What to Check Before You Launch
A launch readiness audit isn't just about SEO. For AI-era products, you also need AI visibility, security scanning, OG previews, and validated structured data. Here's what each category checks and why it matters.
AI Visibility
Covered by AIExposureToolAI assistants are a primary discovery channel for developer tools and SaaS. If ChatGPT and Perplexity can't accurately describe your product at launch, you're invisible to a large and growing audience.
- AI crawlers allowed in robots.txt (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot)
- llms.txt product brief exists
- JSON-LD SoftwareApplication or Product schema
- OpenGraph tags set (title, description, image)
- Clear H1 headline and product description
Security Scan
Covered by AIExposureToolAI-built apps frequently ship with security vulnerabilities that go unnoticed until someone reports them publicly. A pre-launch security scan takes 15 seconds and can save you from a very public incident.
- No API keys exposed in JavaScript bundles
- No publicly accessible .env or .git files
- Security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options) present
- HTTPS enabled and redirecting correctly
- No admin panels or GraphQL introspection exposed
OG Preview
Covered by AIExposureTool — Available at /og-checkerWhen your launch gets shared on Slack, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Hacker News, the link preview is the first impression. A broken OG image or truncated title kills click-through rates before anyone visits.
- og:image renders correctly at 1200x630
- og:title isn't truncated
- og:description is set and under 160 characters
- Twitter card meta tags are correct
Structured Data Validation
Covered by AIExposureToolMalformed JSON-LD schema can silently fail, meaning Google and AI systems don't parse your product information correctly even when the schema is technically present.
- JSON-LD is valid JSON
- Schema type is appropriate (SoftwareApplication, Product, Organization)
- Required fields are present (name, description, url)
- No validation errors in Google's Rich Results Test
SEO Fundamentals
Covered by AIExposureTool — sitemap + robots.txt + OpenGraph checked in the AI auditBasic SEO issues — missing sitemap, duplicate titles, missing canonical — are easy to introduce and easy to miss. They affect both traditional search and AI indexing.
- sitemap.xml present and accessible
- Unique page titles and meta descriptions
- Canonical URLs set on all pages
- robots.txt not blocking Googlebot
- No broken internal links
Launch day checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a launch readiness audit check?
A complete launch readiness audit should cover: AI visibility (are AI assistants able to crawl and recommend your product?), security (exposed API keys, .env files, missing security headers), structured data (JSON-LD schema), OG previews (link looks correct when shared), and SEO fundamentals (title, meta description, sitemap, canonical URLs).
Why does AI visibility matter at launch?
At launch, AI assistants are often the first place people look for product comparisons. If your product appears in a Product Hunt discussion, the next thing users do is ask ChatGPT or Perplexity about it. If your AI visibility signals aren't in place at launch, AI systems may describe your product incorrectly — even as you're generating your highest traffic ever.
What security issues are most common in newly launched apps?
Exposed API keys in JavaScript bundles, publicly accessible .env files, missing Content Security Policy headers, missing HSTS, and exposed .git directories. These are especially common in apps built with AI tools like Cursor, Claude, Lovable, or Bolt.
What's the fastest launch readiness check I can run?
Paste your URL into AIExposureTool and get an AI Exposure Score (0-100) and Security Grade (A-F) in under 30 seconds, no signup required. It covers AI visibility, security, structured data, and content quality in one scan.
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