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Webflow
14
min read
Published on
October 20, 2026

Yannik Moll
CEO
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Table Of Contents
Most relaunch checklists are made up of items like "check SEO" or "test staging". Those aren't tasks you can tick off, they're entire projects. And they start too late: right before launch, when the important decisions were made long ago.
This checklist is built differently. It covers more than 100 items across the entire relaunch, from the first goal to three months after go-live. It's based on relaunches for more than 120 software companies and on migrations from TYPO3, WordPress and other systems to Webflow. Every item has three details:
Items marked ★ are launch-critical: if one of them is open, you postpone go-live. All other items can be completed after launch with a fixed date.
The timing assumes a full relaunch of around four months. For a pure platform migration, the phases get shorter. Mark items that don't apply to you, such as multiple languages for a single-language site, as "N/A" so nothing stays open at sign-off.
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Why the order matters and what's behind each phase is explained in our website relaunch guide for SaaS.
This is where the decisions get made that cost the most time later if they're missing: goals, relaunch type, positioning, pricing and ownership.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Define and prioritize the relaunch goals, so each department doesn't bring its own expectations into the project | T–16 | C-level, Marketing | No more than three main goals are prioritized in writing |
| 2 | Define a KPI for each goal, so you can measure success after launch | T–16 | Marketing | Each KPI has a baseline and a target, such as demo requests per month |
| 3 | ★ Define the relaunch type, because risk, effort, cost and redirect scope depend on it | T–16 | Marketing, Agency | Platform migration, design relaunch, full relaunch or domain change is decided |
| 4 | ★ Decide positioning and messaging internally, because open debates mid-project blow up the timeline | T–16 | C-level, Marketing | Category, ICP and core message are approved |
| 5 | Decide the pricing structure, so the pricing page doesn't wait on an internal decision | T–14 | C-level, Product | Plans, modules and pricing logic are set |
| 6 | ★ Name an owner on the client side, so feedback is consolidated and consistent | T–16 | C-level | One person consolidates feedback and approves |
| 7 | Clarify SEO ownership, so someone takes professional responsibility for rankings and content | T–16 | Marketing | An internal person or SEO agency is named |
| 8 | Define scope: what's new, what's migrated 1:1 and what comes after launch, so not everything changes at once | T–14 | Marketing, Agency | Page list with status new, 1:1 or post-launch exists |
| 9 | Check content capacity in your own team, because new copy is the most common cause of delays | T–14 | Marketing | Every page to be written has a named person with time budget |
| 10 | Define the feedback process, so feedback loops don't spiral | T–14 | Marketing, Agency | Max. two feedback loops per page, one tool, one consolidated response |
| 11 | Plan the launch date with buffer, so go-live doesn't fall into a campaign or trade-show peak | T–14 | Agency, Marketing | Date is outside peak periods and has two weeks of buffer |
| 12 | List running campaigns and events, so paid traffic doesn't hit dead ends after launch | T–14 | Marketing | List of all active campaigns with target URLs exists |
| 13 | For a domain change, bring in an SEO agency, because all domain authority has to be transferred | T–16 | C-level | A specialized SEO agency is hired |
The baseline is your point of comparison after launch. Without it, you won't know later whether the relaunch helped or hurt.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | ★ Check tracking reliability, because without clean data you can't prioritize now or compare later | T–14 | Tracking | All conversion events fire correctly and match CRM numbers |
| 15 | Export Search Console data, so you can compare clicks and rankings per URL after launch | T–14 | SEO | Clicks, impressions and rankings per URL for at least twelve months are saved |
| 16 | Export conversions per page, so you know which pages drive leads and should be migrated 1:1 | T–14 | Tracking | Demo requests, trial sign-ups and downloads per URL are documented, incl. period and conversion definition |
| 17 | Save qualified leads from the CRM, because pipeline counts, not traffic | T–14 | Sales, Marketing | MQLs and SQLs for the last six months are exported |
