Here’s an expanded and polished version that keeps your voice and adds a touch of structure:
Let’s say you’re building your new WordPress website, and you’re looking to “turn it off” while you work on it behind the scenes. Normally, this isn’t as simple as flipping a switch like with other sites, but with WordPress, you can easily control this using a straightforward plugin. This lets you display a “Coming Soon” page, keeping your actual site hidden until it’s ready to go live. This way, neither Google nor human visitors will see your site publicly, preserving your SEO and user experience.
Below is my simple tutorial on how to set this up. I hope it helps!
Step 1: Choose the Right Plugin
There are a variety of “Coming Soon” and “Maintenance Mode” plugins available, but here are a couple of popular options that are free and easy to use:
1.SeedProd – Offers both free and premium versions. The free version works perfectly for a basic Coming Soon page.
2.WP Maintenance Mode & Coming Soon – Free with customizable design options to make a branded page.
Head over to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard and search for one of these plugins to install and activate.
Step 2: Configure Your “Coming Soon” Page
Once you’ve activated the plugin:
1.Go to the Plugin Settings – Navigate to the settings area of the plugin to customize your Coming Soon page. This is where you can add a simple message, an image, or even your brand’s logo to let visitors know the site is under construction.
2.SEO Settings – Many plugins offer options to keep search engines from indexing the temporary page. Make sure to enable this so search engines don’t index your Coming Soon page, which could affect your SEO once the site goes live.
Step 3: Test and Toggle the Page On/Off
With your Coming Soon page set up, you can easily control when it’s displayed:
1. Toggle the “Coming Soon” mode on to hide your website.
2. Toggle it off when you’re ready for the world to see your site.
And that’s it! Now, your WordPress site can be turned “on” and “off” with ease, giving you full control over what visitors and search engines see.
Hopefully, this guide helps streamline your website build process. Enjoy the flexibility of launching on your terms, with a Coming Soon page that keeps your work safe and secure until it’s truly ready to go live!
