What should I check before launching my website?

Check content accuracy, test all forms, verify mobile responsiveness, ensure SSL is active, set up analytics, implement SEO basics, confirm legal compliance, and test site speed.

Website Launch Checklist: Everything to Check Before Going Live

Published 14 March 2026

Don't Launch Without Checking These

Launching a website is exciting, but rushing the launch without a proper checklist is one of the most common mistakes Irish businesses make. A missed redirect, broken form, or forgotten analytics setup can cost you traffic and leads from day one.

Content and Copy

All pages proofread for spelling and grammar (use UK/Irish English)
Contact details are correct on every page
Company name, address, and phone number are consistent across the site
All placeholder/lorem ipsum text has been replaced
Images have descriptive alt text
Links to social media profiles work
Terms and conditions, privacy policy, and cookie policy are in place
Copyright notice is current and correct

💡 Tip: Test every single form on your website before launch. Submit contact forms, booking forms, newsletter signups—everything. Check that the submission arrives where it should (your email, your CRM, your booking system). Many websites go live with broken forms that silently fail, meaning you never hear from interested customers. Test on both desktop and mobile. Send a few test submissions from real devices, not just your dev environment.

Technical Essentials

SSL certificate installed and working (https:// not http://)
All pages load without errors
404 page is set up and helpful
Redirects are in place for any old URLs that have changed
XML sitemap generated and submitted to Google Search Console
Robots.txt file is configured correctly
Site speed tested on both mobile and desktop
All forms tested — submissions actually arrive where they should

✅ What Works: Having a structured pre-launch checklist prevents the majority of costly mistakes that damage new websites. Breaking your checks into sections (content, technical, SEO, mobile, legal, performance) means nothing gets missed. Use the same checklist for every site launch so the process becomes reliable and repeatable. Document your results as you go—this becomes proof you did due diligence if anything goes wrong post-launch.

The number of websites that launch with forms that don't actually send emails is staggering. Test every single form before going live.
Web Design Guide Ireland

SEO Fundamentals

Every page has a unique title tag (under 60 characters)
Every page has a unique meta description (under 160 characters)
Heading structure is logical (H1 → H2 → H3, one H1 per page)
Images are optimised for file size and have descriptive filenames
Internal links connect related content throughout the site
Schema markup implemented (LocalBusiness at minimum)
Google Search Console and Google Analytics connected
Google Business Profile linked to the website

⚠️ Important: Don't launch a new website without proper 301 redirects in place if you're migrating from an old site. Every old URL that has backlinks or traffic needs to redirect to the equivalent new page. Broken redirects cause 404 errors, kill your existing SEO authority, and frustrate your visitors. Set up redirects before going live, test them thoroughly, and monitor Google Search Console for crawl errors in the first week. A few missed redirects can cost you years of accumulated search ranking authority.

Mobile and Responsiveness

Site tested on actual mobile devices
Navigation works on mobile
Text is readable without zooming
Buttons and links have adequate tap targets
Images scale correctly on different screen sizes
Forms are usable on mobile

🚫 Avoid: Don't skip mobile testing before launch. Testing your site in Chrome DevTools on your desktop isn't enough—you must test on real mobile devices (iPhones, Android phones) before going live. Mobile visitors represent 50-80% of traffic for most Irish businesses. A site that works fine on desktop might be unusable on mobile: text too small, buttons hard to tap, forms broken. Five minutes of real mobile testing catches 90% of mobile issues before they damage your conversion rate.

Legal and Compliance

GDPR-compliant privacy policy published
Cookie consent banner working correctly (with genuine Reject option)
Terms and conditions appropriate for your business type
Accessibility basics checked
Company registration number displayed if required
VAT number displayed if applicable

Performance and Security

Page load time under 3 seconds on mobile
Images compressed and served in modern formats (WebP where possible)
Browser caching configured
Backup system in place and tested
WordPress and plugins updated to latest versions (if applicable)
Security plugin or firewall active

Post-Launch (First Week)

Monitor Google Search Console for crawl errors
Check analytics to confirm tracking is working
Test all forms again after launch
Submit sitemap to Google and Bing
Share launch on social media and email list
Monitor site speed under real traffic
Set up uptime monitoring

Frequently Asked Questions

What SEO checks should I complete before launch?

Ensure every page has unique title tags and meta descriptions, implement schema markup, set up proper redirects, and submit your XML sitemap to Google Search Console.

How do I make sure my legal pages are ready for launch?

Check that your privacy policy, terms and conditions, and cookie consent are all in place, properly linked from the footer, and compliant with GDPR requirements.

📚 Related Resources

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A methodical pre-launch process catches 95% of issues before they cost you business. Our team works through a comprehensive checklist on every project to ensure your website launches smoothly, your SEO foundation is solid, and your legal compliance is handled. Ready for a smooth launch?

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Written by

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Ciaran Connolly

Founder of Web Design Ireland. Helping Irish businesses make smart website investments with honest, practical advice.