The launch day order
- Final backupSave the old site and its data before any change.
- Point the domainUpdate DNS to the new site and confirm HTTPS.
- Open to GoogleRemove noindex tags and staging blocks.
- Check redirectsTest old URLs and fix any that fail.
- Live testSend real leads and calls, then submit the sitemap.
Why timing matters
We launch early in the week, during working hours. Problems show up while the team is at work, and real customers test the site on normal business days. Friday evening launches leave broken forms unnoticed all weekend.
DNS changes can take time to reach everyone. Most visitors see the new site within minutes to hours. Keep the old hosting running for a while so stragglers still reach a working site.
What you should do on launch day
- Call your own number from the website on your phone.
- Submit the main form and check that the lead arrives.
- Read your top service page for anything wrong.
- Tell your team the new site is live.
Common launch day problems
- Email stops because DNS records were not copied.
- The staging block stays on, so Google cannot index the site.
- Old URLs land on 404 errors because redirects did not deploy.
- Forms send to a test inbox nobody reads.
Good example. A dental office's new site goes live at 10 am on a Tuesday. By noon, the team has tested bookings, calls and redirects, and the sitemap is in Search Console.
Bad example. A dental office's site goes live late on a Friday. On Monday, the team finds that email has been down since the switch.
The full list lives in our website launch checklist. Our web design team handles launch day and stays on call afterward.