This guide covers installing StoreCrafted Site Visibility Manager for WooCommerce and running a content-led launch: keep WooCommerce’s Coming Soon template, and open only the parts of the site you choose.
This is not a Coming Soon or maintenance-mode page builder. The plugin adds a public allowlist on top of WooCommerce Site Visibility.
Why you may want this plugin
WooCommerce Site Visibility is either entire site or store pages only. Many launches need a middle option: keep building the storefront, but still publish content the public can read.
Use for:
- Finishing products, pricing, or checkout while keeping the blog open for updates, launch news, or SEO content
- A public homepage (brand story, waitlist, press) while shop, products, cart, and checkout stay gated
- A few specific pages (About, Contact, Lookbook) without opening every non-store URL
- Agency launches that should stay on Woo’s Coming Soon template — not a separate maintenance plugin
Without this plugin, Apply to store pages only opens all non-store URLs. Site Visibility Manager lets you open selected sections and URLs instead.
Requirements
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| WordPress | 7.0 |
| WooCommerce | 11.0 |
| PHP | 8.1 |
WooCommerce must be active. The plugin will not boot without a supported WooCommerce version.
WordPress.org slug / text domain: storecrafted-site-visibility-manager
Installation
- Install from Plugins → Add New Plugin (search for Site Visibility Manager), or upload the zip via Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin.
- Activate StoreCrafted Site Visibility Manager for WooCommerce.
- Confirm a new settings tab appears under WooCommerce → Settings → Site Visibility Manager.
What to expect: No database tables are created. Settings live in a single WordPress option. Nothing is public until you enable Coming Soon and turn on allowlist sections.
How it works
While WooCommerce Site Visibility is set to Coming soon, this plugin evaluates each front-end request against your allowlist:
- Matching requests render normally (public).
- Non-matching requests keep Woo’s Page: Coming soon template.
- Shop managers (
manage_woocommerce) and Woo’s private share link continue to bypass Coming Soon as usual.
The plugin hooks Woo’s Coming Soon template path only. It does not change REST API or Store API visibility.
Admin screens at a glance
| Screen | Path | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Site visibility | WooCommerce → Settings → Site visibility | Turn Coming Soon on/off; entire site vs store pages only; private share link |
| Site Visibility Manager | WooCommerce → Settings → Site Visibility Manager | Public sections, pages, posts, types, taxonomies, uninstall option |
| Coming Soon template | Appearance → Editor → Templates → Page: Coming soon | Design the gated landing page (block themes) |
First-run checklist
Step 1 — Enable WooCommerce Coming Soon
- Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Site visibility.
- Choose Coming soon.
- Leave Apply to store pages only off for the usual “content public, shop closed” launch.
- Optionally enable WooCommerce’s private share link so colleagues can preview the full store.
Note: If the site is Live, allowlist settings still save but do not gate the front end. Coming Soon must be on for the allowlist to apply.
Step 2 — Configure the public allowlist
- Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Site Visibility Manager.
- Confirm the status panel shows Coming soon and Entire site.
- Enable the sections you want public — for example Homepage, Blog index, and Blog posts.
- Optionally add exact pages under Public pages (child pages stay gated unless selected).
- Click Save changes.
What to expect: Logged-out visitors can view allowlisted URLs normally. Other URLs show the Coming Soon template.
Step 3 — Design the Coming Soon page
- From the status panel, open Edit Coming Soon template (block themes), or go to Appearance → Editor → Templates → Page: Coming soon.
- Edit with WordPress blocks as usual.
- This plugin does not ship a competing landing-page builder.
Verification
- Visit the homepage and a blog post while logged out — they should render normally if those presets are on.
- Visit Shop or a product URL — they should show Coming Soon unless you enabled those presets.
- Open the WooCommerce private share link — the full store should unlock.
- Sign in as a shop manager — you should see the full site and Woo’s Coming Soon admin badge as usual.
Limitations
- Hooks the Coming Soon template path only — does not hide products or content from the REST API or Store API.
- Not a general WordPress maintenance-mode plugin for sites without WooCommerce.
- Password-protected allowlisted content is excluded from Coming Soon; WordPress’s password gate still applies.
- Feeds, search, attachments, author archives, and date archives are never opened by the allowlist.
- Child pages of an allowlisted page are not opened automatically.
Next steps
- Configuration — every setting and preset explained
- FAQ — common launch questions
- Developers — filters, REST, and Abilities API