Website launch checklist: what to check before go-live
A practical pre-launch checklist covering content, SEO, tracking, forms, performance, security and redirects.
- Published
- Reading time
- 1 min read
Key takeaways
- Test every form and conversion path end to end before launch.
- Redirect old URLs and remove any 'noindex' left from staging.
- Launch early in the week, when your team can respond to problems.
Launch day is when small oversights become public. Work through this list on the final version of the site, ideally with two people checking independently.
Content
- Proofread every page, including headings, buttons and image captions.
- Check names, prices, phone numbers, addresses and opening hours.
- Replace every placeholder text and image.
- Confirm legal pages are in place: privacy policy, terms and cookie policy where needed.
Forms and conversions
- Submit every form and confirm the notification arrives where it should.
- Check auto-replies, thank-you pages and CRM records.
- Test bookings, payments and downloads with real transactions where possible.
Search engines
- Remove any "noindex" tags and robots.txt blocks used on staging.
- Check every page has a unique title and meta description.
- Create an XML sitemap and submit it in Google Search Console.
- Set canonical URLs, and make sure HTTPS and your preferred domain version redirect correctly.
Redirects
If you are replacing an old site, map every important old URL to its new equivalent with a permanent (301) redirect. Pay special attention to pages that receive traffic or links.
Tracking
- Install analytics and verify that page views are recorded.
- Set up conversion events for forms, calls and purchases.
- Check your cookie consent banner works and respects visitors' choices.
Performance and devices
- Test on real phones as well as desktop browsers.
- Check page speed and fix very large images.
- Make sure the site works on the browsers your customers use.
Accessibility
- Navigate key pages with a keyboard only.
- Check image alternative text, colour contrast and form labels.
Security and operations
- Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication for admin accounts.
- Confirm automatic backups and that you can restore one.
- Note who to contact if something breaks after launch.
After launch
Monitor Search Console for errors, watch analytics for unusual drops and keep a list of small fixes for the first weeks.
Our website development projects use a launch checklist like this, and an SEO review covers the search-related items in more depth.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common launch mistake?
Leaving a staging setting that blocks search engines, such as a 'noindex' tag or a robots.txt block. Check it on launch day.
Should we launch on a Friday?
It's better to launch when your team is available for the following days, usually early in the week, to fix anything that comes up.
