You Launched Your Website — Now What?
Um first? Happy dance! This is exciting!
As you well know, taking a website from an idea to launch is no small task. The hard part is over, and now you can watch those inquiries roll in. But there are a few common follow-up questions I get.
Here's your quick post-launch checklist so nothing falls through the cracks.
1. Tell Google You Exist — Set Up Your Google Business Profile
This is the big one. A GBP is what makes you show up when someone searches your business name or "web designer near me." It's free, it's not complicated, and it makes a significant difference in local visibility.
Note: this is something I don't set up as part of your project - but it should be one of your first stops after launch.
How to Set up your Google Business Profile:
Go to business.google.com
Claim or create your profile
Add your business name, category, location/service area, hours, website URL, and photos
Verify your listing (usually via postcard or phone)
2. Connect Google Analytics
You want to know who's visiting, where they're coming from, and what they're doing once they get there. Analytics gives you that - but only if it's connected. It’s best to do it from day one so you have accurate data to look back on.
It's worth mentioning - Squarespace has its own built-in Analytics, and it's great. Everything lives in one place and it's super easy to navigate. But if you ever plan to work with an SEO specialist down the road, they're going to want your Google traffic data. It's better to set this up now and never look at it than wish you had when it's time to make a bigger SEO push.
How to Set up your Google Analytics:
Create a free Google Analytics account at analytics.google.com
Set up a GA4 property
In Squarespace: Settings → Developer Tools → Google Analytics → paste your Measurement ID
Give it 24-48 hours to start tracking
3. Submit Your Site to Google Search Console
This is what actually tells Google your site exists and asks it to start indexing your pages. Pairs with Analytics and takes about 5 minutes.
Add your property using your URL
Verify ownership (easiest method: Google Analytics connection if already set up)
Submit your sitemap: your sitemap is typically at yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml
4. Set Up a Professional Email Address
If you're still sending client emails from a gmail address, now is the time. Hello@yourbusiness.com instantly reads more credibly than yourbusiness2016@gmail.com.
Google Workspace is the most seamless option (~$6/month)
The easiest way to set it up is directly through Squarespace — go to your Squarespace dashboard, click Domains & Email in the left panel, and you'll see the option to add a Google Workspace email from there. Squarespace walks you through the setup and automatically handles the DNS verification, which is the part that trips most people up when they try to do it manually
Once it's connected, you can still use the Gmail interface — it just sends and receives from your custom address
5. Update Your Social Media Bios
If you changed your domain name, every profile that has an old website link or an old brand needs to be updated today.
Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest — anywhere you have a presence
Update your URL, profile photo if it changed, and bio language if your positioning shifted
6. Make Sure Your Cookie Banner Is Active
This is something I set up for all of my clients, so you should be all good to go. But it’s worth mentioning here because this is a legal requirement in many places. If, for any reason, you ever need to find it or reactivate - Squarespace makes it easy.
In Squarespace: Settings → Cookies & Visitor Data → enable the cookie banner
Customize the text if you'd like it to match your brand voice
7. Make Sure Your Legal Pages Are in Place
Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions aren't just fine print — they're a legal requirement in most places, and your website isn't fully launch-ready without them. This is especially true if you collect any information through your site (which you do — contact forms count).
A quick note: I'm a designer, not a lawyer, and this isn't legal advice. But I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't flag it.
The good news is you don't need to hire an attorney to get this done. There are some really solid resources that make it straightforward and affordable. These are two I love with templates written specifically for creative business owners and entrepreneurs for a one-time fee:
Once you have them, add them to your footer so they're visible and accessible on every page of your site.
8. Test Everything - For Real This Time
Again, this is something I do myself, but sometimes things that worked in preview break on live. Go through the site like a brand new visitor - also a good practice simply to walk through your client’s shoes.
Submit every form and confirm that you receive the notification
Click every button and every link
Check every page on your phone
Make sure your email automations trigger correctly
9. Announce It!
This one sounds obvious, but it is the most skipped step. People get so relieved that the site is live that they forget to actually tell anyone. But this is a big deal - not only is it exciting, it signals a certain level of credibility and upleveling to visitors. After all that hard work, anything that we have worked so hard to showcase on your new site is worth sharing with your clients.
Send an email to your list
Post on social media — stories AND a feed post. Psss - don’t forget I LOVE to create a collaborator post with you.
Text your top referral sources personally
Update your email signature with the new URL