Website Redesign Checklist: Everything Your Business Should Check Before Launch

Launching a new or redesigned website without a proper checklist is how businesses accidentally lose their Google rankings, break their contact forms, or ship a site that doesn't work on mobile. It happens to more agencies than you'd expect.

Here's the comprehensive pre-launch checklist we run before every site we ship.

Technical SEO

• [ ] XML sitemap generated and submitted to Google Search Console
• [ ] robots.txt permits crawl of important content
• [ ] All important pages return HTTP 200
• [ ] No unintended noindex tags
• [ ] Canonical URLs set correctly on every page
• [ ] 301 redirects mapped from every old URL to new equivalent
• [ ] Structured data (JSON-LD) valid on all page types
• [ ] Meta title (50–60 chars) and description (140–160) on every page
• [ ] Open Graph tags for social sharing
• [ ] Twitter Card meta tags
• [ ] Alt text on all content images
• [ ] Language declaration in HTML lang attribute
• [ ] No broken internal links
• [ ] No broken outbound links
• [ ] Breadcrumb structure implemented

Performance

• [ ] Core Web Vitals (LCP < 2.5s, INP < 200ms, CLS < 0.1) on mobile
• [ ] Images optimised (WebP where possible, correct dimensions)
• [ ] Lazy loading below-the-fold images
• [ ] Fonts optimised (subset, preload critical)
• [ ] JavaScript deferred or async where possible
• [ ] CSS minified
• [ ] Caching headers configured
• [ ] CDN configured
• [ ] Compressed (Brotli or Gzip)
• [ ] HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 enabled

Mobile Experience

• [ ] Tested on real iPhone (Safari)
• [ ] Tested on real Android (Chrome)
• [ ] All tap targets ≥ 44×44 px
• [ ] No horizontal scrolling
• [ ] Forms trigger correct keyboards
• [ ] Phone numbers are tap-to-call
• [ ] Addresses open in maps
• [ ] Sticky CTA (if used) doesn't cover critical content
• [ ] Menus work with touch
• [ ] Videos don't autoplay with sound

Content

• [ ] All copy proofread
• [ ] All internal links to correct pages
• [ ] All CTAs clearly worded
• [ ] Case studies use real data with permission
• [ ] Team photos current
• [ ] Contact information accurate
• [ ] Hours, address, phone consistent site-wide
• [ ] All service pages complete
• [ ] Blog architecture set up
• [ ] Category/tag structure logical

Forms and Conversion

• [ ] All forms tested end-to-end
• [ ] Form submissions actually reach recipient email
• [ ] Auto-response emails configured and tested
• [ ] Anti-spam (reCAPTCHA or honeypot) working
• [ ] Confirmation pages / thank you pages set up
• [ ] Conversion events tracked in Google Analytics
• [ ] CTAs consistent across pages
• [ ] Phone number tap-to-call on mobile

Analytics and Tracking

• [ ] Google Analytics 4 installed
• [ ] Google Search Console verified
• [ ] Conversion events configured
• [ ] Enhanced measurement enabled
• [ ] Session recording (Clarity or Hotjar) configured
• [ ] Cookie consent banner (if applicable) working
• [ ] Facebook Pixel or other ad tracking (if applicable)
• [ ] UTM parameter handling
• [ ] Call tracking (if applicable) working

Legal and Compliance

• [ ] Privacy policy present and current
• [ ] Terms of service present
• [ ] Cookie policy (if using cookies beyond essential)
• [ ] GDPR/CCPA compliance (as applicable)
• [ ] Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) baseline met
• [ ] Contact information visible in footer
• [ ] Business registration number (where required)
• [ ] Any industry-specific disclaimers

Accessibility

• [ ] All images have alt text
• [ ] Color contrast ≥ 4.5:1 for body text
• [ ] Keyboard navigation works throughout
• [ ] Focus states visible
• [ ] Form fields have labels
• [ ] Skip-to-content link
• [ ] Video captions where relevant
• [ ] Screen reader tested on key pages
• [ ] No color-only information conveyance
• [ ] ARIA labels where needed

