Meticulosity Media · LLC

Client Onboarding

A step-by-step ritual for new project setup
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Ready to start cleanly?

Turn the checklist into a managed launch.

Bring the goals, domain questions, and timeline. I’ll turn this setup ritual into a clear kickoff plan, with ownership and handoff handled from day one.

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1
📋Pre-Kickoff & Contract
Both
Signed contract / SOW received
Scope, deliverables, timeline, and payment terms agreed in writing
Both
Deposit / first invoice paid
Do not begin technical setup until deposit is confirmed
Client
Client onboarding questionnaire sent & returned
Brand assets, copy, colour palette, inspiration sites, competitor URLs
Both
Kickoff call completed
Goals, timeline, communication cadence, and primary point of contact confirmed
Both
2
🚀Domain Registration (Spaceship)
Client Action
Client creates Spaceship account in their own name
Use their business email. They own this account — do not use agency credentials
Client
Domain registered & auto-renew enabled
Confirm domain is live in their Spaceship dashboard
Client
Client shares Spaceship login (temp) or provides nameserver access
Only needed to update nameservers once — revoke temporary access after
Both
3
☁️Cloudflare DNS Setup
Agency
Add new zone to agency Cloudflare account
Add site → enter domain → Free plan → import existing records
Agency
Update nameservers in Spaceship to Cloudflare NS values
e.g. aria.ns.cloudflare.com / bart.ns.cloudflare.com — unique per zone
Agency
Confirm zone is active in Cloudflare (check NS propagation)
Cloudflare dashboard shows "Active" status — can take up to a few hours
Agency
Enable DNSSEC — sync DS record to Spaceship
Cloudflare generates DS record → paste into Spaceship DNSSEC settings
Agency
Add Vercel DNS records (DNS only — grey cloud)
A @ → 76.76.21.21  |  CNAME www → cname.vercel-dns.com  |  TTL 300s
Agency
Revoke temporary Spaceship access if granted
Client retains sole registrar access after NS handoff is complete
Agency
4
🐙GitHub Repository Setup
Agency
Create private repo in agency GitHub org
Naming convention: client-name-site (lowercase, hyphenated)
Agency
Initialise with README, .gitignore, and branch protection on main
Require PR reviews before merging to main — even for solo work
Agency
Add framework boilerplate / starter (Next.js, Astro, etc.)
First commit establishes the project structure
Agency
5
▲Vercel Project Setup
Agency
Create new Vercel project — import from GitHub repo
Connect agency Vercel team → import repo → auto-detect framework
Agency
Confirm first deployment builds successfully
Check Vercel build logs — fix any environment issues before proceeding
Agency
Add custom domain in Vercel — verify DNS records match
Vercel → Project → Settings → Domains → add domain → check A + CNAME match Cloudflare
Agency
SSL certificate provisioned and HTTPS confirmed
Vercel auto-provisions via Let's Encrypt — confirm green padlock on domain
Agency
Set environment variables (API keys, CMS tokens, etc.)
Vercel → Project → Settings → Environment Variables — never commit secrets to repo
Agency
6
📝CMS & Content Setup
Both
CMS project created (Sanity / Contentful / other)
Client is set as admin/owner — agency is a collaborator member
Agency
Content schema / structure defined and built
Pages, posts, media types — aligned with design wireframes
Agency
Initial content populated (placeholder or supplied copy)
Enough to render the site realistically for client review
Both
Client CMS login sent & access confirmed
Brief walkthrough or Loom video of CMS editing workflow
Both
7
📊Analytics & Email DNS
Both
Analytics property created in client-owned account (GA4 or Plausible)
Client owns the property and data — agency gets editor/viewer access
Both
Analytics tracking code installed & verified firing
Use GA4 DebugView or Plausible real-time to confirm events
Agency
MX records added to Cloudflare (Google Workspace / other)
Follow provider's exact MX + TXT (SPF) record instructions
Agency
DKIM and DMARC TXT records added
Prevents email spoofing — required for deliverability
Agency
Test email send and receive confirmed on client domain
Send from and to the new domain address — check spam folder
Both
8
🚀Pre-Launch & Go-Live
Both
Final preview URL sent to client for sign-off
Written approval received before go-live — email or message is sufficient
Client
SEO basics: meta tags, page titles, Open Graph, sitemap, robots.txt
Validate with Google Search Console and social sharing previews
Agency
Performance check — Lighthouse score reviewed
Target 90+ Performance, 100 Accessibility, 100 Best Practices
Agency
Production deployment promoted — live site confirmed on custom domain
Test on mobile and desktop. Check all links, forms, and interactive elements
Agency
Google Search Console property added & sitemap submitted
Verify via DNS TXT record (already in Cloudflare) — submit sitemap.xml
Agency
9
🤝Handoff & Source Code Transfer
Both
Final invoice paid in full
Confirm payment cleared before transferring source code or credentials
Client
Client creates their own GitHub account (if not existing)
Personal or organisation account in their name
Client
Final repo cloned / mirrored to client-owned GitHub
git clone --mirror → push to client repo. Full history preserved. Client owns code independently of Meticulosity Media LLC
Agency
Credentials doc delivered to client (password manager or secure share)
CMS login, analytics access, any API keys they own — never send via email plain text
Agency
Handoff walkthrough call or video recorded
CMS editing, Spaceship renewal reminder, who to contact for future work
Both
Ongoing retainer or maintenance plan agreed (if applicable)
Monthly hosting pass-through, content updates, performance monitoring
Both