{"id":2657,"date":"2022-01-31T13:15:48","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T13:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/?p=2657"},"modified":"2024-05-06T12:19:16","modified_gmt":"2024-05-06T06:49:16","slug":"the-complete-pre-launch-wordpress-website-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/the-complete-pre-launch-wordpress-website-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Pre-Launch WordPress Website Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Planning to start a WordPress site? Have a look at this WordPress website launch checklist to make sure you don\u2019t miss out on anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Complete_WordPress_Website_Checklist\"><\/span><strong>A Complete WordPress Website Checklist<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for a WordPress website launch checklist that makes your task simple?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here It is!<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Creating a website can sometimes be a tough job and especially when you are building a website that has numerous elements in it. And of course, you don\u2019t want to miss anything. Though WordPress websites are quite easy to create, yet a chance of error can be anywhere and we must work on minimizing that chance of error.<\/p>\n<p>So having a last-moment checklist really helps you to not miss out on anything and do a great job at the first launch of your website.<\/p>\n<p>Also, the checklist helps you to later keep an eye on your site\u2019s performance and do the necessary changes to make it better day by day to compete with the ever-changing internet world. In order to assist you, here we have listed a few points to check before you launch your WordPress site. So, \u00a0here we go\u2026<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/guide-for-non-techies-to-build-a-wordpress-website\/\"><b>Guide For Non-Techies To Build A WordPress Website<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center; border: 3px dotted #424b52; padding: 10px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WordPress_Website_General_Setup_Checklist\"><\/span><b>WordPress Website General Setup Checklist<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2661\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/General-Setup-Checklist.webp\" alt=\"General Setup Checklist\" width=\"800\" height=\"2000\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Firstly, let\u2019s have a look at the general setup checklist. It will help you to find any error or anything missed out in the setup.<\/p>\n<p><b>1. <\/b><b>Domain Name: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basically, your WordPress website launch starts from here. So hope you have <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/domain-registration\">bought a good domain name<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for your website. Make sure it\u2019s easy to spell and pronounce, which increases the chance for people to memorize it.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/top-13-techniques-to-find-creative-domain-names-for-your-business\/\"><b>Top 13 Techniques To Find Creative Domain Names For Your Business.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>2. <\/b><b>Hosting server: <\/b>Choose a host that specializes in WordPress hosting.<\/p>\n<p><b>3. <\/b><b>Update Software: <\/b>Keep your WordPress software up to date for better performance.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center; border: 3px dotted #424b52; padding: 10px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WordPress_Website_Development_Checklist\"><\/span><b>WordPress Website Development Checklist<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2670\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/WordPress-Website-Checklist.webp\" alt=\"WordPress Website Checklist\" width=\"800\" height=\"2000\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This WordPress website checklist is mainly for the developer of your WordPress website. Make sure to check every point thoroughly in order to not miss out on anything.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>1. <\/b><b>WordPress theme: <\/b>Make sure to install a WordPress theme for your site.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/difference-between-parent-theme-child-theme-in-wordpress\/\"><b>Difference Between Parent Theme &amp; Child Theme In WordPress<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>2. <\/b><b>WordPress Plugins: <\/b>Check whether all the necessary plugins are installed or not.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/22-best-plugins-for-wordpress\/\">22 Best Plugins For WordPress Website<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>3. <\/b><b>Additional admins: <\/b>Check if you have added additional admin users or not.<\/p>\n<p><b>4. <\/b><b>Delete Default Content: <\/b>When you install WordPress, some default content is already present there for sample purposes or others. Make sure to delete that before launching your site.<\/p>\n<p><b>5. <\/b><b>Set up a contact form: <\/b>Remember to set up a contact form. It can be of great help later.<\/p>\n<p><b>6. Prepare a proper Menu: <\/b>It will help users to jump to the specific part they want to visit more easily, improving the overall user experience.<\/p>\n<p><b>7. <\/b><b>Make use of alt text: <\/b>Adding alt text to images will help search engines to know how an image is related to content on the page.<\/p>\n<p><b>8. <\/b><b>Add Favicon: <\/b>Favicon is generally your website\u2019s logo that appears on the browser tab. It enriches your site. Consider adding this before the launch.<\/p>\n<p><b>9. <\/b><b>Create Proper Buttons: <\/b>Create proper buttons to help users navigate through your site more easily. Also, check the buttons are easy to tap for mobile users too.<\/p>\n<p><b>10. <\/b><b>A 404 Page: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 404 error is very common and if you don\u2019t want to miss clients because of this, make sure you have a working 404 page for your site before you launch your WordPress website.