Taking the first steps is a significant milestone for any BigScoots client. We understand that launching a new site can feel overwhelming, which is why cPanel provide the ability to set up a staging site to help you get started. With staging, you have a private environment, invisible to the public, where you can set up your site before going live. This guide will walk you through the steps to set up your staging site.
Before you begin, make sure you have a WordPress installation set up on your cPanel account and that your nameservers are pointing to BigScoots. If you have no existing WordPress Installations, please follow the guide below to create one and set nameservers:
Please make sure that the nameservers pointed to BigScoots, otherwise please follow the guide below.
Index:
Making Sure the Nameservers are Pointed
Making Sure the Nameservers are Pointed
Before setting up your staging site, the first step is to set up your domain. If you don't have a domain registered yet, you can register one with BigScoots by following this guide. Otherwise, you are free to register your domain anywhere and follow below to point the nameservers.
For those of you with a domain outside of BigScoots we will need you to change your domain nameservers to the following:
ns1.bigscoots.com
ns2.bigscoots.com
If you need help, please use the search feature to look up your domain registrar and follow the guide to properly point the nameservers. If you don't know your domain registrar, you can check using this guide.
Once completed, you can check that your nameservers are pointed by using the link below and typing in your domain. The tool should display the nameservers as the following.
Staging Domain Setup
In this section, we will go through the steps to create the subdomain for your staging site.
Enter cPanel - If you don't know how, you can follow this guide.
In cPanel, look for 'Domains' under the 'Domains' tab.
From the Domains page, click 'Create a New Domain.'
When creating a new domain, choose a name for your staging site. We recommend naming it 'staging.[your domain].' After naming the domain, verify that it's pointing to the correct directory. By default, it will be set to 'staging.[your domain],' which we suggest keeping. Once you're done, click 'Submit.'
Once complete, you will be redirected to the Domains page, where you’ll see your new site listed. A confirmation message will appear, indicating that your staging domain has been successfully created.
Staging Setup
Now that your staging domain has been created, you can start setting up your staging site. The setup process is straightforward, and you can follow the steps outlined below.
Enter cPanel - If you don't know how, you can follow this guide.
In cPanel, click 'WordPress Manager by Softaculous.'
Within Softaculous, find the site you wish to create a staging site for, click the arrow on the right side to display more content, then click 'Staging.'
On the Staging WordPress page, select your newly created staging domain for the installation URL. You will also need to enter a site name (can just be '[site name] Staging').
Scrolling down, under 'Site Settings,' it is recommended that you check the box next to 'Disable Search Engine Visibility' as to prevent the site from being searchable as you work on it. Once the form is filled out, click 'Create Staging.' A progress bar will then appear, as shown below.
Once the staging site is installed, you will see a screen like the one below. Click 'Return to WordPress Management' to view your site.
Finally, your staging site will be up and running. To access WordPress, click 'Login.' If you’re ready to push the staging site live, click 'Push to Live.' To remove the site and start over, click 'Uninstall' at the bottom.
Your staging site has been successfully created! You can now use this private environment to make changes to your site without impacting the live version.
Next Steps
If you are looking to continue the 'Getting Started' series, you may find additional guides within the Getting Started section of our Knowledgebase.
Congratulations! You've successfully setup your staging site.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our team via live chat.
For technical inquiries, please feel free to reach our support team by emailing support@bigscoots.com from your registered email or by submitting a support ticket.