Web Redesign Launch Checklist for WordPress

Your website redesign project has received approval, and it's time to move forward with the launch. To ensure a smooth process, here's a comprehensive checklist to follow for your next WordPress redesign:

1. Content: Maintain consistent typography and design throughout the site. Ensure proper spelling and grammar, search the site for any test or filler content, and verify consistent capitalization and writing style/tense. Remove any variations in words and typography styles, ensuring compatibility with WordPress default styles.

2. Design: Review the design against your style guide for consistency. If utilizing shadows or lighting effects, ensure the light direction is uniform throughout the design. Check that link colors are consistent and that any variations in HEX values are resolved. Remove unnecessary or unused CSS from your stylesheets, add form validation styles, and verify the design of all JavaScript/client-side behaviors.

3. Development: Search for hard-coded links to the staging domain to confirm all links are absolute, relative, or point to the correct LIVE URL. Look for CSS or HTML errors, test across various browsers for consistency and graceful degradation, and check for JavaScript errors. Debug WordPress using the WP_DEBUG constant or the Debug Bar tool, obfuscate email links, and remove any unused, commented-out, or legacy code.

4. SEO & Tracking: Install Google Analytics, set up Feedburner for RSS feed tracking and analytics, and test all public feeds. Create a 404.php template to inform visitors of missing pages and monitor 404 errors after launch. Choose an SEO plugin, optimize top pages with keyword-rich titles and meta descriptions, and ensure proper setup of robots.txt and sitemap.xml files. Monitor search engine performance using Google Webmaster Tools, Yahoo! Site Explorer, and Bing Webmaster Tools.

5. Backup, Security, & Performance: Back up all files from the existing website and the database using PHPMyAdmin or another database management tool. Ensure your installation is running the latest WordPress, plugins, and follows security best practices. Optimize images for the web, set up a database caching tool like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache, and review Smart Insights' guide to managing SEO performance during a launch.

Remember to collaborate with IT personnel regarding your company's email setup and DNS settings if a domain name change is involved. If you have any suggestions or additional tips, please share them in your comments.