Design QA: what to check before you sign off a launch

Short answer: Sign-off is a checklist, not a vibe—verify content, forms, analytics, legal pages, and performance on real devices before you announce the launch.

Last-minute surprises hurt NZ SMEs when ads or print already mention the new site. A structured QA pass reduces “we forgot the privacy link” panic.

Content and accuracy

• Phone numbers, addresses, hours, and team names match reality.
• No lorem ipsum, placeholder images, or “coming soon” on money pages.
• Spelling and legal names consistent with invoices and Google Business Profile.

Functionality

Submit every form as a user would—including attachments. Test error states (invalid email). Confirm transactional emails arrive and read sensibly.

Technical and SEO basics

Check robots.txt and no accidental noindex on live pages, XML sitemap URL, canonical tags on key templates, and 301s from critical old URLs if you migrated.

Frequently asked questions