4 Things to Give Your Designer before the Website’s Launch

Website Ready to Launch? Don’t Hit Go Just Yet! (A Pre-Launch Checklist)

Launching a new website, even a cost-effective one built by Rank, isn’t always straightforward. It doesn’t just require time and effort, but often a significant investment too. You’ve likely walked through the whole web design and development process, and now your website is ready for launch? Are you sure it’s professional, appealing, and looks great?

Wait! Before hitting the launch button, it’s important to check off some really important items. Are you sure you’ve given all the necessary information to your web designer for a successful launch?

You might be thinking it’s too late to go through these points now. But wait, it’s probably not – if the website isn’t live yet, there might still be time. If you’ve missed any of these important items, you can likely still go back to your web designer to make any last-minute adjustments. Let’s look at what these items are:

Essential Items to Finalise with Your NZ Web Designer Before Launch

1. Give Final Approval for Launch

This final go-ahead signal is usually given via email, and by this stage, most of the project paperwork should already be sorted. If anything is outstanding, make sure you work on it now. Before the official launch date is announced, it’s highly recommended that final development and quality checks are performed (by both the designer and you, the client). Your final approval matters too, because reliable web designers, like us at Rank, always wait for the client’s green light before hitting the launch button.

2. Provide Necessary Access Credentials (CMS, DNS, FTP)

Ensure the right access details are ready or have been provided. The CMS (Content Management System) is the back-end of the website, which must be accessible to you or your team for making future updates. Your designer might also need CMS access *before* launch to take a final backup, just in case anything goes wrong during the deployment.

DNS (Domain Name System) settings relate to your domain name and need to be configured correctly by the web designer or your IT support to point visitors to the new website’s hosting server once it’s live.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access allows the web designer to upload the website files directly to the hosting server. These files typically include themes, plugins, images, and content required for running the website.

3. Confirm Final Images (Resolution & Licensing)

While clients sometimes allow their web designers to select images, it’s recommended you be involved in picking the final images yourself, especially key banner or product images. Ensure each image is high-resolution and doesn’t have any watermarks. If you are using stock images, double-check that you have the correct licenses to avoid copyright issues.

4. Facilitate Handover: Designer Meets Website Manager

Often, external web designers aren’t part of your in-house team. If that’s your situation, make sure your designer connects with the person responsible for managing the website internally once it’s live. This might be your marketing manager, an IT person, or someone else designated for the role. This meeting is crucial for a smooth handover. The designer can explain key aspects of the site management, content updating processes, or discuss ongoing tasks and configurations with this person.

Ensuring a Smooth Website Launch in NZ

It’s also highly recommended to arrange post-launch support from your designer for at least the first week. This can save your new website from potential teething troubles and ensure any immediate issues are resolved quickly. Being prepared and communicating clearly makes the entire launch process much smoother!