Launching a website or a significant update to one involves more moving parts than most teams remember under deadline pressure. Design and content usually get the most attention because they’re the most visible, but a genuinely responsible launch checks a wider set of boxes: consistency, accessibility, technical readiness, measurement, security and a plan for what happens after go-live. This checklist is organized in the order most teams find useful to work through, though the right sequence can vary by project.
Brand consistency
- Logo, colors, typography and imagery match current brand guidelines across every page, not just the homepage.
- Tone of voice is consistent across pages written by different people or at different times.
- Contact information, business name and any legal entity name are accurate and consistent site-wide.
- Favicon, social sharing preview image and browser tab title are all set correctly.
Content readiness
- Every page has final, proofread copy — no placeholder text remains anywhere on the live site.
- Service, product or pricing information is current and matches what the business can actually deliver.
- Internal links point to the correct live pages, and no links point to draft or staging URLs.
- Legal pages (privacy policy, terms) are present and reference the business accurately.
Accessibility
- Text and background colors meet reasonable contrast standards for readability.
- All images include meaningful alt text, and decorative images are marked appropriately.
- The site can be navigated using a keyboard alone, including forms and menus.
- Headings follow a logical order rather than being chosen for visual size alone.
Mobile behavior
- Every page has been checked on actual mobile devices, not just a resized desktop browser window.
- Tap targets (buttons, links) are large enough to use comfortably on a touchscreen.
- Forms are usable on mobile keyboards, with appropriate input types for email, phone and numeric fields.
- Navigation menus open, close and scroll correctly on mobile.
A launch checklist isn’t about perfection — it’s about catching the handful of issues that are far more expensive to fix after real customers have already had a bad experience.
Analytics and measurement
- Analytics tracking is installed correctly and confirmed to be recording real visits before launch, not just assumed to be working.
- Key actions (form submissions, calls, purchases) are set up as trackable goals or events.
- Any existing historical analytics account is connected to the new site rather than starting from a blank account unintentionally.
Forms and lead capture
- Every form has been tested end to end, including what happens after submission.
- Form notifications reach the correct inbox or system, and a fallback contact method exists if email delivery fails.
- Required fields, validation messages and error states behave clearly and correctly.
- Spam protection is in place without making the form difficult for real visitors to use.
Search basics
- Page titles and meta descriptions are unique and accurate for each page.
- A sitemap is generated and submitted to relevant search consoles.
- Old URLs from a previous version of the site are redirected to their new equivalents, where applicable.
- The site isn’t accidentally blocking search engines from indexing it (a common leftover from staging environments).
Security
- The site loads over HTTPS with a valid certificate, without mixed-content warnings.
- Admin accounts use strong, unique credentials, and unnecessary accounts are removed.
- Software, themes and plugins are updated to current, supported versions before launch.
- A backup of the site exists and has been tested to confirm it can actually be restored.
Ownership and access
- The business, not just the agency or developer, has administrative access to hosting, domain and key accounts.
- Domain registration and DNS settings are documented, with renewal dates known.
- Someone internally understands, at a basic level, how to make routine content updates.
The post-launch review
Launch day isn’t the finish line. Plan a review two to four weeks after launch to check real analytics data, confirm forms are performing as expected under genuine traffic, look for any 404 errors or broken links that surfaced after launch, and gather feedback from actual users or staff who rely on the site daily. Some issues simply don’t appear until real people, on real devices, with real intentions, start using the site — and catching them early is far less costly than discovering them months later.
Timing for all of this varies by the scope of the project and how ready the content and technical pieces are heading into launch. A checklist like this one is most useful when it’s reviewed with enough lead time to actually fix what it uncovers, rather than as a same-day formality before going live.
Frequently asked questions
How long before launch should this checklist be reviewed?
Ideally with enough runway to fix what it turns up — at least a couple of weeks before a planned launch date, so issues in accessibility, forms or analytics don’t get skipped under time pressure.
Is a post-launch review really necessary if everything worked at launch?
Yes. Some issues, like broken forms under real traffic conditions or analytics gaps, only surface once real visitors are using the site. A review in the first few weeks catches what pre-launch testing can miss.
Who should own the checklist internally?
Ideally one person or a small team responsible for confirming each item, even if different specialists (developer, marketer, designer) handle the actual work. A single owner prevents items from being assumed “someone else’s job.”