Perplexed and Bursty Guide to Private WordPress Sites

WordPress is oh-so-popular and powers countless websites and blogs. However, does it mean that everyone wants their website to be accessible to the public? No! For instance, a person may be working on a site that will eventually be public but isn’t ready yet or may want to create a members-only website.

Step 1: Set up WordPress on a Private Server

The easiest way to make your WordPress site private is to set it up on a private server. Doing this means that the site will only be accessible to people who have been granted permission to access it. Many hosting providers offer private servers and WordPress-specific hosting, making setup a breeze. Ensure you install the SSL encryption when you set up your WordPress site on a private server to ensure that all data transmitted to and from the server is secure.

Step 2: Use a Plugin to Make Your WordPress Site Private

Unable to set up your WordPress site on a private server? Not a problem. Use a plugin to make your site private. There are plenty of WordPress plugins that allow you to restrict access to your site. Choose one to create a members-only site or a site that’s only accessible to specific people. WP-Members and PrivateContent are two popular plugins for making your WordPress site private. WP-Members offers the restriction of access to particular pages or posts on your website. On the other hand, PrivateContent allows you to create multiple membership levels, blocking access to different parts of your site based on the levels.

Step 3: Use a Security Plugin to Restrict Access to Your WordPress Site

You can also use a security plugin to restrict access to your WordPress site. Security plugins block IP addresses, limit the number of login attempts and are designed to prevent unauthorized access to your website. WordFence and iThemes Security are two popular security plugins that you can use for this purpose.

Step 4: Use a .htaccess File to Restrict Access to Your WordPress Site

If you’re into the technical side of WordPress, then using a .htaccess file to restrict access to your site is an excellent choice. The .htaccess file is a configuration file for Apache servers that help specify certain settings for your site. Create a .htaccess file and add this code:

# Block all internet traffic to your WordPress site
order deny,allow
deny from all
allow from {your IP address}

The above code will block all internet traffic to your WordPress site, except for traffic from your IP address. Search for “what’s my IP” on Google to find your IP address.

Step 5: Use a Password to Restrict Access to Specific Pages

You can also use a password to restrict access to specific pages on your WordPress site. It’s an excellent choice if you want to create a mini-site within your WordPress site that’s only for a select group of people. To set up password protection on specific pages, use the built-in password protection feature that comes with WordPress.

To do this, create a new page or post and select the “Password protected” option from the “Visibility” settings. Enter a password for the page or post to restrict access to the content. Visitors will need to enter the password to access the information.

Conclusion

Making your WordPress site private can help protect your content and create a members-only platform tailored to your needs. Remember, if you’re using a plugin or a .htaccess file to make your site private, make sure that you back up your site before making any changes, and test the changes thoroughly to ensure that everything is working as expected.