SitePlot Automator Documentation

Complete guide to AI-powered content automation for WordPress. Learn how to install, configure, and optimize your automated content strategy.

SitePlot Automator is a comprehensive WordPress plugin that automates the creation of high-quality, SEO-optimized content using artificial intelligence. It combines content planning, keyword research, automated writing, and SEO optimization into a single powerful platform.

Core Features

System Requirements

• WordPress 5.8 or higher
• PHP 7.4 or higher
• OpenAI API key (required)
• Image provider API key (optional but recommended)
• MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+

Installation

Method 1: WordPress Admin Upload

1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
3. Click Upload Plugin at the top of the page
4. Click Choose File and select the siteplot-automator-with-themes.zip file
5. Click Install Now
6. After installation completes, click Activate Plugin
7. You will see a notice prompting you to run the Setup Wizard

Method 2: FTP/SFTP Upload

1. Extract the siteplot-automator-with-themes.zip file on your computer
2. Connect to your server via FTP/SFTP
3. Upload the siteplot-automator folder to /wp-content/plugins/
4. Go to Plugins in your WordPress admin
5. Find SitePlot Automator and click Activate

License Activation

After activation, you'll need to enter your license key:

1. Go to SitePlot → Settings
2. The License section appears at the top of the Settings page
3. Enter your license key (received after purchase)
4. Click Activate License
5. Your license will be locked to your domain

Setup Wizard Walkthrough

The Setup Wizard guides you through initial configuration. It appears automatically for new installations or can be accessed from the notice on SitePlot pages.

Step 1: Welcome

The welcome screen provides an overview of what the wizard will configure. Click Get Started to begin.

Step 2: Business Info

This step collects information about your website:

• Site Type: Choose from Blog/Content, Local Business, SaaS/Startup, Agency, Affiliate, or E-commerce
• Business/Site Name: Your website or company name
• Tagline: A short phrase describing what you do
• Industry/Niche: Your specific market (e.g., Digital Marketing, Health & Wellness)
• Services/Products: List your main offerings (one per line)
• Target Audience: Who you're trying to reach
• Contact Info: Email, phone, and address (used for theme and content)

Step 3: API Configuration

Enter your API keys for content generation:

• OpenAI API Key: Required for AI content generation
• Image Provider: Optional - choose your preferred image source

Step 4: Content Strategy

Define your content approach:

• Niche: Your specific content focus area
• Content Pillars: Main topic areas you want to cover (one per line)

Step 5: Design

Configure your site's appearance:

• Logo Upload: Upload your logo (will be added to theme header)
• Theme Installation: A pre-built theme matching your site type will be installed automatically

Step 6: Automation

Set your content publishing schedule:

• Daily: ~30 articles per month
• Twice Daily: ~60 articles per month
• Weekly: ~4 articles per month
• Manual: No automatic publishing

Step 7: Launch

Review your settings and click Launch My Site to complete setup. The wizard will save settings, install your theme, create default pages, and configure automation.

Settings Configuration

Access all settings via SitePlot → Settings in your WordPress admin.

API Settings

Automation Settings

Content Settings

API Setup Guide

This section provides direct links and instructions for setting up each API integration.

OpenAI (Required)

Required

OpenAI powers all content generation. Cost: approximately $0.15-0.30 per article with GPT-4.1-mini.

platform.openai.com/api-keys

1. Create an OpenAI account or sign in
2. Go to API Keys in your dashboard
3. Click "Create new secret key"
4. Copy the key (it won't be shown again)
5. Paste into SitePlot → Settings → API Settings

Image Providers

Choose one image provider based on your needs:

Image Provider API Links

DALL-E 3: Uses your OpenAI API key (no additional setup)

Gemini - aistudio.google.com

Replicate (FLUX) - replicate.com

Ideogram - ideogram.ai/api

Stability AI - platform.stability.ai

Recraft - recraft.ai/docs

Unsplash - unsplash.com/developers

Pexels - pexels.com/api

Keyword Research APIs

Google Custom Search (Free)

Free

Free keyword research using Google's Custom Search API.

Google Cloud Console Programmable Search Engine

1. Create a Google Cloud project
2. Enable the Custom Search API
3. Create an API key in Credentials
4. Create a Programmable Search Engine (search entire web)
5. Copy API Key and Search Engine ID (CX) to settings

DataForSEO (Paid - with Metrics)

Paid

Provides search volume, CPC, and keyword difficulty data. Pay-as-you-go pricing (~$0.01 per keyword).

