An IPO website is ready when the company can show that its approved public information, technical services, and publishing process work together. Use this checklist to document that readiness before the site becomes part of investor communications.
For every item, record the owner, evidence, status, and unresolved action. These are recommended launch controls. Counsel and the company's authorized team should separately confirm applicable offering, disclosure, and listing requirements.
Gate one Confirm the release authority
- Identify the person authorized to approve public website release.
- Record the approved content package and its version.
- Confirm which transaction or listing milestones control each change.
- List content that must remain private until further approval.
- Document the communication channel used for the final release instruction.
The SEC's Going Public overview distinguishes registration, effectiveness, and subsequent reporting obligations. [1] Align the website plan with the actual transaction sequence; do not use a generic launch checklist as the basis for disclosure timing.
Use preparing an IR website for an IPO if those decisions are still being developed.
Gate two Verify identity and investor content
- Confirm the approved company name, business description, leadership information, and contact details.
- Verify the security identifiers and exchange references intended for public display.
- Review each governance document with its designated owner.
- Remove test copy, sample financial information, and placeholder links.
- Confirm that each published document has an understandable title and relevant date.
Open the final downloadable files rather than relying only on their filenames. Check that the website points to the approved version and that an archived or draft version is not presented as current.
Apply the broader IR website checklist to the completed content structure. Record any section intentionally omitted from launch and the condition that will trigger its publication.
Gate three Test feeds and external services
- Match the filing feed to the correct CIK and compare its output with EDGAR.
- Confirm document links, filing dates, form labels, and amendment treatment.
- Test what the website displays if a service is unavailable or has no data.
- Confirm market-data activation and any required source, timestamp, or delay labels with the supplier.
- Complete the email-alert and event-access journeys using authorized test accounts.
The SEC's submissions API organizes filing history by CIK, so entity mapping deserves explicit acceptance. [2] The EDGAR feed guide provides the detailed integration review.
Gate four Review access and usability
- Test navigation, document access, filters, and forms on representative desktop and mobile layouts.
- Verify keyboard operation, visible focus, zoom behavior, and meaningful link names.
- Include public PDFs, presentations, and external tools in the accessibility scope.
- Confirm the agreed media alternatives for any launch webcast or recording.
- Resolve or formally assign every launch-blocking usability issue.
Use WCAG 2.2 as the agreed technical reference where appropriate, with a defined conformance level and evaluation scope. [3] A checklist tick alone is not a conformance assessment.
Gate five Rehearse production and handover
- Confirm domain, hosting, certificate, and publishing access with the responsible operators.
- Protect the staging environment and remove inappropriate test settings from production.
- Run a rehearsal of publication, verification, correction, and rollback decisions.
- Confirm support contacts and escalation coverage for the launch window.
- Assign the first post-launch review and the next reporting-cycle tasks.
Keep a short launch record: who approved the release, what version was released, when verification occurred, and what remains open. A handover should leave the company able to operate the site after the project team disperses.
Questions companies ask
What should block website launch?
Examples include unapproved public content, incorrect issuer information, failed essential journeys, or missing release authority. The company should define and approve the final criteria.
Can some services activate after launch?
Yes, if that state is intentional and approved. Avoid displaying a broken or misleading component while waiting for activation.
Who signs off on the checklist?
Assign signoff by responsibility: content and legal matters, business readiness, and technical acceptance. Name one coordinator for the final decision.
Does passing this checklist satisfy listing rules?
No. It documents website readiness. Track issuer-specific legal and exchange requirements separately and connect them to the relevant checks.
Include the completed checklist in a VendorGroup launch brief so the release plan has clear owners and evidence.
Related VendorGroup resources
- Preparing an Investor Relations Website for an IPO
- The Essential Investor Relations Website Checklist
- How EDGAR and SEC Filing Feeds Work on an IR Website
