The Complete Small Business Website Launch Checklist

Choose the main outcome, such as enquiries, sales or bookings.

Write down who the website is for and what matters to them.

Decide the clearest next step on each important page.

Create a practical page list before writing or designing.

Record who has authority to approve scope, content and the final launch version.

Make sure the business controls the domain account and login.

Confirm payment details and renewal reminders are current.

Use hosting appropriate for the site’s traffic, security and features.

Use an address connected to the business domain where practical.

Keep domain, hosting, support and renewal contacts somewhere secure and accessible to the business.

Prepare versions that work on light and dark backgrounds.

Use a small, consistent colour palette with readable contrast.

Keep headings and body copy clear on small and large screens.

Review buttons, spacing, icons and imagery across every page.

Add a recognisable browser-tab icon for the business.

Check spelling, grammar, accuracy and UK English consistency.

Help visitors understand each page without reading every paragraph.

Use specific next steps such as Request a Quote or Book an Appointment.

Confirm prices, opening hours, addresses, legal business details and service information before launch.

Search every public page for draft notes, sample text, broken placeholders and unfinished sections.

Confirm ownership, licences or written permission.

Reduce file sizes without making images visibly poor.

Describe informative images for people using assistive technology.

Make sure important subjects remain visible on smaller screens.

Explain images or videos when context is not otherwise clear.

Use familiar labels and avoid unnecessary menu choices.

Open links and confirm they reach the intended page.

Make the logo or Home link easy to find.

Include useful contact, legal and important page links.

Test each applicable enquiry, purchase, booking and account journey from start to finish.

Where the site has forms, submit each one using an approved safe test and confirm delivery to the monitored destination.

Make instructions specific and errors easy to correct.

Test tap-to-call and email links on a real device.

Where a form exists, confirm it gives an accurate success message and explains what happens next.

Collect only personal information needed for the stated purpose and document why each field is required.

Where ecommerce or booking applies, complete the full journey using an approved safe test method.

Where ecommerce applies, confirm prices, applicable taxes, delivery details and totals are accurate.

Where ecommerce or booking applies, verify customer and business confirmations contain the correct information.

Where cancellations or refunds apply, test the process and document how staff and customers handle changes.

Where stock or availability applies, confirm unavailable products or times cannot be selected incorrectly.

Check a phone, tablet and desktop rather than one device only.

Make important controls large enough and well spaced.

Body copy should remain readable on a normal phone screen.

Open navigation, pop-ups and selectors at phone and tablet widths and confirm they can be operated and closed.

Check key pages at phone and tablet widths and resolve unintended horizontal scrolling.

Check links, forms and menus without using a mouse.

Keyboard users should see which control is active.

Text and controls must remain clear against their backgrounds.

Give every form control a persistent, programmatically associated label; do not rely on placeholder text alone.

Review landmark and heading order so assistive-technology users can understand the page structure.

Give every important page a clear and relevant browser title.

Summarise each important page accurately for search results.

Make the primary topic obvious to visitors and search engines.

Confirm intended public pages are indexable and private, duplicate or unfinished routes are excluded.

Provide search engines with an accurate sitemap containing only intended canonical public pages.

Where analytics is used, choose measures linked to agreed website goals and avoid unnecessary collection.

Where analytics is used, confirm only agreed page views and events are recorded after the applicable consent choice.

Where analytics is used, exclude obvious internal testing where practical and document any limitations.

Record what each enquiry, purchase or booking event means.

Where non-essential analytics or cookies are used, confirm the consent approach matches actual behaviour and privacy information.

Explain how personal information is collected and used. This is general information, not legal advice.

Explain non-essential cookies and obtain consent where required. This is general information, not legal advice.

Use terms appropriate to the services or products offered. Seek legal advice if unsure.

Display the business, trader, company or regulatory details required for the organisation and jurisdiction.

Keep evidence that published content, fonts and images may lawfully be used.

The website address should load securely without certificate warnings.

Protect administrator, hosting and domain accounts.

Add a second login step wherever suppliers support it.

Where the website or supplier permits backups, configure them and verify who can restore a recent copy.

Review and remove accounts, integrations and tools that are no longer required.

Test realistic conditions rather than only fast office Wi-Fi.

Avoid uploading dimensions far larger than the page displays.

Remove unused tracking, widgets and third-party additions.

Review video, maps, chat and social media embeds.

Record a repeatable performance baseline, noting the tool, date, page and mobile or desktop strategy.

Review content, layout, links and calls to action.

Check the browsers most likely to be used by customers.

A fresh tester often finds unclear wording or missing steps.

Open an invalid address and confirm the error page offers a clear, safe route back.

Record who approved the final content, scope and launch version, and when approval was given.

Keep a recoverable copy immediately before launch changes.

Check the live domain points to the intended website.

Disable holding pages or passwords intended only for development.

Repeat each applicable enquiry, purchase, booking and login journey on the live domain.

Monitor enquiries, transactions, supplier alerts and application errors during the agreed launch period.

Schedule checks for prices, services, staff and contact details.

Keep the platform and extensions current, with backups first.

Monitor speed, errors and key visitor journeys.

Use real outcomes to decide what should improve next.

Record renewal owners and dates for domains, hosting, licences and essential services, with reminders before expiry.