This document provides a checklist for launching a WordPress site, including testing functionality and the environment, optimizing SEO and performance, managing files and databases, backups, security, and tracking. It recommends plugins and tools to check for broken links and responsiveness, improve SEO with Yoast and schemas, speed up the site, clean up databases and media, back up the site, protect from hackers, and track analytics. The goal is to "get it right the first time" when launching a WordPress site.

2. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist

3. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Test
Functionality
Environment
Optimize
Search Engine Optimization
Performance
Files and Database
Maintain
Backups
Security
Tracking

4. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist

5. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Functionality
Search Regex
Allows you to search through database and replace data
Great for updating links or paths when migrating over
https://wordpress.org/plugins/search-regex/

6. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Functionality
Broken Link Checker
Tells you where and what links are broken
Sends reports whenever a link breaks
https://wordpress.org/plugins/broken-link-checker/

7. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Environment
Responsiveness
Check your site using as many devices as you can
Use media queries to ensure a smooth experience

8. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Environment
Browser-Testing
Check your site in multiple browsers
Tools such as BrowserStack can automate this process

9. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist

10. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
SEO
Yoast
Yoast is the one of the most popular solutions
Make sure your sitemap is generated
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/

11. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
SEO
Schema
Schemas are micro data tags that tell Google exactly
what your content is
https://wordpress.org/plugins/schema-creator/

12. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
SEO
Related Posts
Lower your bounce rate by keeping visitors engaged
Related Posts Plugin is simple yet effective
https://wordpress.org/plugins/yet-another-related-posts-plugin/

13. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
SEO
Social Sharing
Gain traffic from more sources
Social Sharing plugin is hassle-free and easy to set-up
https://wordpress.org/plugins/easy-social-share-buttons/

14. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Performance
Speed Up Your Website
Speed up your website
Improve visitor experience
Stay high in search rankings
Test your speed: http://tools.pingdom.com/fpt/
https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-super-cache/
http://wp-rocket.me/

15. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Files and Database
WP-Optimize
Clean up your database
Clears out trash and unused data
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-optimize/

16. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Files and Database
Manually Delete Unusable Data
Remove local unusable backups
Remove dummy or placeholder content
Remove unused media (especially that you don’t want indexed)
Delete sample posts, pages, content, etc.

17. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist

18. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Backups
Premium:
Backup Buddy - Plethora of customization and automated
features. Also great for migrating sites.
https://ithemes.com/purchase/backupbuddy/
Free:
BackupWordPress - Simple, intuitive, no setup required.
https://wordpress.org/plugins/backupwordpress/

19. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Security
Keep Out Hackers
Small breach = big problems
Security plugins protect against most common attacks
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordfence/
https://wordpress.org/plugins/sucuri-scanner/
https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/

20. Get It Right The First Time: WordPress Launching Checklist
Tracking
Google Analytics by Yoast
Use a plugin to stay out of the theme directory
https://wordpress.org/plugins/google-analytics-for-wordpress/