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Ultimate Webflow Checklist

Last Updated: 3rd October 2024

This guide will help you confirm that everything is in place to create the best possible website. Make sure each item is completed before going live to ensure optimal performance, SEO, design consistency, and functionality.

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Derek Siu

SEO Optimisation

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Proper heading hierarchy improves both SEO and accessibility. Use one H1 for the main page title, followed by H2 for section titles, and H3 or lower for subsections. This not only helps search engines understand the content’s structure but also enhances user experience by organizing the information clearly.
Click on heading > Settings > Choose Heading Type
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Alt tags (alternative text) are essential for web accessibility and SEO. They provide descriptive text for images, which is displayed if the image fails to load and is read by screen readers for visually impaired users. Search engines also use alt tags to understand the content of the image, improving the website’s search ranking. Make sure each image has a clear and relevant alt tag to enhance both accessibility and SEO.

Asset Panel (J) > Gear Icon (top right) > Descriptive Box
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Title tags are HTML elements that define the title of a webpage and appear in search engine results and browser tabs. They are crucial for SEO, as they help search engines understand the content of the page and directly impact rankings. A well-crafted title tag should be concise, descriptive, and include relevant keywords.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Meta Descriptions provide a brief summary of the page’s content and appear beneath the Title Tag in search results. While they don’t directly impact SEO, a well-written meta description improves click-through rates. In Australia’s competitive market, crafting persuasive meta descriptions can make your site stand out in search results.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Open Graph images are used when your content is shared on social platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. They ensure that your links look visually appealing and professional, improving click-through rates and engagement on social media. A properly formatted Open Graph image can set your content apart in the crowded online space.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Derek Siu providing free tutorials
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Compressing images and videos reduces file size without compromising quality, speeding up your website. This is especially important for Australian users who may be browsing on slower rural networks or mobile data, where fast load times can significantly improve user experience.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Derek Siu providing free tutorials
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HTML tags like <section>, <header>, <footer> help to organize content semantically, making it easier for search engines to index. This structure is important for accessibility and can boost SEO by helping search engines understand your page layout.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Derek Siu providing free tutorials
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If you have pages that are in draft mode or not ready for public viewing, make sure to disable their visibility from search engines. This prevents them from appearing in search results, which can confuse users and negatively impact your site's credibility and SEO performance.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Derek Siu providing free tutorials
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Staging domains, like those ending in Webflow.io, should be hidden from search engines to avoid duplicate content issues. By disallowing these from being indexed, you ensure that only your primary domain appears in search results.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Derek Siu providing free tutorials
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Sitemaps list all the URLs of your website, helping search engines like Google and Bing discover and index your content more efficiently. An up-to-date, automatically generated sitemap improves the chances of all your pages being indexed correctly.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag

Visual Design & User Experience

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Consistency is key in web design. Having a unified design aesthetic across all pages builds trust with your users and ensures that they know they’re still on the same website, regardless of which page they’re on. Consistency includes using the same fonts, colors, and spacing across the board.
Click on heading > Settings > Choose Heading Type
Explaination
Check for consistent spacing and padding
Maintaining uniform spacing and padding creates a clean, organized look that’s pleasing to the eye. Uneven spacing can make your site look unprofessional and hard to read, which is a common user experience issue. Australians value straightforward, functional design, so this element should not be overlooked.

Asset Panel (J) > Gear Icon (top right) > Descriptive Box
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Stick to a defined color scheme that aligns with your brand. A harmonious color palette strengthens your branding, improving user recognition and experience. Be mindful of color contrasts to ensure text is legible and accessible to all users, including those with color blindness.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Pixelated images detract from your site’s professionalism. High-quality images should be used throughout to ensure visual clarity. In regions like Australia, where broadband speeds vary, it’s important to balance image quality with file size for optimal performance.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Derek Siu providing free tutorials
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A 404 page is what users see when they click on a broken or non-existent link. Rather than frustrating users, a custom 404 page with links back to other useful pages (like your homepage) can keep them engaged with your site and reduce bounce rates.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag

Project Settings

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A Favicon is the small icon that appears in the browser tab next to your site’s title. It helps with brand recognition and is especially useful for users who have multiple tabs open. A professional site always includes a Favicon for consistency.
Click on heading > Settings > Choose Heading Type
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Maintaining uniform spacing and padding creates a clean, organized look that’s pleasing to the eye. Uneven spacing can make your site look unprofessional and hard to read, which is a common user eA Web Clip is an icon that appears when users save your site to their home screen on mobile devices. This feature enhances user experience by allowing quick access to your website.

Asset Panel (J) > Gear Icon (top right) > Descriptive Box
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Make sure your forms are connected to the correct email so that submissions go to the right place. Missing form submissions can mean missed business opportunities.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Removing Webflow branding from your site’s code makes it look more professional and ensures that your site represents your brand fully without external distractions.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag

Class & Interaction Naming Conventions

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Use descriptive class names so that you and other developers can easily understand what each element is meant for. This will save you time in the long run when making updates or changes.
Click on heading > Settings > Choose Heading Type
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A consistent naming structure keeps your project organized and manageable. This is especially useful for large projects where multiple classes and interactions are used across various elements.

Asset Panel (J) > Gear Icon (top right) > Descriptive Box
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Removing unused classes and interactions not only makes your project cleaner but also reduces the file size, improving site performance and loading times.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag

Usability & Accessibility

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Ensure your site functions correctly in all major browsers, like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. This prevents user frustration due to incompatibilities.
Click on heading > Settings > Choose Heading Type
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With a growing number of users accessing websites via mobile, responsive design is critical. Your site should look and function seamlessly across all devices.

Asset Panel (J) > Gear Icon (top right) > Descriptive Box
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Testing form submissions ensures that all the data users provide reaches the correct destination. This helps maintain a smooth user experience and ensures you capture all potential leads.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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When a user submits a form, a success message confirms that their submission was successful. This reassures the user and provides clarity on what will happen next.

BONUS: Check the error state

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Properly labeled form fields make it easier to manage submissions and help prevent issues with data collection and organization.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Broken links damage the user experience. Testing all links ensures that users can navigate your site smoothly and find the information they need.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Hover states and animations add a layer of interactivity to your site, enhancing user engagement. However, they should be used sparingly and purposefully to avoid overwhelming users.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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A sticky or fixed navbar remains visible as users scroll down the page, improving navigation, especially on long pages.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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Horizontal scrolling disrupts the user experience and should be avoided, especially on mobile devices.

Pages Panel (P) > Gear Icon > Title Tag
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