Website Design › Build › Launch
A working checklist of everything that must be considered, from strategy to go-live and beyond.
AI search is reshaping what a well-optimized website actually needs.
My complete web project launch checklist includes a dedicated section on GEO and AI optimization alongside all the fundamentals: strategy, design, performance, accessibility, SEO, security, and post-launch planning.
Tip: the best time to work through it is in the early strategy and planning stage, before you make a single design decision.
Every client project I work on runs through this checklist. If you want your website launch to be polished, purposeful, and built to perform, bookmark this checklist as a smart starting point for your project workflow.
01
Foundation & Strategy
Goals & success metrics: What must this site achieve? Define KPIs upfront.
Target audience: Who are they? What devices do they use?
Information architecture: How content is structured, grouped, and navigated.
Scalability: Can CMS, hosting, and components handle growth?
Content strategy: Who writes the copy? Are assets ready? Assign an owner.
01
Foundation & Strategy
Goals & success metrics: What must this site achieve? Define KPIs upfront.
Target audience: Who are they? What devices do they use?
Information architecture: How content is structured, grouped, and navigated.
Scalability: Can CMS, hosting, and components handle growth?
Content strategy: Who writes the copy? Are assets ready? Assign an owner.
01
Foundation & Strategy
Goals & success metrics: What must this site achieve? Define KPIs upfront.
Target audience: Who are they? What devices do they use?
Information architecture: How content is structured, grouped, and navigated.
Scalability: Can CMS, hosting, and components handle growth?
Content strategy: Who writes the copy? Are assets ready? Assign an owner.
02
Design Phase
Brand consistency: Type, color, tone, imagery are one cohesive system.
UX & user flows: Can users find what they need? Are CTAs clear?
Visual hierarchy: Does the eye know where to go first, second, third?
Responsiveness: Designed well at every breakpoint, not just "shrunk."
02
Design Phase
Brand consistency: Type, color, tone, imagery are one cohesive system.
UX & user flows: Can users find what they need? Are CTAs clear?
Visual hierarchy: Does the eye know where to go first, second, third?
Responsiveness: Designed well at every breakpoint, not just "shrunk."
02
Design Phase
Brand consistency: Type, color, tone, imagery are one cohesive system.
UX & user flows: Can users find what they need? Are CTAs clear?
Visual hierarchy: Does the eye know where to go first, second, third?
Responsiveness: Designed well at every breakpoint, not just "shrunk."
03 - a
Accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA compliance as the baseline standard
Color contrast ratios on all text
Keyboard navigation and visible focus states
Screen reader support and semantic HTML
Alt text on all meaningful images
03 - a
Accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA compliance as the baseline standard
Color contrast ratios on all text
Keyboard navigation and visible focus states
Screen reader support and semantic HTML
Alt text on all meaningful images
03 - a
Accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA compliance as the baseline standard
Color contrast ratios on all text
Keyboard navigation and visible focus states
Screen reader support and semantic HTML
Alt text on all meaningful images
03 - b
Performance
Core Web Vitals: LCP, CLS, INP optimized
Images compressed and in modern formats (WebP, AVIF)
Fonts optimized: subset and display:swap
No render-blocking scripts above the fold
Animation strategy: Lottie above fold, MP4 below
03 - b
Performance
Core Web Vitals: LCP, CLS, INP optimized
Images compressed and in modern formats (WebP, AVIF)
Fonts optimized: subset and display:swap
No render-blocking scripts above the fold
Animation strategy: Lottie above fold, MP4 below
03 - b
Performance
Core Web Vitals: LCP, CLS, INP optimized
Images compressed and in modern formats (WebP, AVIF)
Fonts optimized: subset and display:swap
No render-blocking scripts above the fold
Animation strategy: Lottie above fold, MP4 below
03 - c
On-page SEO
Keyword strategy defined per page
Meta titles, descriptions, and OG/social tags written
Content answers real user questions clearly and directly
Internal linking strategy connecting related pages
Image alt text, file names, and captions optimized
URL slugs clean, descriptive, and keyword-relevant
03 - c
On-page SEO
Keyword strategy defined per page
Meta titles, descriptions, and OG/social tags written
Content answers real user questions clearly and directly
Internal linking strategy connecting related pages
Image alt text, file names, and captions optimized
URL slugs clean, descriptive, and keyword-relevant
03 - c
On-page SEO
Keyword strategy defined per page
