Free resource

    Website Launch Day Checklist

    The exact 24-hour checklist we run for every SiteFyd launch. DNS, SSL, redirects, analytics, monitoring.

    Launch day is when broken redirects, missing analytics, and forgotten DNS records show up. This checklist runs through the 30 things that need to happen in the right order.

    The Checklist

    1

    Final content review

    Every page proofed by someone who did not write it.

    2

    All forms tested live

    Submit a test from a fresh device.

    3

    Email deliverability confirmed

    Test form submissions arrive in inbox, not spam.

    4

    All redirects mapped

    Old URL → new URL list signed off before launch.

    5

    301 redirects implemented

    Tested with a tool like httpstatus.io before DNS cutover.

    6

    DNS TTL lowered to 300s

    24 hours before launch — speeds rollback if needed.

    7

    SSL certificate active

    Verified via SSL Labs (target A+ grade).

    8

    robots.txt allows indexing

    Confirm 'Disallow: /' is removed before launch.

    9

    Sitemap.xml live + valid

    Verify with a sitemap validator.

    10

    Search Console verified

    Both old and new property if changing domains.

    11

    Sitemap submitted

    In Search Console + Bing Webmaster Tools.

    12

    Analytics + tag manager firing

    Test page views, conversions, and key events.

    13

    Cookie banner working

    Required for EU traffic.

    14

    Performance check

    Lighthouse mobile 90+ on top 5 pages.

    15

    Cross-browser smoke test

    Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge on top 5 pages.

    16

    Mobile device check

    iPhone + Android, real devices.

    17

    Internal links verified

    Run a crawler — zero 404s on internal links.

    18

    External links verified

    Especially deep links to docs or partners.

    19

    Backup taken

    Pre-launch full backup stored offsite.

    20

    Monitoring enabled

    Uptime monitoring + error tracking active.

    21

    Stakeholders notified

    Internal team knows launch is happening.

    22

    Customer support briefed

    Aware of new URLs, new contact forms, new FAQs.

    23

    Old site decommission plan

    Scheduled for 30 days post-launch (after redirects confirmed).

    24

    DNS cutover

    TTL is low — change is fast.

    25

    Post-launch smoke test

    Same checklist as pre-launch, against live URLs.

    26

    Search Console URL inspection

    Submit top 10 URLs for re-indexing.

    27

    Social profiles updated

    New URLs in bios, link-in-bio, email signatures.

    28

    Internal docs updated

    Wiki, runbooks, support macros.

    29

    30-day review scheduled

    Calendar reminder to review analytics + Search Console.

    30

    Champagne

    You earned it.

    FAQs

    How long does a launch actually take?

    DNS cutover itself is minutes. The full launch checklist (verification, monitoring, redirects) takes 4-8 hours and should never be done on a Friday.

    What is the most common day-one launch issue?

    Email deliverability. Make sure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are configured before launch and test transactional emails from at least three providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo).

    More Free Resources

    The Custom Website Design Checklist

    Custom Website Design Brief Template (One Page)

    Free Web Design Contract Template

    Want us to handle the build?

    SiteFyd uses these checklists on every project. Get a free quote in 24 hours.

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