Automate WordPress Blog Updates Through Social Media

Top Tips

–          We strongly advise that you have this plugin installed on your site: WordPress Yoast SEO.

–          To follow these instructions successfully, then you’re going to need to have at least have one published blog on the site.  

 

Benefits

–         For each of your business’s accounts on social media, you’ll only have to do this process once.

–         You can focus on getting other work done while knowing that your blog updates will automatically be handled. 

–          Boost your business’s online presence, while ensuring there are regular updates on social media regarding blog content.

 

How Does It Work?

Okay, so once you have everything up and running, your blogs will be shared across all the social media accounts automatically – in other words, you don’t have to worry about keeping potential customers in the loop by doing posts manually.

 

Set-Up Process

1.       Register for a free account on Zapier – if you don’t already have one.
2.       Now you need to ensure that you’re connected to all of your business’s social media accounts.
3.       OPTIONAL – You could also set up a Buffer account which has links to all of the social media accounts for your business.

 

Automation Setting Up Process

When you’re deciding to automate the process of blog post updates, there are two routes you can take – throughout this blog, we will outline both to you.

Route 1

This is the best option for you if you’re intending for your blog posts to be published onto social media accounts directly – this means that the blog will be accessible on social media as soon as you hit that publish button.

Route 2

If you’d like to add your blog post into the publishing queue using Buffer, then go for this option. This means that your blog won’t be immediately shared, but it will be posted in a way that works with your usual posting schedule.

 

First things first, we’ll go over Route 1 if you’re planning on using Route 2, feel free to skip this section.

Route 1

1.       You’ll need to be logged into the relevant Zapier account, once you’ve done this, you need to select “Make a zap”
2.       Give the zap a name – something that you’ll remember with ease in the future.
3.       Set up your zap’s trigger
   •       In the trigger apps’ search bar, you need to input “WordPress” and then select it.
   •       From the list, click on this trigger: “New Post” and then select “Save + Continue”
   •       Now you will need to connect the relevant account for WordPress, and then select “Save + Continue”
     •       Alter the setup options:
     •     Post Status = “Published”
     •     Post Type = “Posts”

                        iii.   And now click “Continue”

1. 1. • •       To test the trigger, you need to select “Fetch and continue” – again you’re going to need a minimum of one blog on your website.

4.       You’re going to need to set up your action. In this example, we’re going to be using Twitter.
   •       You need to type the name of your action app into the search bar to select it.
   •       Click on the relevant action type, for this example, click on “Create Tweet” and then “Save + Continue”
   •       The social accounts need to be linked to your Zapier account, and then you need to select “Save + Continue”
   •       You need to form a post template.
     •     Message Field = Input the message you’d like to be shared across social media with the latest blog post.
     •     Post Title = You need to click “Post Title” and then select the icon in the field’s right section – this will allow you to see the variables list, now select “Post Title”

• • •  Post Link =   You need to click “Post Link” and then select the icon in the right section of the field – this will allow you to see the variables list, now select “Post Link”

5.       Now we move onto the testing phase – check to see if the message appears how you want it to, and if you’re happy with it, select “Send test to” – again if you’re doing this for Twitter, you’d select “Send test to Twitter”
6.       This will allow you to immediately publish your post, all you need to do now is go over to your social media account in order to make sure that the post has been published without error.
7.       If you’re happy with everything, then you’re going to need to select “Continue” and then ensure that your Zap is turned on.

 

And… you’re done! This is a process which you can use across any of your business’s social media platforms – you’ll just need to ensure that you have added all of the relevant accounts onto the action apps section.

 

Route 2

Okay, so to follow this section, you’re going to need a Buffer account – for this example, we’ll once again base it around Twitter.

1.       Make sure you’re logged into the relevant Zapier account, and then select “Make a Zap”
2.       Give the Zap a name – make sure it’s something you’ll recognise with ease in the future.
3.       Set up your zap’s trigger
   •       In the trigger apps search bar, you need to input “WordPress” and then select it.
   •     From the list, click on this trigger: “New Post” and then select “Save + Continue”
     •       Now you will need to connect the relevant account for WordPress, and then click on “Save + Continue”
     •       Alter the setup options:
     •     Post Status = “Published”
     •     Post Type = “Posts”

                          iii.      And now click “Continue”

4. •       To test the trigger, you need to select “Fetch and continue” – again you’re going to need a minimum of one blog on your website.
5.       You need to set up the action by following these steps:
   •       You’ll need to input “Buffer” into the search bar and then click on it.
   •       Click this action: “Add to Buffer”
   •       You’ll need to connect to the relevant Buffer account – this is so that you are able to authorise your Zapier account.
6.       Now we’ll move onto setting up your template:
   •     Profile = Select the social account that you’d like to post to.
   •     Text = Here you need to input the message you want to accompany your blog post
   •     Post Title = You need to click “Post Title” and then select the icon in the right section of the field – this will allow you to see the variables list, now select “Post Title”

• •     Post Link =   You need to click “Post Link” and then select the icon in the right section of the field – this will allow you to see the variables list, now select “Post Link”
  •     OPTIONAL

• •         You have the ability to add a photo to your post – you can do this by putting its URL into the relevant box.
    • There is also the option for you to add this variable: “Custom Field Yoast Wpseo Opengraph Image” – this is something you can only use if you have the Yoast SEO plugin installed.
    •         In the event that you would like this post to be at the top of your queue on Buffer, then will need to set the option to “Yes”
    •         If you would like the post to be immediately sent out, then you’re going to need to set the option to “Yes” and then select “Continue”
    • Now you need to test the zap – to do this follow these steps:
      • Check you’re happy with the message’s appearance
      • “Send test to Buffer” – select this option (so the post is instantly in Buffer)
      • Verify the post was posted without error – you have to do this through Buffer.And… you’re done! This is a process which you can use across any of your business’s social media platforms – you’ll just need to ensure that you have added all of the relevant accounts onto the action apps section.

 

Thanks for reading!

Whether you used route 1 or route 2, you have successfully added blog post automatic updates onto your social media accounts.

We hope that you found this blog useful, if you did, then make sure to check us out on social media, so that you can keep updated with our latest blog posts and news.