Many WordPress launches fail due to missing pre-live checks. Use this checklist before DNS cutover.
Pre-launch checklist
- HTTPS working with valid chain
- Canonical host and redirect rules finalized
- XML sitemap reachable
- Robots and index settings correct
- Backups and rollback path tested
Security baseline
- Limit wp-admin exposure
- Fail2Ban active and logging correctly
- Unused plugins/themes removed
- Strong admin authentication policy
Performance baseline
- Caching headers active
- Compression enabled
- Image sizes optimized
- p95 response time recorded
Validation
Re-test key user paths and review service logs after each change.
Further reading: Google SEO Starter Guide
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