WordPress is a powerful platform for building websites, enabling users to create articles, upload documents, manage images, and more. Despite its many features, such as full-site editing, WordPress lacks a built-in option for duplicating posts or pages. While this may seem like a minor oversight, it’s easily remedied. In this article, we’ll explore how to duplicate a page in WordPress easily.
What is a Duplicate Page in WordPress?
A duplicate page is essentially an exact copy of an existing WordPress page. It allows you to make edits to a new version without affecting the original content.
Why Duplicate a Page in WordPress
Duplicating a page in WordPress offers several advantages, making it a valuable strategy in various scenarios:
1. Creating a Backup
Before making significant changes to a page, duplicating it provides a safeguard. Having a copy of the original version ensures that you can easily revert to it if any issues arise during editing. This backup is crucial for preserving content integrity and avoiding potential data loss.
2. Testing Changes
Experimenting with new designs, layouts, or content on a duplicate page allows you to make adjustments without affecting the live version. This helps in evaluating changes in a controlled environment, ensuring they improve the user experience and align with your website’s goals.
3. Saving Time
Duplicating a page can significantly speed up the process of creating similar pages. Whether for product pages, portfolio items, or other repetitive content, duplicating an existing page saves time by maintaining consistent formatting and layout, allowing you to quickly produce new content with minimal effort.
4. Maintaining Consistency
When you need to create multiple pages with a similar structure or style, duplicating an existing page ensures uniformity. This consistency is important for branding and provides a cohesive experience for users going through your site.
5. Simplifing Workflow
For teams or individuals managing multiple pages, duplicating pages helps simplify the workflow. It allows for efficient content updates and revisions, reducing the need to rebuild pages from scratch and facilitating smoother project management.
6. A/B Testing
Duplicate pages can be used for A/B testing different versions of content or design. This approach enables you to compare performance metrics between variations, helping you make data-driven decisions to optimize your website’s effectiveness.
7. Training and Documentation
Duplicating pages can also serve as a useful tool for training new team members or documenting page setups. By providing duplicates as templates, you can standardize training materials and ensure that new content creators follow best practices.
Methods to Duplicate a Page in WordPress
Understanding how to duplicate a page in WordPress can simplify content management, especially when creating similar pages or posts. Below are methods to achieve this.
#1. Manual Duplication of a Page
To manually duplicate a WordPress page, follow these steps:
1. Access the WordPress Dashboard
Begin by logging into your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Pages
From the sidebar menu, click on Pages to view a list of your existing pages.
3. Select the Page to Duplicate
Find the page you want to duplicate and click on it to open the editor.
4. Copy the Content
In the page editor, select all the content on the page. You can do this by clicking and dragging your cursor over the text or by using keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Ctrl+A for select all). Once selected, right-click and choose Copy, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C.
5. Create a New Page
Return to the Pages section in the dashboard and click on Add New to create a new WordPress page.
6. Paste the Copied Content
In the new page editor, click within the content area and then right-click and select Paste, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V to paste the copied content.
7. Customize the New Page
Modify the title, permalink, featured image, and any other relevant settings or content to distinguish the new page from the original.
8. Save or Publish
Decide whether to save the new page as a draft or publish it immediately, depending on your needs.
9. Review the Duplicate Page
After creating the duplicate page, review it to ensure all elements are correct and functional. Test the page thoroughly before making it live on your website.
In addition, if you are using WooCommerce and wish to duplicate product pages, you can simplify the process by using the Copy to a new draft option. This feature allows you to quickly create a copy of the product page, which you can then modify as needed.
#2. How to Duplicate a WordPress Page Using a Plugin (Step by Step)
To efficiently duplicate a WordPress page along with its settings, the Duplicate Post plugin is highly recommended. This plugin allows you to copy the content and settings into new drafts with ease.
a). Duplicate post plugin
Step 1: Install and Activate the Plugin
First, you need to install and activate the Duplicate Post plugin.
Step 2: Access Pages
After activation, go to Pages » All Pages, depending on what you want to duplicate.
Step 3: Duplicate Content
Hover over the page you want to copy. You will see options and an additional option to copy the page.
Click on it to copy the page.
Step 4: Bulk Duplicating
You can also duplicate multiple pages or posts at once. Check the boxes next to each item you wish to copy, then select Bulk Actions from the dropdown menu.
This feature greatly improves your workflow, saving time and making content management more efficient.
b). Duplicate Page
The Duplicate Page plugin provides a straightforward way to duplicate pages, posts, and custom posts. To use it, go to the All Pages or All Posts menu, select the item you want to duplicate, and click Duplicate. The new version will appear as a draft with the same name as the original, allowing you to easily edit or rename it.
Although this plugin lacks some advanced features found in other duplication tools, it stands out for its lightweight code, ensuring fast duplication of pages and posts.
c). Post Duplicator
Post Duplicator is designed for simplicity. Locate the page you want to duplicate, click Duplicate Page, and a new copy will be created. You can customize the status of the duplicated page from the Post Duplicator’s Tools menu, choosing to have it published by default, set to draft, or retain the original’s status.
Best Practices for Managing Duplicate Pages
▪️Rename the Duplicate
Give the duplicated page a unique title to avoid confusion.
▪️Update the Permalink
If the page content has been significantly changed, update the permalink to improve search engine visibility.
▪️Thorough Testing
After duplicating and editing the page, perform comprehensive testing to ensure all elements function correctly.
▪️Reassess Page Purpose
Evaluate the need for a new page before duplication to ensure it justifies a separate existence.
▪️Utilize a CMS
Use a Content Management System to simplify the duplication process and maintain consistency across pages.
▪️Check for Broken Links
Inspect both the original and duplicate pages for broken links to ensure smooth navigation.
▪️Monitor Traffic
Track the performance of both pages to make necessary adjustments based on traffic data.
▪️Consider Redirects
Redirecting users from the original to the duplicate page may improve user experience and address duplicate content issues.
▪️Remove Unnecessary Duplicates
Delete duplicates that no longer serve a purpose to prevent search engine penalties and uphold website integrity.
Conclusion
Duplicating a page in WordPress may be a simple process, whether you utilize a plugin or manual methods. Plugins give an automated solution, although manual duplication and block copying offer flexibility, particularly for specialized content requirements. Whatever technique you pick, make sure you check and adjust the new page’s settings to meet your needs. This approach can save time and provide consistency across your website.