SEO
SEO Launch Checklist for New Websites (Agency Edition)
A practical pre-launch SEO checklist so new client sites go live without missing basics or creating technical debt.
Launching a new site with SEO in mind prevents avoidable issues and sets a good foundation. This checklist is aimed at agencies shipping client sites.
Before launch: technical basics
URLs: Confirm production URL (HTTPS, final domain). Set canonicals to the chosen version (e.g. non-www). Sitemap: Generate and submit an XML sitemap; include only indexable URLs. robots.txt: Allow crawlers on content paths; block admin or staging paths if needed. Redirects: Map old URLs to new ones (if migrating); test critical redirects. Status codes: Ensure key pages return 200; fix 4xx/5xx before launch. Mobile and speed: Check responsive behavior and Core Web Vitals on a representative page; fix critical issues.
Metadata and indexing
Titles and descriptions: Every important page has a unique title and meta description; no “Untitled” or empty. Structured data: Add JSON-LD where it fits (Organization, Article, etc.); validate with Rich Results Test. Noindex where needed: Thank-you pages, search results, or staging URLs should be noindex or blocked so they don’t pollute the index.
Search Console and analytics
Verification: Add the site to Google Search Console (and Bing if relevant); verify ownership. Sitemap: Submit the sitemap in Search Console. Analytics: Install and verify analytics; set up goals or events if the client needs conversion tracking. No indexing of staging: Ensure staging or dev URLs aren’t linked or submitted; use noindex or auth so they don’t get indexed.
Post-launch
Monitor: Watch Search Console for crawl errors and indexing issues in the first weeks. Performance: Re-check Core Web Vitals after launch (real traffic, CDN, caching). Content: Confirm key landing pages and blog URLs are live and match the sitemap. Document any known limitations (e.g. “paginated archives are noindexed”) so the client and team know the setup.
Summary
Before launch: lock URLs, sitemap, robots, redirects, status codes, and basic performance. Set metadata and structured data; noindex utility pages. Verify Search Console and analytics; keep staging out of the index. After launch, monitor and re-check. This checklist keeps new site launches SEO-ready for agencies.