How to Easily Create a Staging Site for WordPress (Step by Step)
How to Easily Create a Staging Site for WordPress (Step by Step). In this blog post, we will introduce staging site then explain different methods to create a staging site for WordPress.
Do you want to develop a staging site for WordPress but don’t have any idea where to start? Well, you are not alone. Creating a staging site can be a hectic and time consuming process.
Before WordPress staging, it was very difficult to operate a site, but now, the time has changed.
We have compiled the information on creating a staging environment for your WordPress site. We will cover the aspects in a step by step manner for a better understanding.
Let’s start with How to Easily Create a Staging Site for WordPress (Step by Step).
What is a Staging Site?
A staging site is a duplicate of your live website, and you can use it for testing and making changes before making them live. You can easily find errors in the staging site without breaking your live website.
Multiple users install WordPress locally on their computers for test changes. Once you have completed it, simply upload those changes from localhost to the live server.
The hurdle in this approach is that some things that worked on your local host do not work on the live server. The localhost and live WordPress servers sometimes are not working in the same environment.
When your staging site is live on your web hosting server, you can simply heal all those errors because it runs the same configuration as yours.
Now, let’s see how to develop a staging site for WordPress.
How to develop a WordPress staging site?
There are several ways to develop a staging site for WordPress. The simplest is to use your hosting provider’s built in staging site feature.
There are so many best WordPress hosting companies that provide one click staging websites. If you also host your website with a hosting company, then you can easily develop a staging site with no hassles.
If you are not using the hosting solutions. Don’t worry. We have a solution to help develop a WordPress staging site using a Plugin and even a manual.
Let’s discuss how to create the WordPress staging site one by one.
- Developing a staging site on Bluehost.
- Create a staging site on SiteGround.
- Developing a staging site Manually.
- Create a staging site using a plugin.
The main part of our article start’s here. How to Easily Create a Staging Site for WordPress? (Step by Step).
How to Easily Create a Staging Site for WordPress (Step by Step)
1. Developing a Staging Site on Bluehost
If we see Bluehost is one of the best performing WordPress hosting companies, it provides you a one click staging site solution and comes with all their features.
You must sign in to your WordPress admin area and visit the Bluehost staging page.
Then this will take you to Bluehost’s staging site wizard. Then, click on the ‘create staging site’ button to continue.
Now it’s time for Bluehost to prepare the staging environment for your site. When once it’s done, you will see a success message with a link to get into your staging site.
Now, you can easily click on the ‘Go to staging site’ button to continue.
After that, you will visit the admin area of your staging WordPress site, then you will find a red button on top of the admin bar to show that you are working in the staging environment.
2. Create a Staging Site on SiteGround
Siteground is also a top WordPress hosting company that provides you one click staging feature with their GrowBig and GoGeek plans.
Sign in to your Siteground cPanel dashboard. Next, scroll down to the ‘WordPress Tools’ part, and then click on the staging icon.
It will take you to the staging site page. Now, add your website to the staging site manager. After that, click the ‘Add WordPress’ button to continue.
Now, on the next display, select the URL where you installed the website. If your WordPress site is in a sub directory, you can add the field next to it and easily click the Add URL button to move forward.
The staging manager will locate your website and add it to the page. After that, you can now click on the ‘create staging copy’ button to continue.
Afterwards there will be a pop up that will provide you with a password to protect your staging site. Importantly this prevents others from accessing your site. This thing will also prevent Google from duplicate indexing content.
Afterward provide a username/password and then just click to ‘continue.’ The SiteGround will now develop the staging environment for your WordPress website.
3. Developing a Staging Site Manually
Creating a staging site for WordPress requires advanced users and great work compared to other methods. A primary disadvantage of the method is that your website will be temporarily unavailable while deploying changes back to the live server.
That being said, look at how to create a staging site manually. You need to install a duplicator plugin that enables you to create a staging website.
Basically it helps you to clone your website with no time and avoid the issues with your live website while implementing the changes or applying creative ideas.
We have used a duplicator plugin known as WP Staging, you can use the same plugin or prefer a different plugin to achieve the desired outcome.
Once you have installed and activated the plugin, you can access the website cloning feature via WP Staging > Staging Sites using the Admin panel.
Then click the ‘Create New Staging Site‘ button to start the cloning process. It can take up a few minutes because of the resources available for the host you are using.
Once the cloning process is complete, you can access the website by clicking on the “Open” button to access your new staging site. You need to use the same login credentials to help you access your staging site.
You can implement the changes based on your preference and run the tests using the plugin can help you achieve the desired outcome with accuracy.
The staging site will remove the downtime while perfecting and grooming your website for the users.
Using the result oriented steps, you can create your staging site manually and ensure that you can test different creative ideas on your website without affecting your live website.
4. Create a Staging Site Using a Plugin
Multiple plugins can create a staging site, but we recommend you install and activate the WP Stagecoach plugin.
As a fact with this you can access the plugin’s setting page and enter the username and the API key. The credentials will be available under your account on the WP Stagecoach plugin.
Also, protect your staging site from search engines and public view by checking the box next to ‘Password protect the staging site.’
Click on the ‘Ride The Stagecoach’ button to create a backup for your WordPress database and files. You can export the backup to your staging site and perform the changes based on your preference.
Once you are ready to import the applied changes to the live site, you can select WP Stagecoach » Import Changes page and check the changes button.
By clicking on the import button, you can import only file changes, all changes, or only database changes.
The powerful plugin shows the progress of your import and notifies you of the process completion. Use the methods to create a staging site and test your changes on the website that can help you achieve your desired results.
Thank you for your time and reading our article blog about How to Easily Create a Staging Site for WordPress. Let’s conclude.
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How to Easily Create a Staging Site for WordPress Conclusion
Now that you understand the different processes and the steps involved in creating a staging site, it’s time you kick start the operations and implement the desired changes on your website. Choose the most suitable strategy for your website and deliver a quality customer experience to your users.
