A website launch checklist for a small business

Use this list before you publish. Allow about one hour. Work through the steps in order.

Step 1: Check the content

Read every page out loud. Fix typos and broken sentences. Check that your name, address, phone number and hours are correct and the same on every page.

Step 2: Check the basics of search

Give each page its own title and description. The meta tag generator writes both. Read how to write a page title if you want help.

Step 3: Add structured data

Add local business schema to your home page. Add FAQ schema to your FAQ page.

Step 4: Set up crawler files

Upload a robots.txt file and a sitemap. Use the robots.txt generator and the sitemap generator. Open both files in your browser to check them.

Step 5: Test on a phone

Open your site on a phone. Tap every button and link. Fill in your contact form and check that the message reaches you.

Step 6: Check speed and images

Load each page on a mobile connection. Compress large images. Add a short description to each image for people who use screen readers.

Step 7: Track visits

Set up your analytics. Tag the links you share with UTM links.

Step 8: Publish and recheck

Publish the site. Open it again on a different device. Search for your business name in a week and note what appears.