Is Multisite the answer?

  • Hi there.

    I’ve been using WordPress for years but have never looked at (nor needed) Multisite.

    However, I think it may be the answer now.

    I have a client that asked me to build them a WP blog to bolt on to their site. It is currently sat at https://www.theirdomain.com/blog. They have now asked me to develop a mobile version to sit at m.theirdomain.com/blog as part of their existing mobile site (I know that the site should ideally be fully responsive but that’s not a possibility right now).

    So my question is this – can I use Multisite to create the m. and www. sites side-by-side and share plugins and content? I am a little unclear as to how distinct the site entities are within Multisite.

    I’ve also looked at the Broadcast plugin but I think that having a totally separate install for the m. site might lead to licensing issues for premium/paid plugins that the client is using.

    I’m trying to avoid them having to insert content twice.

    Any advice is gratefully received!

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • Moderator Jan Dembowski

    (@jdembowski)

    Forum Moderator and Brute Squad

    Is Multisite the answer?

    If you have to ask, the answer is usually “no”. ??

    So my question is this – can I use Multisite to create the m. and www. sites side-by-side and share plugins and content? I am a little unclear as to how distinct the site entities are within Multisite.

    Nope. That’s not what multisite is for. Multisite is for setting up multiple sites that do not talk to each other. What you are describing is a second site at m. that has the same content as www. but formatted for mobile phones. Multisite doesn’t let you share content that way.

    I would recommend that your client use a theme that is responsive (mobile friendly) and maintain one site. If that doesn’t work (it should but clients want what they want) then consider a plugin such as WP touch or even Jetpack’s mobile theme view.

    https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/wptouch/
    https://jetpack.me/support/mobile-theme/ from https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/jetpack/

    There are other plugins. Having 2 sites with the same content is generally not easy to maintain. A mobile plugin or theme is the best case scenario IMHO.

    Thread Starter MarbleCake

    (@weonsnonge)

    Hi Jan

    I suspected that might be the case. Having never used Multisite I wasn’t sure where the lines were drawn between each site and whether there was a possibility of sharing across sites. You’ve clarified that for me – thanks!

    The blog is very much a “bolt-on” to their main site so I have to work with the infrastructure they already have meaning that using a responsive theme for everything isn’t possible.

    I also couldn’t agree more that maintaining two sites with the same content is not the best solution but that’s where we are at.

    I don’t think those plugins you listed will help as I have to build the theme to match their current m. site.

    It looks like it’s time to go and research the licensing on their premium plugins and set up ThreeWP Broadcast.

    Thanks again.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
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