Operations
Part of Landing page software operations: gates and rollback
The release checklist a landing page should pass before it goes live
Use a release-specific landing page software checklist for claims, rights, data, accessibility, security, publishing, correction and recovery.
Use this landing page software quality checklist against one numbered release candidate. A tick means the reviewer has attached evidence and identified the checked version. It does not mean a tool or page is compliant. Leave the release on hold if any required gate is blank, failed or attached to an older build.
What to take away
- A tick means evidence is attached and the checked version identified, not that a tool or page is compliant.
- Leave the release on hold if any required gate is blank, failed or attached to an older build.
- Advertising and rights reviewers must make separate decisions on claims and media permissions.
- Automated checks alone do not support the entire accessible critical journey gate.
- A reviewer who lacks evidence should choose hold and state what would resolve it.
Brief and ownership
- Page ID, proposed public URL and controlled domain are recorded.
- The business owner has approved one visitor task, offer and form outcome.
- Traffic sources and communication types are classified, including adverts or promotional messages.
- Editor, evidence owner, publisher and incident decision owner are assigned.
- The release record shows the copy, design, schema and configuration versions.
The release controller should be able to trace each approval without relying on private messages or memory.
Claims, qualifications and media rights
- Every objective claim points to a current source, date, geography and limitation.
- The reviewer has assessed the headline, image, form and button as one final impression.
- Material conditions appear where a reader is likely to notice them.
- Testimonials and comparisons have an identified source and use permission.
- Each image, font, video and template has a licence record for this use.
The ASA's substantiation advice explains the evidence expectation for objective UK non-broadcast advertising claims. GOV.UK's digital-image copyright notice warns that finding an image online does not itself provide permission. Advertising and rights reviewers must make separate decisions.
Data, tracking and visitor choice
- Each form field has a stated purpose and is necessary for that purpose.
- The data map names recipients, access groups, retention and deletion routes.
- Controller, processor, sub-processor and transfer questions are recorded for review.
- Tags, pixels, scripts, link decoration and browser storage are inventoried.
- The candidate behaves as documented before and after the visitor's choice.
- Objection, withdrawal and suppression changes reach every relevant system.
The ICO's final storage and access technologies guidance describes PECR and UK GDPR considerations for these technologies. Its data-protection principles guide includes data minimisation, storage limitation and accountability. Qualified reviewers must apply these sources to the page, rather than accepting a software default.
Accessible critical journey
- Heading order, visible labels and instructions describe the task.
- Keyboard users can reach and operate every control without a trap.
- Focus remains visible and reading order remains meaningful at supported zoom.
- Required fields and formats are explained before submission.
- Errors identify the affected field in text and support correction.
- The confirmation and privacy-control journeys were completed manually.
WCAG 2.2 input assistance provides the global technical reference for labels, errors and suggestions. Record the test environment and observed evidence. Automated checks alone do not support this entire gate.
Security and controlled release
- Editors, integrations and administrators have only necessary permissions.
- Administrative access, recovery contacts and activity logs are protected.
- Form destinations, notifications and integration scopes match the approved map.
- A supplier-independent copy of content and configuration evidence exists.
- The rollback target was restored successfully in a non-production check.
- Publishing account, timestamp and live checksum will enter the release log.
The NCSC's SaaS security guidance covers identities, permissions, logging, monitoring and retirement. It is a useful UK control reference, not an assurance about this release.
Monitoring, correction and closure
- Owners exist for form errors, claim complaints, rights notices and security concerns.
- Buyer-approved intervention thresholds are recorded, or left blank pending approval.
- Safe actions identify when to pause traffic, disable a component or withdraw the page.
- Supplier changes and contract notices trigger a documented scope review.
- Archive, retention, deletion, access removal and domain redirect tasks have owners.
Final decision: record release, hold or withdraw, the decision maker, time, candidate version and reason. A reviewer who lacks evidence should choose hold and state what would resolve it.
Before you act
- Record the page ID, public URL and controlled domain.
- Assign editor, evidence owner, publisher and incident decision owner.
- Check every objective claim has a current source and limitation.
- Inventory tags, pixels, scripts, link decoration and browser storage.
- Complete the confirmation and privacy-control journeys manually.
- Record release, hold or withdraw with decision maker and reason.
Common questions
What does a tick on this checklist actually mean?
A tick means the reviewer has attached evidence and identified the checked version. It does not mean a tool or page is compliant. The release controller should be able to trace each approval without relying on private messages or memory.
Which sources does the article cite for claims and image rights?
The ASA's substantiation advice explains the evidence expectation for objective UK non-broadcast advertising claims. GOV.UK's digital-image copyright notice warns that finding an image online does not itself provide permission. Advertising and rights reviewers must make separate decisions.
What should happen if a required gate is blank or failed?
Leave the release on hold if any required gate is blank, failed or attached to an older build. A reviewer who lacks evidence should choose hold and state what would resolve it. The final decision records release, hold or withdraw with the decision maker, time, candidate version and reason.