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>11. <\/b><b>Logo with link: <\/b>For better representation, you can link your logo to your website or a webpage. It will overall improve the User Interface. \u00a0An HTML text editor can help you with this.<\/p>\n<p><b>12. <\/b><b>Use Breadcrumbs: <\/b>Breadcrumbs helps users to navigate to the previous pages of the site. It overall improves User Interface.<\/p>\n<p><b>13. <\/b><b>Test the Website: <\/b>Test the website on different devices and see how it responds.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/importance-of-mobile-friendly-website-how-do-you-make-it\/\"><b>Importance Of Mobile-Friendly Website &amp; How Do You Make It?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>14. <\/b><b>Create a Sitemap: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the most important step in launching your WordPress website<\/span><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">XML sitemap consists of all the URLs of your website. It helps search engines to find your pages more easily. So <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/what-is-a-sitemap-why-do-you-need-it\/\"><b>consider creating a sitemap<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on a priority basis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>15. <\/b><b>Connect site to analytics: <\/b>Connect your website to google analytics to have detailed data of your website\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center; border: 3px dotted #424b52; padding: 10px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WordPress_Website_Security_Checklist\"><\/span><b>WordPress Website Security Checklist<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2663\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Security-Checklist.webp\" alt=\"Security Checklist\" width=\"800\" height=\"2000\" \/><\/p>\n<p>More than 30000 sites are hacked every day. That means you must be double, \u00a0triple sure for the security of your website. Have a look at this checklist to make sure your website is safe and secure to go out in the internet world.<\/p>\n<p><b>1. <\/b><b>Security Plugin: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you have installed a security plugin for the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/a-guide-to-secure-wordpress-website-a-complete-checklist\/\"><b>security of your WordPress website<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You will probably don\u2019t want to compromise with that.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/best-wordpress-security-plugins\/\">Best WordPress Security Plugins (Paid+Free)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>2. <\/b><b>Passwords: <\/b>Make sure your passwords are strong and uncommon so that it\u2019s not easy to crack your site.<\/p>\n<p><b>3. 2-factor authentication: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure to enable WordPress 2-factor <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">authentication to add another layer to<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/best-practices-to-secure-your-website\/\"><b>keep your website secure<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>4. <\/b><b>Themes and Plugins: <\/b>Delete inactive themes and plugins and always keep your themes and plugins up to date.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center; border: 3px dotted #424b52; padding: 10px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WordPress_Website_Backup_Checklist\"><\/span><b>WordPress Website Backup Checklist<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2664\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Backup-Checklist.webp\" alt=\"Backup Checklist\" width=\"800\" height=\"2000\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In case of any error encountered later in time, it\u2019s very necessary to have your website\u2019s backup. It will save you a lot of effort. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, consider it as your priority and have a look at the below-pointed WordPress website checklist to ensure you have a good backup for your site.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>1. <\/b><b>Backup Plugin: <\/b>As WordPress doesn\u2019t offer a backup solution, you must make sure to install a backup plugin for your website.<\/p>\n<p><b>2. <\/b><b>Manual Backup: <\/b>Make sure to manually back up all your WordPress website data such as themes, plugins, etc.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/ways-to-backup-a-wordpress-website-without-a-plugin\/\"><b>Ways To Backup A WordPress Website Without A Plugin.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>3. <\/b><b>Automatic Backup: <\/b>Set up automatic backup. It will help you get your data backed up automatically.<\/p>\n<p><b>4. <\/b><b>Zip file: <\/b>Download the backup zip file for your website.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center; border: 3px dotted #424b52; padding: 10px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WordPress_Website_SEO_Checklist\"><\/span><b>WordPress Website SEO Checklist<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2665\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SEO-Checklist.webp\" alt=\"SEO Checklist\" width=\"800\" height=\"2000\" \/><\/p>\n<p>SEO is very important for your website. No matter how great your site is if you haven\u2019t given emphasis to SEO, your site will not be discovered by many. We have provided a few points below to help you reach a broader audience for your site.<\/p>\n<p><b>1. <\/b><b>SEO Plugin: <\/b>You can install a WordPress SEO Plugin to help you.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/6-best-seo-plugins-for-wordpress\/\"><b>6 Best SEO Plugins For WordPress<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>2. <\/b><b>Titles: <\/b>Your posts and page titles should be short and unique. It will help your site to rank higher in search results.<\/p>\n<p><b>3. <\/b><b>Meta Description: <\/b>Make sure to add a meta description in your posts and keep the character limit maximum to be 160 characters.<\/p>\n<p><b>4. <\/b><b>Keywords: <\/b>Make sure to use proper keywords in your posts and articles.<\/p>\n<p>Keywords will help users to find your site easily.