How to review a staging site before launch
To review a staging site, open the URL on desktop and mobile, work through each page with a written checklist (content, links, forms, layout), and leave comments pinned to the exact element — not described in an email. Collect all feedback in one place before responding to any of it, then do a final pass the morning of launch.
Open on every device you care about
Open the staging URL in Chrome, Safari, and Firefox — then on your phone. Most issues (broken nav, text overflow, a form that doesn't submit) only appear on a specific browser or screen size, so the desktop pass alone will miss them. If the staging site is behind a password, make sure every reviewer has the credentials before you send the link.
Work through a page-by-page checklist
Go page by page — homepage, about, key landing pages, contact, checkout if applicable. On each page: confirm all text is final and proofread (no "Lorem ipsum"), images load with alt text, every link goes somewhere real, and forms submit with the right confirmation email. Note anything structural as a post-launch item rather than blocking the go-live — scope creep during review is the most common reason a launch slips.
Pin feedback to the exact element, not an email
The worst feedback a designer gets is "the bit near the top" — sent days later in a WhatsApp message. Instead, click the element you mean and leave a note pinned right to it. Element-anchored comments (attached to the exact heading or button you clicked) cut the back-and-forth: the designer sees what you meant without a follow-up call. Collect all notes in one pass before sending anything — scattered feedback across multiple rounds costs more revision time than one thorough pass.
Consolidate and share before the designer acts
Do a complete pass before the designer touches anything. Feedback sent mid-review can cause conflicts — they fix one section while you're still noting a problem that affects it. Once you've flagged everything, share in one message. A threaded comment board where the designer can reply to each note ("fixed" or "intentional — here's why") is faster than a reply-all email chain.
Do a final pass the morning of launch
After the designer applies changes, don't skip the second pass. Check only the pages that were touched — a targeted pass takes 20 minutes. Confirm forms still send, redirects work, the SEO title on the homepage is correct, and nothing broke in the fix. Many launch-day bugs come from a change made in the last round — not from the original build. Once this pass is clean, give explicit written sign-off: "Approved to go live." A verbal "looks good" in a Zoom call is not the same as a timestamped approval both parties can refer back to.
If you're a designer sending a staging link for client approval: paste the URL into Drafty and share that link instead. Your client clicks the exact element — the button, the headline, the hero image — and leaves a pinned note right on it. No screenshots, no "the thing on the left." Every comment lands in one thread. No account needed on their end.
Open a live demoQuestions
- What should I check when reviewing a staging website?
- Check content accuracy (no placeholder text, correct pricing and contact details), all links and buttons, form submissions and confirmation emails, responsive layout on mobile, and cross-browser display in Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. Prioritize any page with user input — forms, checkouts, account creation.
- How is a staging site different from the live site?
- A staging site is a private copy of the website where changes are built and tested before going live. It usually has a different URL (like staging.yoursite.com or a password-protected subdomain). It may not have the same performance or SEO settings as the live site — so don't panic about slower load times or noindex warnings in staging.
- How do I give useful feedback on a staging site?
- Be specific and reference the exact element — "the hero CTA button on the homepage" beats "the button." Do a full pass before sending anything, so the designer can act on everything at once. Separate must-fix issues from nice-to-haves. Avoid requesting structural changes in the final review round — note them as post-launch items.
- How long should a staging site review take?
- A standard marketing site: five business days for a thorough first-round review. Small sites (3–5 pages) can be done in an hour. For larger sites or multiple stakeholders, structure feedback as named rounds (Round 1, Round 2, Final sign-off) to avoid open-ended revision cycles.
- How do I approve a staging site before launch?
- Give written sign-off — not just a verbal "looks good." A one-line email or message saying "Approved to launch" gives both sides a timestamped record. Before approving, confirm: all content is final, forms are tested and working, you've reviewed on mobile, and you're not planning any more changes before go-live.
- Can multiple people review the staging site at the same time?
- Yes, but coordinate first. If two stakeholders submit feedback simultaneously in separate emails, the designer has to reconcile conflicting notes without context. Either designate one person to consolidate feedback, or use a shared comment board where every reviewer's notes are visible to the others — that way contradictions surface before they reach the designer.
Keep exploring
Stop emailing files back and forth.
Share one link. They comment on the exact spot — no account, always the current version.