The Go-Live of your community is a crucial moment. If you (for example) fail to include links in prominent places to point to the community, only few people will even know that the community exists. As only 0,5 out of 100 visitors will even post something on your community, it is very crucial to start with full force.
This article has the intention to offer you a list of things that must be done before you go live. We hand-picked the top 5 items out of (the what we regard as) the three main drivers for initial community success, so that you can be sure that you are well-prepared for the launch.
Content
Here you can find the preparation article for the Content strategy.
Categorization is final
Categories and sub-forums should have clear structure and naming conventions - with no overlaps. Do users know where to find information?
Every subforum has at least 3 topics (or articles) which are relevant for users
Users must be able to discover something of interest during their initial visit. Nobody wants to go to an empty restaurant!
Content calendar is ready / defined for after the launch
Your content calendar is at its most vital during the first days after go-live, so you can keep the community active when there are very few users. Are you ready and confident? Also check our checklist of initial content for your go-live
Welcome-topic
Introduce yourself and the community, so members recognize you from the get-go and know what to expect from the community. Link to template here.
Terms & Conditions
No rules, no fun. 
Legally, you need to be prepared. Link
Traffic
Here you can find the preparation article for the Traffic strategy.
Static integrations are active on most relevant / prominent locations on websites
Your static integrations are a key traffic driver. Make sure they’re in place pre-launch to avoid slowing down member activation (registrations, topics, replies, etc.).
Static integrations have been implemented for secondary positions (e.g. end of FAQ, outgoing marketing / customer support emails)
Another traffic driver - use targeted messaging for existing users who have support questions or new customer queries and direct them to specific topics or categories within the community (e.g "getting started with your subscription", "5 tips to get the most out of your product").
Online campaign
This might not be possible in all cases, but in the beginning it is helping a lot to have a campaign (e.g. Banners on on the company homepage), so that people know the community exists.
Social Media post
If possible, share the launch of the community on social media. You need to gain as much awareness as possible for the new community. Add a link to the welcome topic.
Promotion
Optional: Offer users to win something if they register and post in a specific topic. E.g. give away a month of premium services for users who share their 5 most favorite Apps.
Activation
Here you can find the article for the Activation strategy.
Ranks have been defined
Create a clear list of user ranks that active users will progress through based on their community activity and behavior. The beginner ranks should be easier to reach, the intervals between higher ranks should be bigger.
Badges have been defined
A list of Badges have been defined so that users can earn these rewards by being very active & helpful on your community.
Notifications have been optimized
Have you captured the right tone of voice and ensured your notifications include links to helpful topics, like your ‘how to’ articles? Link
Community Team roles have been defined
Community members are more active if they see a community team that’s also active and responsive. Can users identify your community team members easily? Link
Stimulating content has been planned
Content from your calendar with a goal to stimulate user activity (e.g. "this month’s trending apps") should, by now, have been created or at the very least planned.
