Need help finding the 'unpublish button' on your Wix site? Whether you're looking to make significant changes or end your online presence, understanding this process is essential.
What Does It Mean to Unpublish a Wix Site?
Unpublishing a Wix site means removing it from public view. Unpublishing your Wix site keeps it hidden from the public, unlike deleting it, which can be done through the Wix editor.
Reasons for Unpublishing Your Wix Site
You might consider unpublishing your site for several reasons:
SEO Strategy Adjustments: Changing your SEO settings to prevent search engines from indexing your site while it's not live.
Site Redesign: Using the Wix editor to revamp your site while it's offline.
Business or Campaign End: Deciding to delete your site or take it offline temporarily.
How to Unpublish Your Wix Site
There are two ways to unpublish your website on Wix. Here’s the first:
Log into your Wix account and go to the dashboard of your site. On your dashboard, go to the search bar at the top of your screen and type in “unpublish”
Click on Unpublish Site.
Click Unpublish
Confirm your decision to take the site offline.
Here’s the second:
Log into your Wix account and go to the dashboard of your site. On your dashboard, click on the Settings tab on the bottom left of your screen
Find the Website Settings
Click Unpublish
Confirm your decision to take the site offline.
Considerations Before Unpublishing
Deciding to unpublish your Wix site is a significant step that comes with several important considerations. It’s crucial to weigh these factors to ensure that you make an informed decision about your site’s online presence.
Impact on Search Engine Rankings
Temporary Loss of Visibility: Unpublishing your site temporarily prevents search engines from indexing it, causing it to disappear from search engine results. This loss of visibility can affect your site's ranking and the hard-earned SEO progress you've made.
Long-Term SEO Consequences: If your site is unpublished for a long time, it could be harder to get back your earlier search engine rankings.
Impact on Inbound Links: If other websites have linked to your content, unpublishing your site will lead to broken links. It can affect both your site's and your linked sites' user experience and SEO.
Visitor Access and User Experience
Regular Visitors: Consider how unpublishing will affect those who regularly visit your site. Without prior notice, they might be confused or frustrated by the sudden lack of access.
Communication Strategy: It’s advisable to inform your audience about the upcoming changes. This can be done through email notifications, social media updates, or a temporary landing page explaining the situation.
Data and Content Management
Content Preservation: Ensure that all your site content is backed up before unpublishing. This is crucial in case you need to access or repurpose your content later.
Website Analytics: Analyze your website traffic and user engagement metrics before taking the site offline. This data can provide insights into the best time to unpublish and how to plan your return.
Legal and Compliance Considerations
Contractual Obligations: If your website is bound by contractual obligations or partnerships, review these agreements to understand any implications of unpublishing your site.
Compliance with Regulations: Ensure that taking your site offline does not violate any legal regulations or industry standards, especially if your site is used for business or e-commerce.
Planning for Republishing
Strategy for Return: Have a clear plan for when and how you will republish your site. This includes updating content, re-optimizing SEO, and re-engaging with your audience.
Monitoring During Downtime: Keep track of any developments or changes in your industry or niche during the downtime. This ensures that your site remains relevant and competitive when it goes live again.
By carefully considering these factors, you can make a more strategic decision about unpublishing your Wix site. Understanding the implications will help you minimize negative impacts and plan effectively for your site's future.
Alternatives to Unpublishing
Unpublishing your Wix site isn't your only option when considering changes or a temporary hiatus. There are many good options to keep your site visible online without fully removing it.
Making the Site Private
Instead of publishing:
Set Up a Password-Protected Page: This option allows you to restrict access to your entire site or specific pages. It's ideal for when you want to share content with a select audience or keep your site live for stakeholders while it's under construction.
Limited Access via Wix's Member's Area: Use Wix's built-in feature to create a members-only section. This is helpful for making updates while keeping your audience engaged.
Adjusting SEO and Visibility Settings
To maintain some level of online presence:
Utilize SEO Tools: Adjust your site’s SEO settings to control how search engines view your site. Adjust your site's SEO, like metadata and alt texts, to keep it optimized even when less active.
Control Site Visibility: Wix allows you to control how your site appears in search engine results. You can keep your site live but make it less visible in search results during the updating process.
Creative Solutions
Creative methods to keep your site relevant:
'Coming Soon' or 'Under Maintenance' Pages: Instead of taking your site offline, create an engaging 'Coming Soon' or 'Under Maintenance' page. This can keep your visitors informed about upcoming changes or temporary unavailability.
Redirect to a Temporary Page: If you're undergoing a major overhaul, consider redirecting your site's traffic to a temporary landing page. This page can provide information about the changes and keep your audience engaged.
Leverage Social Media: Use your social media channels to communicate with your audience during times when your site is undergoing changes. This helps maintain engagement and keeps your audience informed.
Considering a Premium Plan
If you're frequently making changes:
Explore Wix's Premium Plans: These plans offer more flexibility and control over your site’s visibility and access. With advanced features, you can manage your site’s presence more effectively during transitions.
These options help keep your site valuable, even if it's not fully open to the public. Each option offers different advantages, depending on your specific needs and the nature of your updates.
Republishing Your Site
To republish your Wix site:
Revisit the Wix editor.
Click the big blue Publish button on the top right.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding how to unpublish and republish your Wix site is essential. Ensure to adjust the search engine indexing settings in the settings page when you unpublish your site. Make sure to disable the "let search engines index your site" toggle if you want to remove your site from search engines temporarily.