Complete Website Launch Checklist: 130+ Issues Most Owners Miss

Your website is built. It looks perfect. You're ready to launch.

But wait: Are you really ready? Have you checked everything? Tested everything? Configured everything?

Most business owners launch websites with dozens of critical issues undiscovered. They find problems only after customers complain, search engines ignore them, or security breaches occur.

This comprehensive checklist covers 130+ critical issues organized by category. Use it before launch, and you'll avoid the problems that cost businesses thousands of dollars and weeks of frustration.

Why This Checklist Matters

Launching a website without proper checks is like opening a store without checking if the doors work, the lights turn on, or the cash register functions. Everything might look good, but nothing actually works.

According to website launch research, over 70% of newly launched websites have critical issues discovered within the first month. Most could have been prevented with proper pre-launch checks.

The cost of post-launch fixes: $2,000-$10,000+ in emergency fixes, lost revenue during downtime, damaged reputation, and weeks of frustration.

Complete Website Launch Checklist

DOMAIN & DNS (12 Items)

• □ Domain registered in your name (not developer's)
• □ Domain registrar account access (you have login credentials)
• □ Domain expiration date known and auto-renewal enabled
• □ Nameservers pointing to correct hosting
• □ A record pointing to correct IP address
• □ CNAME for www subdomain configured
• □ www vs non-www redirect working (301 redirect)
• □ MX records configured for email
• □ SPF, DKIM, DMARC TXT records added
• □ Domain privacy (WHOIS privacy) enabled
• □ Domain transfer lock status known
• □ DNS records documented

HOSTING (10 Items)

• □ Hosting account in your name (not developer's)
• □ Hosting control panel access (cPanel, Plesk, etc.)
• □ Hosting company and account information documented
• □ Hosting renewal cost and date known
• □ Server resources adequate (RAM, CPU, storage)
• □ Hosting type appropriate (shared, VPS, dedicated)
• □ Backup system configured and tested
• □ Backup storage location known and accessible
• □ Hosting support contact information saved
• □ Server security measures verified

SSL & SECURITY (15 Items)

• □ SSL certificate installed and working
• □ HTTPS redirect configured (HTTP → HTTPS)
• □ SSL certificate auto-renewal enabled
• □ Mixed content warnings fixed (no HTTP resources on HTTPS pages)
• □ Admin username changed from "admin"
• □ Strong passwords on all accounts (16+ characters)
• □ Two-factor authentication enabled on admin accounts
• □ Default passwords changed
• □ File permissions set correctly (files 644, directories 755)
• □ Directory listing disabled
• □ Security headers configured (X-Frame-Options, CSP, etc.)
• □ Brute force protection enabled
• □ Security plugin installed and configured
• □ Firewall configured
• □ Security monitoring set up

EMAIL SETUP (12 Items)

• □ Business email accounts created (info@, contact@, etc.)
• □ Email hosting provider known
• □ Email account access (you have passwords)
• □ SPF record configured and tested
• □ DKIM keys generated and added to DNS
• □ DMARC policy set (start with monitoring mode)
• □ Email forwarding configured (catch-all or aliases)
• □ Email quotas known and monitored
• □ Email backup system in place
• □ Email client settings documented (IMAP/POP3/SMTP)
• □ Two-factor authentication enabled on email
• □ Email deliverability tested

BACKUP & RECOVERY (8 Items)

• □ Automated daily backups configured
• □ Backups include both files AND database
• □ Off-site backup storage configured
• □ Backup restore tested and working
• □ Backup retention policy set (30/90/365 days)
• □ Direct access to backup files
• □ Backups encrypted
• □ Disaster recovery plan documented

SEO & ANALYTICS (15 Items)

• □ Google Analytics installed and tracking
• □ Google Search Console set up and verified
• □ XML sitemap generated and submitted
• □ Robots.txt configured correctly
• □ Unique title tags on all pages (50-60 characters)
• □ Unique meta descriptions on all pages (150-160 characters)
• □ Schema markup implemented
• □ Canonical URLs set
• □ Alt text on all images
• □ Mobile-friendly (tested and verified)
• □ Page speed optimized (under 3 seconds)
• □ Core Web Vitals meeting targets
• □ Internal linking structure in place
• □ 404 page customized
• □ Broken links checked and fixed

PERFORMANCE (12 Items)

• □ Images optimized and compressed
• □ Modern image formats used (WebP, AVIF)
• □ Lazy loading enabled for images
• □ Caching enabled (page, object, browser)
• □ CDN configured
• □ Database optimized and cleaned
• □ CSS and JavaScript minified
• □ Gzip compression enabled
• □ HTTP requests minimized
• □ Render-blocking resources eliminated
• □ Server response time optimized
• □ Performance tested on multiple devices

LEGAL & COMPLIANCE (10 Items)

• □ Privacy policy created and accurate
• □ Terms of service included
• □ Cookie consent banner implemented (GDPR-compliant)
• □ GDPR compliance addressed (if applicable)
• □ Business contact information displayed
• □ Copyright notice in footer (current year)
• □ Website accessible (WCAG 2.1 AA compliant)
• □ Data retention policy documented
• □ Legal pages easily accessible
• □ Compliance requirements for your industry met

FORMS & CONTACT (8 Items)

