Keep a record of the old site
Before replacing a website, list its important URLs and the purpose of each page. Identify pages that receive useful enquiries or have links from elsewhere. Decide which pages will keep their address and which need a new destination.
Keep this record with the launch plan. A visual redesign can be approved while an important service page quietly disappears from the new navigation. Assign someone to check the content inventory as well as the appearance.
Write each page for a clear purpose
Give every important page a descriptive title, a clear main heading, and useful text about its subject. Link between related pages using labels people can understand. Google’s starter guide recommends helpful content and a structure that makes pages easier to discover.
For a service business, explain the service, who it suits, what a buyer needs to provide, and how to enquire. Do not make dozens of near-identical pages merely to repeat a location or keyword.
Review technical access before launch
Check that public pages are accessible and that production pages do not retain staging restrictions. Review robots rules, indexing directives, canonical URLs, and the sitemap. A sitemap supports discovery; it does not guarantee indexing.
If a URL changes, map it to a relevant replacement. Test a few old addresses directly instead of assuming the redirect configuration works. Also test missing pages so a visitor receives a useful route back into the site.
Give the launch an owner
Agree who checks the live site after deployment. Include navigation, forms, images, page titles, and any redirect map in that review. Keep a short record of what was checked and what still needs attention.
After launch, use Search Console to inspect important URLs and review reported issues. Search visibility takes more than a launch checklist, but these checks give the ongoing work a cleaner starting point. If you are commissioning the site, ask for these responsibilities in the proposal.
Further reading: Google Search Central: SEO starter guide.