| 18 | ★ Run a full crawl of the old website, because it's the basis for redirect mapping and content comparison | T–14 | SEO | All URLs with status code, title, meta description and H1 are exported |
| 19 | Capture backlinks per URL, so no linked page or file disappears without a redirect | T–14 | SEO | List of URLs with backlinks, incl. PDFs and images |
| 20 | ★ Export the old platform's existing redirects, because otherwise they're lost in the move and many URLs lead nowhere | T–14 | Agency | Complete redirect list of the old website exists |
| 21 | Capture an AI visibility baseline, to see whether you get named more often in AI answers after launch | T–14 | SEO, Marketing | 10 to 20 relevant prompts in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Mode are documented with results |
| 22 | Run a content audit, to decide what to keep, rework or remove | T–13 | Marketing, SEO | Each page is scored on traffic, rankings, conversions and relevance, with context |
| 23 | Flag pages sales shares regularly, so those links keep working after launch | T–13 | Sales | List of URLs and downloads used by sales exists |
| 24 | Review ICP and buyer personas, because your audience often shifts as the product evolves | T–13 | Marketing, Sales | Personas are updated or confirmed |
| 25 | Run a competitor analysis, to find gaps you can own with the new website | T–13 | Marketing | Positioning, page types and gaps of the three strongest competitors are documented |
| 26 | Back up the old website, so you can roll back or restore content in an emergency | T–12 | Agency | Full backup incl. files and database is saved |
This is where the biggest SEO risk of a relaunch arises. The order is crucial: page structure first, then redirect mapping, then schema markup. How to plan, map and test redirects in detail is covered in our guide to a website relaunch without losing SEO.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Plan navigation along the buyer journey, so visitors find the right content at every stage | T–12 | Agency, Marketing | Every stage from awareness to decision has matching pages |
| 28 | Assign a question to every key page, so each page has a clear purpose for prospects | T–12 | Marketing | Every core page answers a clearly named question |
| 29 | ★ Set up the page structure in the sheet, because it's the shared basis for design, redirects and SEO | T–11 | Agency | All pages with page type, new URL, title and index status are listed |
| 30 | Avoid unintended URL changes, because every changed URL means a redirect and therefore a risk | T–11 | Agency | Old URLs are kept wherever there's no reason to change them |
| 31 | Don't plan two pages on the same topic, because they'll take rankings from each other | T–11 | SEO | Keyword check shows no cannibalization between pages |
| 32 | Decide for every old URL: keep, merge or delete, because even weak pages carry authority in aggregate | T–11 | Marketing, SEO | Every old URL has a status, deleting large blocks of pages is a conscious decision |
| 33 | Plan new page types based on keyword data, because solution and persona pages rarely have search volume | T–11 | SEO | New pages have proven search volume or are flagged as campaign landing pages |
| 34 | ★ Approve the page structure, so redirect mapping and build start on a stable basis | T–10 | Owner | Sheet is approved, later changes only by agreement |
| 35 | ★ Create the redirect mapping, so rankings, backlinks and bookmarks transfer to the new pages | T–10 | Agency, SEO | Every old URL with traffic, backlinks or campaigns has a relevant destination |
| 36 | Merge old redirects and resolve redirect chains, because chains cost load time and ranking signals | T–10 | Agency | No URL passes through more than one redirect |
| 37 | Set 404 or 410 for pages with no replacement, because Google treats mass redirects to the homepage like missing pages | T–10 | SEO | Removed pages without a suitable destination are flagged |
| 38 | Check wildcard rules for entire folders, to keep the redirect list lean and maintainable | T–10 | Agency | Where possible, pattern rules replace single redirects |
| 39 | Include PDFs and images with backlinks, because files have rankings and links too | T–10 | Agency | All linked files have a destination or stay reachable under their old URL |
| 40 | Check target URLs of running campaigns, so ads don't lead to 404 pages after launch | T–10 | Marketing | Every campaign from item 12 has a working new target URL |
| 41 | Have the content team review the redirect mapping, because only they can judge which destination fits | T–9 | Marketing | Destinations for removed pages are confirmed |
