A website launch checklist is the list you finish before the first public visitor: DNS, SSL, forms, redirects, the mobile layout, speed and a backup you can restore. Skipping those leaves a broken form or a missing page in the index. Run the list on staging, then again on the live domain.
DNS, SSL and the live hostname
- Lower the DNS TTL to 300 seconds a day before launch, so a mistake can be undone in minutes.
- Point the A record (or CNAME) at the new host and keep the old record until the new IP answers from two networks.
- Open https on the hostname you will publish, including the www choice you picked.
- Confirm the certificate covers that hostname and is inside its dates.
The www choice is explained on www versus non-www. Pick one host and redirect the other. Propagation usually settles inside a few hours once the TTL is low, but an old resolver can hold the record for up to 48 hours, so do not schedule promotion on launch evening.
Forms, email and redirects
- Send the contact form to a mailbox you actually open, then check the message arrived and the reply-to is set.
- Send one mail from the domain and confirm it is not landing in spam; SPF and DKIM records make that pass.
- Click every button, including the one on a phone-width screen.
- Redirect old URLs you promised to keep, one hop, to the new page — test each with a redirect checker.
- Remove sample pages, lorem text and default blog posts, then delete the staging password and the noindex tag.
Speed, mobile layout and a backup
Load the homepage on a phone over mobile data. Hero images should be sized for that screen, and the page should render before the gallery finishes loading. Then take a backup you have restored once on a staging copy. A backup you have never restored is a file, not a plan. The routine hardening steps are on the WordPress security checklist. Free migration, when it applies, is subject to terms.
The full website launch checklist by stage
The checklist runs in three stages: on staging before launch, on launch day once DNS moves, and in the first week on the live domain. Each row below names the check and the evidence that proves it passed, so nothing is ticked from memory.
| Stage | Check | How you know it passed |
|---|---|---|
| Before launch | Mobile layout | Menu, form and gallery work on a phone over mobile data |
| Before launch | Contact form | Test message arrives in the inbox with a usable reply-to |
| Before launch | Old URLs | Each old path returns one 301 to the replacement page |
| Before launch | noindex and staging password | Page source and response headers show neither |
| Before launch | Backup | Files and database restored once on a staging copy |
| Before launch | SSL | Padlock on both www and non-www hostnames |
| Launch day | DNS | New IP answers from two networks, TTL already lowered |
| Launch day | Sitemap | Submitted in Search Console and fetched without error |
| Launch day | Analytics | Real-time report shows your own visit on the live domain |
| First week | 404 log | No inbound link lands on a missing page |
| First week | Uptime | Monitor has no downtime alert since the switch |
What to check in the first 48 hours after launch
Watch four signals in the first 48 hours: 404s in the server log, form mail in the inbox, real-time analytics hits, and uptime. Fix a broken redirect before you promote the site, because every shared link sends traffic to the wrong page.
Search Console shows coverage errors within a few days, not hours, so check the sitemap status and the security report once at the end of the first week. After that, the work becomes routine upkeep priced under website maintenance cost in India.
What to do on website launch day, in order
Launch day runs in one order: move DNS, wait for the new host to answer, remove noindex and staging passwords, submit the sitemap, then test the form from a phone on mobile data.
The build itself is website design services. A related comparison is the difference between a website and a web application. The WebJi homepage lists hosting beside the design work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a website launch checklist include?
DNS, SSL on the hostname you will publish, a working form, redirects from old URLs, a phone-width layout, and a backup you have restored once.
Do I run the list twice?
Yes. Finish it on staging, then repeat it after the domain points at the live host. Staging success does not prove the live DNS.
When do I add analytics?
After the live hostname answers. A tag installed only on staging never sees the public visitor.
What is the first thing visitors should be able to do?
Open the homepage on a phone, send the contact form, and land on the page you meant when they use an old URL.
Is WebJi® an Indian company?
Yes. WebJi® is headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan and has operated since 2005. Billing, support and governance all run from India.
Do you provide GST invoices?
Every purchase and renewal gets a GST invoice with our GSTIN, and hosting prices are quoted exclusive of 18% GST. Claim input credit as applicable.
Should a new website stay noindex before launch?
Yes. Keep the staging copy noindex and password-protected until the live domain answers, then remove both. A staging hostname that gets indexed competes with the real launch page.
How long does DNS propagation take after a launch?
Usually a few hours once the TTL is at 300 seconds. Resolvers that cached the old record can hold it for up to 48 hours, so keep the old host live until then.