The ultimate guide to web testing your brand's website

Getting a website off the ground is challenging, especially when you are looking to build a brand with a website that has a good function. That is why building one has become vital to any business around the world. In the process of having a website, you should be ticking all the boxes of a strong website due to its critical role in elevating your brand. 

Web testing plays a big role in your business’ performance in the long run, especially if standing out online is your goal. If you are looking to improve your platform, have a look at this web testing guide from QWERTYLABS to help improve your platform.

What is web testing?

Web testing is important in your preparation for launching a website and maintaining it at a good level. It is a big part of the platform’s growth since it is a software practice that ensures the site is up to standard. This has led more people to consider it a vital step in growing a brand online. Think of it as an evaluation of your website, so it could be good enough to be part of the internet in the long run. 

The testing process works by validating your online presence, which can be challenging as you have to tick all the boxes for your platform. However, those are the necessary traits your web page has to showcase. That is why you should be more aware of the types of website testing you have to go through. By learning more about the metrics for a good website, you will learn how your brand could succeed.

Types of web testing

To get a good idea of what it is like to test websites, you should know the website types and the corresponding test methods you must employ. This is vital as it could help you strengthen your platform’s purpose. Testing a web page requires plenty of knowledge, so being familiar with the features of any type of site can help you with this. 

Have a look at the types of sites and web testing best practices you should be aware of: 

Static websites 

A simple static website displays the same content for all visitors, making it the most informative site. Only developers can change parts of this site, as it will only be seen in the code. Testing a static website is probably the easiest to do, especially with the sites being coded in HTML, CSS, and other minimal scripting languages. 

Here are practices you should know when testing static websites:

• Verify if the site is working properly and has the content you should expect from a platform like your brand.
• Test out the website, like the logins and see if they are working properly.
• Test out all the links you can click on the platform, such as the navigation, footer, sidebars, and more.
• If there are any downloads possible on the platform, you should test them out if you are doing well. 
• If there are videos on the platform, you should look into playing them correctly.
• Test the site out across different browsers like Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Dynamic websites

Dynamic websites are interactive, so expect them to be reliant on databases or at least something that changes often. The front end of the site should be HTML or CSS, but the back end should have some programming languages like PHP, JavaScript, ASP, and more. With this backend, users and clients can add or change the website’s content.

By testing out a dynamic site, you can learn it’s not as easy as the first one, but it should still be pretty straightforward. Here are the factors that should be tested with a dynamic website: 

• Test out the interactive elements on the platform, which should include forms, login/logout, and a website dashboard.
• Verify all the data that could influence the content’s loading on the platform. 
• Assess the data being loaded and the response times across conditions.
• Verify if the content can be displayed properly and securely.

E-commerce websites

As the name suggests, this type of website is the platform where your brand can sell products. These are the platforms that allow users to browse products, add them to a cart, make purchases, and help process the transaction and even the shipping to your location. It has become such a vital part of everyday life for a lot of people, so standing out with an e-commerce platform is challenging.

When it comes to web testing, here are vital factors to test out with a platform like this: 

• Verify the functionality of shopping carts, payment processes, order management systems, and more. 
• Test out the website’s security, especially since you are dealing with some sensitive data on the platform with the transactions.
• Check out the many product filters, the search bar and its results, sorting features, and other factors you should be aware of when shopping on an e-commerce site. 
• Make sure you are evaluating the site’s performance, especially during crashes.

Mobile websites

This type of website is designed and optimised for smartphones and tablets. The platform must offer a streamlined user experience that helps the brand grow amongst people with different devices. As long as you have a mobile-friendly platform, you can draw more people in, so testing the website is vital.

Here are key factors you should know to be more familiar with smartphone sites: 

• Verify the responsiveness of the platform on mobile.
• Test touch-based gestures like swiping, tapping, and zooming.
• Have a look at the compatibility across different mobile operating systems like Apple and Android.
• Check out the site loading times and the performance on WiFi and mobile networks.

Since more people are using their smartphones over a computer, they will appreciate a good user experience when browsing a site on their device. You must communicate the brand’s essence to the user through the mobile website so they get the full experience. A good website should be superb across both devices so you can get positive progress for your brand.

Why website testing matters

In today’s age, a business needs to have a strong website that can act as the front desk. The website should point the users and potential patrons to certain parts of the website that communicate the proper service offered, whether it’s a product or a contact form section. You should never underestimate the importance of the website, so testing it out should also be a priority. 

