Launching your site

Congratulations on building your site!

To make sure that your site is launch-ready, please review the pre-launch content checklist and logistics.

Pre-launch content checklist:

Have you renamed/removed all default content/pages that aren’t relevant to your site?
Do your homepage and footer blocks have the correct content in them?
Have you replaced all the placeholder images for your site?
Do your images all have descriptive alternative text (“alt text”)?
Do your “Read More” links all point to the correct pages, and do those target pages have the correct content in them?
Have you checked your menu links to ensure they are all correct?
Is your content ready to be “frozen” for the duration of the launch process?
Have you had your content reviewed by another member of your department?
Does your site need to be approved by anyone other than yourself before launching?

Logistics

Do you need to create redirects for any specific pages from your old existing website (if applicable)?
Have you set up a vanity URL (e.g. http://mysite.stanford.edu ) if one does not already exist? (Note: Stanford Web Services will handle the switchover for you once your site is ready to launch)
Have you configured Google Analytics for your new site?
Have you archived your analytics data for your old site (if applicable)?
Have you determined what you would like to do with your old website? Do you want to have it archived in any way?
Have you prepared any necessary communications for the post-launch of your site?

Ready to launch?

After you have completed the pre-launch content checklist and have your logistics in order, you are now ready to launch your site!

If you are a self-service site, please submit a Virtual Host Request.
If you are a client, you are eligible for launch assistance from Stanford Web Services. Please refer to the following Client Launch Request card.
If you are launching a high visibility or high traffic site on Stanford Sites, but are not currently a Stanford Web Services client, we recommend you communicate the launch details via our launch request form.

Client Launch Request

The Stanford Web Services team appreciates at least a two-week advance notice for launching sites, and launch sites only on Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Important note: During peak periods, some dates may not be available.

When you are ready to launch, submit the Request Site Launch Form. A Stanford Web Services team member will reach out to you to coordinate the site launch details.

Not sure if you are a client or self-service site?