Before you go live, go smart. A staging site is your digital campsite—safe, secluded, and ready for testing.
🧭 What’s a Staging Site?
A staging site is a private clone of your live website where you can safely test changes—like design tweaks, plugin updates, or new content—without risking your real site. Think of it as your rehearsal space before the big show.
🛠️ Why You Need One:
- Avoid breaking your live site with untested updates
- Preview design changes without confusing visitors
- Test plugins and features in a controlled environment
- Collaborate with developers without exposing unfinished work
🧰 How to Create a Staging Site:
Here’s the simplest route using tools most clients already have:
Option 1: Use Your Hosting Provider
Most quality hosts (like SiteGround, WP Engine, or Bigfoot Hosting 😉) offer one-click staging:
- Log into your hosting dashboard
- Find the “Staging” section
- Click “Create Staging Site” and select your live site
- Boom—you’ve got a clone to play with
Option 2: Use a Plugin
If your host doesn’t offer staging, try:
- WP Staging – quick setup, free for basic use
- Duplicator – great for cloning and migrating
- All-in-One WP Migration – simple export/import workflow
⚠️ Pro Tip: Always password-protect your staging site so it doesn’t get indexed by Google.
🧙♂️ Bigfoot’s Take:
We set up staging by default for all managed clients. Why? Because testing in the wild is risky—and we prefer to scout the terrain before you hike it.