Pre-Launch WordPress Checklist
- Remove all demo text
- Proofread site copy for grammar and spelling errors
- All links are working correctly
- Confirm contact details are correct throughout site
- Video and audio items are correct and formatted properly
- PDF files are properly linked and proofed
- 404 page is created or customized
- Old website URLs are 301 redirected to new URLs
- Be sure all required licenses for images, fonts, plugins, etc. are on file
Website Design
- Images are correct and have been optimized for the web (resize all large images)
- Site previewed in Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari
- Responsive design tested at standard phone sizes
- Responsive design tested at standard tablet sizes
- Website favicon is working
- Header (or company logo) is linked to home page
Website Functionality
- Page load time is 3 seconds or less
- All forms are submitting data correctly
- All forms are emailing to correct address
- All forms display correct message or redirection on submit
- Form autoresponders are working correctly
- All external hyperlinks open in a new tab
- Social sharing icons are working
- Social media posting is working correctly
SEO
- All pages and posts have a unique title, fewer than 70 characters
- All pages and posts have unique meta descriptions, fewer than 156 characters
- Pages and posts have fewer than 10 keywords that appear in page copy
- Turn on Site Visibility in Settings > Reading
- Build first sitemap and ping search engines
- Connect Google Analytics and add Google Analytics Tracking ID to iThemes Builder settings
- Connect Google Webmaster Tools
Must-Have WordPress Plugins
- Back up Word Press
- iThemes Security
- WordPress SEO by Yoast
- Contact Form 7
WordPress Settings
- General: Confirm Site Title and Site Tagline are correct
- General: Confirm time zone is correct
- General: Confirm admin email address is correct
- Writing: Confirm Default Post Category is correct
- Discussion: Confirm comment settings and comment moderation settings
- Permalinks: Confirm permalink settings are not Default for SEO purposes