The Ultimate Checklist for Launching a New Website

 

Launching a new website is exciting  but it can also be overwhelming. Whether you’re building a business site, an online store, or a personal portfolio, there are dozens of small but critical steps you don’t want to miss. To help you avoid launch-day disasters, we’ve put together the ultimate website launch checklist that covers everything from design and functionality to SEO and performance.

1. Finalize Your Design and Branding

Before you hit “publish,” make sure your site reflects your brand perfectly.

  • ✅ Consistent logo placement and color palette
  • ✅ Clear typography hierarchy (headings, body text, buttons)
  • ✅ High-quality, optimized images (JPEG/PNG/WebP)
  • ✅ Responsive design for desktop, tablet, and mobile

💡 Pro Tip: Preview your site on multiple screen sizes and browsers to ensure it looks great everywhere.

2. Test All Website Functionality

A beautiful website is useless if it’s broken.

  • ✅ Check all links for errors or redirects
  • ✅ Test contact forms, booking systems, and checkout processes
  • ✅ Verify interactive elements (sliders, menus, pop-ups) work smoothly
  • ✅ Ensure videos load and play correctly

3. Optimize for SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

A successful launch means your website is findable.

  • ✅ Add keyword-optimized title tags and meta descriptions
  • ✅ Use heading tags (H1, H2, H3) correctly
  • ✅ Include alt text for all images
  • ✅ Set up a clean, descriptive URL structure
  • ✅ Create and submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console

💡 Pro Tip: Use an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math if you’re on WordPress.

4. Improve Site Speed and Performance

Fast websites rank higher and keep visitors around longer.

  • ✅ Compress images with tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh
  • ✅ Enable browser caching and a content delivery network (CDN)
  • ✅ Minimize CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files
  • ✅ Test load speed using Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix

5. Set Up Website Analytics

If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.

  • ✅ Install Google Analytics or GA4
  • ✅ Connect Google Search Console
  • ✅ Set up conversion tracking for forms, sales, or leads
  • ✅ Monitor user behavior with heatmaps (Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity)

6. Ensure Security and Backups

Protect your site from hackers and unexpected issues.

  • ✅ Install an SSL certificate (HTTPS)
  • ✅ Enable security plugins or firewalls
  • ✅ Schedule automatic backups (daily or weekly)
  • ✅ Hide backend login pages or limit login attempts

7. Check Legal Pages and Compliance

Don’t risk legal trouble — make sure your site is compliant.

  • ✅ Privacy Policy & Terms of Service
  • ✅ Cookie consent banner (GDPR/CCPA compliance)
  • ✅ Accessibility features (WCAG standards)
  • ✅ Copyright disclaimers

8. Announce Your Launch

When your site is ready, tell the world.

  • ✅ Write a blog post about the launch
  • ✅ Share on social media platforms
  • ✅ Email your subscribers or past customers
  • ✅ Consider running a paid ad campaign to boost visibility

Conclusion

Launching a new website is more than just clicking “publish.” By following this checklist, you’ll ensure your site is fast, functional, secure, and ready to rank in search engines from day one.

If you need help designing, developing, or optimizing your next website, our team at WJM Digital Design specializes in building high-performance websites that convert. 📩 Contact us today for a free consultation!

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