Post-launch checklist
Make sure you tick all these boxes once the website is live.
1. Technical verification
- DNS Propagation: Confirm that the DNS changes have fully propagated and the site is accessible worldwide.
- SSL Certificate: Verify the SSL certificate is active and properly installed for secure connections.
- 404 Errors: Check for any broken links or missing pages using tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Test the website on various devices and screen sizes to ensure optimal viewing and interaction.
- Loading Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to assess and optimize loading times.
- Functionality Check: Test all forms, CTAs, and interactive elements for proper functionality.
- Backup System: Ensure that a regular backup system is in place and functioning.
2. SEO and analytics
- Google Analytics: Confirm that Google Analytics is correctly set up for tracking website traffic and user behavior.
- Search Console: Set up and verify the site with Google Search Console to monitor indexing status and optimize visibility.
- Meta Tags: Review and optimize all page titles, meta descriptions, and headings for SEO.
- Sitemap and Robots.txt: Submit the updated XML sitemap to search engines and ensure the robots.txt file is correctly configured.
- 301 Redirects: Implement 301 redirects for any changed URLs to preserve search engine rankings.
3. Content and usability
- Spell Check: Review the website content for any spelling or grammatical errors.
- Legal Pages: Ensure that privacy policy, terms of service, and cookie policy pages are up to date and accessible.
- Contact Information: Verify that all contact details are correct and working as intended.
- Social Media Links: Check that all social media links are accurate and functional.
4. Security measures
- Security Plugins: Install or update security plugins to protect against spam, malware, and other vulnerabilities.
- User Permissions: Review and adjust user permissions for backend access to necessary personnel only.
- HTTPS Redirection: Ensure that all HTTP requests are correctly redirected to HTTPS.
5. Post-launch monitoring
- User Feedback: Collect and monitor user feedback for any issues or improvement opportunities.
- Performance Monitoring: Continuously monitor website performance and user engagement metrics.
- Update Plan: Establish a routine for regularly updating content, plugins, themes, and core technologya