# New Website SEO Launch Checklist

Launching a new website? This checklist walks you through every essential SEO step—from technical foundations to content optimization—so you can hit the ground running, attract organic traffic, and avoid costly post‑launch fixes.

---

## 1️⃣ Pre‑Launch Technical Foundations  

- [ ] Verify that the site is hosted on a fast, reliable server (≥ 99.9% uptime).  
- [ ] Set up HTTPS with a valid SSL certificate and enforce 301 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS. > 💡 Use a free **Let’s Encrypt** cert if budget‑tight, but ensure auto‑renewal.  
- [ ] Create and submit a **robots.txt** file that blocks only non‑essential pages (e.g., admin, staging).  
- [ ] Generate an XML sitemap (HTML + XML) and submit it to Google Search Console & Bing Webmaster Tools.  
- [ ] Implement structured data (Schema.org) for core content types (Article, Product, FAQ, Breadcrumb).  
- [ ] Configure canonical tags on all pages to prevent duplicate content.  
- [ ] Set up 404 custom error page with internal linking suggestions and a search box.  
- [ ] Test site speed with Google PageSpeed Insights; aim for **Core Web Vitals** ≥ 90 (LCP < 2.5 s, FID < 100 ms, CLS < 0.1).  
- [ ] Ensure mobile‑friendliness via Google Mobile-Friendly Test; confirm responsive design works on common devices.  
- [ ] Verify that all external scripts (analytics, ads, chat) load asynchronously or defer to reduce render‑blocking.  

---

## 2️⃣ On‑Page SEO & Content Optimization  

- [ ] Conduct keyword research for each primary page (focus on 1‑3 target keywords).  
- [ ] Optimize title tags: ≤ 60 characters, keyword‑front, brand at end.  
- [ ] Write meta descriptions ≤ 160 characters, include a call‑to‑action and primary keyword.  
- [ ] Use H1 tags for the main headline; include the target keyword once.  
- [ ] Structure content with H2–H4 headings that incorporate secondary keywords.  
- [ ] Ensure each page has at least **300 words** of unique, valuable content.  
- [ ] Insert target keyword naturally within the first 100 words.  
- [ ] Add descriptive, keyword‑rich alt text to every image (≤ 125 characters).  
- [ ] Implement internal linking: at least 2‑3 contextual links per page to related content.  
- [ ] Set up breadcrumb navigation and mark it up with Schema.org.  
- [ ] Include a clear, SEO‑friendly URL slug (lowercase, hyphens, < 70 characters).  

---

## 3️⃣ Technical SEO Audits & Crawlability  

- [ ] Run a full crawl with Screaming Frog or Sitebulb; fix any 4xx/5xx errors.  
- [ ] Check for broken internal and external links; replace or remove them.  
- [ ] Verify that pagination is correctly handled with `rel="next"` / `rel="prev"` tags or view‑all pages.  
- [ ] Ensure proper use of `noindex` tags on thin or duplicate pages (e.g., tag archives).  
- [ ] Confirm that hreflang tags are set correctly for multilingual sites.  
- [ ] Review and consolidate duplicate content (e.g., www vs non‑www, HTTP vs HTTPS).  
- [ ] Set up log file analysis to confirm search bots are crawling key pages.  
- [ ] Validate structured data using Google Rich Results Test; fix any errors/warnings.  

---

## 4️⃣ Local & International SEO (if applicable)  

- [ ] Create or claim a **Google Business Profile**; fill out all NAP details.  
- [ ] Add location schema markup to contact / location pages.  
- [ ] Build citations on top local directories (Yelp, TripAdvisor, industry‑specific).  
- [ ] Ensure NAP consistency across all listings. > 💡 Use a tool like **BrightLocal** for automated checks.  
- [ ] For multilingual sites, translate content professionally; avoid machine‑only translations.  
- [ ] Set up separate hreflang tags for each language/region version.  
- [ ] Submit each language version’s sitemap to the appropriate Google Search Console property.  

---

## 5️⃣ Analytics, Tracking & Reporting  

- [ ] Install Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and verify data collection on all pages.  
- [ ] Set up Google Search Console (GSC) property and verify ownership via DNS or HTML tag.  
- [ ] Link GA4 and GSC for integrated reporting.  
- [ ] Create goal conversions (e.g., form submissions, phone clicks, purchases).  
- [ ] Enable **Enhanced Measurement** in GA4 for scroll depth, outbound clicks, and video engagement.  
- [ ] Set up UTM parameters for any pre‑launch marketing campaigns.  
- [ ] Configure alerts for sudden traffic drops, crawl errors, or index coverage issues.  

---

## 6️⃣ Post‑Launch Monitoring & Ongoing Optimization  

- [ ] Check index status in GSC after 24 h; ensure all critical pages are indexed.  
- [ ] Monitor Core Web Vitals in Search Console’s **Core Web Vitals** report; address any “poor” pages.  
- [ ] Review the **Coverage** report for new errors or warnings weekly for the first month.  
- [ ] Track keyword rankings for target terms using a rank‑tracking tool (e.g., Ahrefs, SEMrush).  
- [ ] Conduct a backlink audit; disavow toxic links if necessary.  
- [ ] Schedule a content audit every 3 months to refresh outdated pages and add new internal links.  
- [ ] Perform A/B tests on title tags and meta descriptions to improve CTR.  

---

## How to use this checklist  

1. **Print or duplicate** the list in your project management tool (Asana, Trello, ClickUp, etc.).  
2. **Assign** each task to the responsible team member with a due date aligned to your launch timeline.  
3. **Mark items** as complete in real time; this provides a visual progress bar for stakeholders.  
4. **Review** the “Post‑Launch Monitoring” section weekly for the first 30 days, then transition to a monthly SEO health routine.  
5. **Update** the checklist as you discover site‑specific nuances—treat it as a living document that evolves with your SEO strategy.  

Happy launching! 🚀