Before You Go Live

Here you'll find all the technical aspects and items that are often overlooked. Make sure you give your site a fighting chance. This is the bare minimum.

PreviousWarm Websites Starter Docs NextLive Website

Last updated 8 months ago

Before You Go Live

Here you'll find all the technical aspects and items that are often overlooked. Make sure you give your site a fighting chance. This is the bare minimum.

Want to learn more about how we can help? Head on over to .

Checklist:

1. Install Google Analytics

Set Up Tracking: Install your Google Analytics tracking code to monitor traffic and user behavior from day one. Consider using Google Tag Manager for easier management of tags and tracking codes.

2. Review SEO

Optimize Titles and Descriptions: Ensure all page titles and meta descriptions are optimized with relevant keywords.
Check Headings and Structure: Make sure your content is properly structured with H1, H2, and H3 tags to improve readability and SEO.
Image Alt Tags: Add descriptive alt tags to all images to enhance accessibility and help with image search rankings.
Install an SEO Plugin: Use a plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to help optimize your site’s content and metadata.

3. Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins

Ensure Everything is Up-to-Date: Update WordPress core, all installed themes, and plugins to their latest versions to ensure security and compatibility.
Enable Automatic Updates: Consider enabling automatic updates for plugins and themes to keep your site secure.

4. Remove Unused Themes and Plugins

Clean Up: Delete any unused themes or plugins to reduce potential security risks and improve site performance.

5. Optimize Media Library

Remove Unused Media: Delete unused images, videos, and other media files to free up space and keep your site organized.
Compress Images: Use a plugin like Smush or ShortPixel to compress images and improve load times.

6. Secure Payment Information

Verify Credit Card on File: Ensure your payment information is up to date for any recurring expenses, such as hosting, premium plugins, or themes.

7. Verify Social Media Links

Check Links: Ensure all social media links on your site point to the correct profiles.
Open in New Window: Configure social media links to open in a new tab or window to keep users on your site.

8. Test Mobile Formatting

Responsive Design Check: Verify that your website looks and functions correctly on all screen sizes, including smartphones and tablets. Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check responsiveness.

9. Check Functionality

Click Through Your Site: Test all buttons, forms, and internal/external links to ensure they work as expected.
Link Behavior: Confirm that internal links open in the same window, while external links open in a new window.

10. Backup Your Site

Create a Backup: Before launching, create a full backup of your site using a plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy. This ensures you have a restore point if something goes wrong.

11. Set Up Security Measures

Install a Security Plugin: Use a plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri to protect your site from potential threats.
Enable SSL: Ensure your SSL certificate is active to secure data transmission and improve search engine rankings.

12. Configure Permalinks

Set Permalinks: Update your permalink structure to be SEO-friendly (e.g., yoursite.com/sample-post/ instead of yoursite.com/?p=123).

13. Enable Caching

Improve Speed: Install and configure a caching plugin like W3 Total Cache or WP Rocket to speed up your site.

14. Set Up a CDN (Content Delivery Network)

Enhance Load Times Globally: Use a CDN like Cloudflare to distribute your content across multiple servers worldwide, ensuring faster load times for visitors.

PreviousWarm Websites Starter Docs NextLive Website

Last updated 8 months ago

Want to learn more about how we can help? Head on over to .

Checklist:

1. Install Google Analytics

Set Up Tracking: Install your Google Analytics tracking code to monitor traffic and user behavior from day one. Consider using Google Tag Manager for easier management of tags and tracking codes.

2. Review SEO

Optimize Titles and Descriptions: Ensure all page titles and meta descriptions are optimized with relevant keywords.
Check Headings and Structure: Make sure your content is properly structured with H1, H2, and H3 tags to improve readability and SEO.
Image Alt Tags: Add descriptive alt tags to all images to enhance accessibility and help with image search rankings.
Install an SEO Plugin: Use a plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to help optimize your site’s content and metadata.

3. Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins

Ensure Everything is Up-to-Date: Update WordPress core, all installed themes, and plugins to their latest versions to ensure security and compatibility.
Enable Automatic Updates: Consider enabling automatic updates for plugins and themes to keep your site secure.

4. Remove Unused Themes and Plugins

Clean Up: Delete any unused themes or plugins to reduce potential security risks and improve site performance.

5. Optimize Media Library

Remove Unused Media: Delete unused images, videos, and other media files to free up space and keep your site organized.
Compress Images: Use a plugin like Smush or ShortPixel to compress images and improve load times.

6. Secure Payment Information

Verify Credit Card on File: Ensure your payment information is up to date for any recurring expenses, such as hosting, premium plugins, or themes.

7. Verify Social Media Links

Check Links: Ensure all social media links on your site point to the correct profiles.
Open in New Window: Configure social media links to open in a new tab or window to keep users on your site.

8. Test Mobile Formatting

Responsive Design Check: Verify that your website looks and functions correctly on all screen sizes, including smartphones and tablets. Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check responsiveness.

9. Check Functionality

Click Through Your Site: Test all buttons, forms, and internal/external links to ensure they work as expected.
Link Behavior: Confirm that internal links open in the same window, while external links open in a new window.

10. Backup Your Site

Create a Backup: Before launching, create a full backup of your site using a plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy. This ensures you have a restore point if something goes wrong.

11. Set Up Security Measures

Install a Security Plugin: Use a plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri to protect your site from potential threats.
Enable SSL: Ensure your SSL certificate is active to secure data transmission and improve search engine rankings.

12. Configure Permalinks

Set Permalinks: Update your permalink structure to be SEO-friendly (e.g., yoursite.com/sample-post/ instead of yoursite.com/?p=123).

13. Enable Caching

Improve Speed: Install and configure a caching plugin like W3 Total Cache or WP Rocket to speed up your site.

14. Set Up a CDN (Content Delivery Network)

Enhance Load Times Globally: Use a CDN like Cloudflare to distribute your content across multiple servers worldwide, ensuring faster load times for visitors.