DataForSEO - app.dataforseo.com/register

1. Create a DataForSEO account
2. Add funds to your account ($50 minimum)
3. Copy your login email and API password
4. Enter credentials in Keyword Research Settings

Facebook Integration (Optional)

Automatically post new articles to your Facebook page.

Facebook Developers

1. Create a Facebook App
2. Add the Pages API to your app
3. Generate a Page Access Token with pages_manage_posts permission
4. Convert to a long-lived token (valid for 60 days)
5. Enter Page ID and Access Token in settings

Using the Content Planner

The Content Planner helps you build topical authority by creating a comprehensive content strategy around your niche.

What is Topical Authority?

Topical authority is when Google recognizes your site as an expert on a particular subject because you've comprehensively covered all aspects of that topic. Instead of writing random articles, you create interconnected content that demonstrates deep expertise.

Creating a Content Plan

1. Go to SitePlot → Content Planning
2. Enter your Niche (e.g., "organic gardening", "cryptocurrency trading")
3. Optionally enter Content Pillars - main topic areas (AI will generate these if left empty)
4. Click Generate Topical Map
5. Review the generated pillar pages and cluster articles

Understanding Pillars and Clusters

• Pillar Pages: Comprehensive guides covering a main topic broadly (e.g., "Complete Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening")
• Cluster Articles: Focused articles on specific subtopics that link back to the pillar (e.g., "Best Organic Fertilizers for Tomatoes")

Adding Keywords to Queue

From the Content Plan view, you can add individual topics to your keyword queue for content generation. Click the Add to Queue button next to any topic.

Keyword Research

Find valuable keywords to target with your content.

Research Methods

• Google Search (Free): Finds related keywords using Google Custom Search API
• DataForSEO (Paid): Includes search volume, CPC, and keyword difficulty scores

How to Research Keywords

1. Go to SitePlot → Keyword Research
2. Enter a seed keyword in the search box
3. Select your preferred provider (Google or DataForSEO)
4. Click Research
5. Review results and select keywords to add to queue
6. Click Add Selected to Queue

Content Generation

Managing the Keyword Queue

The Keywords page (SitePlot → Keywords) shows all keywords waiting for content generation.

• Pending: Keywords waiting to be processed
• Processing: Currently being generated
• Completed: Article has been created
• Failed: Generation encountered an error

Manual Generation

To manually generate an article, click the Generate Now button next to any pending keyword.

Automatic Generation

If automation is enabled, articles are generated automatically based on your schedule settings. The system respects rate limits to prevent API overuse.

Generation Log

View all generated content in SitePlot → Log. This shows generation time, word count, and post links.

Google Search Console Integration

Connect to Google Search Console to see search performance data and identify opportunities.

Setup Instructions

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Create a new project or select an existing one
3. Enable the "Google Search Console API"
4. Go to Credentials → Create Credentials → OAuth client ID
5. Select "Web application" as the type
6. Add the redirect URI shown in your SitePlot settings
7. Copy Client ID and Client Secret to SitePlot settings
8. Save settings, then go to SitePlot → Search Console
9. Click "Connect to Google" and authorize access

Available Data

• Search Performance: Clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position
• Keyword Opportunities: Keywords where you rank but could improve
• Underperforming Content: Pages that need optimization

Automation Best Practices

Follow these guidelines to use automation responsibly and effectively.

Recommended Publishing Limits

Content Quality Guidelines

1. Always review before publishing: Use Draft mode and review each article before publishing. Check for accuracy and add personal insights.
2. Add unique value: Include personal experiences, case studies, original images, or expert quotes to differentiate your content.
3. Fact-check AI content: Verify statistics, dates, and claims. AI can occasionally produce inaccurate information.
4. Maintain consistent quality: It's better to publish 3 excellent articles than 10 mediocre ones.
5. Mix content types: Combine AI-generated articles with manually written content, interviews, and original research.

What to Avoid

• Mass publishing: Don't publish dozens of articles at once
• Duplicate topics: Use the duplicate checker to avoid content cannibalization
• Thin content: Ensure articles are comprehensive (1500+ words for most topics)
• Ignoring performance: Monitor Search Console data and adjust your strategy
• Set and forget: Regularly review and update your content

SEO Best Practices

On-Page Optimization

1. Target one primary keyword per article: Include it in the title, first paragraph, and naturally throughout the content.
2. Use proper heading hierarchy: H1 for title, H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections. SitePlot handles this automatically.
3. Optimize meta descriptions: Write compelling 150-160 character descriptions that include your keyword.
4. Use descriptive URLs: Keep URLs short and include your target keyword.
5. Add alt text to images: Describe images and include relevant keywords naturally.

