Website Project Management: Website Content Checklists

Follow this website content development checklist to ensure website content is delivered to creative and programming or IT contractors seamlessly.

1. Content outline or flowchart. Provide creative and IT contractors with an outline or flowchart of the website linking structure that clearly outlines the organizational structure. Be sure the outline includes specific numbers of pages within each website content section and the respective content topics for each.

2. Digital files. Provide contractors with digital files of all text and images required for each content section. Be sure that each file is clearly labeled to correspond with the content outline provided as well as the targeted website page.

3. Hard copies. Offer printouts of all files showing text features like bold, italics, bullets, indentions, etc. Because creative and IT contractors often work with specialized software, sometimes text does not import matching the original file. Hard copies will offer contractors a visual of how the verbiage should be constructed.

3. Appropriate file organization. Help the contractor locate information by organizing digital files by content area corresponding to requested link names. Include all text, meta text, images, photos and downloads for each page within its own directory.

4. File list. Print the directory list from your storage device so contractors have an accurate account of the files provided.

5. Project schedule. Make sure contractors are aware of project time constraints and target due dates.

6. Proof requests. Ask creative and IT contractors to provide web formatted proofing pages as close to the final look of the implemented website as possible.

Follow this website content development checklist for proofing the proposed website prior to launch. These content considerations are crucial to ensure the website content is search-engine friendly, correct and accomplishes the website project goals. Check these content areas carefully before giving the go-ahead for website launch.

1. Spelling, grammar and accuracy. Although a writer or project manager has probably reviewed the content several times, don't skip this step. Read carefully through each page of content to catch any errors that may have been missed in previous proofing or errors that may have occurred when information was input by creative or IT contractors.

2. Page titles. Review each page title to make sure it matches the content of the page. Give each page a unique title to maximize search engine indexing benefits and be sure it contains targeted key words.

3. Spacing and sizing. View the proofing website in several browser types on both Mac and PC platforms if possible. Subtle variations in text size and spacing can occur across different software. Check for a minimal level of consistency and that headings, subheadings and highlighted text are presented as content developers intended. Also be sure that all text is sized for easy readability in various browsers.

4. Linking. Click through each text link on a page to make sure it moves a visitor to the appropriate page. Be sure that links to pages within the website load in the same browser window rather than opening a new one.

5. Download time. Check that various images and photographs do not take an extended amount of time to download. Many image files can be optimized by creative or IT contractors for faster downloads with minimal loss of image quality.

6. Often overlooked text. Proofread the following text areas that are sometimes overlooked because they often appear outside the main content area.

• link names
• photo captions
• text in graphics or images
• charts
• addresses and phone numbers
• browser page titles
• disclaimers and terms of use