For many brands, SEO becomes an afterthought—something addressed only after a website goes live and organic performance starts lagging. But at Dekstech, we believe SEO shouldn’t be a post-launch scramble. By integrating technical SEO into the development and pre-launch process, businesses can avoid costly fixes, protect their domain authority, and launch with confidence.
Below is our comprehensive pre-launch technical SEO checklist, built from years of hands-on experience releasing high-performing e-commerce websites.
1. Crawlability & Indexation: Make Sure Search Engines Can Access What Matters
Before launch, we verify that search engines will be able—not forced—to access your site.
Robots.txt Setup
- Ensure the staging environment is blocked
- Remove “Disallow: /” directives before launch
- Add correct references to sitemaps
Noindex / Nofollow Tags
- Remove any temporary
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">tags - Verify priority pages are set to “index, follow”
Canonical Tags
- Confirm canonical URLs are implemented site-wide
- Prevent duplicate content issues during and after launch
2. URL Structure & Redirect Mapping: Protect SEO Equity
Launching without a proper redirect plan is one of the biggest SEO mistakes companies make.
URL Consistency
- Check clean, descriptive, human-friendly URLs
- Ensure lowercase usage and hyphens (not underscores)
301 Redirect Strategy
- Build a full redirect map from old URLs to new URLs
- Fix 404s and remove chains and loops
- Preserve backlinks and domain authority from day one
3. Sitemap Optimization: Guide Search Engines Efficiently
A proper sitemap ensures Google and Bing can discover your content quickly after launch.
XML Sitemap Review
- Validate generated URLs
- Exclude staging, test pages, and duplicates
- Submit sitemap to Google Search Console & Bing Webmaster Tools
HTML Sitemap (If Required)
- Offer a user-facing version for large catalog or service sites
4. On-Page SEO Essentials: Optimize Before You Hit “Publish”
Search engines rely on metadata to understand and rank your content—so we never wait until later to add it.
Title Tags & Meta Descriptions
- Custom-written and keyword-aligned
- Optimized character length
- Unique for every major page
H1 & Heading Structure
- Ensure only one H1 per page
- Proper hierarchy with H2s and H3s
Body Content Quality Check
- Confirm keyword relevance without stuffing
- Verify readability & skimmability
- Include alt text for images
5. Performance Optimization: Speed Matters More Than Ever
Fast-loading sites rank better and convert higher—Google has made this clear.
Core Web Vitals Evaluation
- LCP, FID, CLS metrics tested
- Optimize hero images and heavy scripts
Image Optimization
- Use next-gen formats (WebP/AVIF)
- Lazy loading enabled
- Proper compression applied
Code & Script Efficiency
- Minify CSS & JavaScript
- Defer non-critical scripts
- Remove unused apps, plugins, or theme code (especially for Shopify builds)
6. Mobile Readiness: Optimize for Users on the Go
Mobile experience isn’t optional—it’s the baseline for search rankings.
Responsive Testing
- Check layouts across multiple breakpoints
- Validate tap targets, font sizes, and navigation
Mobile Page Speed
- Confirm mobile load time meets or exceeds Google benchmarks
7. Structured Data Markup: Help Search Engines Understand Your Content
We add structured data to increase your chance of appearing in rich results.
Schema Markup Validation
Add schema types relevant to your site, such as:
- Organization
- Product
- FAQ
- Breadcrumb
- Article
- Local Business
All markup is validated through Google’s Rich Results Test before launch.
8. Analytics, Tracking & Monitoring: Launch With Full Visibility
You shouldn’t go live without accurate measurement in place.
Analytics Installed & Verified
- Google Analytics 4
- Google Tag Manager
- Facebook/Meta Pixel
- Additional marketing pixels (Klaviyo, TikTok, etc.)
Conversion Tracking
- Test enhanced e-commerce tracking
- Confirm Add to Cart, Checkout, and Purchase events fire correctly
Search Console Setup
- Verify domain property
- Ensure tracking begins the moment the site goes live
9. Quality Assurance: Final Checks Before the Switch
A thorough QA ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
404 Error Testing
Broken Link Checks
Duplicate Page Review
Accessibility Standards
Cross-Browser Testing
Launch With Confidence—Not Uncertainty
SEO shouldn’t be an afterthought at any stage of development. At dekstech, we build SEO into the foundations of every site so you can launch with the confidence that your organic performance won’t just survive the transition—it will thrive.
If you’d like help with your website’s technical SEO or want us to perform a pre-launch audit, we’re here to support you.
