So, you want to attract prospects while your site is offline? Yeah, it’s a beautiful idea and possible!
Once in a while, you have to take your WordPress site offline due to updates, technical problems, or site maintenance. It can continue for a long time, and at this time, you don’t want your precious audience to leave.
A coming soon or maintenance break page from your website can inform your audience about the current issues and tell them to check out your website later. Also, a calm message and beautiful design can attract prospects actually to wait for the launching date!
How about creating a coming soon page in WordPress? Let’s watch out 2 most straightforward methods to set a coming soon or maintenance page for your website.
- What is a Coming Soon Page?
- 2 Tricks to Create a Landing Page in WordPress
- Which Websites Are Perfect for Creating a Coming Soon Page?
- FAQs
What is a Coming Soon Page?
A Coming Soon page is a temporary display on your website, acting as a placeholder before your full website goes live. It’s like a virtual “under construction” sign, letting visitors know something new and exciting is coming.
This page usually includes key information about what’s coming, giving a sneak peek into your upcoming website or project. Using a Coming Soon page, you’re not just leaving a blank screen for your visitors; instead, you’re creating anticipation and curiosity about what’s to come.
While your website is being prepared or updated, this page can also serve a practical purpose. It often includes a countdown to the launch date, contact information, or links to your social media profiles.
This way, you keep your audience engaged and informed. Additionally, it’s an excellent opportunity to gather a following or customer base by including a subscription form for updates. This strategic approach ensures that once your entire website is ready, an interested audience is already waiting to explore it.
How to Create a Coming Soon Page in WordPress?
Method 1: Using a plugin
You can use a “See You Soon” or “Coming Soon” page with a simple plugin.
Step 1: Install and activate “Site Offline”
First, go to Add New Plugin, search for Site Offline, and install. Then Activate it.
Step 2: Enable site offline mode
After activating the plugin, scroll down to the Site Offline Settings. Go to Dashboard and enable the Site Offline Mode. Your WordPress site is now in offline mode. You can also modify how many days your site will be offline with the Countdown option. Finally, press SAVE SETTINGS.
There are some other settings in the Dashboard that you can configure to make other adjustments,
- Site offline logo: This option lets you select and upload a specific logo to be displayed on the offline page. It’s typically used to show your brand logo for consistency.
- Display logo: A control determining if the uploaded logo is visible on the offline page. It won’t be shown if you choose not to display it, even if a logo is uploaded.
- Site offline headline: A text field where you input your offline page’s main title or heading. This should be a clear, direct message like “Under Maintenance” or “We’ll be Back Soon!”
- Site offline description: A section for a detailed message about why the site is offline. Here, you can explain the reason for the downtime, provide an estimated return time, and offer alternative contact information.
Step 3: Save settings
First, clear your website cache and check it from a different browser to check your website status. For this tutorial, we checked it from the Brave browser-
[Please note: You won’t be able to view the changes on your website by checking from this browser session, as it’s currently being used for editing the site. To accurately see the updates or the offline page as your visitors would, you’ll need to open a different browser or a private/incognito window. This is because the current browser session is designated as a site editor, showing the backend view, not the visitor view of your website. However, it only happens for you]
Method 2: Manually create a “Coming Soon” page using functions.php file
In this method, you don’t need a plugin to create a “see you soon” page.
Step 1: Navigate functions.php
Go to the Theme file editor and select the theme your WordPress site is currently running on.
Step 2: Put the code and enter save changes
Now scroll down and put this code-
function wp_maintenance_idc () {
if( !is_user_logged_in() ){
echo '<h1>Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.</h1>';
die ();}
}
add_action ('get_header','wp_maintenance_idc');It should look like this. Now click on the Update File button.
After completing the changes, update the file. You should a page like this-
Which Websites Are Perfect for Creating a Coming Soon Page?