Design and content run in parallel. Well-ranking pages get migrated 1:1, new copy is only written where it's weak or strictly needed for the new positioning. Why that matters is explained by the foundation first principle in our relaunch guide.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | Approve wireframes for core templates, so you decide on structure before debating colors | T–10 | Owner | Homepage, product, feature, use-case, pricing and blog templates are approved |
| 43 | Define the component system, so marketing can build new pages on its own later | T–9 | Agency | Reusable components with variants are documented |
| 44 | Design the mobile experience from the start, because a growing share of traffic comes from smartphones | T–9 | Agency | Every template is designed for mobile, not just scaled down |
| 45 | Consider WCAG accessibility, because it improves usability and readability for search engines | T–9 | Agency | Contrast, focus states and keyboard navigation are planned in the design |
| 46 | Test templates with real content, because placeholder text hides that existing copy doesn't fit the layout | T–8 | Agency, Marketing | Each template is filled with the longest real content of its type |
| 47 | Secure content parity for well-ranking pages, because trimmed copy costs rankings despite a redirect | T–8 | SEO | New version has at least as much copy, the same H1 and the same internal links |
| 48 | ★ Migration check: is content structured or built as static pages? That determines migration effort | T–10 | Agency | For each page type it's clear whether content can be exported in a structured way |
| 49 | Test the export with three to five real pages before you plan the total effort | T–9 | Agency | Test pages arrived completely in the new template |
| 50 | Capture all elements per page type with a crawl, because a single example page rarely contains every element | T–9 | Agency | Tables, embeds, downloads, accordions and info boxes are covered in the template |
| 51 | Clarify ownership of manual rework, so the effort doesn't come as a surprise | T–9 | Agency, Marketing | It's agreed in writing who reworks which pages |
| 52 | Write and approve new copy, with buffer for approvals, because they usually take longer than writing | T–8 to T–4 | Marketing | All pages with status new are approved |
| 53 | Have product claims checked, so no outdated features or integrations get promoted | T–5 | Product | Features and integrations on all core pages are confirmed |
| 54 | Have pages checked against sales questions, so the website answers what comes up in sales calls | T–5 | Sales | Recurring questions are answered on core pages |
| 55 | Fill comparison pages with text instead of checkmarks, because AI assistants and search engines can't cite a checkmark | T–5 | Marketing | Every table cell contains a citable statement |
| 56 | Clarify where downloads live, so whitepapers and PDFs stay reachable after launch | T–6 | Marketing, Agency | All downloads have a new home and working links |
| 57 | Translate and review multilingual content, so no language version goes live incomplete | T–5 | Marketing | Every language version is complete and reviewed |
| 58 | Start a content freeze on the old website, so no changes get lost right before launch | T–4 | Owner | Changes to the old website are now carried over to the new one |
In this phase, the website gets built and set up so that rankings, tracking and leads survive the move.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | Set up and lock the staging environment, so Google doesn't index the test version | T–8 | Agency | Staging is protected from search engines by password or noindex |
| 60 | Set up CMS collections in a structured way, so content can be maintained and migrated at scale | T–8 | Agency | Blog, case studies, glossary and other content live in collections with clear fields |
| 61 | Connect integrations, so leads and meetings land in the right system without detours | T–6 | Agency | CRM, marketing automation, chat and meeting booking are connected |
| 62 | ★ Define the tracking concept, so you measure the right conversions from day one | T–6 | Tracking | Events for demo requests, trial sign-ups and downloads are defined |
| 63 | ★ Implement tracking and consent, because tracking is what breaks most easily in a relaunch | T–4 | Tracking | Tags and triggers are active on all pages and respect consent |
| 64 | Carry over title tags and meta descriptions, because well-ranking pages should keep their existing metadata | T–4 | SEO, Marketing | All indexable pages have a title and description |
| 65 | Point internal links to new URLs, so users and crawlers don't hop through redirects | T–3 | Agency | No internal link points to a redirect or old URL |
| 66 | Replace hard-coded links in migrated content, because they otherwise point to old or non-existent pages | T–3 | Agency | Crawl shows no links to old domains or staging URLs |