Security

• [ ] HTTPS enforced site-wide
• [ ] SSL certificate valid
• [ ] Security headers configured (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options)
• [ ] Admin URLs changed from defaults
• [ ] Strong admin passwords enforced
• [ ] Two-factor authentication for admin accounts
• [ ] Backup system configured and tested
• [ ] Update / patching plan in place
• [ ] No sensitive data in client-side code

Search Console Setup

• [ ] Property added and verified
• [ ] Sitemap submitted
• [ ] Preferred domain set
• [ ] URL inspection for key pages
• [ ] Mobile usability report reviewed
• [ ] Core Web Vitals monitored

301 Redirect Discipline

If replacing an existing site, redirect EVERY old URL to its new equivalent:

• Homepage → homepage (usually not needed)
• Individual pages → matched pages
• Blog posts → matched blog posts
• Legacy campaign URLs → relevant pages
• Test each redirect actually works
• Monitor Search Console for crawl errors

Skipping redirects is how businesses lose 30–60% of their organic traffic overnight.

Post-Launch (First 48 Hours)

• [ ] Homepage renders correctly on 5+ devices
• [ ] No 500 errors in server logs
• [ ] Contact form receives a test submission
• [ ] Google Search Console shows new sitemap indexing
• [ ] Analytics recording traffic
• [ ] No console errors in browser
• [ ] Social sharing previews correct

Post-Launch (First 2 Weeks)

• [ ] Monitor Search Console for coverage issues
• [ ] Check Core Web Vitals from field data
• [ ] Review analytics for unexpected drops
• [ ] Fix any 404s from broken redirects
• [ ] Address any user-reported issues

Post-Launch (First 90 Days)

• [ ] Ranking check for top 10 keywords
• [ ] Content additions per plan
• [ ] Conversion rate baseline established
• [ ] First round of optimisations informed by data

The Redesign Trap

The single biggest redesign mistake: launching with beautiful design but broken SEO. Sites that lost rankings after redesign usually skipped:

• 301 redirect mapping
• Meta title/description preservation on key pages
• URL structure changes without preparation
• Sitemap resubmission

Our website design service treats SEO preservation as a launch-critical deliverable — not an afterthought.

Handoff Documentation

Post-launch, your team should receive:

• Admin access to CMS
• Analytics access
• Search Console access
• Design source files (Figma)
• Style guide / brand system
• Deploy documentation
• List of installed plugins and their purposes
• Emergency contact / support terms

Testing on Real Devices

Chrome DevTools mobile emulation is helpful but never a substitute for real device testing. Before launch:

• Real iPhone (current model + one older)
• Real Android (Samsung + Pixel)
• iPad
• Different browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
• Different network speeds (fast wifi, slow 4G)

Content Team Training

If your team will maintain the site:

• Recorded walkthroughs of common tasks
• CMS training session with the actual users
• Editorial style guide
• Image sizing guidelines
• SEO basics for content editors

Final Sign-Off

Before launch, get sign-off from:

• Business owner (content and messaging)
• Marketing lead (analytics and tracking)
• Legal/compliance (if applicable)
• Technical lead (performance and security)

Skipping stakeholder sign-off leads to post-launch panics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a proper pre-launch checklist take to complete?

For a medium-sized site: 2–4 days including all testing and fixes. For enterprise sites: 1–2 weeks. Skipping this phase reliably produces post-launch issues that cost 10x more to fix.

What's the biggest mistake in website launches?

Skipping 301 redirects from the old site. This single mistake has cost businesses 30–60% of their organic traffic. Always map every old URL to a new equivalent.

Do I need to resubmit my sitemap after launch?

Yes, in Google Search Console. New sitemap submission accelerates indexing of new pages.

How long until my new site's SEO stabilises?

Fluctuations in the first 30 days are normal. Rankings usually stabilise by day 60 and start compounding by day 90. If rankings drop and don't recover by day 60, something is wrong (usually missing redirects).

Should I launch on a Friday?

No. Launch Monday-Wednesday. Fridays and weekends are when issues hit and no one is available to fix them.

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