How do I create a Staging Site?

How Do I Create a Staging Site?

A Staging Site lets you build a new version of your community website with a different theme, completely separate from your current, live Production website. You can develop the new layout at your own pace without affecting what members currently see.

Before You Start

Your new Staging Site starts with a blank Home page that needs content, just like your original Production website did.
You don't need to use the same template pages or layout as your Production site — use more or fewer pages as you see fit.
You can keep editing your Production website while you build the Staging Site; the two are fully independent.

Steps to Build a Staging Site

On the Admin Dashboard, open the "Manage Site" tab and click "Site Setup."
Click the "Build a Staging Site" button at the top of the page.
In the popup window, choose a Site Theme from the dropdown menu.
Choose a Color Palette from the dropdown. Each Site Theme includes several color palettes, each with a coordinated set of shades for menu bars, widget backgrounds, accented text, buttons, and footer backgrounds. Experiment with a few to find the best fit.
Click "Use This Theme" to save your selections.

After You Create It

Your original Production website remains the live, public-facing site. The "Build a Staging Site" button is replaced with a "Currently Editing: Production" dropdown menu.

To start building your new site, click that dropdown and choose "Edit Staging Site" — this takes you to the new Home page you just created.

Once you're editing the Staging Site, add pages and content as needed, then click "Save Changes" to preserve your edits.

Remember: the Staging Site is not a backup of your Production Site — it's a fully independent site-creation area for experimenting with a new design.

If you have additional questions about Staging Sites, visit the Support Desk through your Admin Dashboard and open a support ticket.