It is essential to look into the reasons website testing has become an important part of having a website since a lot hinges on it. Here are the biggest reasons you should look into testing your website:

• Making a first impression - A website is considered the lobby of a business or brand, so if the website leaves a good impression on the visitor, that is a good sign that they like the brand. That is why designing and testing a website is essential, as you can check relevant information for your platform’s growth.

Since a website hinges on usability, functionality, and reliability, website testing goes a long way, as that is how a site can deliver on its promises more. With this, you can improve the brand reputation and strengthen the trust your platform can bring to your brand.

• Enhancing the user experience for visitors - Since the internet is a competitive landscape, there should be a high standard for a website. The user experience should be the priority for the brand so it is responsive across different instances. 

Your site will not have the best impression if it is not easy to navigate. The testing should remedy any issue that pops up with the UX since you can gauge the specific parts that need to be improved. 

• Strengthening the website across platforms - Your website should be strong enough to stand out across different devices. It should be optimised for various screen sizes of mobile devices and even operating systems like Android and iOS that could affect a website’s layout. With the test, you can see responsive design and adapt seamlessly to the issues that pop up, whether they are bugs or big problems you should change.

The user engagement will be much better when your website is responsive and accessible. Check out all the interactive features and see what happens in the test to maximise all the best functionalities of a site. 

• Cementing the security of the site - Maximise the cybersecurity of your platform to provide some sort of protection for users since your brand’s reputation can get damaged if there are some security issues with your site. Regular web tests should be implemented to look into issues and prevent hackers from exploiting your platform. This should be the test you do the most alongside the user experience since the damage of a potential issue can be severe.
• Improvements in the site’s ranking - Any well-tested website should know what improvements should be made with your site management. Standing out on Google’s ranking is tough, but your brand’s website should undergo some important tests to learn what aspects of the platform can be improved upon. 

You can find out more about the technical issues that your platform has, which could include backlinks, broken links, slow load times, and other factors that affect your website’s SEO. Addressing all the issues you see in the web test should lead to better traffic and reinforcement for your brand’s authority and place in the Google search engine results.

Website testing checklist

Having a checklist will help you keep track of what you must have on your website. Look into the code and how to fix it when something on the platform does not pass the test. Find out how to fix it when you learn more about the websites through the tests. With a web testing guide, you can spot the biggest problems or errors more easily.

Here are the boxes you must tick in your website QA testing so you can maximise your platform:

1. Functionality testing and performance

The first box you must tick is functional testing, which validates the behaviour of your website when users are on it. This kind of test gauges the performance of your platform, which includes the navigation with the buttons, the cookie testing, and an internal link placed on the platform.

Here are the important aspects you can find with this testing:

• Links and navigation - You can find clickable links in the anchor text highlighted in blue called a hyperlink. This streamlines the navigation for users browsing the platform because a key term found in the text should lead you to a separate web page where that is expounded upon. That is a good way to boost search engine optimisation because the content is easier to see on Google with the keywords, and navigation on the site is improved upon.
• The clickable forms - Most websites have forms that users can fill out. You must test out if the inputs are valid, and there should be rejections for some invalid inputs. The forms submitted on your site should be fixed properly to avoid issues when users click the URL.
• Check the errors - Ensure your platform can gracefully handle errors like wrong passwords. After the test is done, you should use the feedback to your advantage and fix the errors you have found that are taking away from the user experience.
• Database - Your website should have a database that limits the errors as much as possible. Through software performance testing, you can find bugs and errors that are taking away from the browsing experience and squash them by addressing the issue.
• Compatibility - Check the compatibility in your testing since you will be working on a website that should be consumed across different platforms. This starts from the landing page and continues to the rest of the website.

2. Usability and user experience

When browsing a website, it is important to consider the experience of actually going on the website. Your website’s usability can affect your reputation, so you should test it out and evaluate how users can take in the web content you are putting on your platform.

Here are aspects you should tick when looking at the UX on your platform: 

• Navigation - It is vital to consider the experience people will have when they navigate your brand’s website. This is measured through the platform scrolling and the buttons. They should be smooth to navigate, and there should not be lags or buttons that don’t go anywhere. 

It is important to test the navigation experience because this will be one of the main points for users. If they have a bad time browsing the website, they cannot go to the necessary pages and look into your services. By looking at the necessary points of the UX, such as smoothness and clear buttons, the platform should improve massively.

