The website launch checklist

How to use this checklist

Work through the checks on a staging site, then repeat the launch checks on the public domain. Assign an owner to any unresolved item. Checking a box records your progress; it does not run an automated audit.

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Purpose and content

• Every important page answers a clear visitor question.
• Essential business facts, contact information and service descriptions have an owner who checked them.
• Draft copy, sample content and unsupported claims have been removed.
• Portfolio images, quotes and logos have permission and accurate attribution.
• Page headings describe the content and follow a logical hierarchy.
• Meaningful images have useful alternative text; decorative images do not repeat surrounding copy.

Navigation and accessibility

• Main navigation and footer links reach the intended destination.
• Important tasks work on a phone, tablet and desktop with real content.
• Keyboard users can reach and operate links, menus, forms and dialogs.
• Focus is visible, and opening or closing a dialog returns focus appropriately.
• Text remains readable when zoomed, and essential information does not rely on color alone.
• Reduced motion is respected, and moving content does not prevent reading or interaction.
• Controls have useful names and sufficient space to use on a touch screen.

Forms and business flows

• Every enquiry form has been submitted end to end.
• The intended team receives the submission, including any required context.
• Validation identifies what needs fixing without discarding completed fields.
• Confirmation messages explain the next step accurately.
• Booking, payment or account flows have been tested through their real success and failure states where applicable.
• Any test submissions, orders and accounts have been identified and handled appropriately.

Search and migration

• Each indexable page has a useful, distinct title and description.
• Canonical URLs use the final production domain and match internal links.
• Important pages are linked through ordinary crawlable navigation or related content.
• The production site is not accidentally blocked by staging authentication, robots directives or a noindex setting.
• Private and staging content remains protected or excluded as appropriate.
• The sitemap contains the intended canonical public URLs and can be fetched.
• Old URLs have been reviewed and relevant redirects tested individually.
• Unknown pages return a real 404 rather than a misleading successful response.
• Structured data describes visible, accurate content without invented reviews or results.

Performance, operation and launch

• Large images use suitable dimensions and compression; layout space is reserved for media.
• Below-the-fold media does not unnecessarily block the first useful screen.
• HTTPS and the preferred domain work on the public website.
• Existing email and other required DNS services continue to work.
• Analytics reflects the intended setup and is accurately disclosed.
• Backups, restores, updates, billing and support have named owners.
• The business has the account access and handoff instructions it needs.
• The primary visitor journey has been repeated after publishing.
• Search Console and analytics will be checked after launch without treating submission as proof of indexing.

Related reading

Use the website structure guide to plan internal links or the website brief template to agree scope before building.

References

• Google Search Central: SEO Starter Guide
• W3C WAI: Easy checks for web accessibility

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