Website launch checklist
The essential steps to check before go-live: domain, SSL, SEO, sitemap, analytics, backup.
Tools · Launch
Launching a site is more than hitting "publish". Before go-live you have a set of technical and content items to verify: the domain configured correctly, an active SSL certificate, complete on-page SEO, a sitemap and robots.txt, analytics connected and a backup ready. This checklist walks you through it step by step. On 4shopy many of these items are configured automatically at publish time.
- Domain connected and an active SSL (HTTPS) certificate.
- On-page SEO: a meta title and description on every page, unique H1 headings.
- sitemap.xml generated and robots.txt correct (no accidental blocks).
- Analytics connected and a site backup ready.
How does it work?
Check the domain and SSL: the domain must point to the site and the SSL certificate must be active (the address starts with https:// and no security warning appears).
Confirm on-page SEO: every page has its own meta title and description, a single relevant H1 and clean, readable URLs.
Generate sitemap.xml and check robots.txt: the sitemap lists only indexable pages, and robots.txt does not block the whole site by mistake.
Connect analytics (Google Analytics or an alternative) and make sure you have a backup of the site before making it public.
Frequently asked questions
What must I check before publishing a site?
The essentials: the domain configured, an active SSL certificate (HTTPS), a meta title and description on every page, a correct sitemap.xml and robots.txt, analytics connected and a backup ready. These prevent the most common launch problems.
Why do I need SSL (HTTPS)?
SSL encrypts the traffic between visitor and site, is mandatory for user trust and for online forms or payments, and is a Google ranking factor. Browsers flag sites without HTTPS as "not secure".
What is sitemap.xml for?
sitemap.xml lists the pages you want search engines to index and helps them discover those pages faster. It should contain only indexable pages (200 OK), with no redirects and no noindex pages.
Do I need a backup before launch?
Yes. A backup of the site (content and configuration) lets you return quickly to a working state if a post-launch change causes problems. On a SaaS builder the backup is usually handled automatically.
Related tools
Build your website with 4shopy
A landing site, online store or marketplace — optimized for AI, GEO and SEO from the start, with no agency.
See pricing →