| 67 | Set canonicals and the domain variant, so www and non-www don't rank against each other | T–3 | Agency | One domain variant is canonical, the other redirects |
| 68 | Set hreflang for all language versions, so Google serves each market the right language | T–3 | Agency | Each language version references its counterparts correctly |
| 69 | Add global schema markup, so search engines and AI clearly recognize your company | T–3 | Agency | Organization with name, address and logo is validated |
| 70 | Align on content schema, because FAQ and pricing markup must be maintained with every change | T–3 | SEO, Marketing | Markup types are decided and someone owns maintenance |
| 71 | Check the XML sitemap, so Google only gets final, indexable URLs | T–2 | SEO | Sitemap contains only final, indexable URLs |
| 72 | Prepare robots.txt for live, so no important areas or AI crawlers get blocked | T–2 | Agency | Live version blocks no important areas |
| 73 | Compress images and set alt text, for faster load times and better readability for search engines | T–3 | Agency, Marketing | Images are AVIF or WebP, all content images have alt text |
| 74 | Design the 404 page, so visitors don't bounce on dead links | T–3 | Agency | 404 page leads to search, homepage and key sections |
| 75 | Prepare Google Ads campaigns for new URLs, so paid traffic lands correctly on launch day | T–2 | Marketing | New target URLs are set and can be activated at launch |
| 76 | Onboard the marketing team, so it can work without the agency after launch | T–2 | Agency | Team has its own accounts and has edited and published a page on staging |
Content-independent checks run early, content-dependent ones only once content is final. Otherwise you check everything twice.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | Find broken links, because they frustrate users and hurt crawling | T–3 | Agency | Staging crawl shows no 4xx errors |
| 78 | Test rendering across devices and browsers, so the website works wherever your prospects are | T–3 | Agency | Core pages work on the agreed devices, browsers and with a keyboard |
| 79 | ★ Test a demo request all the way into the CRM, because a browser success message doesn't mean sales got the lead | T–2 | Sales, Agency | Test request arrives with all fields at the right sales owner, incl. notification |
| 80 | ★ Test trial sign-up through to product access, so self-serve leads don't get lost on the way into the product | T–2 | Product | New test account is usable, including across a domain switch to the app |
| 81 | Test form error cases, so users can fix input errors without starting over | T–2 | Agency | Invalid inputs show clear error messages right at the field |
| 82 | ★ Test tracking and consent together, so you measure GDPR-compliantly and forms work without consent | T–2 | Tracking | Events fire after consent, forms also work when declined |
| 83 | Check page speed of core pages, to catch major slowdowns before launch | T–2 | Agency | Report for homepage and key landing pages with actions exists |
| 84 | Check headlines, titles, metas and alt text, only now, because content wasn't final before | T–2 | SEO | Crawl shows no missing or duplicate titles, H1s and descriptions |
| 85 | Validate schema markup, because Google ignores faulty markup | T–2 | SEO | Rich Results Test shows no errors |
| 86 | ★ Test the redirect list on staging, so no redirect leads nowhere on launch day | T–2 | Agency, SEO | All redirects reach their destination in one hop |
| 87 | Spot-check migrated content, because tables, embeds and downloads often break in migration | T–2 | Marketing | Old blog posts with these elements work in the new template |
| 88 | Test the language switcher, so visitors land on the matching page when switching languages | T–2 | Agency | Switching languages opens the matching page, forms work in every language |
| 89 | Check favicon, social preview images and legal pages, so the site looks right when shared and is legally sound | T–2 | Agency, Marketing | Favicon, OG images, imprint, privacy policy and cookie banner are correct |
| 90 | Reconcile content changed since the freeze, so no recent changes get lost | T–1 | Marketing | All changes to the old website since item 58 are carried over |
| 91 | ★ Define launch-critical issues, so nobody has to debate on launch day what gets fixed immediately | T–1 | Owner, Agency | List of which issues stop the launch and which get fixed later |
| 92 | ★ Define a rollback plan, so you can switch back quickly in an emergency | T–1 | Agency | It's documented when and how to switch back to the old website |
| 93 | ★ Get the go/no-go approval, so one person decides on the launch consciously and on record | T–1 | Owner | All ★ items up to here are done and approved in writing |
