Go Live and Run the 5-Point Launch Check

Where you are: Domain connected (Ch 6). Site polished. Now you publish and do a proper pre-flight so your first visitor doesn't hit a broken form. Five checks, five minutes.

Publish first: In every tool from Chapter 2, this is a single button labeled Publish, Deploy, or Ship. Click it. Your live domain now serves the site. Now verify it's actually solid:

The 5-point launch check:

1. Mobile. Open your live domain on your phone (and a friend's if you can). Tap the primary button. Scroll the whole page. Is text readable without pinching? Are buttons easy to tap? Most of your traffic is mobile. That's why this is check #1.

2. Speed. The page should feel instant. If it drags, the usual culprit is heavy images (revisit Chapter 5 and compress). A fast, plain page beats a slow, fancy one every time. Optional: run your URL through a free page-speed checker and fix anything flagged as a big image.

3. Links. Click every button and link on the live site. Every one should go somewhere real. Kill any dead ends or placeholder "#" links. Especially confirm the primary button does what it promises.

4. Forms. Submit your own contact/quote form as if you were a customer. Then confirm the message actually arrives where you'll see it (your inbox or the tool's dashboard). A form that looks fine but goes nowhere loses real money. Test it before anyone else does.

5. Analytics. Turn on the built-in analytics (all four tools have it) or add a free analytics tag. You want to know how many people visit and how many tap the button. You can't improve what you can't see.

Ship checklist (tick all five):

[ ] Looks and works great on my phone
[ ] Loads fast (images compressed)
[ ] Every link and button works
[ ] Contact/quote form tested and message received
[ ] Analytics is on

When all five are ticked, you have a live business website. That's the promise of this pathway, delivered.

Next up, Chapter 8: get found on Google so the site actually brings you customers.