Automation is a wonderful thing. If done right, your life will get way, way easier. There are several tools available to make posting in WordPress a breeze, but one of the best tools to use is IFTTT, short for “If This Then That”. IFTTT works to automate processes across numerous apps, platforms, and devices, called “channels”, using a series of commands or “recipes”.
Aside from being able to help with posting updates online, IFTTT can even assist you with controlling the smart devices in your house, such as turning on lights when you need them. IFTTT can be useful in automating updates to social media accounts, maximizing the use of these platforms in directing traffic to your WordPress site.
To use IFTTT, you have to go to http://ifttt.com to create an account. Click “Join” to create an account. Once your account is ready, you have to allow IFTTT to access your WordPress account, and any social media accounts you may want to tie your website to.
To activate IFTTT’s WordPress channel, go here and input your blog’s web address or URL, your username and password. Once activated, you can have your pick of a wide range of recipes created by IFTTT staff or other users. You can use these as-is or customize them. You can also cook up your own.
Prior to using any recipe, IFTTT will prompt you to activate any channels it needs to use, if you have not yet allowed access to it. There are over 168 channels possible to be activated for use with IFTTT. Some social media channels that can be activated include Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Flickr, among others. The recipes work by triggering an action every time you post on WordPress. They can also go the other way, posting an update to WordPress every time an action is done on another platform, such as Instagram or YouTube.
Recipes triggered by actions on your WordPress website are activated if there are new posts, or when there are posts with specific tags or categories. For example, links to any blog entries tagged “Facebook” can be automatically posted on the said platform.
Updates to your WordPress site from social media accounts can be triggered when any recipes are configured to post if certain conditions are met. For example, any video you favorite on YouTube can automatically be posted on your WordPress site.
In creating or using ready-made recipes, it is best to remember that IFTTT does exactly as its name says—If This, Then That. It uses ingredients to create recipes, which do actions that are activated by triggers.
In using WordPress as a trigger, possible ingredients are the post’s title, URL, content, tags, categories, and date published. The URL for the first image in the post can also be used as an ingredient. You can manage your recipes by going to the IFTTT website using your browser on your desktop, or by installing a mobile app in your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.
Here are some popular WordPress IFTTT recipes:
- WordPress to Facebook recipe by clavejones. This recipe updates your Facebook Page with a link post whenever there is a new post on your WordPress site.
- Instagram to WordPress recipe by dorrian. This recipe creates a WordPress photo post out of your latest Instagram update.
- YouTube to WordPress recipe by exponent. This recipe creates a WordPress video post whenever you add a video as a favorite on YouTube.
- Flickr to WordPress by raycar. Whenever there is a new photo in your Flickr account, this recipe will create a new photo post in your WordPress site.
- WordPress to Twitter by takahisa_wata. This recipe automatically posts your latest WordPress post on Twitter.