What should a website launch checklist include?
A launch checklist should prove five things: the content is complete and correct, search engines can find it, every old URL redirects, the site is accessible and fast on real devices, and tracking, forms and integrations work. It should end with one named person signing off, and a plan to roll back.
Content and search
- Every page is present, with working links and images.
- Images have alt text; legal pages and contact details are current.
- Every page has a title and meta description.
- The XML sitemap is ready and robots.txt allows search engines.
- No stray noindex tags left over from staging.
- Canonical tags and redirects point at the right URLs.
Quality
- Accessibility checked against WCAG, with AA as the usual target.
- Performance checked on a mid-range phone, not just a fast laptop.
- Tested in the browsers and devices your visitors use.
- Helpful 404 and error pages in place.
Tracking and integrations
- Analytics is recording, with internal traffic excluded.
- The consent banner works and respects visitors’ choices.
- Every form delivers to the right place.
- CRM, search, sign-in and commerce connections work end to end.
Sign-off and rollback
- One named owner signs off the launch.
- A rollback plan exists and someone knows how to use it.
- The launch happens when the team is around to fix things.
- Someone watches errors, traffic and forms for the first days.
How Cypher handles this
Every Cypher build ends in UAT, the second of your two gates: parity, accessibility and performance reports page by page, and a known-gaps report in writing. Nothing ships past that gate without your sign-off.
Questions people ask
Who should sign off a launch?
One named owner, usually the marketing lead for the site, with input from IT and legal where needed.
When is the best time to launch?
Early in the week and early in the day, when the team can respond. Avoid launching just before a holiday or a major campaign.
What’s the most common launch mistake?
Leaving staging settings in place, such as a noindex tag or a robots.txt that blocks search engines, which hides the new site from search.