The Webflow Launch Checklist
Be prepared for launch day — learn all the things you should check before making your new Webflow website live!
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SEO: Search Engine Optimization
Optimizing for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is one of the most important factors you should pay attention to when launching a new website.
All your pages have meta titles and meta descriptions
Ensure that all your pages have meta titles and meta descriptions, and that those are optimized for your desired SEO keywords. Otherwise, your website chances of ranking high on Google (and other search engines) will be much lower.
Your Webflow staging domain is set to no-index
Make sure that you have disabled the indexing on the Webflow staging domain, otherwise, Google may detect your website as duplicated content, and if that's not all, your staging website will be indexed and easily found on Google.
Your Webflow site has a canonical URL set
Whether you want to use non-www or www as your canonical URL, make sure to set it up on your Webflow project settings, so you keep your same canonical URL as before, and maintain your current SEO authority and rankings.
All your old website URLs have 301 redirects
Set up 301 redirects on your old website URLs, and redirect them to the new URLs to avoid any broken links and decrease in SEO authority.
Your orphan or soft-404 pages are set to no-index
It’s important to make sure that all orphan or soft-404 pages (like Thank you pages) are set to no-index to avoid them appearing on search engines.
You have an XML sitemap ready to submit to GSC
Make sure you already have your sitemap.xml prepared to submit it to Google Search Console and other search engines like Bing.
Your website has the language meta tag set
Double-check that your website has the proper language meta tag set, so your site notifies browsers in what language your site is on.
All your pages have a proper H1, H2, H3 structure
Verify that all your site pages have a proper semantic structure that uses all major headings (H1, H2, H3, etc), and that those include your SEO keywords.
All your pages include your SEO keyword on the H1
If you want to have higher chances of ranking well, it’s important to make sure that your SEO keyboard is being used on your heading 1.
All your website pages have schema.org markup
Get more clicks on Google thanks to the rich snippets generated by the schema.org markup used on your website pages.
All your Webflow CMS have dynamic meta tags
Ensure that your Webflow CMS collections have dynamic meta titles and meta descriptions, so each has an unique title and description.
Your website is free of any sample or dummy content
Audit your site and remove any dummy content before launching the website. Google and other search engines don’t like Lorem sample text.
Speed Optimization
Everyone hates slow websites — That is why optimizing your website for speed is by far one of the most important points you should be spending time on.
All your website images are properly compressed
Easily improve website speed by exporting all your images in the proper format, and then compress them. This simple yet impactful optimization drastically improves loading times, ensuring a seamless browsing experience for your users.
Your website doesn't have any unnecessary JS
Make sure all the JS scripts loading on your website are actually being used. Utilize tools like GTmetrix to identify and address any performance issues caused by unused JS scripts.
You site is loading scripts with Google Tag Manager or Segment
Analytics solutions can affect the speed of the site, and even more if you’re using multiple at a time. Because of that, we recommend to use a tag management system such as Google Tag Manager or Segment (even better!) to house all your analytics under one hood.
All your CSS and Javascript code is minified
Make sure you have CSS and JS minification enabled on the Webflow project settings. It will help you load the site slightly faster.
Your Webflow site doesn’t have duplicated or unused classes
Your website shouldn’t have a bloated or unorganized system of classes. Instead, use a class system to make this process much easier.
You fixed all major speed issues in GTmetrix
Utilize GTmetrix (instead of Google PageSpeed Insights, as it’s more accurate) to identify any major speed issues on your website.
Conversion Rate Optimization
Conversion rate optimization is an extensive and complex task — That being said, there are certain to-dos you want to check to ensure you have the basics covered.
All your site pages have clear, intuitive and attractive CTAs
Every click counts! Boost your click-through rates by double-checking that all your buttons have clear text that describe the action intent, and make them as attractive as possible.
Your website has social proof to increase user trust
Gain the trust of potential customers by showcasing reviews or testimonials on your website. Real feedback from satisfied clients helps establish credibility and reinforces the value of your product or service.
You have setup tracking pixels on all your conversion events
Step up your conversion game by setting up tracking pixels on key events such as form submissions, button clicks, or account registrations. By accurately tracking these actions, you can gain valuable insights of user behavior and can optimize your marketing strategies for improved conversions.
All the key site content is visible above the fold
Your users should be able to understand your product or service just by looking at the content that is above the fold of your homepage.
You have retargeting pixels for Google and Facebook Ads
Retargeting is by far one of the marketing activities with higher ROAS, so enabling retargeting pixels on your website is a core move.
You have page variations for A/B testing main pages
If you want to A/B test any important pages (homepage, pricing, contact, etc), it’s important to have the page variations ready for it.
Website Scalability
You want a website that will grow as your business grows, and for that, you need to make sure all best practices for website scalability are implemented.
You website has a clear Webflow class system
Simplify the design and development process by establishing a clear framework or guide for organizing Webflow classes. Having a structured approach to class naming and organization promotes consistency, easy collaboration, and efficient maintenance.
All your re-used sections are set to be Webflow components
Streamline your website maintenance by converting frequently used elements like the header, footer, or repeated CTAs into Webflow components. With this approach, you can save time, maintain consistency, and make global updates effortlessly.