Technically, the launch is unspectacular. What matters is the order, the ownership and the checks right after.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94 | Pick a low-traffic window, so potential issues hit as few visitors as possible | T0 | Tracking, Agency | Launch time is in the lowest-traffic window according to analytics |
| 95 | Ensure team availability, so issues can be fixed immediately | T0 | Owner | Agency, owner and tracking are reachable during launch |
| 96 | Switch DNS and check SSL, so the website is securely reachable under all domain variants | T0 | Agency | Website is reachable via HTTPS under all domain variants |
| 97 | ★ Upload and test redirects live, because otherwise old URLs from Google and backlinks lead nowhere | T0 | Agency | Full list is active, the most important URLs are tested individually |
| 98 | ★ Remove noindex and check robots.txt, because a leftover noindex tag is the most common mistake after launch | T0 | Agency | Important live URLs are reachable and indexable |
| 99 | Submit the sitemap in Search Console, so Google finds the new URLs faster | T0 | SEO | Sitemap is submitted and read without errors |
| 100 | ★ Test demo request and sign-up live, because live and staging environments can differ | T0 | Sales, Product | Test arrives live in the CRM or product and is flagged as a test |
| 101 | Check tracking live, so data is collected from the first visitor | T0 | Tracking | Events arrive in analytics in real time |
| 102 | Switch Google Ads campaigns, so no budget flows to old or broken pages | T0 | Marketing | All active ads point to working new URLs |
| 103 | Record the go-live time, so you can attribute changes in the data later | T0 | SEO | Exact time is recorded |
| 104 | Run a check the next morning, because some issues only show after a few hours live | T+1 | Agency, SEO | Indexing, Search Console errors and conversions from the first hours are checked |
| 105 | Announce the launch, to bring real visitors and feedback to the new website early | T+1 | Marketing | Newsletter, LinkedIn post or in-product notice is out |
Rankings often hold steady for the first few days even when something went wrong, because Google processes changed URLs gradually. That's why monitoring runs for weeks. What's normal in the first 90 days, and where to look first if rankings drop, is covered in how to relaunch without losing SEO.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | Fix critical issues and retest, so no leads or core pages get lost | T+1 to T+3 | Agency | All issues that block enquiries or make core pages unreachable are fixed and retested |
| 107 | Check new 404 errors in Search Console, because forgotten URLs often only show up after a few days | T+3, T+7, T+14 | SEO | Every new 404 with traffic or backlinks has a redirect |
| 108 | Check indexing of key pages, because non-indexed pages neither rank nor get cited | T+7 | SEO | All core pages are indexed or the cause is known |
| 109 | Update external links, so profiles and partner pages don't link via redirects or to old pages | T+7 | Marketing | G2, Capterra, partner pages, LinkedIn, docs and help center point to new URLs |
| 110 | Compare top-URL traffic with the baseline, to spot losses early | T+14, T+30 | SEO | Comparison with item 15 is documented, new and old URL viewed together |
| 111 | Compare qualified leads with the baseline, because traffic alone says nothing about pipeline | T+30 | Sales, Marketing | MQLs and SQLs are evaluated against the comparison period |
| 112 | Measure AI visibility again, to see the relaunch's effect on AI answers | T+30 | SEO | The same prompts as in item 21 are checked again |
| 113 | Evaluate Core Web Vitals with field data, because lab tests are skewed by marketing tags | T+30 | Agency | Evaluation is based on real user data in Search Console |
| 114 | If a drop persists, check the cause systematically instead of hastily changing content | from T+30 | SEO | Checked in order: indexing, redirects, content parity, demand |
| 115 | Gather feedback from customers and sales, because they notice fastest what's missing on the website | T+30 | Marketing | Feedback is collected and prioritized |
| 116 | Complete the handover for day-to-day work, so marketing can work independently after the project | T+30 | Agency, Marketing | Permissions, guides and contacts for technical changes are documented |
| 117 | Set up an optimization plan, because the real work on rankings and conversions starts after launch | T+60 to T+90 | Marketing, Agency | Prioritized list of next actions by impact, incl. postponed pages |
| 118 | Keep redirects permanently, because external links and bookmarks often point to old URLs for years | ongoing | Agency | No redirect is removed without review |
After launch, the real work begins. Here's how we approach it with our Growth Plan.
