A website launch should not depend on hope. Before a site goes live, the team should know that the pages, forms, payments, tracking and admin handover have been tested.
A signed-off launch checklist protects the business from avoidable problems.
1. Content and pages
Check that every priority page is present and complete.
Review:
- Homepage
- Service or product pages
- About page
- Contact page
- Blog or insights page
- Privacy and terms pages
- Thank-you pages
- 404 page
Make sure headings, links and calls to action are clear.
2. Mobile and responsive layout
Most visitors will not experience the site on the same screen as your team.
Test mobile, tablet and desktop. Look for overlapping text, hidden buttons, hard-to-read sections and awkward forms.
A website is ready when the business can trust it.
3. Forms and payments
Test every conversion path.
Check:
- Contact forms
- Quote forms
- Newsletter signup
- Booking links
- Phone links
- Checkout
- Payment methods
- Confirmation emails
Every lead or order should arrive where the team expects it.
4. Speed and SEO basics
Before launch, review:
- Page titles
- Meta descriptions
- Heading structure
- Image alt text
- Internal links
- Sitemap
- Indexing settings
- Image size
- Caching
SEO does not start after launch. The foundation should be in place from day one.
5. Security, backups and access
Confirm SSL, admin permissions, backups, plugin updates and hosting access.
The business should know who owns each account and how to access it.
6. Tracking
Set up and test GA4, Google Tag Manager, ad pixels, conversion events and CRM connections before launch.
The takeaway
A website is ready when the business can trust it. A launch checklist turns go-live from a guess into a controlled handover.
