✅ Checklist: What to Do Before & After Launching Your WordPress Site
Launching your WordPress website is exciting—but skipping key steps can lead to performance issues, SEO problems, or even security risks. Whether you’re building a blog, business site, or online store, this before-and-after launch checklist ensures your site is polished, secure, and ready for success.
🔍 Before Launch: Pre-Launch Checklist
1. ✅ Check Site Functionality
Test navigation menus, links, and buttons
Check all contact forms and email opt-ins
Ensure search and pagination features work properly
2. ✅ Cross-Browser & Device Testing
Test site on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge
Check responsiveness on desktop, tablet, and mobile
Use BrowserStack or Chrome DevTools
3. ✅ Install Essential Plugins
SEO: Rank Math / Yoast SEO
Security: Wordfence / iThemes
Backups: UpdraftPlus
Caching: LiteSpeed Cache / W3 Total Cache
Forms: WPForms / Contact Form 7
4. ✅ Set Up SEO Basics
Optimize title tags and meta descriptions
Set correct permalink structure (Post name)
Generate and submit XML sitemap (via SEO plugin)
Add ALT tags to all images
5. ✅ Speed Optimization
Compress images using Smush or ShortPixel
Minify CSS & JavaScript
Test speed on PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix
6. ✅ Configure Site Settings
Set homepage and blog page under Settings > Reading
Set time zone and site title
Check WordPress Address & Site Address URLs
Disable “discourage search engines” option if checked
7. ✅ Check Legal Pages
Add and review:
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Notice (if needed)
8. ✅ Install Google Analytics & Search Console
Add Google Analytics via plugin or manually
Verify site in Google Search Console
Submit sitemap and check for errors
9. ✅ Create a Backup
Take a full backup before going live
Store it safely (cloud or offline)
10. ✅ Test Website Forms & Email Delivery
Ensure form submissions reach your email
Use SMTP plugin (like WP Mail SMTP) for reliable delivery
🚀 After Launch: Post-Launch Checklist
1. ✅ Remove Test Content
Delete default “Hello World” post
Remove demo pages or content used during development
2. ✅ Set Up Social Media Previews
Add social sharing metadata (Open Graph / Twitter Cards)
Use your SEO plugin or plugin like Social Warfare
3. ✅ Check for Broken Links
Use a plugin like Broken Link Checker or online tools
Fix or redirect 404 pages
4. ✅ Monitor Site Uptime & Performance
Set up Uptime Robot or Jetpack Monitor
Monitor performance regularly on GTmetrix or WebPageTest
5. ✅ Enable Regular Backups
Automate daily or weekly backups
Store backups to cloud (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
6. ✅ Submit Your Site to Search Engines
Google (via Search Console)
Bing (via Bing Webmaster Tools)
7. ✅ Add Your Business Info (If Applicable)
Add contact details in footer/header
Add schema markup for Local SEO (via plugin)
8. ✅ Set Up Email Marketing
Integrate tools like Mailchimp, MailerLite, or FluentCRM
Create welcome email automation for new sign-ups
9. ✅ Track Website Traffic
Monitor visitors, bounce rates, and top content via Google Analytics
Use heatmaps (like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity) to analyze user behavior
10. ✅ Promote Your Launch!
Announce your launch on social media
Share with your email list
Consider a launch offer or contest (if it’s a business site)
🏁 Final Thoughts
Launching a WordPress site isn’t just about making it live—it’s about making it functional, fast, secure, and optimized. Use this checklist to avoid costly mistakes and set your website up for long-term success.
Want help with your WordPress website setup or launch process? [📩 Contact Us] (insert link) — we’ll get you online the right way.