Managing Multiple WordPress Websites: A Daunting Task

If you’re someone who has more than one website powered by WordPress, then you know that managing multiple sites can be quite the challenge. But don’t worry, it is possible to simplify the process of managing multiple websites on WordPress, and we’ll show you how.

Step 1: Choose the Right Website Management Tool

The first thing you need is a website management tool. There many website management tools in the market but choosing the right tool depends on your needs. Here are some pointers to consider when choosing the right tool:

• Is it user-friendly?
• Does it have a comprehensive dashboard?
• Does it provide easy access to multiple sites?
• Does it offer automated backups and updates?
• Does it provide an easy way to monitor site downtime?

Some of the popular website management tools include ManageWP, Jetpack, InfiniteWP, and MainWP. Some are free, while others require payment. Ensure you choose the most suitable tool for your needs that meets all these requirements.

Step 2: Get Organized

Managing multiple websites in WordPress requires organization. Create a folder on your computer that stores all login details for your sites. This makes it easy to access the log-in details of each of your sites from one place.

Additionally, create a spreadsheet that keeps track of URLs, admin logins, and even the theme and plugin versions installed on the different websites. This will ensure that all your WordPress sites are up-to-date and makes it easy to manage when it comes to updates and backups.

Step 3: Use Automation

No matter how many websites you’re managing, automation can save you time and increase your productivity. One area where automation can be particularly useful is in managing backups and updates.

Some website management tools like ManageWP and Jetpack can automate both backups and updates for all of your WordPress websites. This means that you don’t have to update each website individually or worry about backing up each website manually. Automation will help save you significant amounts of time, effort, and money in the long run.

Step 4: Utilize the WordPress Multisite Feature

Another way to manage multiple WordPress websites is to use the WordPress Multisite feature built into WordPress. This feature lets you manage multiple sites within a single WordPress installation, making it much easier to manage multiple sites.

You can use the same themes and plugins across all of your sites, and update them all at once. A WordPress Multisite feature is particularly beneficial if you have many small sites that share the same themes and plugins.

Step 5: Take Advantage of Plugins

In addition to using website management tools, there are plenty of plugins that can help you manage multiple WordPress websites with ease. There are numerous plugins to choose from, ranging from those that enable remote updates, backups and anti-spam to those that help with routine maintenance, monitoring, and SEO.

Here are some of the most popular plugins to consider using:

• InfiniteWP Client: Allows one click updates for themes, plugins, and updates for several websites.
• Jetpack: Let’s you manage backups, security, downtime and analytics across all your websites.
• WPMU DEV: Features numerous tools to manage multiple websites at once, including email notifications, malware scans, and malware removal from infected sites.
• ManageWP: Provides an easy way to manage plugin and theme updates and perform backups across multiple sites with a single dashboard.
• MainWP: A free, open-source plugin that lets you manage as many sites as you want from one central dashboard.

Conclusion

In conclusion, efficiently managing multiple WordPress websites can be quite a daunting task. Whether you are a freelancer or a company that offers website development and management services, these steps would help ensure all efficiently manage multiple WordPress websites.

By clearly following the above tips and tactics, choosing the right website management tool, getting organized, automating essential tasks, using the WordPress multisite feature, and taking advantages of popular plugins, efficiently managing multiple WordPress websites will not only save you time, effort, and money but will ultimately lead to increased productivity, peace of mind and a happier client.