A new website can look perfect and still be invisible to search engines. A single leftover setting can block Google from the entire site, and a redesign without redirects can erase years of rankings overnight. This is the checklist we work through before and after every launch.
1. Crawling and indexing
- Remove "noindex" tags and crawl blocks. Development sites are often hidden from search engines. Make sure that setting does not go live.
- Check robots.txt. It should allow crawling of public pages and point to your sitemap.
- Publish an XML sitemap listing every page you want indexed, and nothing else.
- Set canonical URLs so each page has one official address.
- Choose one version of your domain. Redirect between www and non-www, and from HTTP to HTTPS, so only one version exists.
2. On-page basics
- A unique title for every page, ideally under 60 characters, with the main keyword near the start.
- A unique meta description of up to about 155 characters that gives people a reason to click.
- One H1 per page that describes the content, followed by a logical heading structure.
- Short, readable URLs with words separated by hyphens.
- Descriptive alt text on meaningful images.
- Internal links between related pages, with descriptive link text instead of "click here".
3. Speed and Core Web Vitals
Google measures real-world loading speed, responsiveness and visual stability through its Core Web Vitals. Before launch:
- Compress images and serve them in modern formats such as WebP or AVIF.
- Set width and height on images so the layout does not jump while loading.
- Load only the CSS and JavaScript each page needs.
- Enable caching and compression, and serve the site through a content delivery network.
- Test key pages with PageSpeed Insights on a mobile profile, not just on your office connection.
4. Mobile experience
Google indexes the mobile version of your site first. Check every template on a real phone: text should be readable without zooming, buttons easy to tap, and nothing should scroll sideways.
5. Structured data
Structured data (schema markup) tells search engines what your content means. At minimum, add:
- Organization or LocalBusiness with your name, logo and contact details.
- BreadcrumbList for site navigation.
- Article, Product or Service markup on the relevant pages.
Validate it with Google's Rich Results Test before launch.
6. Security
- Serve every page over HTTPS with a valid certificate.
- Fix mixed-content warnings caused by images or scripts loaded over HTTP.
- Add security headers and protect forms against spam.
7. Redirects, if you are replacing an old site
This is the step most often missed, and the most costly. When URLs change, every old address must redirect to its closest new equivalent with a permanent (301) redirect.
- Export a full list of the old site's URLs before it goes offline.
- Map each one to a new URL. Avoid sending everything to the home page.
- Test the redirects after launch and watch for 404 errors.
8. Analytics and Search Console
- Install your analytics tool and confirm it records visits and conversions.
- Verify the site in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
- Submit your sitemap in both.
9. Helpful extras
- A custom 404 page that guides visitors back to useful content.
- Open Graph tags so shared links show a proper title and image.
- A favicon, which also appears next to your site in search results.
- For local businesses, a complete Google Business Profile with matching name, address and phone number.
10. The first weeks after launch
- Check Search Console's page indexing report for errors and excluded pages.
- Request indexing for your most important pages.
- Monitor 404 errors and fix broken links.
- Keep publishing. New, useful content gives search engines a reason to return.
Launching is the beginning
A clean launch puts your site on the starting line with no handicaps. Rankings are then earned over time with useful content and a good reputation. Every site we build goes through this checklist as standard, and our SEO services cover the ongoing work that follows.
Planning a launch or a redesign? Talk to us before you go live.