Get a custom domain

To set up your Stanford Site with a user—and search engine—friendly URL you will need to request and configure a custom domain. 

What is a URL?

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. A URL is an address that points to a unique resource like an HTML page, a CSS document, an image, or a video. It’s the information you type into the web browser that directs you to a location on the web.

What is a custom domain?

A custom website domain provides a more user-friendly and often shorter and more memorable name for users to remember to access your website. Using a custom domain for your site means the URL will remain constant as a user browses your site. (E.g., example.stanford.edu is a custom domain name.)

What types of URLs are there?

There are two types of URLs you can use with Stanford Sites: 

• the default URL
• a proxy URL

Default URL

By default, Stanford Sites follow the pattern sitename.sites.stanford.edu.

We recommend the use of a proxy URL (see below) since sitename.sites.stanford.edu URLs cannot be transferred to another web hosting service.

Proxy URL

With a proxy URL, you can use a shortened, more descriptive URL for your website. (This is helpful when you need a nicer URL for marketing and promotion purposes.) 

How do I get a proxy URL?

University IT (UIT) can help you create a proxy URL and ensure a smooth experience. Submit a launch request to get a proxy URL on your Stanford Site.