Perform immediate post-launch crawl to verify HTTPS redirects and canonical tags.
- Perform immediate post-launch crawl to verify HTTPS redirects and canonical tags1 cited source1 category
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Why this matters
Early crawl verifies all redirects function properly and canonicals point to correct HTTPS URLs, avoiding indexation issues.
Hypothetical standard operating procedure
Adapt this example to your site, access, tools, and change process. It is our suggested procedure, informed by the sources below.
- Within 24 hours of launch, crawl the entire HTTPS site with a crawler tool.
- Check all old URLs respond with HTTP 301 to their HTTPS counterparts.
- Confirm canonical tags on new pages self-reference the new HTTPS URL, not the old HTTP URL.
- Audit for any accidental noindex tags or unreachable pages.
- Report and fix any errors promptly.
Watch for
Missed redirect errors or incorrect canonicals can hinder traffic recovery and indexing.
Definition of done
All old URLs return 301 to correct new URLs; all new pages have self-referencing HTTPS canonical tags.
Sources & attribution
Original checklist wording and example SOP by Best SEO Checklist, using source-grounded AI assistance. Editorial contact: Ted Kubaitis, @tedkubaitis on Teams. Check current source guidance before implementation.