The Value of Testing Your Website Before Launch
Most of the work in creating a website happens long before it goes live. Coming up with a concept, designing it, composing content, and developing the back end all take time.
Depending on the complexity of the project, the labor may require more than a year. So it makes sense that most people who make it to that initial “finish line” want to launch as quickly as possible.
But before you can launch, you have to go through a round of website testing. Why is this so important?
What is Website Testing?
Testing usually entails several rounds, including at least one thorough round of testing immediately before launch. Overall, this is done to make sure the site meets your standards before it’s made available to the general public.
You’ll be testing your website in a number of ways:
- Functionality. Before anything else, you have to make certain the website actually works. Everything might make technical sense on the back end, but does it manifest as you originally envisioned? When users navigate to various pages on the site, are they able to get to their intended destination? When users enter information or tap into a database, does everything function as it should?
- Usability. You can also test for usability. One would hope you’ve designed the site with usability already in mind. Adequate testing can ensure that average users are able to use and understand the website without any major problems. Glaring usability problems may require significant retooling, but it should be worth the effort if it means you’ll present a better website to your visitors.
- Compatibility. You’ll also need to make sure your website works as intended on all supported devices, operating systems, and browsers. There’s no such thing as a single typical user on the internet today, since many of us use different systems. Your website might look fantastic on Chrome and on a Windows laptop, but it may look horrible on an iPhone with Safari.
- Performance. Testing includes evaluation of website performance as well. Does your site load quickly and easily? When users engage with interactive elements of your website, do they work as intended?
- Security. It’s also smart to test your website for security. Penetration testing can reveal vulnerabilities that compromise the security of your back-end data as well as your users. It’s much better to identify such vulnerabilities during preliminary testing than in a live environment.
Why is Website Testing so Important?
You might still wonder why website testing can be such a vital investment. Here’s why:
- Your last opportunity for seamless fixes. You can fix a website once it’s live, but this may involve other challenges and complications. Testing a website before launch means you’ll have one final opportunity to do a seamless and invisible fix. The public will never know about the embarrassing bugs, and won’t have to solve the problem in a panicked rush.
- The power of first impressions. We all know that first impressions are important, but even if you’ve heard it a million times, it’s easy to underestimate just how powerful that first impression can be. People who visit your website for the first time may be immediately impressed or instantly turned off, based on what they see. If your website is a buggy and confusing mess, they might never come back, even if you fix those issues. Conversely, if your website is polished and smooth, they’re more likely to come back often.
- Ensuring intended functionality. Lots of things look good on paper, but don’t work in practice. Testing enables you to see how your intended functions work in the real world – and gives you the chance to rework them if necessary.
- Protecting users (and your business). Security testing is a way of shielding both the users and your business. Most security breaches are entirely preventable, so you can save a great deal of time, money, and embarrassment if you are proactive.
- Improving search engine rankings. Before your website can even appear on search engine results pages (SERPs), it must be appropriately indexed. But before that can happen, your site must be coded and presented properly.
- Inspiring confidence and faith. No matter what your website’s purpose may be, it’s going to be more capable of meeting its goals if it fosters the confidence and faith of users. When visitors see that your website is working properly and efficiently, they’ll develop more trust in your brand.
- Reducing future efforts. Testing is a proactive investment that can save you time in the future. It’s better to prevent issues than have to deal with the fallout from them.
Every website developer should thoroughly test their website before launch. It’s better for your business, better for your visitors, and better for your long-term operations. The more you invest proactively, the more benefits you’ll derive from this process.
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