You’ve spent hours (okay, maybe weeks) building your website, tweaking fonts, picking images, and rearranging layouts until everything feels just right. You’re ready to finally hit that big “publish” button and show the world your brand-new site.
But here’s the truth: launching your website is more than just flipping the switch. As a website designer, I’ve seen the excitement of a launch turn into frustration when a small detail gets overlooked — a broken link, a page that won’t load on mobile, or a missing SEO description.
That’s why I always recommend running through a pre-launch checklist. Think of it as quality control for your brand’s online home. Before your site goes live, let’s make sure it’s polished, professional, and ready to welcome visitors.
1. Test Every Link
Broken links are one of the fastest ways to frustrate a visitor (and send them straight to the exit button).
Check for:
- Menu links that actually go to the right pages.
- Buttons that lead to the correct forms or offers.
- Social media icons that link to your real profiles (not just a placeholder).
💡 Pro tip: Use a free tool like Broken Link Checker to quickly scan your site for dead links.
2. Proofread Your Copy
Nothing kills professionalism faster than typos or sloppy grammar. Even the best-designed site can lose credibility if your copy has errors.
Check for:
- Misspelled words.
- Consistent use of your brand voice.
- Headings that are clear and scannable.
Tools like Grammarly can help you catch mistakes and polish your writing before launch.
3. Optimize for Mobile
Over half of your visitors are likely viewing your site on a phone. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing them before they even start.
Check for:
- Text that’s large enough to read without zooming.
- Buttons big enough to tap with a thumb.
- Images that resize properly instead of cutting off awkwardly.
Preview your site on your own phone, and use Responsinator to see how it looks across multiple devices.
4. Double-Check Your Forms
Whether it’s a contact form, booking form, or newsletter sign-up — forms are how visitors connect with you. If they don’t work, you’re missing opportunities.
Check for:
- Each form submits correctly.
- Confirmation messages are clear.
- Emails are being delivered to your inbox (test with a different email address).
💡 If you’re building email opt-ins, services like Flodesk or ConvertKit make it easy to connect forms to your list.
5. Add SEO Essentials
You don’t need to be an SEO expert to set your site up for success. A few basics will go a long way in helping people find you on Google.
Check for:
- Page titles that include your keywords (use Ubersuggest or Answer the Public for ideas).
- Meta descriptions that describe each page in a sentence or two.
- Alt text for images that describes what’s in the photo.
💡 Want a deeper dive? My Website Design Ultimate Checklist includes reminders for SEO, so you won’t miss the details that make a big difference. 👉 Grab it here.
6. Review Your Site Speed
If your site takes forever to load, visitors won’t wait around.
Check for:
- Large image files — resize and compress them before uploading with TinyPNG or ShortPixel.
- Background videos — host them on YouTube or Vimeo instead of uploading directly.
- Extra widgets or plugins that might slow things down.
You can test your site’s performance using Google PageSpeed Insights.
7. Confirm Your Legal Pages
Depending on your business, you may need certain legal pages to protect yourself and comply with regulations.
Check for:
- Privacy Policy.
- Terms & Conditions.
- Disclaimer (if applicable).
Not sure where to start? Services like Termly and Termageddon make it easy to generate professional, compliant policies.
8. Connect Your Analytics
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Adding Google Analytics or another tracking tool before launch helps you see who’s visiting and what they’re doing on your site.
Check for:
- Analytics installed on every page.
- Goals or conversions set up for things like form submissions or product purchases.
Google Analytics is the most popular (and free), but if you want something simpler and more privacy-focused, I recommend Fathom Analytics.
9. Do a “Real World” Test
Pretend you’re your ideal client. Can you land on your homepage and easily figure out what to do next?
Check for:
- Your main call-to-action is obvious.
- The path to hire you or buy from you is simple.
- The overall flow makes sense to someone who knows nothing about you.
Sometimes having a friend or colleague do a quick test run gives you valuable outside perspective.
10. Celebrate!
Launching a website is a huge milestone. Don’t just hit publish and move on — take a moment to celebrate your hard work. (And yes, I fully support champagne and confetti for this step 🥂✨).
Ready for a Complete Pre-Launch Game Plan?
The tips above cover the biggies, but there are plenty of small details that can slip through the cracks. That’s why I created the Website Design Ultimate Checklist. It’s a free, step-by-step guide to help you launch with confidence and avoid those “oh no” moments after you go live.
👉 Download your checklist here and make your launch day stress-free.
Want a Faster Way to Launch?
If you’d rather skip months of trial and error and get straight to the fun part — announcing your new site — my Showit Template Shop is the perfect solution.
Each template is professionally designed with this exact launch checklist in mind. That means structure, flow, and design best practices are already baked in. You just add your words and photos, and you’re ready to launch a site that looks custom without the custom price tag.
Final Thoughts
Launching your website doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With a clear pre-launch checklist and the right foundation, you can go live with confidence, knowing your site is polished, functional, and ready to welcome clients.
And trust me — nothing feels better than hitting “publish” on a site you’re proud of. 🎉
