Site Connector & WordPress Plugin

The Site Connector links a client's website directly to RankNest. With the RankNest WordPress plugin installed on the site, the connector collects page data. Turn on auto-implementation and RankNest also writes approved internal link recommendations into post content for you, instead of you editing every page by hand.

Where to find it

Site Connectors are per client. Open the client's Settings, go to the Integrations tab, and scroll to the Site Connector section.

How to create a connector

1. Click Connect Site (or Add Connector if one already exists).
2. Enter the client site's Domain (for example example.com).
3. The Connector Type is WordPress Plugin, a full WordPress integration with read and write capability. It requires WordPress 5.6 or newer on the client site.
4. Click Create Connector.

A Connector Created Successfully panel appears with the connector's Site Key and a copy button.

How to install the RankNest WordPress plugin

1. Click Download WordPress Plugin on the created panel (also available later as Download Plugin (.zip) in the connector's setup instructions).
2. In the WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
3. Upload the downloaded ZIP file and activate it.
4. Open RankNest Connector in the WordPress left sidebar.
5. Paste your Site Key and click Save.
6. Optionally, enable auto-implementation to allow RankNest to add internal links to the site (see below).

Back in RankNest, click Verify on the connector row. If the plugin is set up correctly, the connector moves out of Pending; if not, the result panel lists what to check.

Enabling auto-implementation with a WordPress Application Password

To let RankNest write approved link recommendations into post content, the connector needs WordPress credentials. This is optional. Without it, the connector still reads page data.

1. In WordPress, go to Users → Profile → Application Passwords and create an application password. An application password is a purpose-made login token for one app; it is not your normal WordPress password.
2. In RankNest, on the connector row, find WordPress REST Credentials (set once).
3. Enter the WordPress Username and the Application Password.
4. Click Save Credentials. The password is stored encrypted, and RankNest runs a verification automatically.

Once saved, the row shows the password's last four characters. Re-enter a new one at any time to rotate it. The connector row then shows a Write access label. For how recommendations are reviewed and marked done, see Implementing Recommendations.

The plugin works alongside Yoast SEO, Rank Math, and AIOSEO, and creates a revision before any content change so every edit can be rolled back in WordPress.

Connector health

Each connector row shows its current state at a glance:

• Status badge: Pending (created, not yet detected on the site), Verified (detected), Active (sending data), Inactive (paused), or Revoked.
• Last data: the date the connector last reported.
• Page count: how many pages the connector has synced.
• Write access: shown when auto-implementation credentials are in place.

Use the pause button to temporarily deactivate a connector and the play button to reactivate it. The delete (trash) button permanently revokes the connector and stops all data collection.

Troubleshooting

Verification fails after installing the plugin. Confirm the plugin is activated, the Site Key was pasted exactly, and the Domain on the connector matches the site's real domain. The verification result panel lists the specific checks that failed.

The connector shows no recent data. Check the status badge. An Inactive connector is paused; press play to reactivate. If it is Active but stale, verify the plugin is still activated on the WordPress site.

Auto-implementation isn't available. The connector needs saved WordPress credentials. Add the username and application password under WordPress REST Credentials and click Save Credentials.

Related

• Implementing Recommendations
• Client Settings
• Linking Plan Overview