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Basic Information

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Status Page Name

Your status page name is the primary identifier displayed to visitors. Requirements:
  • Minimum 3 characters
  • Used for identification across dashboard
  • Auto-generates URL slug
  • Can be changed anytime
Best practices:
  • Use your company or product name
  • Keep it professional and recognizable
  • Examples: “Acme Corp Status”, “API Services”, “Platform Health”

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URL Slug

The slug determines your status page URL and is automatically generated from the name. Auto-Generation: 
Name: "My Website Status"
Slug: "my-website-status"

Name: "Acme Corp API"
Slug: "acme-corp-api"
Slug Rules:
  • Lowercase letters and numbers only
  • Spaces converted to hyphens
  • Special characters removed
  • Must be unique in your account
Manual Editing: You can manually edit the slug after creation:
1

Click Edit Slug

Click the edit icon next to the slug field
2

Enter New Slug

Type your desired slug (follows same rules)
3

Real-Time Validation

System checks if slug is available
  • ✅ Green checkmark if available
  • ❌ Red error if already exists
4

Save Changes

Click Save to update slug
Changing the slug will change your status page URL. Update any bookmarks or shared links.
Your Status Page URL: 
https://status.watchmantower.com/{your-slug}
Or with custom domain: 
https://status.yourcompany.com

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Description

Optional subtitle displayed below your status page name. Usage:
  • Brief explanation of what’s monitored
  • Displayed as subtitle on public page
  • Plain text only (no HTML or Markdown)
  • Recommended but not required
Examples:
  • “Real-time status for all our services”
  • “Monitor the health of our API and infrastructure”
  • “Check uptime and performance across our platform”

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Visibility & Access Control

Control who can access your status page.

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Public Mode

Your status page is accessible to anyone with the link. Characteristics:
  • 🌐 No authentication required
  • ✅ Appears in search engines (if SEO enabled)
  • ✅ Anyone can view and subscribe
  • ✅ Can be embedded in iframes
  • Badge: Green “Public” with globe icon
When to use:
  • External customers and users
  • Transparent communication during incidents
  • Building trust with stakeholders
  • SaaS products and public services

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Private Mode

Your status page requires authentication to access. Characteristics:
  • 🔒 Password or authentication required
  • ❌ Not indexed by search engines
  • ❌ Cannot be embedded publicly
  • ❌ Subscribers need password to receive updates
  • Badge: Gray “Private” with lock icon
When to use:
  • Internal services and teams
  • Sensitive infrastructure status
  • Limited stakeholder communication
  • Beta products or private testing

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Password Protection

Enable password protection for private status pages.
1

Toggle Private Mode

Switch visibility from Public to Private
2

Enable Password Protection

Toggle on “Require Password”
3

Set Password

Enter a secure password
  • Minimum 8 characters
  • Share with authorized viewers only
4

Save Settings

Password takes effect immediately
Changing Password: You can update the password anytime:
  1. Go to General Settings
  2. Click “Change Password”
  3. Enter new password
  4. Save changes
Share the new password with authorized users. They’ll need to re-authenticate on their next visit.
Disabling Password: Toggle off “Require Password” to remove password protection (status page remains private but accessible without password).

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Integrations

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Google Tag Manager

Track visitor analytics and behavior on your status page.
Plan Availability: Google Tag Manager integration is available on Team and Stack plans only.
Setup:
1

Get GTM Container ID

Find your GTM Container ID in your Google Tag Manager account
  • Format: GTM-XXXXXXX
2

Enter Container ID

Paste the Container ID in the GTM field
  • No need to include GTM- prefix (auto-added)
3

Save Settings

GTM script loads automatically on your status page
4

Configure Tags

Set up tags, triggers, and variables in GTM dashboard
What You Can Track:
  • Total visits
  • Unique visitors
  • Page load times
  • Bounce rates
  • Click events on monitors
  • Subscription form submissions
  • Incident timeline interactions
  • External link clicks
  • Page load times
  • Time to interactive
  • First contentful paint
  • Largest contentful paint
Define custom events in GTM:
  • Status changes viewed
  • Incident updates read
  • Response time charts viewed
  • Filter or search usage
Example Use Cases:
  • Monitor how many people check status during incidents
  • Track which services get the most attention
  • Measure effectiveness of incident communications
  • Understand visitor demographics and locations

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Saving Changes

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Save Button Behavior

The Save button is smart and context-aware: States:
  • Disabled (gray) - No changes made yet
  • Enabled (blue) - Changes detected, ready to save
  • Loading (spinner) - Saving in progress
  • Success (checkmark) - Changes saved successfully

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Real-Time Validation

Before saving, Watchman Tower validates your inputs:

Name Validation

  • Minimum 3 characters
  • Shows error if too short

Slug Validation

  • Checks uniqueness in real-time
  • Shows availability indicator

GTM Container ID

  • Validates format (GTM-XXXXXXX)
  • Shows error if invalid

Password Strength

  • Minimum 8 characters
  • Suggests strong password

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Notifications

After saving, you’ll see toast notifications: Success: 
✅ Status page settings saved successfully
Error: 
❌ Failed to save: [specific error message]
Auto-Update: When you change the slug, the URL in your browser updates automatically: 
Before: /status-pages/old-slug/settings
After:  /status-pages/new-slug/settings

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Troubleshooting

Issue: The slug you entered is already in use by another status page.Solution: Choose a different slug or append a number/word to make it unique.
my-status → my-status-2
api-status → api-status-prod
Issue: Google Tag Manager doesn’t seem to be collecting data.Solutions:
  1. Verify Container ID is correct (check GTM dashboard)
  2. Ensure GTM container is published (not in draft mode)
  3. Check browser console for GTM errors
  4. Use GTM Preview mode to debug
  5. Wait 24 hours for data to appear in Google Analytics
Issue: Users report password authentication failing.Solutions:
  1. Verify password was saved (check settings)
  2. Ensure users are entering correct password (case-sensitive)
  3. Clear browser cache and try again
  4. Generate new password and share with users
Issue: Unable to switch between Public and Private modes.Solution: If you have a custom domain configured, certain restrictions may apply. Contact support if the issue persists.

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Best Practices

Choose Memorable Slugs

Short, descriptive slugs are easier to share and remember

Use Descriptive Names

Clear names help users understand what’s being monitored

Add Descriptions

Brief descriptions set expectations for visitors

Start Public

Public status pages build trust and reduce support tickets

Secure Private Pages

Use strong passwords and rotate them periodically

Track with GTM

Understanding visitor behavior helps improve communication

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Next Steps

Add Monitored Items

Configure which services appear on your status page

Customize Theme

Brand your status page with colors and logo

Display Settings

Configure auto-refresh and data visibility

Custom Domain

Use your own domain for your status page