A static export is only ready when the hosted version behaves like the site people expect to visit. Use this checklist before sending a client link or switching production DNS.
Domain and SSL
Choose one canonical host: apex domain or www. Confirm HTTPS works, redirects point to the canonical host, and the old URL does not create duplicate indexed pages.
Pages and assets
Open the homepage, pricing page, contact page, highest-traffic landing pages, and any pages linked from navigation or footer. Check images, fonts, videos, scripts, favicons, and downloadable files.
SEO and social metadata
Confirm every important page has a unique title, meta description, canonical URL, Open Graph title, Open Graph description, and share image. Update sitemap URLs after the final domain is known.
Forms, scripts, and analytics
Static hosting does not automatically preserve backend behavior. Test contact forms, embeds, analytics, cookie banners, scheduling widgets, chat widgets, and payment links.
Backups and rollback
Keep a ZIP export or deployment snapshot before switching the domain. If a launch issue appears, rollback should be a deployment action, not a rebuild project.
Bandwidth and limits
Check asset size and expected traffic. Portfolio sites are usually light. Agency campaign sites can spike after paid traffic, Product Hunt launches, or client announcements.
Static hosting is simple when these checks are boring. Do them before launch so the domain move feels uneventful.
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