How To Duplicate Page in WordPress?
(Step by Step Guide)

How To Duplicate Page in WordPress?

How To Duplicate Page in WordPress?

Jan 14, 2024

By, Editorial Team

WordPress

WordPress is a powerhouse in the world of web development, renowned for its user-friendly interface and flexibility. Originating as a blogging platform, it has evolved into a comprehensive content management system (CMS), powering a significant portion of the web. From personal blogs to e-commerce sites, WordPress’s versatility makes it a go-to choice for many.

Duplicating pages in WordPress is an often-overlooked yet crucial aspect of website management. Whether you’re looking to create a uniform look across multiple pages, save time in design, or test changes without affecting the live site, duplicating pages offers a seamless solution. It’s especially handy for maintaining consistency in design elements, layout, and functionality across various pages.

In this blog, we’ll dive deep into the hows and whys of duplicating a page in WordPress. We’ll cover everything from the basic need for duplicating pages, preparation steps before duplication, manual methods, using plugins for an easier process, customizing duplicated pages, troubleshooting common issues, and wrapping up with best practices. Whether you’re a seasoned WordPress user or new to the platform, this guide will equip you with the skills to duplicate pages efficiently and effectively.

Understanding Requirements for Duplicating Page in WordPress

Duplicating pages in WordPress goes beyond convenience, offering strategic advantages in website management. Explore its utility in scenarios like creating uniform product pages, A/B testing, and maintaining a consistent format for bloggers.

  • Efficiency in Layout Replication: Save time by duplicating pages with similar layouts, ideal for creating multiple product pages with consistent design.
  • A/B Testing Flexibility: Experiment with variations in layout, color schemes, or content strategies by duplicating pages, enabling insightful A/B testing without disrupting the existing structure.
  • Consistency for Content Creators: For bloggers and content creators, quick duplication ensures a consistent format across posts, especially beneficial for article series or similar content.
  • Streamlining Content Management: Duplicating pages reduces the risk of errors and maintains consistency in navigation, headers, footers, and sidebars, enhancing the overall user experience.
  • Bulk Updates for Larger Websites: In larger websites, duplicating pages facilitates bulk updates efficiently. Make changes on a duplicated template and replicate them across the site seamlessly.

Duplicating pages in WordPress is a powerful tool for web developers and content managers, fostering efficiency, consistency, and experimentation. Consider hiring WordPress experts to leverage this feature for maintaining a dynamic, user-friendly, and engaging website seamlessly. With their expertise, you can unlock the full potential of WordPress capabilities and elevate your site’s performance.

What to Clone a Page in WordPress?

Before diving into the duplication of a page in WordPress, it’s crucial to prepare adequately to ensure a smooth process. Here’s a quick checklist to follow:

  • Backup Your Website: This is a non-negotiable step. Before making any changes to your site, ensure you have created a full backup of your WordPress site. This acts as a safety net, so if anything goes wrong during the duplication process, you can restore your site to its previous state.
  • Check Page Elements: Review the page you plan to duplicate thoroughly. Look for dynamic elements like forms, custom scripts, or integrations with other plugins. Understanding how these elements work is essential because they might need special attention during the duplication process to function correctly on the new page.
  • Assess the Page’s Relevance: Choose a page that serves as a good template. This could be a page with a layout or design that you frequently use or one that encapsulates the most common features and structures you want to replicate. The ideal page should be error-free and optimized, as any flaws will be duplicated as well.
  • Understand the Dependencies: Some pages might have dependencies, like specific plugins or code snippets, that are essential for their proper functioning. Ensure that these dependencies are also present and active in the location where the new page will exist.

Preparing properly by backing up, reviewing the page elements, choosing an appropriate template, and understanding dependencies ensures that the page duplication process in WordPress is efficient and error-free.

Manual Method to Duplicate a Page in WordPress

Duplicating a WordPress page manually is a straightforward process, though it requires attention to detail to ensure all elements are correctly copied. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Access the Original Page: Log into your WordPress admin dashboard. Navigate to the ‘Pages’ section and open the page you wish to duplicate.
  2. Copy the Content: Once the page editor is open, switch to the ‘Text’ view if you are using the Classic Editor, or use the code view in the Block Editor. This allows you to see and copy all the HTML and embedded codes. Select all the content and copy it to your clipboard.
  3. Create a New Page: In your WordPress dashboard, go to ‘Pages’ and click on ‘Add New’ to create a new page.
  4. Paste the Copied Content: In the new page editor, switch to the ‘Text’ or code view and paste the copied content. This ensures that all HTML tags and formatting are retained.
  5. Copy Title and Meta Data: Manually copy the title of the original page to the new page. Also, if you use SEO plugins, remember to copy meta titles and descriptions.
  6. Check and Adjust Permalinks: After pasting, WordPress will automatically generate a permalink based on the new title. Make sure it’s unique and adjust it if necessary.
  7. Review and Update the Page: Carefully review the new page. Pay special attention to dynamic elements like shortcodes, forms, or custom CSS. These elements might require individual adjustments.
  8. Check Internal and External Links: Ensure that all links are pointing to the correct pages or external sources.
  9. Preview and Test the Page: Before publishing, preview the page to check how it appears live. Test all functionalities, including links, forms, and interactive elements.
  10. Publish or Save as Draft: Once you’re satisfied with the new page, you can either publish it or save it as a draft for later use.

