How to review a website preview before it goes public

A preview gives you a place to review changes before customers see them. Ask what the preview contains and who can access it; the word “staging” does not establish either point.

Confirm the environment

Record the preview address, version and intended reviewers. Ask whether it uses real services or test ones. A demo booking button, an email draft and a live booking integration must be labelled differently so nobody accidentally triggers a real action.

Keep private material private

Avoid putting customer records, credentials or unpublished sensitive information in a public preview. Use supported access protection where confidentiality is required. Google's documentation distinguishes password protection from indexing controls: a noindex tag is not a private-access barrier.

Review the agreed journeys

Start with the page list and acceptance criteria. Read every page, check links and follow the enquiry route on desktop and mobile. Use test data and supported test modes. Do not buy an item, book staff time or send messages to third parties just to see what a button does.

Record feedback against the version

Use page address, section, issue and requested result. Attach a screenshot for layout problems. Mark whether an item corrects the agreed brief or adds new scope. One consolidated list is easier to review than overlapping messages from several people.

Prepare the production differences

List what changes at launch: domain, links, indexing settings, live provider details and any test labels. Ask the developer to check the production version after deployment. An approved preview does not prove that the public domain or production form works.

Sign off when the preview meets the agreed scope and the launch differences are documented. Retain a versioned copy or deployment record so later corrections can be traced. Keep unresolved issues visible in the launch decision, rather than describing the entire site as approved while a critical enquiry feature remains untested.

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