Website Launch Checklist

I. Planning and Strategy

Goals and Objectives:

Have you clearly defined the website's purpose and target audience?


What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) you'll track (e.g., traffic, conversions, engagement)?


Do you have a marketing plan in place for post-launch?


Content and SEO:

Actionable Item

Tick if yes

Comment if any

Is all content finalized, proofread, and optimized for readability?

 

Have you conducted keyword research and implemented on-page SEO best practices (title tags, meta descriptions, header tags)?

 

Is there a content calendar for future updates and blog posts?

 

Have you considered internationalization (if applicable)?

 

Design and User Experience (UX):

Actionable Item

Tick if yes

Comment if any

Is the website design responsive across all devices (desktops, tablets, mobiles)?

 

Have you conducted user testing to ensure a smooth and intuitive user experience?

 

Is the navigation clear and easy to follow?

 

Are call-to-actions (CTAs) prominent and effective?

 

Have you optimized images for web performance (size and format)?

 

Is the website accessible (WCAG guidelines)?

 

Technical Considerations:

Actionable Item

Tick if yes

Comment if any

Have you chosen a reliable hosting provider and domain name?

 

Is the website's architecture optimized for speed and performance?

 

Have you implemented security measures (SSL certificate, firewalls)?

 

Have you set up analytics tracking (Google Analytics, etc.)?

 

Have you backed up the website files and database?

 

Is the site compatible with all major browsers?

 

Have you tested the website's functionality (forms, contact pages, e-commerce features)?

 

II. Development and Testing

Actionable Item

Tick if yes

Comment if any

Functionality:

 
 

Are all links working correctly (internal and external)?

 

Have you tested all forms and contact pages?

 

Are e-commerce features (if applicable) functioning flawlessly (product listings, shopping cart, checkout process, payment gateways)?

 

Have you tested the website's search functionality?

 

Are any third-party integrations working as expected?

 

Performance:

 
 

Is the website loading quickly?

 

Have you optimized images and code?

 

Have you tested the website's performance under load?

 

Security:

 
 

Is the website protected against common vulnerabilities (e.g., cross-site scripting, SQL injection)?

 

Have you implemented security best practices for accounts and user data?

 

Cross-Browser and Device Compatibility:

 
 

Have you tested the website on different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones)?

 

Staging Environment:

 
 

Have you thoroughly tested the website in a staging environment before going live?

 

III. Launch and Post-Launch

Actionable Item

Tick if yes

Comment if any

Pre-Launch:

 
 

Have you created a backup of the live website?

 

Have you informed your team and stakeholders about the launch date and plan?

 

Have you prepared any launch announcements (social media, email marketing)?

 

Have you set up redirects from old URLs (if applicable)?

 

Launch Day:

 
 

Have you monitored the website closely after launch for any errors or issues?

 

Have you submitted the sitemap to search engines?

 

Post-Launch:

 
 

Are you tracking website analytics and KPIs?

 

Are you actively monitoring social media and online reviews?

 

Have you established a process for website maintenance and updates?

 

Are you addressing any bugs or issues promptly?

 

Are you gathering user feedback and making improvements?

 

Are you implementing your marketing plan?

 

Documentation:

 
 

Is there documentation for the website's code, design, and functionality?

 

Are there user manuals or tutorials available?

 

IV. Legal and Compliance

Actionable Item

Tick if yes

Comment if any

Privacy Policy:

 
 

Do you have a clear and comprehensive privacy policy?

 

Terms of Service:

 
 

Do you have terms of service outlining the rules and regulations for using your website?

 

Copyright and Intellectual Property:

 
 

Have you secured the necessary rights for all content and images used on the website?

 

Accessibility:

 
 

Does your website comply with accessibility guidelines (WCAG)?

 

GDPR/CCPA (if applicable):

 
 

Are you compliant with relevant data privacy regulations?

 

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Strengths:

  • Comprehensive Coverage: It addresses a wide range of essential aspects, including strategy, content, design, technical details, testing, launch procedures, post-launch activities, and legal compliance. This breadth is vital for a successful launch.
  • Well-Organized: The categorization into Planning & Strategy, Development & Testing, Launch & Post-Launch, and Legal & Compliance makes the checklist easy to navigate and understand. This structure helps ensure no critical area is overlooked.
  • Detailed Questions: The questions within each section are specific and actionable, prompting thorough consideration of each element. This level of detail helps avoid vague assumptions and potential oversights.
  • Focus on Key Areas: It prioritizes critical areas like SEO, user experience, performance, security, and accessibility, which are crucial for a modern website's success.
  • Legal and Compliance: Including legal considerations like privacy policies, terms of service, and GDPR/CCPA compliance is essential and often overlooked. This checklist correctly emphasizes their importance.

Potential Areas for Enhancement:

  • Prioritization/Weighting: While comprehensive, it doesn't indicate the relative importance of each item. Some items are more critical than others. Adding a prioritization system (e.g., High, Medium, Low) or weighting could be beneficial.
  • Task Assignment: The checklist doesn't address task assignment. For larger teams, it would be helpful to include a column for assigning responsibility for each item.
  • Timeline/Deadlines: A space for deadlines or target completion dates would make the checklist more actionable and facilitate project management.
  • Specific Tools/Resources: While it mentions general tools like Google Analytics, it could be enhanced by suggesting specific tools or resources for various tasks (e.g., SEO tools, performance testing tools, accessibility checkers).
  • Content Inventory: Within the "Content & SEO" section, explicitly mentioning a content inventory or audit could be beneficial. This helps ensure all content is accounted for and optimized.
  • Accessibility Details: The "Accessibility" item could be expanded to include specific checkpoints or guidelines within WCAG (e.g., alt text for images, keyboard navigation).
  • Mobile-First Indexing: Given the importance of mobile, explicitly mentioning mobile-first indexing in the SEO section would be relevant.
  • User Acceptance Testing (UAT): While user testing is mentioned, explicitly naming "User Acceptance Testing" (UAT) can reinforce its importance as a formal testing phase before launch.
  • Disaster Recovery Plan: While backups are mentioned, a more detailed disaster recovery plan should be considered, outlining the steps to restore the website in case of unforeseen issues.
  • Version Control: For development, mentioning version control (e.g., Git) would be a good addition.

Overall:

This checklist is a valuable tool for anyone launching a website. By addressing the potential enhancements mentioned above, it can become even more effective and contribute to smoother, more successful website launches. It's a great starting point, and tailoring it to the specifics of each project will be key to its optimal use.

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