Website Launch Checklist

Search engines

The most common launch mistake is also the most damaging: the site goes live still blocking search engines, because the setting used during development was never switched off.

• Remove development blocks. Check that pages do not carry a noindex tag and that robots.txt does not disallow the whole site. In WordPress, untick "Discourage search engines from indexing this site" under Settings → Reading.
• One version of the site. Pick https and either www or non-www, and permanently redirect (301) every other variant to it. Google explains why in its guide to consolidating duplicate URLs.
• Titles and descriptions. Every page has its own title that says what the page is about, and a description written for people reading search results.
• One clear heading per page. A single H1 that matches the topic, with H2s for sections.
• XML sitemap listing the pages you want found, referenced from robots.txt.
• Structured data where it fits, such as Organization, LocalBusiness, Product or FAQ, tested with Google's Rich Results Test.
• Search Console. Verify the site in Google Search Console and submit the sitemap on launch day.
• Replacing an old site? Map every old URL to its new one before launch. See our guide to redesigning without losing search traffic.

Content and links

• No placeholder text, sample pages or "lorem ipsum" left anywhere, including the 404 page and email templates.
• All links work. Run a crawler over the site and fix every broken internal link and missing image.
• Links that pointed to the staging or development address now point to the live domain.
• Images have meaningful alt text and are sized for the web, not straight from a camera.
• Contact details, opening hours and addresses are correct and match what is on your Google Business Profile.
• Legal pages are in place: privacy policy, and terms or cookie information where they apply.
• A favicon and social sharing image are set, so the site looks right in browser tabs and when shared.

Speed and mobile

• Test the home page and the most important pages with PageSpeed Insights. Google's Core Web Vitals measure loading, responsiveness and visual stability.
• Compress images and serve them at the size they are shown. Large images are the most common cause of a slow page.
• Page caching is on, and anything heavy that is not needed on every page (maps, video players, chat widgets) loads only where or when it is used.
• Click through every page on a real phone, not only a resized desktop browser. Check menus, forms, tables and pop-ups.

Security and backups

• HTTPS works on every page, the certificate renews automatically, and there is no "mixed content" (images or scripts loaded over plain http).
• Admin accounts use strong unique passwords and two-factor login; test and developer accounts that are no longer needed are removed.
• WordPress core, theme and plugins are up to date, and only licensed copies of premium plugins are used.
• Automatic backups are running, stored off the server, and one restore has been tested.
• Debug mode is off and error messages do not reveal file paths or versions.
• Uptime monitoring is set up, so someone is alerted if the site goes down. Our website care page covers what ongoing upkeep involves.

Forms, email and payments

• Submit every form on the live site and confirm the email arrives, in the inbox and not in spam.
• The domain's SPF, DKIM and DMARC records are set so that email sent by the site is trusted by mail providers.
• Spam protection is on for forms.
• For shops and bookings: switch payment providers from test to live mode, then make a real purchase and refund it. Check order emails, tax and shipping.

Analytics and privacy

• Analytics is installed on the live domain and recording visits. Set up the events that matter, such as form submissions, calls and purchases, so you can tell what the site produces.
• Any old tracking code from the previous site is removed or migrated. Universal Analytics, for example, stopped processing data in 2023 and needs to be replaced with Google Analytics 4 or another tool.
• Cookie consent and the privacy policy match what the site actually collects, for the regions you serve.

Accessibility

An accessible site works for more people and tends to be better structured for search engines as well. The WCAG guidelines are the reference. Before launch, at minimum:

• Everything can be reached and used with the keyboard alone, with a visible focus outline.
• Text has enough contrast against its background.
• Form fields have labels, and error messages say what to fix.
• Headings are in a logical order and images have alt text.

The first week after launch

1. Watch Search Console for crawl errors, pages excluded from the index, and the sitemap status.
2. Check the server error log and fix any recurring errors.
3. Confirm form and order emails are still arriving.
4. Check that analytics numbers look plausible compared with the old site.
5. If an old site was replaced, check that old URLs still redirect and that 404 errors are not climbing.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take Google to find a new website?

It varies from days to weeks. Submitting the sitemap in Search Console and having a few links pointing to the site help Google discover it. Search Console's URL Inspection tool shows whether a specific page has been indexed.

Should I launch on a Friday?

Preferably not. Launch early in the week, when the people who built the site are available to fix anything that comes up in the following days.

What is the single most important check?

That search engines are not blocked. A leftover noindex setting from development can keep a whole site out of Google until someone notices.

Do I need all of this for a small site?

Most of it takes minutes for a small site, and every item has caused a real problem for someone. The search, forms and backup checks are the ones never to skip.

Can you run this checklist for a site someone else built?

Yes. We review existing sites before launch or after it, and fix what we find.

Planning a new site? See how we plan and build new websites or read what drives website cost.