The complete pre-launch checklist for your MVP. Technical requirements, legal basics, operational readiness, and launch day execution. Miss nothing.
October 3, 2024 9 min read
The week before launch is when things fall through cracks. You're focused on the product—is it ready?—while dozens of supporting elements need attention. DNS propagation. Terms of service. Error monitoring. Support email setup.
This checklist covers everything you need before, during, and after launch day. Not every item applies to every product, but reviewing the list ensures you've at least considered each one.
Print it out. Check boxes. Launch with confidence.
Technical Readiness
These items ensure your product actually works when users arrive.
Infrastructure
[ ] Production environment is separate from development. No shared databases, credentials, or configurations.
[ ] Domain is configured correctly. DNS pointing to production servers. SSL certificate installed and valid. Both www and non-www versions redirect appropriately.
[ ] Environment variables are set. All API keys, database connections, and configuration values are in production—not development—settings.
[ ] Database is production-ready. Migrations applied. Indexes created for common queries. Connection pooling configured.
[ ] File storage is configured. If your product handles uploads, production storage (S3, Cloudflare R2, etc.) is connected and tested.
[ ] CDN is configured. Static assets served from CDN. Cache headers set appropriately.
Monitoring and Alerting
[ ] Error tracking is active. Sentry or equivalent capturing exceptions. Alerts configured for critical errors.
[ ] . External service (Pingdom, UptimeRobot, Better Uptime) checking your app every few minutes. Alerts going to someone who can respond.
These items protect you and establish trust with users.
Required Documents
[ ] Privacy Policy is published. Describes what data you collect, how you use it, how users can delete it. Link in footer.
[ ] Terms of Service are published. Covers acceptable use, limitations of liability, dispute resolution. Link in footer.
[ ] Cookie consent is implemented (if applicable). EU users see consent banner. Choices are honored.
Business Basics
[ ] Business entity exists (if needed). LLC, C-corp, or equivalent established for receiving payments and limiting liability.
[ ] Business bank account is open. Separate from personal finances.
[ ] Payment processor is connected to business account. Stripe, etc. depositing to business account.
Industry-Specific
[ ] Industry-specific compliance reviewed. Fintech, healthtech, and other regulated industries have additional requirements. Get legal guidance if uncertain.
[ ] Data handling meets requirements. GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or other regulations applicable to your users and data.
Operational Readiness
These items ensure you can actually run the product.
Support Infrastructure
[ ] Support email exists. support@yourdomain.com or equivalent. Goes somewhere monitored.
[ ] Support process is defined. Who responds? How quickly? What's the escalation path?
[ ] FAQ or help documentation is published. Answers to obvious questions are available without support contact.
[ ] Feedback mechanism exists. Users can report bugs or suggestions. Could be simple email link or embedded form.
Communication Channels
[ ] Transactional email is configured. Welcome emails, password resets, notifications work and don't hit spam folders.
[ ] Email templates are tested. Rendering across email clients. Links work. Unsubscribe functions.
[ ] Sender reputation established. If using new domain, warm up email sending before launch blast.
Team Readiness
[ ] Launch day coverage is planned. Who's available to respond to issues? What hours? What channels?
[ ] Escalation contacts are defined. If something breaks badly, who fixes it? How are they reached?
[ ] Rollback plan exists. If launch catastrophically fails, can you revert to pre-launch state?
Analytics and Measurement
These items ensure you can learn from launch.
Tracking Implementation
[ ] Core analytics events are firing. Signup, activation, core actions tracked. Verified in analytics dashboard.
[ ] User identification is working. Anonymous users connect to identified users after signup.
[ ] Conversion funnels are defined. Signup funnel, core action funnel trackable as paths.
Baseline Metrics
[ ] Pre-launch metrics documented. Current state (zero, presumably) is recorded. Changes are measurable.
[ ] Success metrics defined. What numbers would make launch "successful"? Be specific. Write it down.
[ ] Review schedule established. When will you first analyze data? Daily for first week? Weekly after?
Marketing and Launch
These items drive initial traffic and awareness.
Assets
[ ] Social media profiles created (if applicable). Consistent branding across platforms you'll use.
[ ] Launch announcement drafted. Email, social posts, or press release ready to send.
[ ] Screenshots and demo content ready. Product images for social sharing, press kit, app store (if applicable).
[ ] Open graph meta tags configured. Links shared on social media show proper title, description, image.
Distribution
[ ] Launch list is ready. Email list, waitlist, or community where you'll announce.
[ ] Partners/influencers are aligned (if applicable). Anyone sharing launch knows timing and messaging.
[ ] Product Hunt or similar is scheduled (if applicable). Slot reserved, launch kit prepared.
Landing Page
[ ] Value proposition is clear. New visitors understand what this product does within 10 seconds.
[ ] Call to action is obvious. Single clear next step: Sign up, Start trial, Buy now.
[ ] Social proof exists (if applicable). Testimonials, logos, or early user counts if you have them.
Financial Readiness
These items ensure you can get paid.
Payment Processing
[ ] Payment processor is in production mode. Test keys replaced with live keys. Real transactions work.
[ ] Analyze cohort performance. How are launch-week users behaving?
[ ] Identify top issues. What are users struggling with? What are they asking about?
[ ] Prioritize quick fixes. Low-effort improvements that address common problems.
[ ] Plan next iteration. What did you learn? What should change?
The Most Commonly Forgotten
Some items get missed more than others:
Email deliverability: Transactional emails hitting spam filters is painfully common. Test with multiple providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) before launch.
Mobile testing: Desktop looks great, mobile is broken. Always test both.
Terms and privacy policy: Easy to forget until someone asks where they are.
Production vs. development credentials: Launching with test Stripe keys means you're not actually collecting money.
Error monitoring setup: The first you hear of production errors shouldn't be from users.
Rollback plan: If disaster strikes, you need a way back. Have a plan before you need it.
Scaling the Checklist
This list is comprehensive. Not every launch needs every item.
For simple MVPs: Focus on Technical Readiness, Legal basics (privacy policy, terms), Support email, and Analytics. Skip complex marketing orchestration.
For regulated industries: Everything in Technical Readiness and Legal applies. Add industry-specific compliance checks.
For paid products: Everything in Financial Readiness is critical. Test payment flows thoroughly.
For viral/social products: Marketing and Launch items matter more. Social sharing, invite flows, and virality mechanics need attention.
Customize the checklist to your product. The goal is ensuring nothing critical is missed, not completing every possible item.
Key Takeaways
Successful launches require attention beyond the product itself:
Infrastructure must be production-ready: Separate environments, proper monitoring, security basics
The best launches feel anticlimactic. You've prepared thoroughly, so nothing surprises you. That's the goal—not excitement, but execution.
Preparing to launch your MVP? Talk to our team about final preparation and ensuring your product is ready for real users.
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