What to check before launching the site

54 points for verification

Launching a new site is one of the riskiest moments in a web project. A contact form that doesn't work, noindex staying in production, lack of SEO redirects from the old version - each of these errors is trivial to fix before launch and costly afterwards. This list was compiled from retrospectives of hundreds of implementations performed by Digital Vantage over the past 20 years.

How to use: go through the list a minimum of 24-48 hours before the scheduled launch date. Points marked as critical block the launch - the rest are tasks for the first week after the launch.

💡 Tip

Estimated time of use: 4-6 hours first pass - 30-60 min for subsequent projects according to the template

The most common errors that this list blocks

- noindex on production - error in 4 of 10 migrations from staging; weeks without indexing
- No conversion events in GA4 - form "works" but no one tracks it; data lost irretrievably
- Checkout untested on iOS Safari - different from Chrome, most common surprise after launch
- Expiring SSL certificate - if SSL expires within 3 days of launch, Chrome warning will appear during campaign
- Missing 301 redirects - loss of SEO position overnight with a rebrand or URL change

FAQ

Questions and answers

01
Does this checklist also apply to the redesign, or just the new site?

Applies to both cases - with one important difference. When redesigning an existing site, the technical SEO points (301 redirects, URL structure maintenance, canonical) are more critical than when starting from scratch, because you have something to lose: existing positions, inbound links and indexing history. With a new domain, the main risks are improper analytics setup and too early or too late sitemap submission to Google Search Console.

02
Who in the company should pass the list - the dev or the owner?

Preferably both, each his own part. Technical sections (SEO, performance, security headers, redirects) should be reviewed by a developer or technical person with access to the server and CMS. Content sections (text, contact information, legal policies, forms) should go through the owner or editor - because the developer often doesn't know if the phone number in the footer is up to date. Checklists, where one person is responsible for everything, have a higher percentage of missed points.

03
What if I don't manage to check all the points before the launch?

Focus on critical points - those marked in the list as blocking the launch. The rest are tasks for the first 7 days after launch. Never put off until "after" three things: noindex must be turned off, analytics must collect data from the first session, and checkout (if applicable) must be tested with full flow. Lost analytics data from the first few days after launch is irrecoverable - the only truly irreversible consequence of a rushed launch.

Are you launching a site and prefer to be sure?

We do an independent pre-launch review - a list of bugs with priorities for repair in 48h.

What to check before launching the site

54 points for verification

What to check before launching the site

54 points for verification

💡 Tip

The most common errors that this list blocks

A. Content and texts (points 1-9)

B. Technical SEO (items 10-22)

C. Performance and Core Web Vitals (items 23-31)

D. Security and legal compliance (paragraphs 32-38)

E. Analytics and tracking (points 39-43)

F. Forms and conversions (items 44-47)

G. Cross-browser and cross-device tests (items 48-50)

You're just getting started

Questions and answers

01Does this checklist also apply to the redesign, or just the new site?

02Who in the company should pass the list - the dev or the owner?

03What if I don't manage to check all the points before the launch?

Are you launching a site and prefer to be sure?

💡 Tip

The most common errors that this list blocks

A. Content and texts (points 1-9)

B. Technical SEO (items 10-22)

C. Performance and Core Web Vitals (items 23-31)

D. Security and legal compliance (paragraphs 32-38)

E. Analytics and tracking (points 39-43)

F. Forms and conversions (items 44-47)

G. Cross-browser and cross-device tests (items 48-50)

You're just getting started

Questions and answers

01Does this checklist also apply to the redesign, or just the new site?

02Who in the company should pass the list - the dev or the owner?

03What if I don't manage to check all the points before the launch?

Are you launching a site and prefer to be sure?

Related resources

Related resources

01
Does this checklist also apply to the redesign, or just the new site?

02
Who in the company should pass the list - the dev or the owner?

03
What if I don't manage to check all the points before the launch?

01
Does this checklist also apply to the redesign, or just the new site?

02
Who in the company should pass the list - the dev or the owner?

03
What if I don't manage to check all the points before the launch?