations. It may be helpful to work with a tool (CookieBot). Running an online store? Don't forget to implement the Omnibus Directive.

9. On your marks, get set, START! How fast is your website?

Today's users aren't patient. Accustomed to consuming short content and instant access to everything, we won't wait for your site to load; we'll quickly flee to the competition. Want to avoid this scenario? Test your site for loading speed. We recommend a score of at least 80 for both mobile and desktop devices. Useful tool: PageSpeed.

10. Don't move without analytics.

Proper analytics are key! Implementing GTM and GA-4 is essential. Take care of setting goals and proper conversions on your new site. GTM will allow you to deploy Meta, Hotjar, or TikTok scripts and pixels. From there, it's a short path to analyzing, drawing conclusions, and making improvements!

11. Make friends with SEO.

Valuable content is a vast topic, worthy of a separate post. But let's focus on the technical side for now. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is your friend when it comes to your site's visibility in Google searches. Be sure to have a proper site structure, add it to Search Console, use headers, and don't overlook metadata.

12. Destination: 301 redirect map.

Switching from an old site to a new, better one? Congratulations. Don't forget the potential of a 301 redirect map. New subpage names don't mean that all links leading to their old versions will stop working—quite the opposite. A redirect map will lead the viewer to the correct place, despite an outdated address. If this step seems unimportant and skippable, we're here to correct that mistake! Lack of a 301 redirect map may result in a significant drop in Google search results, wasting years of SEO work. So, set your course for a 301 redirect map and remember to implement it before publishing the new site!

Whew, that's it!

You've gone through 12 steps to better prepare your new site for publication. We could expand on each of these points for hours—but why? It should be simple and clear. However, if you feel lost in this programming maze, our team will assist you at every project stage.

Good luck with your new site!