Solo Builder Launch Checklist

Use this checklist to make sure you're ready to launch. Not every item applies to every product, but this covers the essentials.

Pre-Launch (2 Weeks Before)

Product

• [ ] Core feature works end-to-end
• [ ] Tested on different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
• [ ] Tested on mobile devices
• [ ] Error handling for common failures
• [ ] Loading states for async operations
• [ ] Form validation works correctly
• [ ] All links work (no 404s)
• [ ] Images load properly
• [ ] Site works without JavaScript (graceful degradation)

Performance

• [ ] Page load time under 3 seconds
• [ ] Images are optimized (WebP, compressed)
• [ ] No console errors
• [ ] Lighthouse score above 80
• [ ] Works on slow 3G connection

Security

• [ ] HTTPS is enabled (SSL certificate)
• [ ] Forms are protected against spam
• [ ] User input is sanitized
• [ ] Passwords are hashed
• [ ] API keys are not exposed in frontend code
• [ ] CORS is configured correctly
• [ ] Rate limiting on important endpoints

Legal & Compliance

• [ ] Privacy policy is live
• [ ] Terms of service are live
• [ ] Cookie banner (if using cookies/analytics)
• [ ] GDPR compliance (if serving EU users)
• [ ] Contact email is visible
• [ ] Company/personal info is correct

Payment & Billing

• [ ] Payment processing works (test purchases)
• [ ] Stripe/payment provider is in production mode
• [ ] Webhooks are set up and tested
• [ ] Failed payment handling works
• [ ] Refund process is defined
• [ ] Pricing is clearly displayed
• [ ] Receipts are sent automatically
• [ ] Tax handling is configured (if required)

Authentication

• [ ] Signup flow works smoothly
• [ ] Email verification works (if required)
• [ ] Password reset works
• [ ] Social login works (if enabled)
• [ ] User can log out
• [ ] Session handling works correctly
• [ ] Protected routes actually require auth

Content & Copy

• [ ] Homepage clearly explains what you do
• [ ] Value proposition is obvious in 5 seconds
• [ ] CTA buttons are clear and prominent
• [ ] All typos are fixed
• [ ] Screenshots/demos are up to date
• [ ] About page tells your story
• [ ] FAQ answers common questions

SEO & Metadata

• [ ] Page titles are descriptive and unique
• [ ] Meta descriptions are written
• [ ] Open Graph images are set
• [ ] Twitter cards are configured
• [ ] Sitemap is generated
• [ ] robots.txt is configured
• [ ] Google Search Console is set up
• [ ] Analytics are installed and tracking

Email Setup

• [ ] Transactional emails work (signup, reset, etc.)
• [ ] Email templates are styled
• [ ] Emails don't go to spam (test with Mail Tester)
• [ ] Unsubscribe link works
• [ ] Reply-to email is set
• [ ] Welcome email is ready

Monitoring & Error Tracking

• [ ] Error tracking is set up (Sentry, etc.)
• [ ] Uptime monitoring is configured
• [ ] Important user flows are monitored
• [ ] Alerts are set up for critical errors
• [ ] You can access logs easily

Launch Week

Launch Day

• [ ] Final backup of database
• [ ] Deploy to production
• [ ] Test critical user flows in production
• [ ] Clear any test data
• [ ] Monitor error logs closely
• [ ] Have rollback plan ready
• [ ] Be available for support requests

Marketing Materials

• [ ] Launch tweet is drafted
• [ ] Product Hunt post is ready (if launching there)
• [ ] Show HN post is written
• [ ] Screenshots for social media
• [ ] Demo video (1-2 minutes)
• [ ] Email to subscribers
• [ ] Post in relevant communities

Community Launch (Day 1-3)

• [ ] Share on Twitter/X
• [ ] Post in relevant subreddits
• [ ] Share in Indie Hackers
• [ ] Post in relevant Discord servers
• [ ] Email your subscriber list
• [ ] Share in niche Slack communities
• [ ] Message friends/network

Product Hunt Launch (Pick a day)

• [ ] Launch on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday
• [ ] Launch at 12:01am PST
• [ ] Have team/friends ready to upvote and comment
• [ ] Respond to every comment
• [ ] Share PH launch on other channels

First Week Monitoring

• [ ] Check analytics daily
• [ ] Respond to all support emails within 24 hours
• [ ] Monitor error logs
• [ ] Track signup to paid conversion
• [ ] Collect user feedback
• [ ] Note which marketing channels work
• [ ] Fix critical bugs immediately

Post-Launch (Week 2-4)

Iteration

• [ ] Analyze which features are used most
• [ ] Read all user feedback
• [ ] Identify top 3 pain points
• [ ] Plan next features based on feedback
• [ ] Ship at least one improvement per week

Marketing Continued

• [ ] Launch in new communities
• [ ] Write launch post-mortem
• [ ] Share what you learned
• [ ] Reach out for podcast/interview opportunities
• [ ] Guest post on relevant blogs
• [ ] Continue daily social posts

Customer Success

• [ ] Onboard first 10 customers personally
• [ ] Send personal thank you to first customers
• [ ] Ask for testimonials
• [ ] Request feature feedback
• [ ] Set up customer feedback call

Metrics to Track

• [ ] Daily signups
• [ ] Activation rate (users who use core feature)
• [ ] Paid conversion rate
• [ ] Monthly recurring revenue (MRR)
• [ ] Churn rate
• [ ] Support ticket volume
• [ ] Most visited pages
• [ ] Traffic sources

Common Launch Mistakes to Avoid

Don't:

• Launch with a buggy product (test thoroughly)
• Wait for perfection (ship the MVP)
• Launch once and stop marketing
• Ignore user feedback
• Hide your pricing
• Make signup too complex
• Forget to track metrics
• Give up after a slow first week

Do:

• Ship something simple that works
• Market continuously
• Talk to users daily
• Fix bugs immediately
• Be transparent about pricing
• Make getting started easy
• Monitor everything
• Give it at least 3 months

Emergency Contacts

Before you launch, make sure you know:

• [ ] How to roll back deployment
• [ ] How to scale servers if needed
• [ ] Your hosting provider's support contact
• [ ] Your payment provider's support contact
• [ ] Where your backups are stored

Notes

Use this space to add any launch-specific items for your product:

After You Launch

Remember: Launching is just the beginning. The real work is:

1. Talking to users
2. Fixing bugs
3. Shipping improvements
4. Marketing consistently
5. Building in public

Most successful products didn't blow up on launch day. They grew steadily over months of consistent effort.

Good luck! 🚀