Business Website Checklist: 20 Essentials Before You Launch

Whether you are launching your first business website or replacing an old one, this checklist covers the essentials that are easy to overlook in the rush to go live.

Content and structure

1. The homepage explains what you do, for whom and where, within the first screen.
2. Each main service has its own page with clear, specific information.
3. The About page gives accurate information about your business.
4. Portfolio, gallery or examples use genuine work you are allowed to show.
5. All text has been proofread; there is no placeholder or sample text left.

Contact and conversion

6. WhatsApp, phone and email links work on mobile and desktop.
7. Contact details are identical everywhere on the site and on your Google Business Profile.
8. Every important page has a clear next step, such as "Chat on WhatsApp" or "Call now".
9. Forms, if any, deliver to an inbox someone actually checks.

Mobile, speed and accessibility

10. Pages work well on small phones with no sideways scrolling.
11. Images are compressed and correctly sized.
12. Text is readable, with sufficient contrast.
13. Menus and buttons can be used with a keyboard, and images have descriptive alt text.

SEO basics

14. Every page has a unique title and meta description.
15. Each page has one clear main heading (H1).
16. A sitemap.xml exists and robots.txt does not block the site.
17. The site uses HTTPS, and non-HTTPS or www versions redirect consistently.

Legal, tracking and ownership

18. Privacy policy and terms pages exist and reflect how your site actually works.
19. Analytics and Google Search Console are set up, if you plan to measure performance.
20. Your domain, hosting and platform accounts are registered in your business's name with logins you control.

If you can tick all twenty, your website is ready for a confident launch.