Website launch checklist
The essential steps to check before go-live: domain, SSL, SEO, sitemap, analytics, backup.
Tools · Launch
Launching a site is more than hitting "publish". Before go-live you have a set of technical and content items to verify: the domain configured correctly, an active SSL certificate, complete on-page SEO, a sitemap and robots.txt, analytics connected and a backup ready. This checklist walks you through it step by step. On 4buildsite many of these items are configured automatically at publish time.
- Domain connected and an active SSL certificate (HTTPS).
- On-page SEO: a meta title and description on every page, and a unique H1 on each page.
- A sitemap.xml file and a correct robots.txt, with no accidental blocks.
- Analytics connected and a backup of the site ready.
How does it work?
Check the domain and SSL. The domain must point to your site, and the SSL certificate must be active: the address starts with https:// and the browser shows no security warnings.
Confirm on-page SEO. Each page has its own meta title and description, one relevant H1 and clean, readable URLs.
Confirm that sitemap.xml lists only indexable pages, and check that robots.txt does not block the whole site by mistake.
Connect analytics (Google Analytics or an alternative) and make sure you have a backup of the site before you make it public.
Frequently asked questions
What must I check before publishing a site?
The essentials: the domain configured, an active SSL certificate (HTTPS), a meta title and description on every page, a correct sitemap.xml and robots.txt, analytics connected and a backup ready. These help avoid the most common launch problems.
Why do I need SSL (HTTPS)?
SSL encrypts the traffic between visitors and your site. It matters for user trust and for contact forms and online payments, and Google has said HTTPS is a lightweight ranking signal. Chrome and other browsers show a "Not secure" warning for sites without HTTPS.
What is sitemap.xml for?
Sitemap.xml lists the pages you want search engines to index, and it helps them find those pages more quickly. It should contain only indexable pages that return 200 OK, with no redirects and no noindex pages.
Should I make a backup before launch?
Yes. A backup of the site, including content and settings, lets you go back to a working state if a change after launch causes problems. Check the plan details to see whether backups are included.
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