How to Duplicate WordPress Page Using Plugin?

Using plugins to duplicate pages in WordPress simplifies the process significantly. There are several popular plugins designed for this purpose, each with its unique features. Here’s an overview of some popular options and a detailed guide on using a specific plugin like “Duplicate Post.”

Which is the Best Plugins for Duplicating Page in WordPress?

  1. Duplicate Post: This plugin allows users to clone posts or pages, or edit them as new drafts. It offers options to copy the date, status, excerpts, attachments, and even children of the original page.
  2. Yoast Duplicate Post: Previously known as ‘Duplicate Post,’ this plugin by Yoast offers similar functionality with enhanced features for SEO.
  3. WP Staging: Primarily used for creating staging sites, this plugin also allows duplicating pages and posts. It’s particularly useful for testing changes.
  4. Duplicator: Known for its ability to migrate and backup sites, Duplicator also allows duplicating individual pages or posts

How to Use Duplicate Post WordPress Plugin?

  1. Install and Activate the Plugin: Go to the ‘Plugins’ section in your WordPress dashboard, click ‘Add New,’ and search for ‘Duplicate Post.’ Install and activate it.
  2. Configure Settings: After activation, go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Duplicate Post.’ Here, you can choose what to copy (like date, status, slug, etc.) and who can duplicate posts or pages.
  3. Duplicating a Page: Navigate to ‘Pages’ in your WordPress dashboard. You’ll see new options under each page title – ‘Clone’ and ‘New Draft.’ ‘Clone’ creates a duplicate but doesn’t open it for editing, while ‘New Draft’ creates a duplicate and opens it for editing.
  4. Edit the Duplicate: Once you’ve duplicated the page, you can edit it as needed – change the title, content, or any other element.
  5. Publish or Save: After editing, you can either publish the new page or save it as a draft.

Pros and Cons of Using WordPress Duplicate Post Plugin

Pros

  • Efficiency: Plugins drastically reduce the time and effort needed to duplicate a page.
  • Ease of Use: With simple clicks, pages can be duplicated without dealing with code.
  • Additional Features: Many plugins offer extra features like bulk duplication or selective copying of elements.

Cons

  • Plugin Dependency: Overreliance on plugins can be a risk if the plugin is not regularly updated or becomes incompatible with future WordPress updates.
  • Potential for Bloat: Some plugins may add unnecessary bloat to your site, affecting performance.
  • Limited Customization: While plugins handle basic duplication well, they might not cover very specific customization needs.
In summary, using plugins like ‘Duplicate Post’ simplifies the page duplication process in WordPress. While they offer ease and efficiency, it’s important to consider potential downsides like plugin dependency and site performance.

How to Customize Duplicated Page in WordPress?

Customizing a duplicated page in WordPress is a critical step to ensure it serves its intended purpose without negatively impacting SEO or site functionality. Here’s a guide on how to effectively edit and customize a duplicated page:

Editing the Content:

  1. Title and Headings: Start by changing the page title to reflect the new content. Adjust headings within the page for relevance and clarity. Ensure they are structured properly (H1, H2, H3, etc.) for good SEO practice.
  2. Body Content: Update the text to suit the new page’s purpose. This might involve rewriting paragraphs, adding new information, or removing irrelevant content. Keep the content engaging and relevant to your audience.
  3. Images and Media: Replace or update images and media files. Ensure that they are optimized for web use (size and format) and have descriptive alt tags for SEO and accessibility.

SEO Considerations:

  1. Meta Descriptions and Titles: Update the meta titles and descriptions to reflect the new content. They should be unique and include relevant keywords for SEO.
  2. URL Structure: Modify the permalink if it still reflects the original page. It should be descriptive of the new content and include target keywords.
  3. Internal Links: Update any internal links to ensure they point to the correct pages. Remove or adjust links that are no longer relevant.
  4. Canonical Tags: If the duplicated page is similar to other content on your site, use canonical tags to direct search engines to the primary page. This helps prevent issues with duplicate content.

