Running a website can be a big job, which means all the tools that help you streamline your workflow are invaluable. It's there that Zapier comes into play (a unique online service that helps you automate many common WordPress tasks).
You can use it to integrate your website with popular social networks and other tools, allowing you to combine and automate tasks such as posting your blog posts on social media, backing up your projects or even adding new content to your calendar.
In this tutorial, we will tell you how Zapier can help you. Before that, let's talk a bit more about Zapier.
But before you start, take the time to take a look at How to install a WordPress theme, How many plugins to install on WordPress.
Then let's get to work.
Presentation of Zapier
Zapier is a service that allows you to automate the workflow on common applications and tasks, resulting in the creation of "Zaps". This may include importing content from other platforms, display of RSS feed elements, sharing survey responses and more.
By using Zapier, you can essentially integrate WordPress with a wide variety of platforms and social networks. Each Zap is simple to configure and will help you streamline your day-to-day workflow. Once you have created one, it will work automatically without any additional effort on your part.
Key features:
- Automate tasks using Zaps.
- Integrates WordPress easily with social platforms and other popular tools.
- Sets simple tasks to automatically execute all 5 to 15 minutes.
- Uses up to 250 zaps at a time and automates up to 50 tasks per month.
Price: Plans start at $ 20 / month | More information
How to create a Zap
The first thing you'll notice is that Zapier is incredibly easy to use. Once you sign up for a plan or a free trial period, you can start building your Zaps.
Zapier has a huge library of Zap options, including around XNUMX WordPress specific. Your first step will be to search their library for the platform you want to integrate. Alternatively, you can just browse to explore the possibilities. Once you've found a probable Zap, click Use this Zap to visit the configuration screen:
Read also: How to use shortcodes in WordPress widgets
Each Zap is different, but the creation process is essentially the same. Zapier will walk you through the process step by step. Typically, you will need to provide the credentials for your website and the tool you want to integrate with (like Facebook, YouTube, Google Docs, etc.).
Then you will usually receive a few optional parameters to determine how the application will work. For example, automatically posting new WordPress posts to the Facebook Zap page will allow you to customize the types of posts the app should find and post on Facebook:
After configuring each platform, the system will ask you to run an optional test to make sure it is properly connected. After that, your new Zap is ready for use! It will run automatically until you disable or delete it, performing its task every 5 to 15 minutes depending on your plan and particular Zap settings.
If you are having trouble creating a Zap, you can consult the Zapier Help Center, which should be of great help to you.
5 tasks that Zapier will help you accomplish easily
Now you know what Zapier can do and how to start the service, it's time to introduce some available Zaps. As we mentioned earlier, there are a ton of Zaps that integrate WordPress with different platforms and tools.
In this list, we've put together some of the most useful and popular options, so you can get an idea of the types of tasks that Zapier can simplify.
See also: 9 maintenance tasks to be performed regularly on WordPress
1 - Automatically post new WordPress posts to the Facebook page
Facebook is a great way to connect with your audience and woo new readers. However, you may not always have the time to create unique content for your website and Facebook account. This Zap offers a solution, by allowing share your new WordPress articles automatically on your Facebook page.
2 - Tweet your new WordPress articles automatically
This Zap is designed for share your recent posts on Twitter (as indicated by his name). Twitter is a great platform to get your content to as many readers as possible right away, but logging in and posting a link to each new post can be inconvenient.
To set up automatic Twitter updates using this Zap, you will need to connect your website and Twitter account. You can determine the format of each tweet and decide whether or not to shorten the URLs of your articles. Additionally, you can set parameters that tell the Zap what types of articles to use for tweeting.
3 - Post new Instagram photos to your WordPress blog
Along with sharing your WordPress posts on social media websites, it also comes in handy add your social media content to your blog. Readers will appreciate the variety more than textual entries. For example, you can use a Zap to post your Instagram photos to your blog.
This Zap is not complicated to implement. It just requires that the account credentials can automatically import all new photos to WordPress. However, you can determine how blog posts will be formatted using the settings and decide on a category for those posts.
4 - Post new YouTube videos to your WordPress blog
If you have a Youtube channel in addition to your blog, you may be interested in an easy way to promote your new videos. With this Zap, you can make sure that every video you post on YouTube will also be posted to your blog, without the need to create a post and embed the file manually.
To use this Zap, all you need to do is connect it to a particular YouTube account and provide a username. It will monitor new videos posted by this user. When you add your WordPress account, you can determine what each video post will look like on your blog. You can also decide whether it will be published immediately or saved as draft.
Discover also some premium WordPress plugins
You can use other WordPress plugins to give a modern appearance and to optimize the handling of your blog or website.
We offer you here some premium WordPress plugins that will help you do that.
1. PAYPAL CURRENCY CONVERTER PRO FOR WOOCOMMERCE
Ce WordPress Plugin premium allows you to convert currencies allowed on PayPal to any currency available on WooCommerce.
It is intended for Online shops who use rare currencies other than the known ones: EUR, USD, AUD, etc.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
2. Ajax Translator Revolution
Translator Revolution is a user-friendly and highly customizable WordPress translation plugin. It's simple enough to get started, yet powerful enough to create highly personalized translation setups.
This is a machine translation plugin, which means you won't have to spend countless hours manually translating your WordPress blog. It might take a minute, yes a single minute, to have your website translated into multiple languages !
See also 5 Tricks to better translate your WordPress blog
Translator Revolution supports a total of 91 languages.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
3. WordPress Comment Rating Plugin
It's about a comment evaluation system. It allows you to let users rate the various comments. They will just have to click on the preview button and scroll down to the comments section to see the plugin in action.
In its functionalities we find mainly: ease of use, support for custom icon colors, ranking comments according to the notes, the customization of the size of the icons, custom CSS support, IP encryption (for European users), the possibility to translate this plugin and more.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
Recommended Resources
Find out about other recommended resources to help you build and manage your website.
- 7 WordPress plugins to create designs for your products
- 4 WordPress plugins to save on DropBox
- How to add infinite scrolling to a WordPress blog
- 10 WordPress plugins to receive donations on your blog
Conclusion
Here ! That's all for this tutorial, I hope it will allow you to find in Zap a very practical tool to allow you to automate your daily tasks. Do not hesitate to share with your friends on your favorite social networks.
However, you can also consult our resources, if you need more elements to carry out your projects of creation of Internet sites, by consulting our guide on WordPress blog creation.
If you have suggestions or remarks, leave them in our section Comments.
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