Before Launching a WordPress Website, Here Are 7 Things I Always Check

I've seen quite a few WordPress websites that look great at first glance but have problems once you actually start using them.

Sometimes the website is slow. Sometimes the contact form doesn't work. And sometimes basic SEO settings haven't even been configured.

These things might seem small, but they can make a big difference, especially when you're building a website for a business.

Over time, I've started following a simple checklist whenever I work on a WordPress website. It's nothing complicated, but it helps avoid a lot of unnecessary problems later.

Here are 7 things I usually check before considering a website ready.

1. Is the website actually fast?

This is probably one of the first things I look at.

A website might look beautiful, but if it takes 5–6 seconds to load, most visitors won't wait around.

I usually check image sizes, unnecessary plugins, caching, CSS and JavaScript files, and overall server performance.

Google PageSpeed Insights is a good starting point. You don't necessarily need a perfect score, but you should understand what's slowing your website down.

2. Check how it looks on mobile

I've noticed that sometimes a website looks perfect on a desktop but becomes a completely different story on mobile.

Text gets too small, buttons overlap, images don't fit properly, and menus become difficult to use.

I always recommend opening the website on an actual phone before launching it.

Don't just rely on the desktop preview in your page builder.

3. Don't ignore WordPress security

Security is something that is easy to overlook when you're busy designing a website.

At a minimum, I recommend:

  • Keeping WordPress and plugins updated.
  • Removing plugins you're no longer using.
  • Using strong administrator passwords.
  • Making sure SSL is configured correctly.
  • Setting up regular backups.
  • Checking for suspicious files or malware.

It's much easier to take these precautions before something goes wrong.

4. Spend a little time on SEO

You don't need to become an SEO expert before launching a website, but some basic configuration is important.

I usually check:

  • Page titles and meta descriptions.
  • XML sitemap.
  • Robots.txt.
  • Heading structure.
  • Image alt text.
  • Canonical URLs.
  • Google Search Console setup.

One thing I always suggest is checking whether important pages can actually be indexed by Google.

There's no point publishing useful content if search engines can't find it.

5. Test every form and button

This sounds obvious, but it's surprising how often websites go live without properly testing their forms.

Try submitting the contact form yourself. Check whether the email arrives. Test buttons, menu links, registration forms, and other important features.

If it's an eCommerce website, place a test order too.

Imagine spending money on advertising only to discover that your contact form hasn't been working for the last two weeks.

6. Make sure you have a backup

I learned that backups are one of those things you don't think about until you actually need them.

Before launching, take a complete backup of your website, including its database and files.

Also, don't keep your only backup on the same hosting account. If something happens to the server, you could lose both your website and its backup.

7. Do one final check before going live

Before announcing a website launch, I like to go through everything once more.

Check broken links, page loading, mobile layouts, SSL, important pages, and WordPress Site Health.

Tools like GTmetrix, Google PageSpeed Insights, and Google Search Console can help identify issues that you might otherwise miss.

A small final thought

Building a WordPress website isn't just about making it look good. It should also be fast, secure, easy to use, and technically sound.

I've found that spending an extra hour checking these things can save several hours of troubleshooting later.

If you're working on a WordPress project or planning to build a website for your business, you can also check out Delight IT Solutions, where we work on WordPress development, website optimization, SEO, and custom web solutions.

I'm curious: What's the one WordPress issue you find yourself fixing most often after a website goes live?

Would love to hear from other developers.