Website Launch SEO Checklist

One of the most underestimated parts of any website build is the go-live process. I mean it’s just as simple as switching some DNS records, right?!

❌ WRONG! Getting the go-live process of a website wrong can be catastrophic. 

Just this week, we’ve taken on a website for an international college that had a website launched in October last year. The site structure and go-live process were so bad that they went from having 6,500 rankings to under 250. 😱 This is an entirely TRUE story. 

I also understand that launch days are often chaotic. They’re often at the end of a long process, and as the agency, you want to get your closing invoice out. But it’s still part of the project – it deserves to be done right. 

Below is the checklist of all the SEO items in our go-live process. These form just PART of the full go live list. If you scroll to the bottom of this post, there is a link to a Google Doc with the FULL go-live list for you. This is one of the bonus resources in my WordPress SEO Fundamentals Course, but I’m including it here for you as part of the SEO Weekly Series. 🙏

So here’s a focused SEO checklist for website launches that will help you avoid the most common (and costly) mistakes:

Pre-Launch SEO Essentials

1️⃣ Technical Foundation

• SEO plugin configuration – Properly set up your SEO plugin (we use SEOPress Pro) before going live.
• Permalink structure – Ensure you’re using SEO-friendly URL structures (typically /post-name/ or /category/post-name/).
• XML sitemap setup – Have your sitemap ready to submit the moment you go live and link it in your robots.txt file.
• Schema implementation – Configure key structured data for your business type.
• Analytics installation – Set up GA4 and ensure tracking is working correctly.

2️⃣ On-Page Optimization

H1 tag audit – Every page needs exactly ONE H1 tag.

• Meta titles & descriptions – Each page needs unique, keyword-rich metadata creating. (Including this as part of the copywriting process is the easiest way to handle it.)
• Internal linking structure – Ensure your site hierarchy is clear through strategic internal linking.
• Content quality check – Run content through plagiarism tools (like Copyscape) before launch.
• Image optimization – Compress images and add proper ALT tags for accessibility and SEO.
• 301 redirect configuration – Ensure any old URL slugs redirect properly to new ones (yes, this can be done AHEAD of launch).

3️⃣ Local SEO Elements (if applicable)

• NAP consistency – Your Name, Address, Phone number must be consistent across the site.
• Local Business schema – Local business schema should be properly implemented.
• Google Business Profile – Make sure the business details are consistent across the website and the GBP Profile.

Post-Launch SEO Priorities

Some items/checks need to be done immediately after the DNS propagates, before any crawler has the chance to index the site. Here’s what needs to happen right away:

1️⃣ SSL certificate installation – Secure sites get ranking preference.

2️⃣ URL updates – Ensure all internal links use the live domain.

3️⃣ Allow Search Engines – Immediately untick “Disallow search engines” in WordPress settings.

4️⃣ Robots.txt configuration – Ensure your robots.txt file is properly configured with the live domain.

5️⃣ Search Console submission – Submit your site to Google Search Console AND Bing Webmaster Tools.

6️⃣ Sitemap submission – Submit your XML sitemap through Search Console (especially if the links have changed from the previous site’s configuration).

7️⃣ Site speed optimization – Configure caching and performance settings.

8️⃣ Check Form, Email & Payment Gateways – Make sure your forms work, emails deliver, and payments can be made – this is what makes your website useful to your client.

An important note here: it’s shocking how many sites go live with “Disallow search engines” still checked in WordPress settings. This single checkbox can prevent indexing for weeks if missed!

Why This Checklist Matters

The steps above aren’t just “nice-to-haves” – they’re critical for:

✅ Initial indexing – How quickly Google discovers and indexes your pages.

✅ Early ranking signals – The quality signals Google associates with your site from day one.

✅ User experience metrics – Core Web Vitals and other UX factors that influence rankings.

✅ Technical foundation – Preventing technical debt that becomes harder to fix later.

✅ Conversion potential – Ensuring your site not only ranks but converts from day one.

The Full Launch Process

While this post focuses on the SEO elements, a complete website launch involves many more steps across technical setup, content, design and functionality testing.

As mentioned above, I’ve created a comprehensive Website Launch Checklist that covers everything from pre-launch preparations to post-launch optimization. It includes all the SEO steps above, plus plenty more technical and functional checks to ensure EVERY launch goes smoothly.

Get my complete Website Launch Checklist.

Getting Started

If you’re planning a website launch soon, download the checklist above and make sure every SEO element is addressed before going live. The effort you put in during these critical days will pay dividends for months and years to come.

What’s your biggest challenge when launching websites? Have you had an SEO disaster during a launch? Share your experiences in the comments! 👇.