Reader route
Subscribe, share, referral metadata and placeholder leaderboard pages exist; Buttondown attribution still needs live verification before public scoring.
Launch room
One approval-gated screen for the St Albans launch loop.
Use this page to review the reader path, Facebook assets, referral wiring, sponsor close path and proof gates before any public launch action. It is static prep only: no email, post, ad, checkout, outreach or inventory hold is triggered.
Launch checklist
Move only when each gate is clean
Daily issue
Today page and issue renderer can show source-linked local stories without triggering a subscriber send from the website build.
Source freshness
Freshness dashboard ranks categories, source priority counts and latest raw/issue dates before the next send is considered.
Social pack
Facebook page setup, organic post copy and launch creative are ready for review, with no public posting or paid spend enabled.
Sponsor path
Packages, lead routes, proof ledger, booking intake, checkout keys and close room are placeholder-only until the editor approves live sales.
Rollback
If any live metadata, analytics, copy approval or compliance check fails, keep the product on static prep pages and do not publish.
Subscriber loop
Buttondown-first, privacy-first
Subscribe path
Reader-initiated Buttondown embed with hidden referral metadata and market tag.
Proof needed
Confirm Buttondown stores metadata before claiming referral tracking is live.
Referral share
Browser-local invite token and copyable local link for launch testing.
Proof needed
Deduplicate confirmed subscribers privately before any reward count.
Leaderboard shell
Public columns and placeholder JSON exist without exposing emails or raw subscriber records.
Proof needed
Manual review and editorial approval before public rankings.
Creative and sponsor routes
Assets ready for manual review
Social launch pack
Facebook setup, post template and creative SVGs for organic launch review.
Gate
No public post, Zap, paid spend or ad launch without fresh approval.
Community launch pack
Facebook group, WhatsApp, village, partner and organiser routes with permission-first copy.
Gate
No posting, DMs, scraping, partner asks or paid boosts without approval.
Launch calendar
Fourteen-day operator sequence connecting source proof, referral preflight, community permissions and sponsor dossiers.
Gate
No public launch step runs without the matching approval gate.
Sponsor close room
Manual sequence for vetted sponsor lanes, package choice, proof checks and placeholder checkout keys.
Gate
No outreach, payment, invoice or slot reservation without editorial approval.
Next operator action
Recommended next safe move
Review source freshness
Check /source-freshness/ before the next issue render and fix any stale category via public source registry updates.
Verify Buttondown metadata
Run an internal-only signup through /subscribe/?ref=test-preflight after credentials and approval exist, then check metadata capture in Buttondown.
Route reader feedback
Use the feedback desk to turn missing-place, source-tip and correction prompts into verified source routes before publication.
Pick first sponsor lane
Use property, schools/family or hospitality from the close room, then prepare one manual approval pack without sending outreach.
Open launch readiness JSON · Open freshness JSON · Open feedback JSON