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Website Launch Checklist: Before and After Go-Live

Launch day goes better when nothing's left to chance. Use this checklist for a new site or a redesign. Not every item applies to every site, so skip what doesn't fit.

A week or two before launch

  • Content: every page has final copy, no "lorem ipsum," and no leftover test pages.
  • Proofreading: names, phone numbers, addresses, hours, and prices (if you list them) are correct.
  • Links: click through the menus and in-page links, and fix anything broken.
  • Forms: submit every form and confirm the emails reach the right people. Check the thank-you message or page.
  • Images: sized for the web, with alt text. See How to Add, Resize, and Caption Images in Joomla or in WordPress.
  • Mobile: look at key pages on a phone and a tablet.
  • Browsers: check in the current versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge.
  • Accessibility basics: one H1 per page, headings in order, enough color contrast, and the site works with a keyboard.
  • Page titles and meta descriptions: set for each main page.
  • Legal pages: privacy policy and any other pages your business needs.

Redirects

If any URLs are changing, this is the step that protects your search traffic.

  1. List every old URL (your old sitemap and analytics help).
  2. Match each one to its new page.
  3. Set up 301 (permanent) redirects.
  4. Test a sample after launch.

Launch day

  • Backup: take a full backup of the new site, and keep one of the old site.
  • Domain and DNS: confirm who's making the DNS change and when. Know who controls your domain. Email can be affected by DNS changes, so make sure your MX and other email records stay pointed at your email service, and check that mail keeps working.
  • SSL: the site loads on https:// with no warnings.
  • Search engine visibility: make sure the site isn't still set to block search engines. In WordPress, that's Settings > Reading > Search engine visibility. In Joomla, check Robots under System > Global Configuration (Site tab, Metadata).
  • Analytics: your tracking code is in place and recording visits.
  • Caching: turn on any caching the site uses, then clear it.

The first few weeks after launch

  • Submit your XML sitemap in Google Search Console and watch for crawl errors.
  • Check analytics for drops on important pages.
  • Test forms again with real submissions.
  • Look for 404 (page not found) errors and add redirects where needed.
  • Check page speed on your key pages.
  • Confirm backups and updates are scheduled. See Website Backups: What to Back Up, How Often, and How Restores Work.

Related

How 3by400 can help

We handle launch for every site we build, from redirects to post-launch checks. Learn about our website development work.

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Ready to talk about your website? Start a project or reach us at 678-379-9321 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We're based in Dalton, GA, and work with businesses everywhere.

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