The website QA checklist to run before you send it to a client

The client will find the typo. They always do, usually in the first heading, usually within four seconds. This list is for finding it first.

Run it before every client review, not just before launch. It takes about 30 minutes, which is less time than the email thread you're avoiding.

Content

• No lorem ipsum anywhere. Search the page for "lorem." Then search for "TODO" and "xxx."
• Spell-check headings, buttons and navigation. Body text gets read, headings get noticed.
• Company name, phone, email and address are right. Click the email and phone links.
• Dates and years are current. The footer © year counts.
• Images are the real ones, not "placeholder-final-2.jpg."
• Every image has alt text.

Mobile and screen sizes

• Check at phone, tablet and laptop widths. A responsive checker does all three at once.
• Look at it on an actual iPhone. Or an iPhone simulator if your phone is across the room.
• Menu opens and closes on mobile.
• Nothing scrolls sideways. If the page wiggles left-right on a phone, something is too wide.
• Buttons are big enough to tap with a thumb.
• Text is at least 16px on mobile. Squinting is not a feature.

Links and buttons

• Click every link in the navigation and footer.
• No links go to localhost, a staging address, or #.
• External links open where you expect.
• The logo goes to the home page.

Forms

• Submit every form with real-looking data. Does the message arrive? Where?
• Submit it empty. Do errors make sense?
• There's a "thanks, we got it" message.

Looks

• Fonts load (check on a device that doesn't have them installed).
• Favicon shows in the browser tab.
• Spacing is consistent between sections.
• Dark mode, if the site supports it, doesn't make text invisible.

Speed and basics

• Page loads in a few seconds on mobile data.
• Images aren't 6MB each. Compress them.
• The page has a title and description (what shows in Google and in link previews).
• Sharing the link on WhatsApp or Slack shows a sensible preview.

Before you hit send

• You're sending the latest version. (Check. Then check again.)
• You told the client what kind of feedback you want this round.
• They know where to leave it. Ideally on the page, not in your inbox.

That last one is the bit Kenso handles: send one link, the client comments on the page, and the next version keeps those comments. See how to collect website feedback.

Quick recap: content, mobile, links, forms, looks, speed. Do it before every review. Find the typo first.