Website launch checklist: what happens when your new site goes live

One of the questions we hear most often is: “Once everything’s ready, how long does it take to go live, and will people see an ‘under construction’ page while you build?”

The answer is no, your current site stays up the whole time. Once we flip the switch, the change usually takes a few hours to reach everyone. Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes, plus the website launch checklist we work through for every project.

In this post:

  • Before launch: 12 checks
  • On launch day: 9 checks
  • In the first week: 6 checks
Chrome retro rocket flying towards an orange target, with hands typing on a laptop in orange tint, cyan and purple chevrons and the Union 10 “10” logo.

Your current site stays live

We never build on your live website. Your new site is built on a private staging address that only you and we can see. Your customers keep using your existing site as normal, so there’s no gap and no construction page.

Staging is where you review pages, add content and sign things off. We only launch once you’re happy with it.

Once your ready for launch?

Your domain name (yourbusiness.co.uk) works a bit like a postcode. It tells browsers which server to visit. To go live, we update your domain’s DNS records, these are settings that tell the internet where your website lives, so they point at the new site instead of the old one.

The update itself takes a few minutes. It takes longer to show up everywhere because internet providers keep a saved copy of those records for a while. Most visitors see the new site within a few hours, though in rare cases it can take up to 48 hours. During that window some people see the old site and some see the new one, and both work fine.

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Still seeing your old site? That’s normal for the first few hours. Try your phone on mobile data, or give it a little longer and it’ll catch up.

What we check once it’s live

Pointing the domain is only the start. Straight after launch we:

  • Switch on the SSL certificate, so your site loads securely with the padlock in the browser
  • Set up redirects from your old page addresses to the new ones, so bookmarks and Google rankings carry over
  • Check every link on the site, so no buttons or menus point to the staging site or pages that don’t exist
  • Tell Google about the new site by submitting a sitemap (a list of all your pages) in Google Search Console
  • Test every form to make sure enquiries reach your inbox
  • Check spam protection on every form, such as reCAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile or a hidden field that catches bots
  • Make sure any Google Maps are linked to your own Google account and locked to your domain, so they don’t stop loading or show a “for development purposes only” warning
  • Check the cookie banner works properly, so tracking and maps only load once a visitor says yes
  • Check your email still works, because it relies on the same DNS records as your website

Your website launch checklist

Here’s the full list, split into what happens before launch, on the day and in the first week. If you’d like a copy to tick off as you go, download the PDF.

Download the checklist (PDF)

Before launch

  • Every page reviewed and signed off on staging
  • Final copy and images added, with no placeholder text
  • Access to your domain confirmed, so we can make the DNS changes
  • Your IT team, or whoever manages your email, in the loop so your email isn’t disrupted
  • Hosting set up for the new site
  • A redirect list made, matching your old site’s page addresses to the new ones
  • If your site shows a Google Map, an API key (a code that lets your site use Google Maps) set up in your own Google account, with billing switched on and the key locked to your domain
  • Cookie banner set up, with analytics, maps and embedded videos held back until a visitor agrees
  • Privacy and cookie policy pages in place
  • Spam protection set up on every form, and registered to the live domain, not just staging
  • Contact form recipients confirmed
  • Access to Google Search Console, Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics shared with us, so tracking’s ready from day one
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Don’t forget your email. Your domain often runs your email as well as your website. Speak to whoever manages your email before any DNS settings change, so messages keep arriving on launch day.

On launch day

  • DNS updated to point at the new site
  • SSL certificate active
  • Redirects live
  • Every link checked, with any still pointing at staging fixed
  • Forms tested end to end, with a test enquiry sent from each
  • Maps loading correctly on the live domain
  • Cookie banner tested: accepting, rejecting and changing your mind
  • Email sending and receiving checked
  • Site checked on mobile, tablet and desktop

In the first week

  • Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console
  • Search Console checked for errors and missing pages from your old site, with redirects added for any we missed
  • Analytics checked to confirm it’s recording visits
  • Site speed tested
  • Backups confirmed as running
  • Old hosting cancelled, but only once everything’s been checked
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Not sure who manages your domain or email? Dig out your renewal emails, or ask us and we’ll help you track it down well before launch day.

FAQs

FAQs

If you have a question, please use our short form here to send it over. We’re always happy to chat.

Not if it’s handled properly. We redirect your old page addresses to the new ones and submit a fresh sitemap to Google, so the authority your old pages built up carries over.

It shouldn’t. Email uses the same DNS records as your website, so we confirm your email setup before launch and test it straight afterwards.

Once your domain is ready, the switch itself takes minutes. Most visitors see the new site within a few hours, though DNS changes can occasionally take up to 48 hours to reach everyone.

No. Your new site is built on a private staging address, so your existing site stays live and untouched until launch day.

Bots constantly scan the web for forms. Spam protection like reCAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile or a hidden field that catches bots blocks most of it without making life harder for real visitors.

If your site uses analytics, embedded maps, videos or marketing tools that set cookies, then yes. UK data protection and cookie rules (UK GDPR and PECR) say you need visitors’ consent before those load.

Google requires an API key to display maps on websites. Without one set up in your own account and restricted to your domain, the map may stop working or show a warning.

The bottom line

A good launch is calm and nobody notices it happening. Your old site keeps working right up until the new one takes over, and the real work is in the checks afterwards.

We handle every item on this list as part of our web design projects. After launch, we keep sites running smoothly with hosting and maintenance and support. If you’re planning a new website and want a launch with no surprises, we’re always happy to chat.

Talk to us about your website
Download the checklist (PDF)

Written by James Hofton, reviewed by Jane Comar

Last updated: 3 November 2026

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