By the end of your first website build, you will need a WordPress Launch Checklist to avoid any disaster. It is easy to leave a lot of areas within your website unfinished during the build, only to notice them when the negative comments start pouring in.
To avoid that, I will give you a list of areas you need to check before letting the world in on your shining new website.
Please bookmark for future use, or share it so you can find your way back!
1. Content
To get the best out of this post, you will need to know how to install a WordPress plugin.
Text
No spelling errors in posts & pages.
Replaced all placeholder texts.
The text in my footer reflects my company.
All the footer links work.
The post categories are well spelled.
Archive pages have the right content.
My print stylesheet is setup for those who will choose to print my content.
Images
My website has a favicon (Appearance > Customize > Site Identity > Site icon)
Author pictures or Gravatars exists.
All placeholder images have been replaced.
Menus & Navigation
Menus links and sub-links have a clear hierarchy.
There are no dead links in the menu.
Breadcrumbs are enabled for various parts of my website (use Yoast SEO or your Theme Settings).
Every page on my website can be accessed.
Legal
Privacy policy exists (Generate one from Getterms.io)
Terms & Conditions exist.
Footer Copyright text is up to date.
Cookie consent text displays and is GDPR compliant (Cookie Consent Plugin).
Legally required Disclaimers are in place (for example, can your “advice” be considered medical?).
Design
My Logo is visible and well sized.
The Colours for my buttons, text and highlights are correct.
Website displays correctly in all browsers (Test with BrowserShots)
Widgets & Forms
Widget areas have the right titles and content.
All local forms (including contact) send messages to the right destination.
Files
Downloadable files are properly attached.
All files are proofread for mistakes.
The embedded links within each downloadable file work.
Third Party Tools
CRM’s and 3rd party tools have valid API connections.
3rd party pop-up forms send content to the right destination.
Autoresponders and email sequences are proofread and work.
Thank you page redirections work.
Redirects
404 page exists and is customized to my liking.
301 redirection is setup (Set up with this Redirection plugin).
2. SEO
Images
Images are compressed/optimized (use EWWW Image optimizer or WP-SmushIt).
Image Alt tags are relevant.
Social
Social accounts created.
Each social account links back to my website.
Social icons on website are properly setup.
Social Share icons for posts and pages function well.
Links
No broken links within my posts, widgets & pages.
Internal links present in posts and pages.
Quality external links present in my posts.
Content and Headers
Only one H1 header present on each page/post.
No duplicate titles found.
No duplicate content found.
Caching and Speed
Caching plugin installed (WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache)
CSS and Javascript are both minified & combined.
Page speed is optimised following Google PageSpeed Insight‘s recommendations.
Content Delivery Network (CDN) is setup and running.
Responsiveness
Website tested for responsiveness.
Analytics
Made the website visible to search engines (Go to Settings > Reading)
Changed the permalinks structure to “mywebsite/post-name”.
Created a Google analytics account.
Installed an analytics plugin (Monster Insights)
Installed an SEO plugin (Yoast SEO)
XML sitemap created (use Yoast SEO).
XML sitemap submitted to Google.
Website submitted to Google Search Console (The best guide to Google search console).
3. Security
Attack proofing
Admin password updated.
Login attempts have been limited (Use Limit Login Attempts)
Security plugin installed (iThemes Security)
Content backups have been scheduled.
Spam proofing
I’ve installed an Anti-spam plugin (AKISMET Anti-Spam) OR setup spam security in my contact forms
I have scheduled future Spam comment deletion.
Financial Transactions Security
SSL certificate successfully installed.
After you’ve completed these, remember to come back to WordPressTutor from time to time to brush up your knowledge!