Unraveling the Mystery of Making Your WordPress Site Private

Have you ever wanted to create a website that is only accessible to a specific group of people? Or maybe you’re working on a project that needs to remain hidden from the public eye for a while? Fear not! With WordPress, making your site private is as easy as 1-2-3. In this article, we will guide you through the perplexing process of how to make your WordPress site private.

Private Versus Password-Protected

First things first, let’s clarify the difference between a private and password-protected WordPress site. A password-protected site requires users to enter a password to access it. On the other hand, a private site doesn’t require a password, but instead, it’s only accessible to a specific group of users.

Create a “Coming Soon” Page

Step one to making your WordPress site private is to create a “Coming Soon” page. This page will inform visitors that the site is not yet available for public viewing. Don’t panic! There are multiple plugins to help you create a “Coming Soon” page on WordPress. One popular option is the SeedProd plugin.

How to Use SeedProd to Create a “Coming Soon” Page:

• Install and activate the SeedProd plugin
• Navigate to SeedProd > Pages and click “Add New Page”
• Choose a template for your “Coming Soon” page or build your own
• Customize the page by adding your own text, images, and branding
• Save your changes and publish the page

Once you’ve completed these steps, you can restrict access to your site.

Use a Plugin to Restrict Access

WordPress has various plugins available to help restrict access to your site. The way each plugin functions varies depending on its features. However, almost all of them require you to create user accounts for those who are authorized to access the site. Here are some popular WordPress plugins that can help you restrict access:

1. Members

Members is a WordPress plugin that enables you to control access to your site by creating user roles and customizing their capabilities. This plugin is useful if you want to restrict access to certain parts of your site, such as specific pages or posts.

How to Use Members to Restrict Access to Your Site:

• Install and activate the Members plugin
• Navigate to Members > Roles and create a new role for the users who will be accessing the site
• Customize the capabilities of the new role
• Navigate to Members > Users and add the users who will have access to the site to the newly created role
• Navigate to the page or post you want to make private and select the role that can access it

2. Private Site

Private Site is a WordPress plugin that enables you to restrict access to all or some parts of your site. The plugin works by redirecting non-authorized users to the “Coming Soon” or login page.

How to Use Private Site Plugin to Restrict Access to Your Site:

• Install and activate the Private Site plugin
• Navigate to Settings > Private Site and configure the plugin settings
• Customize the message that non-authorized users will see and direct them to the “Coming Soon” page
• Customize the user roles that can access the site
• Save the changes

3. Password Protected

The Password Protected WordPress plugin enables you to password-protect your entire site or specific pages and posts. The plugin works by displaying a login prompt to users who attempt to access the password-protected content.

How to Use the Password Protected Plugin:

• Install and activate the Password Protected plugin
• Navigate to Settings > Password Protected and configure the plugin settings
• Customize the message that non-authorized users see when they attempt to access password-protected content
• Choose user roles that can access the password-protected content
• Enter the password you want to use
• Save the changes

Test Your Site

Once you’ve restricted access to your site, it’s vital to test everything to make sure it’s working as expected. Here are some things you should test:

• Attempt to access the site without logging in
• Attempt to access the “Coming Soon” page
• Attempt to access a password-protected page or post
• Attempt to access a page or post that only specific user roles can access

If everything works correctly, congratulations! Share the login details with those who are authorized to access the site. If there are any issues, refer to the plugin documentation, or seek help from a WordPress expert.

Conclusion

In conclusion, making your WordPress site private is not brain surgery. It’s a straightforward process that involves creating a “Coming Soon” page, restricting access using a plugin, and testing the site. You can choose a plugin that fits your needs best and either password-protect your entire site, certain pages or posts, or restrict access specific user roles. So go ahead and create your private WordPress site with ease.