<\/p>\n<p><b>5. <\/b><b>Google Analytics: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep a track of your site\u2019s performance and SEO via the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/seo-strategy-guide-for-new-websites\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">best SEO tool <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Google Analytics.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>6. <\/b><b>Images: <\/b>Make sure that images on your site must have alt tags and proper keywords.<\/p>\n<p><b>7. <\/b><b>Check content: <\/b>Check on-page and duplicate content before launch. \u00a0Remove what is unnecessary.<\/p>\n<p><b><\/b><b>8. Test Sitemaps and Breadcrumbs: <\/b>Test XML sitemaps and\u00a0Breadcrumbs to make sure they are functioning properly.<\/p>\n<p><b><\/b><b>9. Check Robot.txt: <\/b>It\u2019s used to communicate with web crawlers and web robots, so make sure it\u2019s functioning before you launch your site.<\/p>\n<p><b><\/b><b>10. Check page loading: <\/b>Check page loading speed and all and\u00a0optimize your site if needed for better speed or results.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/ways-to-optimize-your-wordpress-website-for-speed\/\"><b>Ways To Optimize Your WordPress Website For Speed<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b><\/b><b>11. Check Social Sharing Buttons: <\/b>Hope you have added Social sharing buttons to the site. Now check them all once before you make\u00a0your website go live.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center; border: 3px dotted #424b52; padding: 10px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WordPress_Website_Launch_Setup_Checklist\"><\/span>WordPress Website Launch Setup Checklist<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Launch-Checklist.webp\" alt=\"Launch Checklist\" width=\"800\" height=\"2000\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After making sure to take care of all the above points, the final checklist is the website launch setup checklist. Before launching your site, run a complete test of every function and take care of the below-mentioned points.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><\/b><strong>1. Site Visibility:<\/strong> Make sure to turn on the site visibility in the settings before the launch.<\/p>\n<p><b>2. Links: <\/b>Make sure all your links are in a working state and redirect to the right place.<\/p>\n<p><b>3. <\/b><b>Contact form: <\/b>Test your contact form once to make sure it is working well.<\/p>\n<p><b><\/b><b>4. Notifications: <\/b>Set up notifications before the launch.<\/p>\n<p><b>5. <\/b><b>Promote: <\/b>Have a promotional strategy for your site before the launch and activate it to promote your site.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><b>Conclusion<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Website creation is not an easy task but with proper planning, you can make it easy for you. On average, more than 2.5 lakh websites are created every day globally.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, before launching your WordPress website to the internet world, you must have a look at the above-mentioned WordPress checklist to ensure your website is ready to be launched and compete. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Make sure to check all the points, run your website on different devices, test every function, note the error or problems encountered, \u00a0and work on them to make the site perform better and compete better.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions_Relating_to_WordPress_Website_Launch\"><\/span><b>Frequently Asked Questions Relating to WordPress Website Launch<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714978034858\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>Is it easy to launch a WordPress website?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, Launching a WordPress website is relatively simple because of its user-friendly interface, pre-designed templates, and wide range of plugins and themes to choose from.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714978063049\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>Can I launch a WordPress site without any coding knowledge?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, it\u2019s possible to launch a WordPress website without any coding knowledge by utilizing its user-friendly interface and pre-designed themes &amp; plugins.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714978078576\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>How much does it cost to launch a WordPress website?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The cost of launching your WordPress website varies depending on factors like web hosting, domain registration, theme selection, and plugins which range between $100 to $500.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714978094568\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>How long does it take to launch a WordPress website?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The time required to launch a WordPress website varies depending on some factors like its complexity, customization, and content preparation.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714978110792\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>Are there any SEO considerations when launching a WordPress site?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, Several SEO considerations need to look at when launching a WordPress website which includes optimizing meta tags, creating SEO-friendly URLs, and ensuring proper website structure and navigation.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Planning to start a WordPress site? Have a look at this WordPress website launch checklist to make sure you don\u2019t [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wordpress"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2657"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2657\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6933,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2657\/revisions\/6933"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}