Website Launch Checklist 2026

Choose a reliable web host

Select a host with LiteSpeed servers, free SSL, and 99.9%+ uptime guarantee.

Register a brandable domain name

Keep it short, memorable, and easy to spell. Avoid hyphens and numbers.

Activate free SSL certificate

HTTPS is mandatory for SEO, security, and user trust. Most hosts include this free.

Point DNS nameservers correctly

Connect your domain registrar to your hosting provider's nameservers.

Install WordPress via 1-click installer

Use your host's auto-installer for a clean WordPress setup.

Install a fast, lightweight theme

Choose Astra, GeneratePress, or Kadence. Avoid heavy multipurpose themes.

Install essential plugins only

SEO plugin (Yoast/RankMath), caching plugin, security plugin, and backup plugin.

Set permalink structure to Post Name

Settings → Permalinks → Post Name. This is critical for clean SEO URLs.

Configure comment moderation

Enable comment moderation to prevent spam. Consider Akismet or disabling comments.

Set strong admin passwords

Use a password manager. Never use 'admin' as your username.

Enable two-factor authentication

Add 2FA to your WordPress login and hosting dashboard.

Configure automated backups

Set daily or weekly backups. Test the restore process once.

Set up a web application firewall

Use Cloudflare free tier or your host's built-in firewall.

Enable server-level caching

LiteSpeed Cache, WP Super Cache, or W3 Total Cache depending on your server.

Set up a CDN (Content Delivery Network)

Cloudflare free tier delivers your content from edge servers globally.

Compress and convert images to WebP

Use ShortPixel, Imagify, or Smush to auto-compress all uploaded images.

Test Core Web Vitals scores

Use PageSpeed Insights. Target: LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1, INP < 200ms.

Install and configure SEO plugin

RankMath or Yoast SEO. Set up titles, meta descriptions, and Open Graph tags.

Generate and submit XML sitemap

Submit your sitemap.xml to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

Configure robots.txt properly

Allow crawling of important pages, block admin and login pages.

Set up Google Search Console

Verify your domain and monitor indexing, performance, and errors.

Install Google Analytics 4

Track traffic, user behavior, and conversion goals from day one.

Design a professional logo

Use Canva or hire a designer. Your logo appears in search results via schema.

Create an About page with author bios

Google E-E-A-T requires real people behind the content.

Add a Contact page with real email

Trust signal. Include a contact form and business email.

Publish a Privacy Policy page

Required by law in most countries. Use a generator as a starting point.

Publish first 5 cornerstone articles

Create your pillar content before promoting. Quality over quantity.

Test on mobile devices

Over 60% of traffic is mobile. Test on real devices, not just browser resizing.

Check for broken links

Use Screaming Frog or an online checker. Fix all 404 errors before launch.

Run final speed tests

GTmetrix, PageSpeed Insights, and WebPageTest. Document your baseline scores.

Set up uptime monitoring

Use UptimeRobot (free) or BetterStack to get alerts when your site goes down.

Create social media profiles

At minimum: Twitter/X, LinkedIn. Use consistent branding across all platforms.