You have a set of Webflow templates to grow your site
Enable your marketing team to be able to easily create new landing pages, or update existing pages with a re-usable set of section templates that they can copy and paste seamlessly without any technical knowledge or past experience.
All your Webflow elements are styled to your brand colors
Make sure all elements (headings, forms, bullets, etc) are properly styled to meet your brand colors to validate everything is perfectly consistent.
All your website colors are using Webflow color swatches
Double check that all your website colors are using Webflow color swatches, so you can easily update colors globally with just one click.
All your Webflow CMS collections have help text
Ensure that all your Webflow CMS collection fields have descriptive help texts, so your team can easily understand what each field does.
All your website custom code is commented
If you are using custom code on your site, it’s important to make sure it’s properly commented, so future updates can be easily understood.
All your Webflow interactions are properly named
Nothing is more annoying that confused names. Because of that, make sure all your Webflow interactions have descriptive names.
Accessibility
Website accessibility is core to ensure your website has a positive browsing experience for everyone, and even more important an accessible website shows commitment to inclusivity.
Your website design checks all WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines
Make your website accessible to all users by ensuring that all your website elements meet the WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines. Prioritize inclusivity by designing and developing components that are accessible, usable, and compliant.
Your website has a proper semantic structure
By structuring headings appropriately (H1, H2, H3, etc.), you not only make your content more accessible and easy to understand for browser readers, but also optimize it for search engines, resulting in website accessibility and higher organic rankings.
All your website images have descriptive alt texts
Including alt texts that accurately describe the content of the images assists visually impaired users to understand what’s being shown, while also helping search engines understand and index your website images properly.
All your form inputs have all status styles (active, focus, etc)
It’s important for all form inputs to have clear status styles, so users with different hardware interfaces than mouse can interact with them.
All your Webflow forms have success and error messages
Make sure your Webflow form have clear success and error states that not just look green or red, but actually describe the status in detail.
Your website classes are using rem and em
Some accessibility guidelines suggest using rem and em instead of absolute pixels, so if you want to stay compliant with those, double check this the case.
The navigation of your site is clear and consistent
Having a clear, consistent and well-structured navigation will not only help users with accessibility needs, it will help every other user too.
All your clickable elements have mouse hover and focus
Double check that all your clickable elements have clear status styles, so users with accessibility needs can interact with them effectively.
Integrations
Expand the functionality of your Webflow website through powerful integrations. Make sure all these integrations are set from the start, so you don’t lose valuable data.
All your Webflow form submissions are connected to your preferred CRM
Maximize the power of your Webflow forms by connecting them to the CRM of your choice, such as Salesforce or HubSpot, saving time for your sales representatives.
You have setup your website analytics tracking code
Gain valuable data-driven insights by setting up an analytics system such as Google Analytics or Mixpanel, on your website. Track user behavior, measure conversions, and optimize your marketing strategies based on comprehensive data.
Your site has a cookie widget to comply with GDPR / CCPA
If you are operating within EU or California, it’s important to setup a geolocated cookie widget to let users opt-out of cookies and stay compliant with current GDPR and CCPA laws.
You have connected your website to your HR software
If you use Greenhouse, Lever, or any other popular HR software, don’t forget to connect it to Webflow and display the job openings in real time.
You have enabled multi-language functionality
In case your company requires a multi-language website, you should enable it using Weglot, Polyflow, or with Webflow Localization (on beta).
Your website has smart automation with Zapier / Make
Save hours of manual work with smart website automations using Zapier or Make. Leave the easy work for robots, while you work on more critical stuff.
Technical Basics / Website Basics
Ensure a solid foundation for your Webflow website by checking off the technical and website basics before you launch your site.
Your site works well in all important browsers
Guarantee a seamless user experience by testing that your site works flawlessly on the most important browsers: Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. Consistent performance and compatibility across these browsers enhance usability and accessibility, ensuring that your website functions reliably for all users.
Your Webflow utility pages are fully branded
Ensure a consistent and branded user experience by fully customizing your Webflow utility pages, such as the search page, 404 not found, password-protected pages, etc. Avoid an off-brand appearance without styles by applying your brand's visual identity to all of these utility pages.
You have a custom favicon and web clip
Don’t forget one of the most important steps: Upload a custom website favicon that looks great and stands out from the crowd. Test multiple favicons on a variety on browsers and devices to see which one works and looks best.
Your site fonts are uploaded in all main formats
Double check that you have uploaded all your website fonts in all available formats, to ensure proper compatibility with all browsers.
You have invited your colleges to the Webflow Editor
Make sure you have invited all your team members to the Webflow Editor, so they can easily edit the website without technical experience.
You have set the proper website timezone
Set your current timezone in the Webflow project settings, so you can schedule CMS posts in the current timezone you’re in.
You have disabled the Webflow badge branding
Go to the Webflow project settings and ensure the Made in Webflow branding badge is removed, so you don’t see it on your live site.
You have verified there are no broken links
Use tools like Screaming Frog to check all the website links and URLs and ensure there are no buttons or links driving to 404 pages.
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