Perplexed and Burstable Guide: How to Shut Down a WordPress Website

Step 1: How to Backup Your WordPress Website

Being a website owner of one of the most popular content management systems (CMS), WordPress, can be both easy to use and offer numerous customizations. However, shutting down a website on WordPress may be confusing, and that’s why we’re here to help with some perplexed and burstable, step-by-step instructions. Before we get started, let’s talk about backup since it’s critical to have backup data in case you need it later.

Luckily, there are several backup plugins available on WordPress. You can choose any of them and create a complete backup of your website. Here’s how:

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard and install a backup plugin.
2. Activate the backup plugin and follow the instructions to set it up.
3. Once the backup plugin is set up, create a complete backup of your website.
4. Save the backup files to a preferred location on your desktop.

Step 2: Set up a “Coming Soon” Page

After backing up your website, the next step is setting up a “Coming Soon” page to inform any visitors that the site is not currently available. It’s a straightforward process, so let’s get started!

1. Install a coming soon plugin like “SeedProd” from WordPress plugins.
2. Activate the plugin and follow the instructions to set it up.
3. Choose an attractive template from the plugin’s library or upload your own.
4. Customize the template to your liking.
5. Save the changes to your settings.

Step 3: Temporarily Disabling the Website

Sometimes, you may want to shut down your website temporarily. In such cases, you can disable the website temporarily for a specified period. Here’s how:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to the Settings tab and click on the Reading option.
3. Check the box next to the “discourage search engines from indexing this site” option.
4. Click on the save changes button at the bottom of the page.

Your website is now disabled, and visitors will not be able to access it.

Step 4: Deleting the WordPress Website

If you are sure that you want to shut down your website permanently, deleting the website is the right option. Deleting a website prevents users from accessing the site or any data contained in it. Keep in mind that before deleting the website, make sure that you have backed up the necessary data. Here’s how to delete a WordPress website:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to Tools.
2. Click on Export, and WordPress will generate an XML file of all your content.
3. Go to Settings and click on the Delete Site option.
4. Follow the instructions, and WordPress will delete your website.

Step 5: Shutting Down a WordPress Website with cPanel

Lastly, another way to shut down a WordPress website is to use cPanel. It is a web hosting account management tool provided by web hosting companies. Here are the steps you can follow to shut down your website using cPanel:

1. Log in to your hosting account and click on the cPanel icon.
2. Click on the File Manager icon under Files.
3. Navigate to the root directory of your website (usually public_html).
4. Select all the files and folders in the directory and click on the delete button.
5. Your website is now shut down.

Conclusion

To summarize, shutting down a WordPress website can be confusing, but by following these perplexing and burstable, step-by-step instructions, it can be a stress-free process. Remember to backup your data, set up a “Coming Soon” page, temporarily disable the website or delete the website, and finally, use cPanel for quick and convenient shutdowns. By following these steps, shutting down a WordPress website will be a breeze, with no stress or complications.