• □ Contact form tested end-to-end
• □ Form emails not going to spam
• □ Spam protection enabled (CAPTCHA, honeypot)
• □ Form submissions saved to database
• □ Form validation enabled
• □ Auto-responder configured
• □ Form mobile-friendly
• □ All forms on site tested

CONTENT & CMS (10 Items)

• □ Content management system identified (WordPress, Joomla, etc.)
• □ Admin access with your own account
• □ User roles and permissions configured
• □ Content update training received
• □ All content proofread and error-free
• □ Business information accurate (address, phone, hours)
• □ Service descriptions complete
• □ Pricing information clear (if applicable)
• □ Media library organized
• □ Content backup system in place

MOBILE & RESPONSIVE (8 Items)

• □ Website tested on actual mobile devices
• □ Touch targets large enough (44x44px minimum)
• □ Mobile menu working properly
• □ Text readable on mobile (16px minimum)
• □ Forms easy to use on mobile
• □ Images responsive and loading correctly
• □ No horizontal scrolling on mobile
• □ Mobile performance optimized

TESTING & QUALITY (12 Items)

• □ All pages load correctly
• □ All links work (internal and external)
• □ All images load
• □ All forms tested and working
• □ Website tested in multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
• □ Website tested on multiple devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)
• □ No broken functionality
• □ No console errors
• □ No 404 errors
• □ Search functionality working (if applicable)
• □ Social media links working
• □ Third-party integrations tested

DOCUMENTATION & ACCESS (8 Items)

• □ Complete documentation received
• □ All login credentials documented and secured
• □ All account information saved
• □ Website manual or training provided
• □ DNS records documented
• □ Backup procedures documented
• □ Support contact information saved
• □ Emergency procedures documented

Pre-Launch Testing Protocol

Before launching, follow this testing protocol:

Week 1: Technical Testing

• Test all functionality
• Verify all configurations
• Check all integrations
• Test on multiple browsers and devices

Week 2: Content & SEO Review

• Proofread all content
• Verify SEO setup
• Check all links
• Test forms and contact methods

Week 3: Security & Performance

• Security audit
• Performance optimization
• Backup testing
• Legal compliance check

Launch Day: Final Checks

• Final functionality test
• DNS propagation check
• Email delivery test
• Analytics verification

Post-Launch Monitoring

After launch, monitor these critical areas:

• Uptime: Is your site accessible 24/7?
• Performance: Are load times acceptable?
• Analytics: Are visitors being tracked?
• Forms: Are submissions being received?
• Email: Is email delivery working?
• Search Console: Is Google indexing your site?
• Security: Are there any security alerts?

The Cost of Skipping This Checklist

Skipping pre-launch checks costs:

• Emergency fixes: $2,000-$10,000+ for post-launch issues
• Lost revenue: Downtime and poor performance cost sales
• Reputation damage: Broken functionality damages trust
• SEO penalties: Technical issues hurt search rankings
• Security breaches: Missing security costs $25,000+ per incident
• Legal issues: Non-compliance risks fines and lawsuits

How to Use This Checklist

Before Development Starts

Review the checklist with your developer. Ensure they understand all requirements. Get commitments on what will be configured.

During Development

Check off items as they're completed. Don't wait until the end—verify configurations as they're set up.

Before Launch

Go through the entire checklist systematically. Test everything. Don't launch until all critical items are checked.

After Launch

Keep the checklist for reference. Use it for regular audits. Update it as your site evolves.

The Verdict

Launching a website without proper checks is like flying blind. You might get lucky, but you'll probably crash.

This checklist covers 130+ critical issues. Use it. Check everything. Test everything. Don't launch until you're confident.

Your website is a business investment. Protect it. Launch it right.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I spend on pre-launch testing?

Plan for 2-4 weeks of pre-launch testing and configuration. Week 1: Technical setup and functionality testing. Week 2: Content review and SEO setup. Week 3: Security, performance, and compliance checks. Week 4: Final testing and launch preparation. Rushing launch leads to problems discovered after customers start using your site. Take time to do it right.

What's the most critical item on this checklist?

All items are important, but the most critical are: domain ownership (you must own your domain), backup system (tested and working), security basics (SSL, strong passwords, 2FA), and email configuration (SPF/DKIM/DMARC). Missing these causes the most expensive and damaging problems. However, don't skip any category—each addresses critical functionality.

Can I launch with some items unchecked?

Some items can be addressed post-launch (like advanced SEO optimization, some performance tweaks), but critical items (security, backups, email, DNS, ownership) must be complete before launch. Launching without these creates immediate risks. Use your judgment, but err on the side of caution—it's easier to fix issues before launch than after customers are using your site.

What if my developer says everything is done?

Verify yourself. Test everything. Don't take their word for it—many developers consider "it works" to mean "it looks good," not "it's properly configured." Use this checklist to verify. Test forms, check email delivery, verify backups, test on mobile devices. If items are missing, don't launch until they're fixed. Your business depends on it.

How do I prioritize if I can't check everything?

Focus on critical categories first: Domain & DNS (ownership and access), Security (SSL, passwords, 2FA), Email (authentication and delivery), Backups (tested and working), and Forms (tested and receiving). These cause the most expensive problems if wrong. Then address SEO, Performance, and Legal. Never skip Security, Backups, or Email—these are non-negotiable.