WordPress publication checklist

I’m still learning about how to manage the workflow surrounding using WordPress to create websites. In a matter of around 3 weeks I’ve become very comfortable with creating Thematic Child Themes for my designs, and with a useful pointer from the ThemeShaper forum I’ve pretty much got my design process sorted now. I use layouts from the Thematic theme library to develop the basic design with my client, using plain old Dreamweaver until the basic design and structure are set. I then create a child theme and develop the site on localhost (there’s a great guide on how to do this). Once I have the site theme working I install it on my development server so that my client can view it. We tweak, we populate with content, we test. And then I publish to the client’s domain.

However.

Being new to this there are a number of things I need to remember to do, preferably in the right order, to make the publication as smooth as possible. So this is my (probably evolving) checklist of what to do.

1. Use the export tool under (would you believe it) “Tools” to save the current WordPress site on the development server.
2. If using plugins with the facility to save settings, e.g. I use the Fast and Secure Contact Form plugin, save all these too, it will save lots of hassle.
3. Install WordPress on the client hosting package.
4. Install plugins and activate. Where necessary, e.g. for contact form, import settings.
5. Set the name, description, whether using a static home page, date preferences and permalink preferences.
6. Don’t forget to set the search engine option. I always hide sites under development ever since a client got a nasty shock when a daft test post appeared as a Google search result, but you really don’t want the live site to be hidden…
7. Import the site.
8. Upload the theme (or in my case, Thematic plus my child theme).
9. Activate the correct theme.
10. I haven’t tracked down the best way to deal with the annoyance of the “about” page which is always there on a fresh installation, as I usually have an “about” page of my own, but don’t want it ending up being called “about-2”. Currently I cut and paste the “real” page content into the “helpfully provided by WordPress” page and trash the imported page. Hacky but it works until I work out what I should be doing.
11. Make sure the page order is correct. I use the “My Page Order” plugin.
12. Set the widgets up correctly. It’s a bit of a shock to see your supposedly lovely site looking all wrong because the search box is appearing where the main page navigation should be…
13. Check, double check and then check again. Does it look and behave like it should? Is it valid html and css? (I’m assuming all the browser and screen resolution checks have already been done during development.)
14. I’m assuming I’ve already added in the google analytics code but I need to create a sitemap.
15. One last check, then contact the client and tell them their brand new shiny WordPress-based site is live and ready for action.
16. Worry about what I’ve forgotten…