Website Launch Checklist: Pre-Launch Essentials and Best Practices

Website Launch Checklist: Pre-Launch Essentials and Best Practices

By Michael Thompson

February 28, 2025 at 03:25 AM

Ensure your website is ready for launch with this comprehensive checklist.

Essential Pre-Launch Tasks

Review and complete these critical elements before making your site public:

Design and Style:

  • Set site title (required)
  • Upload logo
  • Check fonts, colors, and spacing consistency
  • Add favicon
  • Configure cookie banner if needed

Pages and Content:

  • Setup homepage with branded content
  • Organize navigation menu logically
  • Proofread all pages for errors
  • Verify URL slugs match page titles
  • Configure mobile layouts
  • Keep page sizes under 5MB for optimal loading
  • Create custom 404 page

Images:

  • Add featured images to all pages
  • Include social share images
  • Verify image links work correctly
  • Check image quality and formatting
  • Ensure banner trimming appears correct

Technical Setup:

  • Configure custom domain
  • Set primary domain if multiple exist
  • Test all forms and submissions
  • Verify social media links
  • Set up custom email (optional)
  • Add language translations if needed

SEO and Analytics:

  • Add SEO descriptions to all pages
  • Set up Google Search Console
  • Configure analytics tracking
  • Implement meta tags

Store and E-commerce Setup

If selling products or services:

  • Connect payment processor
  • Configure tax settings
  • Set up shipping options
  • Test checkout process
  • Review product listings
  • Set up email notifications
  • Configure store policies

Final Launch Steps

Before publishing:

  • Remove password protection
  • Disable "Coming Soon" page
  • Update team permissions
  • Test on multiple devices
  • Verify Google indexing

Post-Launch Tasks

Promotion and monitoring:

  • Share on social media
  • Start email marketing
  • Monitor analytics
  • Update content regularly
  • Engage with visitor feedback

Specialized Page Checklists

Blog Pages:

  • Publish initial content
  • Set up comments
  • Configure categories
  • Set display preferences

Event Pages:

  • Verify event details
  • Check scheduling
  • Add location info

Portfolio Pages:

  • Style galleries
  • Organize projects
  • Add case studies

Remember to continuously update and optimize your site after launch based on user feedback and analytics data.

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