Moving to Webflow or relaunching an existing Webflow site? A generic checklist doesn't cover these items. They complement the phases above. See how we set up projects like these as a Webflow Enterprise Partner.
| # | Task | When | Who | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | Clarify the need for temporary redirects, because Webflow only supports 301 and browsers cache a 301 | T–10 | Agency | If 302 or 307 is needed for transition phases, the domain has moved to Cloudflare beforehand |
| W2 | ★ Always upload the complete redirect CSV, because an import replaces all existing redirects | T0 | Agency | The uploaded list contains old and new entries |
| W3 | Test redirects with Localization, because redirects can behave differently on translated slugs | T–2 | Agency | Redirects are checked for every language version |
| W4 | Publish locale subdirectories, because a language only appears in the automatic sitemap once published | T0 | Agency | Every language is published and included in the sitemap |
| W5 | Finalize CMS collections and field structure before migration starts, because later field changes mean rework on every item | T–8 | Agency | Fields are final and documented |
| W6 | Test the CSV import per collection, so rich text fields and references arrive correctly | T–7 | Agency | Test import with real data runs without errors |
| W7 | Check CMS and plan limits, so collections, items and locales fit your Webflow plan | T–8 | Agency | Plan covers the planned scope |
| W8 | Build components with props and variants, so marketing builds new pages without breaking the design | T–6 | Agency | New pages can be built from components without changing styles |
| W9 | Assign roles and permissions in the workspace, so everyone can edit exactly what they need day to day | T–2 | Agency | Everyone in marketing has the right role |
| W10 | Configure form destinations, so enquiries land in the CRM, not just the Webflow inbox | T–3 | Agency | Webflow forms send to CRM or marketing automation |
| W11 | Add custom code and Tag Manager centrally, so tracking works the same on every page and stays maintainable | T–4 | Tracking | Tracking lives in site settings or Tag Manager, not scattered across pages |
| W12 | Check hosting plan and domain settings, so the right default domain goes live | T–1 | Agency | Plan is active, default domain is set, the other domain variant redirects |
For a full relaunch, about four months before the planned go-live. The most important items concern goals, positioning and page structure, and those need to be decided before design and content.
All items marked ★. Above all: demo requests and sign-ups work all the way into the CRM, redirects are complete and tested, tracking and consent work correctly, and noindex is removed. If any of these is open, you postpone the launch.
One owner on the client side, usually from marketing. The individual items are spread across marketing, agency, SEO, sales, product and tracking. The owner makes sure every item has a name attached and nothing stays open at sign-off.
Yes, as long as the first version offers a complete path to a demo or sign-up and important existing content stays reachable. Pages for running campaigns can't simply disappear. That fits the foundation first principle: launch the foundation first, then expand.
With a content freeze on the old website about four weeks before launch. Every later change gets carried over to the new website, and right before go-live you reconcile all content changed since then.
The checklist also applies to a domain change, but it isn't enough on its own. A domain change carries the highest SEO risk and belongs in the hands of a specialized SEO agency. Additional steps include the change of address in Search Console and verifying all domain variants.
Yes. Phases 1 to 8 are platform-independent. Only the add-on contains Webflow-specific items.
Planning a relaunch and don't want to work through the checklist alone? See how we approach a website relaunch for B2B SaaS, or book a free strategy call.