There's a moment right before you launch a new website when everything feels done. The design looks great, the pages are built, and you're ready to share it with the world.
Then, a week later, someone points out that your contact form doesn't work. Or that there's still placeholder text on your services page. Or you realize Google has no idea your new site exists.
A good launch isn't just about finishing the design. It's about everything around it. After launching websites for service businesses for years, I break every launch into four phases. Here's what each one covers, and why skipping any of them can cost you.
Why Your Website Needs a Launch Plan
Most launch problems aren't design problems. They're small, invisible details that slip through because nobody had a list: a broken link, a missing page title, a domain that wasn't connected in time. Individually, they seem minor. Together, they're the difference between a site that quietly underperforms and one that starts working for you on day one.
Breaking your launch into phases makes it manageable. Some tasks take five minutes and some take a few days, but working through them in order means nothing important gets left for the last minute.
Phase 1: Build and Finalize
This is where you make sure the site itself is truly finished, not just mostly finished. Every page needs final, proofread copy, a clear call to action on each page, and absolutely no leftover placeholder text. It's also where you confirm your branding is applied consistently, from your logo and fonts to the colors and imagery on every page.
Then comes the technical pass: clicking every link, checking that your navigation makes sense at a glance, and reviewing every page on mobile, where most of your visitors will actually see it.
If you're not sure every key page is pulling its weight, our post on the 5 pages every service-based website needs is a helpful gut check.
Phase 2: Pre-Launch Setup
Phase two is the behind-the-scenes work visitors never see, but definitely notice when it's missing. Your custom domain should be connected well before launch day, since it can take a couple of days to fully take effect. Your site should be secure, and if you collect any information through forms or email sign-ups, you'll want a privacy policy in place.
This is also when your SEO foundations go in: page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt text that help Google understand what your site is about. And it's when you test every integration, including contact forms, scheduling tools, and email sign-ups, to make sure everything actually connects. While all of this is happening, keep your site hidden from the public. Our guide to hiding your Squarespace site while you work walks through the options.
Launch day should be a celebration, not a scramble.
The more you finish before you go live, the more you get to enjoy the moment!
Phase 3: Launch Day
On launch day, do one final run-through of every page on both desktop and mobile with fresh eyes. Make your site public, confirm your domain is fully connected, and then, the fun part, tell people!
Announcing your new website matters more than most people think. Share it on social media, send a note to your email list, and update every place your old link lives, from your social bios, Google Business Profile, to your email signature. A website no one knows about can't bring in clients.
Phase 4: After Launch
Launching isn't the finish line. In the first week, submit your sitemap to Google Search Console so Google can start indexing your pages, and check your analytics after a few days to see where visitors are coming from. Fix anything you notice on the live site, because real visitors always catch something.
Over the first month, focus on momentum. Ask your first few clients for testimonials, share your site again with a behind-the-scenes story, and keep an eye on whether inquiries are coming in.
If they aren't, it's usually a sign to revisit your calls to action or services copy.
Get the Full Squarespace Launch Checklist
This post covers the big picture, but the details are where launches succeed or slip. The Squarespace Website Launch Checklist is the exact step-by-step roadmap I use, with every task across all four phases, where to find each setting in Squarespace, and the small details that are easiest to forget. It's a printable, guide you can work through at your own pace and check off as you go.
Go live with confidence. This step-by-step checklist walks you through everything to finish before, during, and after launching your Squarespace website, so nothing important slips through the cracks.
13-page printable PDF
Four phases, from final build to your first month live
Squarespace settings paths included for every key step
Instant download
Moving From Another Platform?
If your new Squarespace site is replacing an existing website, there are a few extra steps to protect the search rankings you've already built, especially redirects. Our website migration checklist walks through everything to do before, during, and after the move.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Give yourself at least a week or two before your planned launch date. Some steps, like connecting a domain or gathering final content, take longer than you expect, and leaving them to the last minute is what turns a launch into a scramble.
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Testing the contact form and setting up SEO basics are two of the most overlooked steps. Both are invisible until something goes wrong, which is exactly why they belong on a checklist.
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Not necessarily. Your core pages, homepage, about, services, and contact, should be complete. Blog posts and extra content can be added after launch, and fresh content is a good signal to Google that your site is active.
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Yes, your website should always be evolving. Submitting your sitemap, checking analytics, gathering testimonials, and sharing your site again are what help a new website start bringing in traffic and inquiries.
Want a Website That's Launch-Ready From Day One?
If you'd rather hand off the build, the setup, and the launch details entirely, that's exactly what we do. Every Jaks Digital website launches with the strategy, SEO foundations, and details already handled, so launch day can just be the celebration.
