A website launch goes wrong in predictable ways: a phone number that doesn't dial on a phone, a licence number that's out of date, an old page that ranked for "furnace repair" and now leads nowhere. This checklist catches those problems in order. It has four parts: content, legal and claims, technical launch day, and the first 30 days. Use it on your own build or hold any builder to it, including us.
We use a version of this on every HVAC.Express build, from a 5–7 page Essential site to an Enterprise launch.
Part 1: content checks before launch
Content problems are the most visible and the easiest to prevent. Go through each page on a phone, not a desktop, because that's how most heating customers will see it.
Every page
- ☐ Phone number visible at the top without scrolling, and it dials when tapped.
- ☐ Text option works: tapping it opens a message to the right number.
- ☐ Email address is correct and someone checks that inbox daily.
- ☐ Business hours match what you actually answer, including emergency hours if you offer them.
- ☐ Every page has one clear next step, not five competing buttons.
Home page
- ☐ In one sentence near the top: what you do and where. "Furnace, heat pump and AC installation and repair in [City] and [nearby towns]."
- ☐ Proof near the top: years in business, reviews, real photos.
- ☐ Links to every core service page.
Service pages
- ☐ One page per service that earns real money. No single page listing everything in bullets.
- ☐ Each page answers what the customer asks before calling: how long, what it involves, which brands, whether financing or rebates might apply.
- ☐ No copy-paste between pages. A boiler page and a furnace page should not share paragraphs.
About and trust
- ☐ Your licence or registration details are shown the way your regulator expects. Confirm the wording with the regulator yourself; our areas pages link to each province's authority.
- ☐ Real names and photos of your team, or at least your trucks and work.
- ☐ Service area listed in plain words, matching your Google Business Profile.
Part 2: legal and claims checks
These are not legal advice. They're the items worth asking your own adviser about, with links to the official sources.
Contact and privacy
- Privacy statement. If your site collects names, numbers or emails, privacy law applies. The federal PIPEDA overview explains the basics; Alberta, BC and Quebec have their own similar private-sector laws.
- Commercial messages. If you plan to send follow-up texts or emails to past customers, Canada's anti-spam law requires consent, identification and a way to opt out. The CRTC's CASL FAQ is the place to start.
Prices and green claims
- Advertised prices. The Competition Act treats misleading pricing seriously, including advertising a price that leaves out mandatory fees. If you show "from" prices, make sure they're real.
- Environmental claims. Phrases like "eco-friendly" or "cuts emissions in half" need support. The Competition Bureau's guidance on environmental claims is worth reading before you write heat pump pages. As of October 2026 the Bureau says it is updating that guidance after a 2026 law change, so check it again before launch.
Rebates and programs
- Date every rebate mention. Write "as of [month year]" and link the program administrator.
- Check status the week you launch. Programs open, change and close often.
- Announced is not open. As of October 2026, the federal government had announced a national heat pump rebate on 2026-10-08, described as launching in 2027. A page that implies homeowners can apply today would mislead them.
Part 3: technical launch day
Launch day is mostly technical. Do these in order.
- Final backup of the old site, if one exists.
- Redirect map applied. Every old page address points to the closest new page. Check the old pages that brought the most traffic first.
- Domain pointed to the new site, and the secure (https) version loads without warnings.
- Analytics installed and recording a test visit.
- Call and text tracking tested. Make a real call from the site on a phone and check that it's recorded. Send a real text.
- Search Console verified and the sitemap submitted.
- Google Business Profile updated with the new website address, pointing to the most relevant page.
- Speed check on a mid-range phone, on mobile data, not office Wi-Fi.
- Broken link check across the whole site.
- Search engines allowed. Confirm the site isn't still set to block indexing, a common leftover from the build stage.
If any of these fail, fix them before announcing the launch. A site that can't record a call is a site you can't judge.
Part 4: the first 30 days
The month after launch is when small fixes have the most effect.
Week 1
- Check Search Console for crawl errors and fix them.
- Confirm calls and texts are being recorded by source.
- Ask ten recent customers for a Google review, by text, with a direct link.
Weeks 2–3
- Look at which pages people land on. If everyone arrives at the home page, your service pages may need more depth or better internal links.
- Check that the old pages with traffic are redirecting correctly.
- If you're running ads, point each ad group at its matching service page.
Week 4
- Compare enquiries with the same period before launch, if you have that data.
- List questions customers asked on the phone that the site didn't answer. Each one is a candidate for new content.
- Decide on the next step: run it yourself, or add a growth plan.
Who should own each item
On a small team, give every checklist line a name. The owner usually confirms licence wording, hours and the service list; the office manager tests calls and texts; the builder handles redirects, analytics and Search Console. Unowned items are the ones still open a month later.
A one-line version to pin on the wall
Phone works, services clear, licence correct, claims supported, redirects mapped, tracking tested, profile linked, reviews requested.
If you're still choosing a package, start with our page-count scoping guide. If you'd like us to run this list for you, contact us and mention your launch date.
Frequently asked questions
How long before launch should I start this checklist?
Start the content and access sections on the first day of the build. The technical and launch-day sections happen in the final few days, and the post-launch section covers the first 30 days.
Can I launch without call tracking and add it later?
You can, but you lose the first weeks of data, which are the weeks that tell you whether the site works. Setting it up before launch takes little time and makes every later decision easier.
Should my site mention the new federal heat pump rebate?
As of October 2026 it has been announced but is not yet open, and the federal government says it launches in 2027. If you mention it, say exactly that, date the statement and link the official announcement, and don't imply customers can apply now.
What's the most common launch-day mistake?
Forgetting redirects from the old site. Pages that used to rank stop existing, and visitors and search engines hit error pages instead of the new content.