Imagine you’ve just written the world’s funniest cat meme and need to spread the joy across a dozen different social media posts.
You wouldn’t retype it, right? You’d copy-paste!
That’s the same logic behind WordPress posts and pages duplication: cloning your best content (think: SEO gold!) for maximum impact.
Sadly, WordPress doesn’t come with a built-in meme-cloning button (yet!). So, we’ll need to use plugins. Fear not, we’ll explore the best plugins and even how to use the Gutenberg editor to clone your content.
And, because we’re feeling extra generous, we’ll reveal a plugin that clones everything – even your virtual catnip coupons!
Let’s unleash the cloning chaos!
Why do you need to clone WordPress content?
Duplicating posts and pages isn’t just a shortcut; it’s a smart way to boost efficiency for any website or online store. Think of it as your digital time-saving superpower! Here’s why:
- Consistent design: Replicate layouts for uniform appearance.
- Easy backups: Preserve page versions.
- Layout testing: Experiment without rebuilding.
- Fast page creation: Quickly build similar pages.
- Uniform product pages: Maintain brand consistency.
- Simplified variations: Consistent design for product variants.
- Preserve settings: Duplicate content without losing layout.
- Archive old versions: Keep past versions for reference.
Note: Remember, there’s a key difference between content duplication and page duplication. While duplicate content (identical text/media) can pose SEO issues, page duplication (layout/structure) is a time-saving technique that carries no such risk.
Methods to clone your WordPress content
Duplicating pages and posts saves time. You can do it via code or plugins. Plugins are generally easier, especially if you’re not a coder. Here are the four methods:
- Manual copy-paste (code editor):
- Copy the page/post’s code from the Code Editor and paste it into a new page/post.
- Simple, but time-consuming and misses metadata.
- How: Open page/post, Code Editor, copy, create new, Code Editor, paste.
- Using editors (Gutenberg/Classic):
- Gutenberg: “Copy all content” and paste into a new page/post. Copies visual content only.
- Classic: Copy and paste content between tabs. Simple, but misses metadata.
- How: Use the editor’s copy/paste functions.
- Code (functions.php):
- Add a custom function to your functions.php file for a “Duplicate” link.
- Requires coding knowledge and a website backup (risk of errors).
- Provides direct control.
- How: Edit functions.php via FTP or file manager, paste code, save.
- Duplication plugins:
- The easiest and most efficient method.
- Plugins handle metadata, SEO, and more.
- Avoids manual errors and saves significant time.
- Why plugins?: Manual methods are incomplete, missing critical SEO data and metadata.
In essence:
- For coders, functions.php offers control.
- For quick visual copies, editors work.
- For comprehensive, efficient duplication, plugins are the best choice.
If you want to duplicate with ease, you need the right plugin. So now we are moving on to the rundown of the best plugins that offer simple page cloning to powerful, all-in-one solutions.
Efficient duplication: selecting the best plugin
With numerous duplication plugins available, finding the right one for your needs is crucial. Let us explore the top contenders and highlight their unique strengths.
1. Smart Manager: your all-in-one WordPress management tool
Smart Manager transcends simple duplication. It’s a powerful tool for growing WordPress sites, enabling you to clone everything—pages, posts, WooCommerce data—within an intuitive spreadsheet, streamlining management and freeing up your team.
Key feature:
- Clones all WordPress data: pages, posts, WooCommerce products, orders, coupons, users, custom fields, and taxonomies.
Interface:
- Presents all data in an intuitive spreadsheet for centralized editing.
- Frees up time for strategic tasks.
Duplication process:
- Steps:
- Navigate to WordPress Admin > Smart Manager.
- Select the desired dashboard (Pages, Products, Posts).
- Search for the content to duplicate.
- Select the content.
- Hover over “Duplicate” and choose “Selected Records” or “Entire Store.”
- Edit the duplicated data directly in the spreadsheet rows.
Additional benefits: what more can be done with Smart Manager
There’s more to Smart Manager than just cloning. Here’s a look at the plugin’s additional features and how they can benefit your website management.
- Data management:
- CSV exports.
- Inline/bulk editing.
- Direct field edits.
- Efficient front-end edits, bulk delete, image management, custom views, and fast dataset editing
2. Duplicate Pages and Posts: the simple solution
This one is a productivity tool designed to streamline content duplication in WordPress and it caters to a wide range of users, including bloggers, editors, and developers.
Why choose this Plugin?
- Addresses the lack of native duplication functionality in WordPress, saving time.
- Developed by the creators of Icegram Engage and Icegram Express (with 150,000+ satisfied clientele), ensuring performance.
Key features:
- One-click duplication for all content types, with customizable elements, draft editing, user access control, and preserved formatting.
Real benefits:
- Maintain consistent layouts, quickly replicate content, edit duplicates safely, and accelerate site updates.
Pricing: Free.
Download Duplicate Pages and Posts
3. Duplicate Page and Post: flexible cloning with customization
A popular plugin with 100,000+ active installations for duplicating WordPress content, this one lets you clone pages and posts as drafts for easy editing.
Here’s a breakdown of its key features:
- Classic/Gutenberg editor support.
- Customizable “duplicate” link text.
- Post-duplication redirects.
- Custom post type (CPT) cloning.
- Duplicate post status control.
- Duplicate post suffix control.
Pricing: Free.
Download Duplicate Page and Post plugin
4. Post Duplicator: streamlined post cloning for WordPress
Post Duplicator offers easy WordPress post duplication. It quickly clones posts, including custom types and fields and allows quick duplication with a hover-and-click interface.
Here’s a breakdown of its key features:
- Fast bulk duplication.
- Custom post type support.
- Instant, no-setup use.
- Duplicates custom fields.
- Independent edit duplicates.
- Simple hover-click cloning.
Pricing: Free.
Download Post Duplicator plugin
Who’s getting the most out of duplication plugins?
WordPress’s lack of built-in duplication can be a real time-sink. Thankfully, plugins step in to fill the gap. Plugins are perfect for:
- Developers: Speeding up testing and building templates.
- Content folks: Revamping content and keeping layouts consistent.
- Editors: Teamwork made easier, plus variation testing.
- Online store owners: Creating product variations and landing pages, fast.
- Admins: Making backups a breeze during updates.
- Freelancers & agencies: Delivering projects quicker with custom layouts.
Conclusion
Stop wasting time on manual content creation. Duplicating WordPress pages and posts should be easy. While ‘Duplicate Pages and Posts’ handles basic cloning, ‘Smart Manager’ offers a complete store management overhaul. It’s not just a plugin; it’s a revolution in efficiency.