Building Topical Authority

1. Cover topics comprehensively: Create content for all aspects of your niche, not just high-volume keywords.
2. Create pillar content: Develop comprehensive guides that serve as the foundation for cluster articles.
3. Internal linking is crucial: Link related articles together. SitePlot's auto-linking helps with this.
4. Update old content: Use the Content Refresh feature to keep existing articles current.

Technical SEO

1. Enable schema markup: SitePlot automatically adds Article, FAQ, and other schemas.
2. Ensure fast page speed: Use caching, optimize images, and consider a CDN.
3. Mobile-first design: All bundled themes are mobile-responsive.
4. Submit sitemap: Ensure your sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console.
5. Use HTTPS: Secure your site with an SSL certificate.

E-E-A-T Guidelines

Google's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines are important for ranking:

• Experience: Add personal insights and real-world examples to AI content
• Expertise: Create detailed, accurate content that demonstrates knowledge
• Authoritativeness: Build topical authority by covering your niche comprehensively
• Trustworthiness: Include citations, author bios, and contact information

Recommended Plugins

These plugins complement SitePlot Automator and enhance your WordPress site.

Essential Plugins

1. Rank Math SEO or Yoast SEO: Advanced SEO features, meta management, and content analysis. (Free versions available)
2. WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache: Page caching for improved site speed. (Free)
3. Smush or ShortPixel: Image optimization and compression. (Free versions available)
4. UpdraftPlus: Automated backups to cloud storage. (Free version available)

Performance Plugins

1. Autoptimize: Minifies CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. (Free)
2. Lazy Load by WP Rocket: Defers image loading for faster page loads. (Free)
3. Perfmatters: Advanced performance optimization. (Premium - $24.95/year)

Security Plugins

1. Wordfence Security: Firewall, malware scanning, and login security. (Free version available)
2. Really Simple SSL: Easy SSL/HTTPS configuration. (Free)

Content Enhancement

1. Table of Contents Plus: If not using SitePlot's built-in TOC. (Free)
2. Regenerate Thumbnails: Update image sizes after theme changes. (Free)
3. Social Warfare or AddToAny: Social sharing buttons. (Free versions available)

Analytics

1. MonsterInsights: Google Analytics integration with dashboard. (Free version available)
2. Google Site Kit: Official Google plugin for Analytics, Search Console, AdSense. (Free)

Steps to Ensure Success

Week 1: Foundation

1. Complete the Setup Wizard and configure all settings
2. Set up Google Search Console integration
3. Install recommended plugins (SEO, caching, backup)
4. Create your content plan with 3-5 pillar topics
5. Generate your first 5 articles in Draft mode

Week 2-4: Build Momentum

1. Review and publish your first articles
2. Add unique value to each article (images, examples, insights)
3. Enable automation at a conservative pace (1 article/day max)
4. Monitor Search Console for indexing and issues
5. Start building internal links between articles

Month 2-3: Scale Carefully

1. Review performance data and identify what's working
2. Gradually increase publishing frequency if quality is maintained
3. Create your first pillar page (comprehensive guide)
4. Use keyword research to find low-competition opportunities
5. Begin competitor analysis for content gaps

Month 4+: Optimize and Grow

1. Refresh underperforming content based on Search Console data
2. Expand into related topic areas
3. Build backlinks through outreach and guest posting
4. Consider adding manual expert content alongside automated articles
5. Continuously monitor and adjust your strategy

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"API Key Invalid" Error

• Verify your API key is correct (no extra spaces)
• Check that your OpenAI account has available credits
• Ensure the API key has not been revoked

Content Not Generating

• Check the Generation Log for error messages
• Verify WordPress cron is running (install WP Crontrol to check)
• Ensure you haven't hit rate limits
• Check server PHP memory limits (recommend 256MB+)

Theme Not Installing

• Check if the theme already exists (might need different name)
• Verify write permissions on wp-content/themes/
• Try installing the theme manually via Appearance → Themes

Images Not Appearing

• Verify your image provider API key is correct
• Check if you have sufficient credits with your provider
• Ensure wp-content/uploads is writable
• Try switching to a different image provider

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered here, please contact support at the email address provided with your purchase. Include your license key, WordPress version, and a description of the issue.

Quick Reference

Menu Locations

API Quick Links