Most WordPress launch problems are avoidable; they come from skipping a step under time pressure, not from anything technically hard. Here’s the checklist we run before any site goes live.
Before
SSL, mobile, forms
Search
Sitemap, analytics
After
Keep updating
Before launch
- SSL certificate installed and the site fully served over HTTPS, with no mixed-content warnings.
- Every page checked on an actual mobile device, not just a browser’s responsive-mode preview.
- Contact forms tested end to end: submit a real test message and confirm it arrives.
- Broken links and placeholder “lorem ipsum” text removed from every page.
- Backups and a security plugin (login-attempt limiting, firewall) active before the site is public, not after.
Pre-launch checklist
Search and analytics
Submit the sitemap to Google Search Console, connect analytics, and set each page’s title and meta description before launch rather than after, since the earlier pages get indexed correctly, the sooner they can start ranking.
After launch
Keep WordPress core, the theme, and all plugins updated, and check the site’s speed periodically, since a fast site at launch can slow down over a year of adding plugins and content if no one is watching it.
We build this checklist into every project. See our portfolio for examples, or contact us about a new build.