Adjusting Dynamic Elements:

  1. Forms and Widgets: If the original page had forms or widgets, modify them to suit the new page’s context. Check their functionality to ensure they work correctly.
  2. Custom Code: Review any custom CSS or JavaScript. Adjust or remove code that is not needed or relevant for the new page.
  3. Responsive Design: Test the page on different devices to ensure the layout and elements adjust properly on mobile and tablet screens.

Final Steps:

  1. Preview and Test: Always preview the page before publishing. Check all elements, from text to interactive features, to ensure everything works as intended.
  2. Feedback and Iteration: If possible, get feedback on the new page’s design and content. Use this feedback for further refinements.
Customizing a duplicated page requires a thoughtful approach to content, SEO, and design elements. By meticulously editing and adjusting these components, you can create a page that not only looks unique but also performs well in search engines and provides a great user experience.

Troubleshooting Common WordPress Page Duplicating Issues

Troubleshooting is an inevitable part of duplicating pages in WordPress. Common issues often arise, but they can be resolved with some basic strategies:

  1. Formatting Problems: If the layout or formatting looks off on the duplicated page, check the text editor mode used. Switching between Visual and Text (or Block and Code) editors can sometimes disrupt HTML or CSS. Reapply the formatting manually if necessary.
  2. Missing Elements: Sometimes, certain elements like images or custom code don’t copy over correctly. Double-check the original page and manually copy any missing elements. Ensure that media files are properly uploaded to the new page.
  3. Broken Links: Duplicated pages might have internal links pointing to the original page. Review and update these links to point to the correct destinations. Also, verify external links to ensure they’re still relevant and functional.
  4. Plugin Conflicts: Occasionally, plugins can interfere with the duplication process. If a page isn’t duplicating correctly, try deactivating plugins temporarily to identify the culprit. Remember to do this on a staging site to avoid disrupting your live site.
  5. Performance Issues: A duplicated page with heavy content or unoptimized images can lead to performance issues. Optimize images and streamline content to improve loading times.
  6. SEO Concerns: Duplicate content can harm SEO. To avoid this, ensure that meta titles, descriptions, and content are unique for each page. Use canonical tags if the content is very similar to other pages.

Addressing these common issues involves a mix of careful review, manual adjustments, and an understanding of WordPress functionalities. With these tips, most problems encountered during the page duplication process can be effectively resolved.

Best WordPress Page Duplication Practices and Tips

For efficient page duplication in WordPress, follow these best practices:

  1. Always Backup: Before any duplication, ensure your website is backed up to safeguard against potential mishaps.
  2. Optimize for SEO: Customize each duplicated page to avoid duplicate content issues, ensuring unique titles, descriptions, and content.
  3. Check Functionality: After duplication, thoroughly test the page for any broken elements, especially forms, links, and media.
  4. Keep It Lightweight: Optimize images and scripts to prevent loading issues, maintaining site performance.
  5. Update Regularly: Keep your plugins and WordPress version updated to avoid compatibility issues during duplication.

Monitor Page Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to ensure duplicated pages don’t negatively impact your site’s performance.

FAQs About Duplicating Page in WordPress

Can I duplicate a WordPress page without using a plugin?
Yes, you can duplicate a WordPress page without a plugin by manually copying the content in the editor and creating a new page with it.
What are the best plugins for duplicating pages in WordPress?

Popular plugins for duplicating pages in WordPress include

  • Duplicate Post
  • Yoast Duplicate Post
  • Duplicate Page

These tools offer user-friendly features for efficient page replication.

How do I customize a duplicated page to avoid SEO issues?
To customize a duplicated page for SEO, update the title, meta description, and URL. Ensure unique content and adjust internal links to maintain SEO integrity.
What common issues might I encounter when duplicating a WordPress page and how can I resolve them?
Common issues may include duplicated content affecting SEO and broken links. Resolve by updating metadata, ensuring content uniqueness, and fixing links to maintain a seamless user experience.
What are the best practices for duplicating pages in WordPress to maintain site integrity?
Best practices include updating metadata, avoiding duplicate content issues, and checking for broken links. Regularly review duplicated pages to ensure consistency and integrity across your WordPress site.

Conclusion

In conclusion, comprehending the intricacies of duplicating pages in WordPress is crucial for optimizing your site management. By understanding the requirements and benefits, you’re better equipped for efficient content replication.

As you prepare to duplicate a page in WordPress, meticulous planning and information gathering set the stage for a seamless process. Whether opting for a manual method or utilizing plugins, a well-prepared approach ensures a successful duplication.

Why not let over 5 years of WordPress expertise handle it all for you? Request a personalized 1:1 consultation with our experts, and streamline your WordPress page duplication process effortlessly. Elevate your website management experience today.a

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