Final Debugging

Ensure all test pages, Lorem Ipsum, and test images have been removed
Ensure all watermarked stock photos have been swapped for licensed photos
Check all pages for obvious image errors
Run a speed test to identify potential serious issue and outliers: https://tools.pingdom.com/
Browser testing for all unique page layouts
- Test in Chrome
- Test in Firefox
- Test in Edge
- Test in IE
Responsive Testing for all unique page layouts
- Test on regular desktop
- Test on very large desktop
- Test on netbook/tablet
- Test on large smartphone
- Test on small smartphone
Ensure social network links are correct
Credit link in the footer or on the about page

Just before going live & while going live

Recompile all CSS & JS so it is compressed and consolidated
Ensure all plugins/modules/etc are up to date
Ensure contact forms and newsletter signup forms function and are sent to the client’s email address and submit complete information
Backup site theme, database, etc
Run a broken link checker
If payments are taken, verify test mode is turned off and actual payments go through
Ensure Google Analytics has been installed
- Does the client need additional Analytics tracking? Such as eCommerce?
Ensure site is set to allow search engine crawling, be it settings in the CMS or removal of rel=”noindex” from header or changing robots.txt
Ensure all site generated emails are sending properly, especially emails concerning payments
Enable user registration if applicable, like on an eCommerce website
Have someone else double check all major components

Setup SSL Certificate (if applicable)
If site has a SSL Certificate, ensure http forwards to https correctly
Ensure www forwards to non-www (or vice versa)
Ensure plugin/module/etc licenses are activated on the new domain
Setup site backups if the host does not provide them - Vaultpress is great for WordPress sites
Ensure 301 redirects for all old site pages
Give clients all relevent login information and make sure all created accounts for 3rd party services have been switched over to the client’s email
If there’s a site search, setup search tracking in Google Analytics