The technical SEO checklist to run before a website launch
A practical pre-launch checklist for crawlability, page titles, canonical URLs, structured data, mobile usability, and analytics.
Search-friendly development begins before launch. A short technical review helps search engines discover the right pages and gives people a clear, useful result when they find your site.
Check indexability and crawl paths
Make sure important pages return a successful response and are not blocked by robots directives. Provide useful internal links and an XML sitemap containing canonical pages. Keep staging environments out of search results.
Give every page a clear purpose
Write a distinct title and description that accurately describe the page. Use one descriptive main heading, readable URLs, and useful body content. Avoid repeating keywords unnaturally or creating thin pages simply to target location names.
Set canonical and sharing metadata
Use the preferred HTTPS URL consistently, redirect alternate hostnames, and add canonical links where appropriate. Check Open Graph metadata so shared links display the correct title, description, and image.
Add accurate structured data
Use schema markup only when it describes visible, accurate information. Validate JSON-LD before launch. Do not add ratings, addresses, or business claims that cannot be substantiated.
Test mobile experience and measurement
Review navigation, forms, readability, and page speed on real mobile sizes. Verify analytics and Search Console access, then submit the sitemap after the production site is live. Track qualified enquiries and useful engagement, not rankings alone.