Resources/Checklist

The 26-Point
Website Launch Checklist

Don't go live without hitting every point.

SEOSpeedSecurityAnalyticsContentMobileLegal
Joshua Montanez

Joshua Montanez

January 2026 · 5 min read

Launching a website is exciting. But go live too fast and you'll miss critical issues that hurt your rankings, break your forms, or scare away visitors.

We've launched dozens of sites for Minneapolis small businesses. Every single one goes through this 26-point checklist. Bookmark it, print it, use it.

Jump to Section

SEO Essentials (6)Performance (4)Security (3)Analytics (3)Content (4)Mobile (3)Legal & Forms (3)

SEO Essentials

Get found in Google. These are non-negotiable.

1. Write unique title tags for every page

Why: Title tags are the #1 on-page ranking factor. Each page needs its own.

How to check: Check page source or use an SEO audit tool. Keep under 60 characters.

2. Add meta descriptions to all pages

Why: These show in search results. No description = Google picks random text.

How to check: View page source, look for <meta name="description">. Keep under 155 characters.

3. Verify each page has one H1 tag

Why: The H1 tells Google what the page is about. Multiple H1s confuse crawlers.

How to check: Right-click > Inspect > search for <h1>. Should only find one per page.

4. Submit XML sitemap to Google

Why: Helps Google discover and index all your pages faster.

How to check: Go to Google Search Console > Sitemaps > submit yoursite.com/sitemap.xml

5. Check robots.txt isn't blocking pages

Why: A misconfigured robots.txt can hide your entire site from Google.

How to check: Visit yoursite.com/robots.txt. Make sure it doesn't say 'Disallow: /'

6. Add schema markup

Why: Schema helps Google understand your content and can get you rich snippets.

How to check: Test at Google's Rich Results Test. Add LocalBusiness schema at minimum.

Performance

Speed matters. Slow sites lose visitors and rankings.

7. Test Core Web Vitals

Why: Google uses these as ranking signals. Slow sites rank lower.

How to check: Run PageSpeed Insights. Green scores on LCP, FID, and CLS.

8. Compress all images

Why: Images are usually the biggest page weight. Uncompressed = slow.

How to check: Use WebP format. Each image should be under 200KB ideally.

9. Enable lazy loading

Why: Don't load images until users scroll to them. Faster initial load.

How to check: Add loading="lazy" to img tags or use your framework's built-in solution.

10. Set up caching

Why: Returning visitors load instantly instead of re-downloading everything.

How to check: Check response headers for Cache-Control. Set static assets to 1 year.

Security

Protect your site and your visitors.

11. Verify SSL certificate is active

Why: No SSL = 'Not Secure' warning in browsers. Kills trust instantly.

How to check: Check for padlock icon. URL should start with https://

12. Set up automatic backups

Why: Sites get hacked. Servers fail. Backups are your insurance policy.

How to check: Daily backups minimum. Test restoring from backup before launch.

13. Add security headers

Why: Protects against common attacks like clickjacking and XSS.

How to check: Check headers at securityheaders.com. Add X-Frame-Options, CSP, etc.

Analytics

Measure what matters. Can't improve what you don't track.

14. Install Google Analytics 4

Why: Can't improve what you don't measure. Know your traffic.

How to check: Create GA4 property, add tracking code, verify in Realtime report.

15. Connect Google Search Console

Why: See what keywords you're ranking for and fix indexing issues.

How to check: Add property in GSC, verify ownership, submit sitemap.

16. Set up conversion tracking

Why: Traffic means nothing if you don't track leads and sales.

How to check: Create goals for form submissions, calls, purchases. Test each one.

Content

Polish everything. First impressions matter.

17. Proofread all content

Why: Typos kill credibility. One mistake and visitors question everything.

How to check: Read out loud. Use Grammarly. Have someone else review.

18. Test all internal links

Why: Broken links frustrate users and waste your link equity.

How to check: Use a crawler or broken link checker. Fix or remove dead links.

19. Add alt text to all images

Why: Accessibility requirement. Also helps images rank in Google.

How to check: Every <img> needs an alt attribute describing the image.

20. Create a custom 404 page

Why: When someone hits a dead link, help them find what they need.

How to check: Visit yoursite.com/thispagedoesnotexist. Should show helpful 404 page.

Mobile

Over 60% of traffic is mobile. Don't break their experience.

21. Test on actual mobile devices

Why: Desktop simulators miss real-world issues. Test on real phones.

How to check: Check on iPhone and Android. Test forms, buttons, navigation.

22. Check touch target sizes

Why: Tiny buttons = frustrated mobile users. Fingers aren't mouse cursors.

How to check: Buttons should be at least 44x44 pixels. Space between clickable elements.

23. Verify no horizontal scrolling

Why: Horizontal scroll on mobile = broken layout. Looks unprofessional.

How to check: Scroll through every page on mobile. Nothing should extend past screen.

That's the List

Bookmark this page. Run through it before every launch. Your future self will thank you.

Miss something? Found an issue after going live? It happens. What matters is catching it fast.

Want It Done Right?

This checklist is great for DIY. But if you want a site that's built to rank from day one, let's talk.

Get In TouchView Web Design Services