The Best Website and Marketing Checklist. Ever.

Domain name & URLs

• Short and memorable
• Uses Keywords
• Used in email addresses
• Uses Favicon
• Site.com redirect to www. version:
• Alternate Domain redirects
• Home page redirect to root
• No underscores in filenames
• Keywords in directory names
• Multiple pages per directory
• Registered for 5+ years

• Multiple versions:
• .com
• .org
• .net
• .biz
• Hyphenations
• Misspellings
• Product names
• Brand names
• Type-in keywords URLs

• Visible address bar
• Fully functional navigation tools
• Visible status bar

• Site works in multiple browsers
• No browser hi-jacking

• Displays company name clearly
• Isn’t hidden among clutter
• Links to home page

• Unique and original
• Use tagline consistently across site

• Instant site identification
• Crisp, clean image quality
• Clean, clutter-less design
• Consistent colors and type
• Whitespace usage
• Minimal distractions
• Targets intended audience
• Meets industry best practices
• Easy to navigate
• Descriptive links
• Good on-page organization
• Easy to find phone number
• Don’t link screen captures
• Skip option for flash
• Consistent page formatting
• No/minimal on-page styling
• Avoid text in images

• Font size is adequate
• Font type is friendly
• Paragraphs not too wide
• Visual cues to important elements
• Good overall contrast
• Low usage of animated graphics
• Uses obvious action objects
• Avoid requiring plugins
• Minimize the use of graphics
• Understandable graphic file names
• No horizontal scrolling
• Non-busy background
• Recognizable look and feel
• Proper image / text padding
• Uses trust symbols
• Works on variety of resolutions
• Works on variety of screen widths

• Correct robots.txt file
• Declare doctype in HTML
• Validate HTML
• Don’t use frames
• Alt tag usage on images
• Custom 404 error page
• Printer friendly
• Underlined links
• Differing link text color
• Breadcrumb usage
• Nofollow cart links
• Robots.txt non-user pages
• Nofollow non-important links
• Review noindex usage
• Validate CSS
• Check broken links
• No graphics for ON/YES, etc.
• Page size less than 50K

• Flat directory structure
• Proper site hierarchy
• Unique titles on all pages
• Title reflects page info and heading
• Unique descriptions on pages
• No long-tail page descriptions
• Proper bulleted list formats
• Branded titles
• No code bloat
• Minimal use of tables
• Nav uses absolute links
• Good anchor text
• Text can be resized
• Key concepts are emphasized
• CSS less browsing
• Image-less browsing
• Summarize all tables

• Located top or top-left
• Consistent throughout site
• Links to Home page
• Links to Contact Us page
• Links to About Us page
• Simple to use
• Indicates current page
• Links to all main sections
• Proper categorical divisions
• Non-clickable is obvious
• Accurate description text

• Links to Login
• Provides Logout link
• Uses Alt attribute in images
• No pop-up windows
• No new window links
• Do not rely on rollovers
• Avoid cascading menus
• Keep scent from page to page
• Targets expert and novice users
• Absolute links

• Grabs visitor attention
• Exposes need
• Demonstrates importance
• Ties need to benefits
• Justifies and calls to action
• Gets to best stuff quickly
• Reading level is appropriate
• Customer focused
• Benefits and features
• Targets personas
• Provides reassurances

• Consistent voice
• Eliminate superfluous text
• Reduce /explain industry jargon
• No typo, spelling or grammar errors
• Contains internal contextual links
• Links out to authoritative sources
• Enhancing keyword usage (SEO)
• Date published on articles/news
• Web version of PDF docs available
• Consistent use of phrasing
• No unsubstantiated statements

• Short paragraphs
• Uses sub-headings
• Uses bulleted lists
• Calls to action on all pages
• Good contrast

• No overly small text for body
• No overly small text for headings
• Skimmable and scannable
• Keep link options in close proximity

• Limit the number of links on a page
• Avoid small buttons and tiny text for links
• Leave space between links and buttons
• Avoid using images as the only link

• Link important commands
• Underline all links
• Accurately reflects the page it refers

• No splash page
• Instant page identification
• Provides overview of site
• Site purpose is clear

• Adequately describes company
• Shows team biographies
• Shows mission statement
• Up to date information
• Note associations, certifications & awards
• Links to support pages:
• Contact page

• Investor relations
• Company news
• Registration info
• Job opportunities
• Newsletters
• Link to social media profiles

• Easy to find
• Multiple contact options:
• Phone
• Fax
• Email
• Form
• Chat
• Customer feedback
• Street map
• Hours of operation
• Final call to action

