Getting started

Before you install

PostPulse needs WordPress 6.4 or newer and PHP 8.0 or newer. It also needs a Google Search Console property for your site, because Search Console is where every traffic number in the plugin comes from. If you have never set that up, do it first and let Google collect a few days of data.

1. Install and activate

Add PostPulse from your WordPress plugins screen and activate it. A new PostPulse item appears in your admin menu.

2. Connect Search Console

Open PostPulse and click Connect. Sign in with the Google account that owns your Search Console property and approve read only access.

You do not need a Google Cloud project. PostPulse runs the connection through its own verified Google app, so the whole thing is one click and a consent screen.

If the account holds more than one property, PostPulse asks which ones belong to this site rather than connecting all of them. Properties that match your domain are ticked for you. You can add or remove properties later on the Connection tab.

Using your own Google credentials

If you would rather the connection sat under your own Google Cloud project, open Settings, Connection, and expand the advanced section to paste your own client ID and secret. This is optional and most people should ignore it.

3. Wait for the first sync

The first sync pulls your Search Console history, then scores every published post. A small site takes seconds. A site with thousands of posts takes a few minutes. After that PostPulse refreshes once a day on its own, and you can force a refresh from Settings, Sync.

When the first sync finishes you land on the dashboard.

What you see first

• Impact Summary. What PostPulse has actually done for the site so far. On a new install this is mostly zeros and says so.
• Search traffic. Clicks and impressions over your chosen window, with the biggest movers underneath.
• Health distribution. How many posts are healthy, need attention, or are in trouble.
• Posts. Every published post with its score, trend, staleness and a plain recommendation.

Why the graph stops a day or two before today

This is the first thing people report, and it is not a fault.

Google only serves Search Console data once it has finalised it, and finalising takes a day or two. Until then Google returns nothing at all for those days, so the last point on your chart is normally one to two days behind today. PostPulse asks for everything up to today and shows exactly what Google gives back.

If the gap is larger than that, check Settings, Sync to confirm the last sync succeeded, and use Sync Now.

If something goes wrong

No data after connecting

Confirm the property is listed on the Connection tab and has a sync date. A brand new Search Console property genuinely has no history yet, and PostPulse cannot invent it. Otherwise use Sync Now and watch for an error.

The sync never finishes

Syncs run on WordPress cron, which only fires when someone visits the site. On a quiet site that can delay things. Sync Now from Settings runs it immediately.

Pro features are missing

Pro is two plugins, and the usual cause is that the second one is not installed yet. Your license key switches on the AI features by itself; the action queue, decay alerts, the 404 monitor, external link checking and 90 day history come from the separate PostPulse Pro plugin. Open Settings, Plan and Billing: if it is missing, there is a Download button there, and Plan and billing has the steps.

If the plugin is installed and active and the plan still reads Free, the license itself is not being verified. That is usually a host blocking outgoing requests to api.postpulse.net.