
Website Launch Checklist: Pre-Launch Essentials and Best Practices
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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