• Clear user interface - Minimise the users’ miss-clicks by crafting clear icons that go to the expected page. A clear user interface makes the browsing experience much better.
• Accessibility - Users should have no problems with their overall experience on the platform. It should be easy to access and navigate, so test it out and ensure the site is ready to be launched without any issues.

3. Compatibility testing

This type of testing is important as it determines whether an app runs smoothly across different platforms or devices. You can see this with how the site looks across devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers, but it should exhibit solid speeds rather than laggy times. 

Here are some factors you should consider when doing this testing: 

• Browser compatibility - You must optimise the platform to fit any web browser people use. However, testing should help you adapt to all kinds of browsers and not just the ones that support your site. You must adjust to their whims and not to the default browser.
• Viability on a mobile device - If the website does not work on a mobile device, that is trouble. Testing is crucial in the development process because this can be immediately figured out and fixed, so the website is accessible by anyone using a smartphone or tablet.
• Responsiveness with the platform - The website should be responsive to any action that users take, which could be scrolling, clicking, and even zooming. Every gesture must be registered with a response so the platform is functional when browsing.

4. Security testing

Every website should maintain its spot as one of the most secure sites. By testing out all the platform’s security features, you can determine what is working or not. Maximise the test results and see what can make your website and data as safe as possible. Regular tests can help avoid a security breach and vulnerabilities that could lead to issues. As long as you are stress-testing the security, you should be able to see some gaps on the website. By doing this, you can be more aware of the threats, gain knowledge with the tests and have a more secure platform.

Website testing tools

Manual testing is always an option, but that is suboptimal as it can be done with tools that could automatically do it properly. It is crucial to automate the testing process so you won’t have to stretch yourself thin with arduous tests. Maximise the efficiency with the testing tools as they will use automation for the tests, which saves a lot of time while maintaining productivity. 

Here are the different options you must consider when looking for a testing tool for your website:

Google Lighthouse

This is an open-source and automated tool that audits website performance, accessibility, SEO and even functionality. This is integrated within the Google Chrome DevTools, so you can use it any time as long as you are using Chrome, the world’s most popular browser. It will provide some useful data, including detailed performance metrics, and put a spotlight on what needs to be improved. This can be integrated with the workflow and shows that there are some ways to incorporate the website into Google standards.

Selenium

With this tool, the team behind a website can get an automation framework that supports multiple programming languages like Java, Python, and C#. Since this supports all the major browsers, you can expect this tool to be used across different platforms, which will help you in the long run.

This can handle factors like form submissions, dynamic content, and many JavaScript-heavy pages. It can even simulate some user interactions like clicking, typing, scrolling, and navigating through the dynamic content on the platform. Selenium is a reliable and cost-effective choice for you in the long run.

Cypress

This modern testing tool is designed specifically for web applications. The tool was built with a focus on simplicity and the developer experience that allows real-time reloading. This tool can address the issues instantly, and the results should appear on the live website without obstacles. If you want to get fast effects, Cypress is the ideal testing tool to use for your website.

Test your website alongside QWERTYLABS’ services

Working with QWERTYLABS can help you get the best results for a website with our services, providing long-term results and marketing your website. We can also assist in auditing your website and see what improvements can be made. We are committed to getting your brand’s name out there through your website, which will make you bigger on Google. Find out how to get your name out there and maintain an exceptional website when you contact us today. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the basics of web testing?

The basics of testing involve looking into the functionality, security, the site’s performance, and how compatible it is with any device you can browse the internet.

How often should website testing be conducted?

The tests should be done regularly, which will depend on your prerogative. However, periodically seems to be the most reasonable one. Just set which times, whether it’s twice a month, once a quarter of a year, or even a yearly schedule. Make sure to address all the issues whenever you do the tests.

What are some common issues that web testing can help identify?

There are many common issues, including the following: 

• Navigation issues 
• Device incompatibility
• Security problems 
• Slow load times.

Can website testing improve site speed?

Yes, and that could be done by looking into more performance testing. That could lead to some better performance speeds since you are addressing some inefficient parts of the website.

How does web testing impact a brand’s reputation?

Having a strong and well-tested website is a good look for the platform, as it has gone through some criticism, which has been worked on properly.

Poch Magsino

I am seasoned content writer for a wide variety of niches including sports, esports, and betting. My work aims to help you learn by making information to be more digestible and engaging!