Launching a website is exciting — but rushing it live without a proper checklist is one of the most common mistakes growing businesses make. A missed redirect, a broken form, or a slow page can cost you leads from day one.
To put this in perspective: currently only 48% of mobile websites pass all Core Web Vitals — the performance metrics Google uses as ranking signals. That means over half of all sites are leaving both traffic and conversions on the table.
This checklist covers everything from initial planning through to post-launch monitoring. Use it as your go-to reference whether you are building a new site or redesigning an existing one.
46
Checklist Items
6
Categories
10 min
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[Placeholder: Core Web Vitals thresholds diagram — LCP, INP, CLS with good/needs improvement/poor ranges]
Section 1 of 6
Strategy & Planning
Define clear website goals and KPIs
What should visitors do? Contact you? Buy a product? Book a consultation? Define 2-3 primary conversion actions and set measurable targets.
Identify your target audience
Who are you building this for? Create 2-3 audience personas with their pain points, goals, and the language they use.
Conduct competitor analysis
Review 5-10 competitor websites. Note what works, what does not, and where you can differentiate. Tools like Semrush or Similarweb help.
Plan your sitemap and page structure
Map out every page before you start building. Keep navigation to 5-7 main items maximum. Users should reach any page in 3 clicks or fewer.
Create a content plan for every page
Write copy before designing. Every page needs a clear headline, supporting text, and a call-to-action. Do not launch with placeholder text.
Register and configure your domain
Choose a memorable, brandable domain name. Register it for multiple years — search engines view this as a commitment signal.
Select hosting based on your needs
Choose a host with fast response times (under 200ms), SSD storage, and a server location near your target audience. Vercel, Netlify, or SiteGround are solid options.
Set a realistic project timeline
A typical SMB website takes 4-8 weeks from brief to launch. Build in time for content creation, review cycles, and testing.
Section 2 of 6
Design & Branding
Apply consistent branding throughout
Logo, colours, fonts, and imagery should be consistent across every page. If you do not have brand guidelines, create them before designing your site.
Design mobile-first and responsive
Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. Design for small screens first, then scale up. Test on real devices, not just browser simulations.
Build clear, intuitive navigation
Users should immediately understand where to go. Limit top-level menu items to 5-7. Include a clear CTA button in the header.
Place strong CTAs above the fold
Your primary call-to-action should be visible without scrolling. Use action-oriented language: "Get a Quote", "Book a Call", "Start Free Trial".
Add trust signals
Client logos, testimonials, case studies, review scores, and certifications build credibility. Place them near decision points (pricing, contact forms).
Meet basic accessibility standards (WCAG)
Ensure sufficient colour contrast (4.5:1 ratio for text), add alt text to all images, make forms keyboard-navigable, and use semantic HTML.
Create and upload a favicon
The small icon that appears in browser tabs. It should be a simplified version of your logo that is recognisable at 16x16 pixels.
Design social share images (OG images)
When someone shares your URL on social media, this image appears. Create branded images at 1200x630px for key pages.
Section 3 of 6
Development & Technical
Install and verify SSL certificate (HTTPS)
Non-negotiable. SSL encrypts data, is a Google ranking signal, and browsers warn visitors if a site lacks it. Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS.
Meet Core Web Vitals thresholds
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) under 2.5 seconds. INP (Interaction to Next Paint) under 200 milliseconds. CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) under 0.1. Currently, only 48% of mobile sites pass all three.
Test across browsers and devices
Test on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. Test on iOS and Android mobile devices. Check tablet layouts. Use BrowserStack or real devices.
Create a custom 404 error page
When visitors hit a broken link, show a helpful page with navigation options and a search bar — not a generic error message.
Test all forms thoroughly
Submit every form yourself. Verify emails arrive at the correct inbox, confirmation messages display, and validation works. Test on mobile too.
Set up your CMS correctly
If using WordPress, Webflow, or similar: configure SEO settings, set up user roles, install essential plugins, and remove unused defaults.
Minify CSS and JavaScript
Remove whitespace and comments from code files to reduce file sizes. Most build tools (Next.js, Webpack) do this automatically in production.
Optimise all images
Compress images without visible quality loss. Use modern formats (WebP, AVIF). Implement lazy loading for images below the fold. Serve responsive image sizes.
Add structured data (schema markup)
Help search engines understand your content. Add Organisation, LocalBusiness, FAQ, and Breadcrumb schema as appropriate. Test with Google Rich Results Test.
Implement cookie consent and GDPR compliance
If you serve EU visitors, you need a cookie consent banner that blocks non-essential cookies until consent is given. Include links to your privacy policy.
Section 4 of 6
Content & SEO
Write unique meta titles for every page
Each page needs a unique, keyword-rich title under 60 characters. Format: Primary Keyword — Secondary Keyword | Brand Name.
Write compelling meta descriptions
Under 155 characters. Include your target keyword and a clear value proposition. These appear in search results and affect click-through rates.
Use proper heading hierarchy (H1-H6)
One H1 per page (your main title). Use H2 for sections, H3 for subsections. Never skip levels. Headings help both users and search engines understand your content structure.
Add descriptive alt text to all images
Describe what the image shows in 5-15 words. This helps visually impaired users and gives search engines context for image search.
Build an internal linking strategy
Link related pages to each other within your content. This helps visitors discover more of your site and distributes SEO authority across pages.
Create and submit an XML sitemap
Your sitemap tells search engines which pages exist and when they were last updated. Submit it via Google Search Console after launch.
Configure robots.txt
Tell search engines which pages to crawl and which to skip (admin pages, staging environments, duplicate content). Check that important pages are not accidentally blocked.
Set up Google Search Console
Verify your site ownership before launch. After launch, submit your sitemap and monitor indexing, search performance, and any crawl errors.
Use keyword-optimised, clean URLs
Keep URLs short, descriptive, and lowercase. Use hyphens to separate words. Good: /services/web-design. Bad: /page?id=123&cat=4.
Proofread all copy and check legal pages
Read every word on every page. Check for typos, broken links, and outdated information. Ensure your privacy policy, terms of service, and cookie policy are in place.
Section 5 of 6
Analytics & Tracking
Install Google Analytics 4
Set up GA4 with proper data stream configuration. Enable enhanced measurement for scroll depth, outbound clicks, and file downloads.
Configure conversion tracking
Set up 3-5 key conversion events: form submissions, phone number clicks, email clicks, quote requests. These are the metrics that actually matter.
Add heatmap and session recording tools
Install Microsoft Clarity (free) or Hotjar to see where visitors click, how far they scroll, and where they drop off. Essential for optimisation.
Set up UTM parameters for campaigns
Before launching any marketing campaigns, define your UTM naming convention. This lets you track which sources and campaigns drive real conversions.
Establish site speed monitoring
Set up Google PageSpeed Insights alerts or use a monitoring tool like DebugBear. Your site speed will change over time as content and features are added.
Section 6 of 6
Post-Launch
Monitor the first 48 hours closely
Watch for server errors, broken pages, form failures, and unexpected traffic spikes. Fix issues immediately — first impressions matter.
Test all forms and interactions again
After launch, test every form, button, and interactive element from different devices and browsers. Production environments can behave differently from staging.
Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console
Go to Google Search Console, navigate to Sitemaps, and submit your XML sitemap URL. Request indexing for your most important pages using the "Inspect URL" tool.
Verify 301 redirects are working
If you redesigned an existing site, ensure all old URLs redirect to their new equivalents. Broken redirects cause lost traffic and damage SEO authority.
Announce your launch
Share across social media, send an email to your list, update your Google Business Profile, and notify partners. Do not assume people will find your new site on their own.
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