The week after launch is when problems surface that nobody thought to check. Almost all of them are preventable, and most fall into four groups. This is the list we work through before any site goes live.
Before launching, verify that redirects map every existing URL, forms deliver to a real inbox, analytics and conversion tracking fire, the site is indexable, and the whole thing works on a phone. Those five account for the majority of post-launch disasters. Everything else on this list is worth checking, but those are the ones that cost money.
Search and redirects
- Every existing indexed URL maps to a destination on the new site. This is the single most common cause of a traffic collapse after a redesign.
- Redirects are 301, not 302, and do not chain through more than one hop.
- The staging site is no longer blocking crawlers, and the live site is not accidentally carrying noindex from staging.
- robots.txt allows what you want crawled and blocks what you do not.
- XML sitemap generated, accurate, and submitted in Search Console.
- Canonical tags point at the correct live URLs, not staging.
- Page titles and meta descriptions are unique on every page.
The staging noindex tag surviving into production is the classic disaster. It costs weeks of traffic and often nobody notices for a fortnight.
Forms and enquiries
- Submit every form yourself and confirm the email arrives.
- Check spam folders, then set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC so it stops going there.
- Confirm the thank-you page or message appears.
- Verify the enquiry is stored somewhere, not only emailed, so a mail failure does not lose the lead.
- Test on a phone, since mobile keyboards and validation behave differently.
- Check that required fields are genuinely required and optional ones do not block submission.
We have lost count of the sites where enquiries were silently failing for months because nobody tested the form after a change.
Tracking
- Analytics installed on every page, including ones added late.
- Conversion events fire on form submission, calls and purchases.
- Ad platform pixels present and firing.
- Search Console verified for the live domain.
- Filters or consent settings not silently blocking your own data.
Content and function
- Every internal link resolves. Run a crawler rather than clicking.
- No placeholder text left anywhere, including meta descriptions and alt text.
- Contact details, hours and prices are current and consistent with your Google Business Profile.
- 404 page exists, is styled, and offers a route back.
- Favicon and social share image are set and render correctly.
- Legal pages present: privacy policy, terms, cookie information if applicable.
- Site works logged out, in a private window, on a fresh device.
Technical
- SSL certificate valid, and everything redirects to https.
- One canonical domain: pick www or non-www and redirect the other.
- Core Web Vitals measured and acceptable on mobile.
- Backups configured and a restore tested, not just scheduled.
- Admin accounts audited and the agency's temporary access removed at handover.
- Uptime monitoring pointed at the live domain.
The week after
Watch Search Console for coverage errors daily for the first fortnight. Watch analytics for pages that lost all their traffic, which usually means a missed redirect. Watch your inbox for enquiries, and if none arrive in the first few days, test the form again rather than assuming demand dropped.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common launch mistake?
A missing redirect map. Pages that ranked on the old site return 404s on the new one, and the traffic they earned disappears. It is entirely preventable by exporting every indexed URL before launch and mapping each to a destination.
How do I stop a redesign losing rankings?
Map every existing URL to a new one, keep the content that was ranking rather than trimming it for design reasons, preserve page titles and headings where they were working, and submit an updated sitemap on launch day. Most redesign traffic losses come from content being cut, not from the design changing.
Should I launch on a Friday?
No. Launch on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning, when the people who can fix problems are available for the next few days. Friday launches mean any issue lives all weekend.
How long should I keep the old site?
Keep a full backup indefinitely and keep the old hosting live for at least a month. If something turns out to have been missed, having the original to refer to saves considerable time.
Do I need to tell Google about the new site?
Submit the updated XML sitemap in Search Console and, if the domain changed, use the change of address tool. Otherwise Google will find it. What matters more is that your redirects are correct so the authority follows.