• Multiple points of contact:
• Customer service
• Tech support
• Inquiries
• General info
• Job applications
• Billing
• Management team
• Ad-free
• Form requires only essential info

• Mini-product basket always available
• Displays payment options:
• CC
• Paypal
• Google Checkout

• No multiple paths to dupe product pages
• No tracking IDs in URLs
• Exclude shopping cart pages
• No (or nofollowed) links to secure pages
• Keep secure cert current

• Visible calls to action
• Clear contact info (phone #)
• Consistent layout
• Clear pricing
• Show additional fees
• Clear product presentation
• Show shipping cost
• Show availability
• Provide delivery options, details
• Estimate delivery date
• Link to site security info
• Return / guarantee info
• Allow “save for later”
• Related products & up sells
• Clear product image
• Describe images

• Enhanced multiple image views
• Product description
• Product details & specs
• Product selection options
• Customer product reviews
• Product comparisons
• Printer-friendly option
• “Add to cart” close to item
• Secondary “add” button at bottom
• Standardized product categorization
• Clutter-free page
• Provide International pricing
• Provide product search
• Emphasis brand quality and trust
• Compare to offline competitors
• Short URLs with keywords

• Obvious checkout link
• Product descriptions
• Product image
• Show availability
• Updatable quantities
• Ability to remove items
• Link to products
• Product price
• Payment options
• Promos/vouchers explained
• Link to security

• Link to guarantees
• Show delivery costs
• Show delivery date
• Allow gift options
• “Continue shopping” link or options
• Show contact information
• No advertising/upselling
• Don’t keep personal info w/o authorization
• Shipping questions answered
• International shipping
• International address forms

• Make new products added obvious
• Link to full basket page

• Allow removal of products
• Show order total

• No hidden fees
• No pre-registration
• Keep checkout process short
• Show benefits of registration:
• Faster checkout in future
• Access to order history
• Check order status
• Saved for later information
• Access to special promotions
• Personalization
• Joining a community
• Show checkout progress meter
• Effective after-order follow-up
• Receipt / Confirmation:

• Printable
• Emailed
• Thank you message
• Order number
• Order date
• Items purchased
• Expected delivery date
• Payment method
• Cancellation policy
• How to cancel
• Return policy
• Address return costs
• After-sale guarantees

• Easy to find login access
• Use security protocols
• Provide security assurances
• Link for new registrations
• Outline account benefits
• Reclaim lost password option
• “Remember me” option
• Link to privacy policy
• Logged-in status is clear
• Account info change access
• Confirmation of change info

• Links to financial info
• Transaction history
• Invoices
• Balances
• Payment methods
• Choose method of delivery:
• Text email
• HTML email
• Snail mail
• Overnight
• Etc.

• Avoid marketing hype
• Allow Help search
• Provide printable text
• Link to additional resources:

• User guides
• Product support
• Customer support
• Downloads

• Flexible entry requirements
• Allow for tabbing between fields
• Proper tab order
• Clear field labels
• Text label above field box
• Only require necessary information
• Minimal instructions
• Instructions above field
• Friendly error output
• Errors obviously indicated
• Errors describe remedy
• Errors provide contact / help option
• Preserve data with errors
• Provide pre-selected choices
• Don’t overdo choices

• Note required fields
• Progress indicator
• Progress navigation
• Remove navigation
• Link to privacy information
• Final info verification check
• Confirmation/thank you page
• Stack fields vertically
• Proper use of radio buttons
• Keep “submit” close to fields
• Field boxes adequately wide
• No “reset” or “cancel” buttons
• Autocomplete=off as necessary
• Buttons denote action

• Located in top-right corner
• Search not case sensitive
• Properly labeled as “search”
• Link to “advanced search”
• Forgiving of misspellings
• Shows similar products
• Shows related items in results
• No “no products found”
• Provide refinement options
• Provide alternate spellings

• Provide links to relevant pages
• Show search string in results
• Don’t place results in tables
• Display exact matches first
• Display close matches second
• Bold query words in results
• Display titles with descriptions
• No more than 20 results p/ page
• Option to increase result p/ page
• Link to additional results pages

• Present info in easy to read format
• Make information easily scannable
• Provide section summaries
• Identify information types collected
• Explain how cookies are used

• Explain how user information will be used
• Explain how info will be protected
• Provide additional protection tutorials
• Link to these pages in footer
• Provide links to contact info

• Keep information current
• Link to site map in footer
• Linked from help and 404 pages
• Provide overview paragraph

• Provide intro to main sections
• Visible site hierarchy
• Descriptive text and links
• Link to xml sitemap in robots.txt file