You have been working on your website. You think it is ready. But before you share the link, post it on Facebook, or print it on a business card, take ten minutes to run through this checklist.
Launching a website without checking these items is like opening a business without locking the back door. Everything looks fine from the outside until something goes wrong.
This checklist covers every small business, church, and nonprofit. Save it, print it, or bookmark it. Use it every time.
Before You Launch: The Complete Checklist
Domain Name
- Your domain name is registered and pointing to your hosting
- Your domain is registered for at least one year with auto-renewal enabled
- Domain Privacy Protection is turned on so your personal information is not public
- You have access to your domain registrar account and know your login
If you registered your domain through Cyber Grapes, Privacy Protection is included free forever. If you registered elsewhere, check whether it is enabled. You can also transfer your domain to Cyber Grapes and get Privacy Protection included going forward.
Web Hosting
- Your website loads correctly at your domain (not just at the hosting company’s temporary URL)
- Your site loads in under three seconds on a mobile device
- Your SSL certificate is active and your site shows a padlock in the browser address bar
- You have tested your site on both desktop and mobile
If your site does not have an SSL certificate active, browsers will show visitors a security warning before they even see your homepage. Most quality WordPress hosting plans include a free SSL certificate. If yours does not show the padlock, contact your host before you launch.
Professional Email
- Your contact email on the website is @yourdomain, not @gmail or @yahoo
- You can send and receive email from your professional address
- Your email signature includes your name, title, and website
- Any contact forms on the site are routing to your professional email
This is one of the most overlooked steps. A visitor who fills out your contact form should receive a reply from yourname@yourbusiness.com, not a personal email address. If you do not have professional email yet, Titan Professional Email starts at $1.99 per month and takes about fifteen minutes to set up. Microsoft 365 is another strong option if your team uses Word, Excel, or Teams.
Website Security
- Website security scanning is active and running
- A web application firewall is in place to block malicious traffic
- You know how to check your security dashboard and read scan results
- All plugins and themes are up to date before launch
New websites get targeted almost immediately after they go live. Automated bots scan the internet constantly looking for vulnerable sites. Website security starting at $5.99 per month gives you malware scanning, a firewall, and monitoring that runs in the background so you do not have to think about it. This is not optional for a site you plan to maintain long-term.
Website Backup
- Automated backups are scheduled and confirmed running
- You know where your backups are stored and how to restore from one
- You have tested at least one backup restore before launch
A failed plugin update, a hosting issue, or a hacked site can take your website down completely. If you do not have a recent backup, recovery can take days or may not be possible at all. Website backup starts at $2.99 per month and runs automatically. It is the least expensive item on this list and one of the most important.
Content and Pages
- Your homepage clearly explains what you do and who you serve
- Your contact information is easy to find on every page
- Your About page tells your story in plain language
- There are no placeholder images or lorem ipsum text remaining
- All links are working and go to the right places
- Your privacy policy is published (required if you collect any form data)
Search and Discoverability
- Each page has a unique title and meta description
- Your site is not set to block search engines (a common WordPress setting left on by accident)
- You have submitted your sitemap to Google Search Console
- Your business name, address, and phone number are consistent with what appears on Google Maps and other directories
The WordPress setting to discourage search engines is easy to forget. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings, then Reading, and make sure the checkbox next to Discourage search engines from indexing this site is not checked. This one mistake can keep your site invisible in search results for months.
After You Launch
Launching your website is not the finish line. It is the starting line.
Once you are live, plan to check on your site at least once a month. Update your plugins and themes. Review your security scan results. Make sure your backups are completing successfully. Add new content when you have something worth saying.
A website that is never updated signals to both visitors and search engines that your organization may not be active. Even a short blog post or a news update once a month goes a long way.
Need Help Getting Everything Set Up?
If you are working through this checklist and realize you are missing one or more pieces, Cyber Grapes has everything you need in one place.
Start by searching for your domain at domains.cybergrapes.com. From there you can add WordPress hosting, professional email, website security, and backup all in one account.
Browse all available products at diy.cybergrapes.com, visit our Help Center for setup guides, or call our support team at 719-767-7754 if you have questions.
You have put real work into your website. Make sure it is protected, professional, and ready to represent you well.