The Website Launch Checklist I Wish I Had Years Ago

Every developer has shipped a site, celebrated, and then watched a client message arrive: "The contact form isn't sending emails." or "Why does it look broken on my phone?"

After building sites for clients with Laravel, Next.js, and Tailwind at SmarterDigi, I stopped trusting my memory and started using a checklist. Here it is.

1. Performance

Slow sites lose users and rankings. Before launch:

• Compress images and serve modern formats (WebP/AVIF).
• Lazy-load anything below the fold.
• Set explicit width and height on images to prevent layout shift.
• Run Lighthouse and aim for 90+ on mobile, not just desktop.

In Next.js, next/image handles most of this for you:

import Image from "next/image";

src="/hero.jpg"
alt="Team working at a desk"
width={1200}
height={600}
priority
/>

2. SEO Basics

You don't need to be an SEO expert, but these are non-negotiable:

• A unique <title> and meta description on every page
• One <h1> per page, with a logical heading structure
• A sitemap.xml and robots.txt
• Open Graph tags so links look good when shared
• Descriptive alt text on images

3. Responsiveness

Test on real devices, not only the browser's device toolbar. Check:

• Navigation menu on small screens
• Tap targets (at least 44px)
• Forms on mobile keyboards
• Horizontal scroll bugs (usually one overflowing element)

4. Forms and Emails

This is where most launch-day bugs hide.

• Submit every form with real data and confirm the email arrives
• Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC so emails don't land in spam
• Add validation on both the client and the server
• Add spam protection (honeypot or reCAPTCHA/Turnstile)

5. Security

• Force HTTPS and redirect HTTP to HTTPS
• Keep secrets in .env, never in the repo
• In Laravel, set APP_DEBUG=false in production
• Update dependencies and remove unused packages
• Add security headers (CSP, X-Frame-Options, etc.)

6. Accessibility

• Sufficient color contrast
• Visible focus states for keyboard users
• Labels on all form inputs
• Meaningful link text (not "click here")

7. Tracking and Monitoring

• Install analytics (GA4, Plausible, etc.)
• Verify the site in Google Search Console
• Set up uptime monitoring
• Create a custom 404 page and check for broken links

8. Backups and Handover

• Automate database and file backups
• Document how to deploy and where credentials live
• Show the client how to update their content

If you'd rather not handle all of this yourself, our web development and digital marketing services cover launch, SEO, and ongoing support.

Final Thought

A checklist won't make you a better developer overnight, but it will save you from embarrassing, avoidable bugs that erode client trust. Launching is a process, not a single moment.

What's on your launch checklist? Drop it in the comments. I'd love to steal a few ideas.

Written by Meraj, Co-founder of SmarterDigi, a web development and digital marketing agency building fast, SEO-friendly websites for businesses worldwide.