Opinionated, field-tested checklists we use on our own client projects. Run them before launch, before migration, and every month after.
WordPress launch checklist
- Permalinks set to Post name and confirmed on every content type
- Favicon and site icon uploaded (favicon.ico + 180×180 touch icon)
- SEO title & meta description verified for homepage and all key pages
- XML sitemap reachable at /wp-sitemap.xml and referenced in robots.txt
- All images compressed, served in WebP/AVIF where supported, lazy-loaded except LCP image
- Caching configured: page cache + object cache + CDN, cache purge verified
- Forms tested end to end (admin notification email actually arrives)
- 404 page tested with a deliberate broken URL
- Backup plugin or host snapshot verified with a real restore test
- Security: admin username not “admin”, login rate-limiting enabled, core/plugins updated
- Analytics and Search Console verified with correct domain property
WordPress migration checklist
- Full backup of files and database taken from the source host, restore-tested
- Staging copy built on the destination host before any DNS change
- Serialization-safe URL replace completed (database + widget + option tables)
- New environment tuned: PHP version, memory limits, object cache
- Internal links & assets checked for absolute old-domain references
- 301 redirect map prepared for changed URLs, tested with a crawler
- DNS TTL lowered 24h before cutover
- Cutover performed at low-traffic hour; rollback path documented
- Post-migration: Search Console change of address, sitemap resubmitted
- 7 days of uptime & error-log monitoring after go-live
Monthly maintenance checklist
- Core, theme and plugin updates applied on staging first
- Backups: verify at least one restore point from the last 7 days
- Uptime and Core Web Vitals spot check on home, product and article templates
- Database housekeeping: transients, revisions, spam comments, logs
- Security review: failed login log scan, file integrity check
- Contact forms and checkout test transactions confirmed
Want these run for you instead? Our maintenance & optimization services execute this list monthly with a written report. Start with the free audit.
