How to Actually Test Your Website Before Launch
Launching untested is a common first-website mistake. Here's a practical, realistic testing checklist.
Testing a website before launch doesn't require formal expertise, just deliberately checking the handful of things most likely to embarrass a site publicly if left broken.
The checks that catch the most common problems
Viewing the site on an actual phone rather than just a desktop browser, clicking every link and button to confirm they go where expected, and submitting any contact forms to verify they actually deliver messages catch the large majority of common launch-day problems.
What's easy to overlook
Checking how the site looks when shared as a link on social media, confirming basic page titles and descriptions are set correctly for search engines, and asking someone unfamiliar with the site to try using it cold often reveals confusing points the person who built it can no longer see clearly.