Creating a Coming Soon page is a versatile approach suitable for almost any type of website. However, certain types of websites can particularly benefit from having a Coming Soon page.
i. Startups and new businesses
For startups and new businesses, a Coming Soon page serves as a preliminary introduction to your brand. It’s an opportunity to start storytelling about your business, its values, and what customers can expect. The page can include elements like your brand logo, a brief description of your offerings, and a call to action, such as a newsletter sign-up to keep potential customers updated.
ii. eCommerce sites
E-commerce websites can use Coming Soon pages effectively during times of transition or when preparing to launch new products. These pages can feature teaser images or descriptions of upcoming products, creating hype and anticipation. Additionally, offering an option to notify visitors as soon as the product or site goes live can be a powerful tool for driving initial sales.
iii. Blogs and personal websites
Bloggers or personal website owners can leverage Coming Soon pages to build an audience even before publishing their first post. These pages can hint at the type of content you’ll be offering, your niche or focus areas, and can even include a personal introduction or a welcome message. Including a blog subscription option helps in building an email list right from the start.
iv. Event and promotional websites
A Coming Soon page can act as an initial announcement platform for events like conferences, concerts, or webinars. It can provide basic information such as the event date, location, and a brief overview of what attendees can expect. You can also include a registration pre-signup or an option to receive more detailed information as it becomes available.
v. Portfolio websites
Artists, designers, and freelancers updating or creating their portfolio websites can use Coming Soon pages to tease their work. This could include snippets of your style, a brief about your expertise, or even a sample of your portfolio pieces. With this approach, you can intrigue potential clients or employers and keep them looking forward to the full portfolio reveal.
vi. Technology and app launches
For tech products and apps, a Coming Soon page can serve as a launchpad for early marketing efforts. It can offer a glimpse into the app or product features, benefits, or user interface. Incorporating elements like a demo video teaser or screenshots can significantly boost interest. Also, an option to sign up for early access or beta testing can be a great way to gather user feedback and build a user community.
vii. Online services or platforms
Websites offering online services or platforms can use Coming Soon pages to generate interest in new offerings or upcoming features. These pages can outline the service benefits, unique selling propositions, and how it solves existing problems or improves current solutions. Encouraging visitors to sign up for updates or early access can help gather a dedicated user base before the full launch.
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FAQs
Is it necessary to have a "Coming Soon" page?
While not mandatory, having a Coming Soon page is highly beneficial for new websites. It acts as a preliminary touchpoint for your audience, allowing you to start building a connection even before the full website is live.
It generates interest, collects potential customer emails, and initiates your SEO efforts. It sets the stage for your brand’s online presence and can significantly aid in creating a buzz around your upcoming launch.
Why does my WordPress site always show coming soon?
If your WordPress site consistently shows a Coming Soon page, it’s likely because a maintenance mode or coming soon plugin is active, or there’s a redirect set up in your website’s settings or .htaccess file.
This could happen if the plugin wasn’t deactivated adequately after the site was ready to go live or if the .htaccess file contains outdated redirect instructions. To resolve this, check your plugins section for any active or maintenance plugins coming soon and review your .htaccess file for any redirect rules that might be causing this issue.
What does coming soon mean for a website?
For a website, a Coming Soon page indicates that something new and exciting is on the horizon. It’s commonly used when a website is in the process of being built, updated, or undergoing significant changes. This page is a strategic tool to keep visitors engaged and informed about what’s forthcoming. It’s a way to tease future content, services, or products, and it plays a crucial role in capturing the curiosity and interest of potential customers or users.
When should you start promoting a product?
The ideal time to start promoting a product is well before its launch, often during its development phase. Early promotion helps in creating awareness and excitement around your product. It enables you to gauge customer interest, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments based on early responses.
A proactive approach can help build a strong foundation for your product’s market entry, ensuring that you have an eager audience waiting when the product is finally available.
How to promote a business after a coming soon status?
Promoting a business after a break can be challenging. However, through specific technics, you can quickly come out of that situation,
- Kick Off with a Strong Launch Announcement: Utilize email marketing to announce your launch to those who expressed interest during the Coming Soon phase.
- Leverage Social Media: Create a buzz on social media platforms. Use engaging posts, countdowns, and teasers to draw attention.
- Press Releases and Media Outreach: Send out press releases to bloggers and influencers in your niche for wider coverage.
- Special Promotions for Early Birds: Offer special deals or incentives to those who subscribed or showed interest during the Coming Soon stage.
- Engage with Your Audience: Actively interact with your audience through social media, email, or blogs to build a community around your brand.
- Track and Adapt Based on Feedback: Monitor the response to your launch and be ready to adapt your strategy based on the feedback and engagement you receive.
Build Stunning ‘Coming Soon’ Pages Using These Methods
The presented approaches help you to build beautiful maintenance pages with almost no effort. Also, we showed you a method that doesn’t require any help from plugins and only uses the functions.php file of your website theme.
So, take these tips to heart, personalize them to reflect your unique style and vision, and create a Coming Soon page that leaves your visitors eagerly awaiting your full website’s launch. And that’s it!
Best of luck!