There is nothing quite like the feeling of launching a brand new website. However, without a systematic approach, launch day can quickly turn into a stressful fire drill. To prevent broken links, email delivery failures, and security oversights, we have compiled our go-to WordPress website launch checklist that we use for every client build.
1. General Settings & Permalinks Verification
First, verify that your site Title and Tagline are correct in Settings > General. Next, verify that your permalinks are set to “Post name” in Settings > Permalinks. Most importantly, go to Settings > Reading and make sure the box next to ‘Discourage search engines from indexing this site’ is completely unchecked. Leaving this box checked is the number one reason launch days result in SEO ranking loss.
2. Perform a Thorough Form & Link Check
Test every single contact form, sign-up box, and e-commerce checkout flow on the site. Ensure that transaction notifications are successfully reaching your email inbox. Since standard PHP mail is often flagged as spam, we highly recommend installing a plugin like WP Mail SMTP and configuring it with a secure sender account (like Mailgun or SendGrid) to guarantee 100% email delivery rates.
3. Speed & Caching Setup
Before launching, compress all images using Smush. Configure a premium caching solution like WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache to minify CSS/JS files and enable page caching. Fast websites result in lower bounce rates and better conversion rates.
4. Security & Backups Activation
Install a robust security plugin like Wordfence to set up a basic firewall. Enable SSL (HTTPS) to secure all data transmissions. Finally, configure automated off-site backups using UpdraftPlus so you can restore your site immediately if anything goes wrong.
Conclusion
By following this practical WordPress website launch checklist, you can approach launch day with absolute confidence. Take your time, test every link, and launch your new web presence successfully!