Australian business website launch checklist

Before publishing, make sure a visitor can answer three questions: what do you do, where do you work, and how can they contact you? Then test those answers on the actual published website.

This checklist is for a small-business information or enquiry site. An online shop, booking system or regulated service may need additional functionality and specialist advice. Reviewed 31 October 2026.

1. Gather the business facts

• Your business or trading name, public contact details and opening hours.
• The services you currently offer, the customers you serve and the area you cover.
• Any relevant licence or qualification details, checked for accuracy and scope.
• Prices or quotation arrangements you are prepared to honour, with relevant conditions.

Use a service area rather than publishing a private home address unnecessarily. Keep claims specific: describe the work you perform instead of adding unsupported awards, reviews or guarantees. The business.gov.au website setup guide explains the main planning decisions.

2. Prepare clear services and images

Write a short introduction in your own business's voice. For each main service, explain the work, any important exclusions and the next step for a customer. Use photos and a logo you have permission to publish. Remove personal information from documents and photos before uploading them.

Choose a layout that makes this information easy to find. You can start from an industry template; replace example details before publishing. Do not present template businesses or stock images as your own customer projects.

3. Decide where enquiries should go

Give visitors a clear way to call, email or send a form. Ask only for information needed for the first conversation, label the fields clearly and explain what happens after submission. Avoid inviting identity documents, payment details or medical information into an ordinary enquiry form.

Explain how you handle enquiry information and check which privacy requirements apply to your business. The OAIC’s small-business privacy guide explains that coverage depends on the business and relevant exceptions.

After publishing, send a clearly labelled test message using your own contact details. Check receipt in the expected inbox and confirm that you can identify and respond to it. Cockatoo provides contact forms and an enquiry inbox; test your own setup rather than assuming it works from a preview.

4. Check the mobile and keyboard experience

• Open the site on a phone and check that text, navigation and buttons remain usable.
• Check headings, meaningful link labels and descriptions for informative images.
• Use the keyboard to reach navigation and form controls, with a visible focus indicator.
• Increase the text size or zoom and check that essential content is still available.

The W3C’s accessibility checks provide a useful first review. These checks do not establish full accessibility conformance.

5. Check the address and search details

Choose whether to start on the builder’s address or connect a domain you own. Domain registration, renewal, website hosting and email are separate items to confirm. For a .au domain, check the applicable eligibility and allocation rules with your registrar and auDA; a builder subscription does not grant eligibility.

Set a clear page title and description that identify the business, service and location where relevant. Check the preview image when sharing your link. Website publication does not automatically create or verify a Google Business Profile: see Google’s profile guidance. Search engines also decide whether and when to index a website.

6. Review the published site

Open the live address outside the editor. Check contact links, forms, spelling, prices, photos and the mobile layout. Save the correct URL for your social profiles, quotes and business cards. Assign someone to review enquiries and update the site when services, hours or contact details change.

If you are still choosing a platform, compare free website builders available in Australia and Cockatoo’s current website plans.