Meta titles, descriptions, and OG/social tags written
Content answers real user questions clearly and directly
Internal linking strategy connecting related pages
Image alt text, file names, and captions optimized
URL slugs clean, descriptive, and keyword-relevant
03 - d
Off-page SEO
Backlink strategy: quality over quantity, authoritative domains
Brand mentions and PR presence across the web
Google Business Profile and relevant directory listings
Social profiles consistent and linked to the site
Reviews and testimonials on third-party platforms
03 - d
Off-page SEO
Backlink strategy: quality over quantity, authoritative domains
Brand mentions and PR presence across the web
Google Business Profile and relevant directory listings
Social profiles consistent and linked to the site
Reviews and testimonials on third-party platforms
03 - d
Off-page SEO
Backlink strategy: quality over quantity, authoritative domains
Brand mentions and PR presence across the web
Google Business Profile and relevant directory listings
Social profiles consistent and linked to the site
Reviews and testimonials on third-party platforms
03 - e
GEO / AEO AI Optimization
Direct answer blocks: concise answers within first 150 words of key pages
E-E-A-T signals: real author bios, cited sources, demonstrated expertise
FAQ and structured content: question-based headings, lists, comparison tables
FAQ Page & How-To schema: formats AI systems parse most reliably
Multi-platform presence: LinkedIn, Reddit, and industry publications
Content freshness: updated regularly; AI deprioritizes stale content
03 - e
GEO / AEO AI Optimization
Direct answer blocks: concise answers within first 150 words of key pages
E-E-A-T signals: real author bios, cited sources, demonstrated expertise
FAQ and structured content: question-based headings, lists, comparison tables
FAQ Page & How-To schema: formats AI systems parse most reliably
Multi-platform presence: LinkedIn, Reddit, and industry publications
Content freshness: updated regularly; AI deprioritizes stale content
03 - e
GEO / AEO AI Optimization
Direct answer blocks: concise answers within first 150 words of key pages
E-E-A-T signals: real author bios, cited sources, demonstrated expertise
FAQ and structured content: question-based headings, lists, comparison tables
FAQ Page & How-To schema: formats AI systems parse most reliably
Multi-platform presence: LinkedIn, Reddit, and industry publications
Content freshness: updated regularly; AI deprioritizes stale content
03 - f
Security & Legal
SSL/HTTPS: non-negotiable table stakes
Forms: validation, error states, and success states
Privacy policy and terms of service in place
Cookie banner and GDPR consent if required
CMS/login: brute force and injection protection
03 - f
Security & Legal
SSL/HTTPS: non-negotiable table stakes
Forms: validation, error states, and success states
Privacy policy and terms of service in place
Cookie banner and GDPR consent if required
CMS/login: brute force and injection protection
03 - f
Security & Legal
SSL/HTTPS: non-negotiable table stakes
Forms: validation, error states, and success states
Privacy policy and terms of service in place
Cookie banner and GDPR consent if required
CMS/login: brute force and injection protection
04
Launch Phase
DNS and domain ownership confirmed
301 redirects mapped (critical on redesigns)
Staging environment tested before going live
QA pass: broken links, missing images, placeholder text
Browser and device compatibility confirmed
Load time benchmarked pre-launch
04
Launch Phase
DNS and domain ownership confirmed
301 redirects mapped (critical on redesigns)
Staging environment tested before going live
QA pass: broken links, missing images, placeholder text
Browser and device compatibility confirmed
Load time benchmarked pre-launch
04
Launch Phase
DNS and domain ownership confirmed
301 redirects mapped (critical on redesigns)
Staging environment tested before going live
QA pass: broken links, missing images, placeholder text
Browser and device compatibility confirmed
Load time benchmarked pre-launch
05
Post-Launch & Scalability
Maintenance plan: Who updates, monitors, and renews what?
Backups: Where stored, how often, recovery tested?
Performance monitoring: Search Console, Lighthouse, uptime alerts
05
Post-Launch & Scalability
Maintenance plan: Who updates, monitors, and renews what?
Backups: Where stored, how often, recovery tested?
Performance monitoring: Search Console, Lighthouse, uptime alerts
05
Post-Launch & Scalability
Maintenance plan: Who updates, monitors, and renews what?
Backups: Where stored, how often, recovery tested?
Performance monitoring: Search Console, Lighthouse, uptime alerts
Provided by Ria Scureman Designs | Strategic Design for Elevated Web Experiences. | www.riascuremandesigns.com
Provided by Ria Scureman Designs | Strategic Design for Elevated Web Experiences. | www.riascuremandesigns.com