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Integrations & Publishing

Connecting WordPress

Connecting your WordPress site allows you to publish content directly from our platform to your website with a single click. This guide will walk you through setting up the integration using the WordPress Application Password method, which is the most secure and reliable way to connect.

By the end of this guide, you will be able to send drafts or published posts directly to your WordPress site without leaving the dashboard.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure your WordPress site meets the following requirements:

  • WordPress Version: You must be running WordPress 5.6 or higher.

  • Permalinks: Your site must use "Pretty Permalinks" (anything other than the "Plain" setting). You can check this in Settings > Permalinks.

  • User Role: You need a WordPress user account with at least "Author" permissions or higher.

  • HTTPS: For security reasons, we strongly recommend your site uses an SSL certificate (https://).

Step 1: Generate a WordPress Application Password

An Application Password is a unique 24-character code that allows our platform to communicate with your site securely without using your main login password.

  1. Log in to your WordPress Admin dashboard (e.g., yourwebsite.com/wp-admin).

  2. In the left-hand menu, go to Users > Profile.

  3. Scroll down to the Application Passwords section.

  4. In the New Application Password Name field, enter a name to help you remember what this is for (e.g., "Outrank Integration").

  5. Click Add New Application Password.

  6. A 24-character password will appear. Copy this password immediately and save it somewhere safe.

WordPress will only show this password once. If you lose it or close the page before copying it, you will need to revoke it and generate a new one.

[Screenshot Placeholder: WordPress Profile page showing the Application Passwords section and the generated password]

Step 2: Connect WordPress in the Dashboard

Now that you have your Application Password, you can finalize the connection in your dashboard.

  1. Navigate to the Integrations section in your sidebar.

  2. Click Create New Integration and select WordPress.

  3. Fill in the following fields:

    • Integration Name: A name for your reference (e.g., "My Marketing Blog").

    • WordPress URL: The full URL of your website, including https:// (e.g., https://example.com).

    • Username: Your WordPress username (not your email address).

    • Application Password: Paste the 24-character password you generated in Step 1.

    • Publish Status: Choose whether you want posts to be sent as "Draft" or "Published" by default.

  4. Click Create.

[Screenshot Placeholder: The WordPress integration form in the dashboard with example data filled in]

Once the connection is verified, you'll see a success message. You can now select this WordPress site as a destination when publishing your articles!

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If the connection fails, here are the most common reasons and how to fix them:

  • 401 Unauthorized: Double-check that you are using your Username (not email) and that the Application Password was copied correctly without extra spaces.

  • 404 Not Found: This usually means your site is using "Plain" permalinks. Go to Settings > Permalinks in WordPress and select "Post name," then save changes.

  • 403 Forbidden: This is often caused by security plugins (like Wordfence) or firewalls (like Cloudflare) blocking the connection. You may need to whitelist our IP address.

For a deeper dive into resolving these errors, check out our WordPress Integration Troubleshooting guide.

Next Steps

Now that your site is connected, you can start publishing! When you finish an article, look for the Publish button and select your WordPress integration from the list. You can override the default publish status (Draft vs. Published) for each individual post.