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ThinkRank AI SEO – AI SEO Plugin for WordPress: Schema, XML Sitemaps, Meta Tags, Search Console & Local SEO / 2.9.0
ThinkRank AI SEO – AI SEO Plugin for WordPress: Schema, XML Sitemaps, Meta Tags, Search Console & Local SEO v2.9.0
2.9.0 2.8.0 2.7.0 2.6.0 2.5.0 2.4.0 2.3.0 2.2.0 2.1.1 2.1.0 2.0.2 2.0.1 2.0.0 1.32.0 1.31.0 1.30.0 1.29.0 1.28.0 1.27.0 1.26.0 1.25.0 trunk 1.0.0 1.0.1 1.0.2 All 50 releases
← All changes | readme.txt +186 -340 2.0.0 → 2.9.0 View file →
@@ -1,230 +1,145 @@
1 -=== ThinkRank – The SEO Plugin Your AI Assistant Can Operate: Metadata, Schema, Sitemaps & Migration ===
1 +=== ThinkRank AI SEO – AI SEO Plugin for WordPress: Schema, XML Sitemaps, Meta Tags, Search Console & Local SEO ===
2 2 Contributors: wpdevteam, thinkrank, re_enter_rupok, rafinkhan, rudlinkon, mdnahidhasan
3 -Tags: seo, ai, schema, xml sitemap, meta description
3 +Tags: seo, ai seo, schema, xml sitemap, google search console
4 4 Requires at least: 6.0
5 5 Tested up to: 7.1
6 6 Requires PHP: 7.4
7 -Stable tag: 2.0.0
7 +Stable tag: 2.9.0
8 8 License: GPLv2 or later
9 9 License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
10 10
11 -Switch from Yoast, Rank Math, AIOSEO or SEOPress in minutes. Run SEO from an AI chat window — every AI feature included, no credit meter.
11 +WordPress SEO plugin with AI SEO: meta descriptions, schema, XML sitemaps, Search Console, llms.txt, AEO & GEO. Your AI SEO assistant runs it via MCP.
12 12
13 13 == Description ==
14 14
15 -**[ThinkRank](https://thinkrank.ai/) is the WordPress SEO plugin your AI assistant can operate.** Ask Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to write metadata, audit posts, fix schema, and run bulk SEO work on your site — in plain language, from the chat window you already use. Underneath sits a complete SEO plugin: meta titles and descriptions, real-time content analysis, keyword optimization, schema markup, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, Open Graph, and Google Search Console + GA4 insights.
15 +**[ThinkRank](https://thinkrank.ai/) is the AI SEO plugin for WordPress that your AI assistant can operate.** Ask Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to write metadata, audit posts, fix schema, and run bulk SEO work on your site - in plain language, from the chat window you already use. Underneath sits a complete SEO plugin: meta tags (SEO titles and meta descriptions), real-time on-page content analysis, keyword optimization, schema markup and structured data, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, Open Graph and Twitter Cards, Local SEO, llms.txt, and Google Search Console + GA4 insights - built for Google and for AI search (AEO and GEO) alike.
16 16
17 17 Two things make ThinkRank different, and both are checkable:
18 18
19 -* **Your assistant runs it directly.** ThinkRank ships a built-in connection for AI assistants (a self-hosted MCP server) — no companion plugin, no terminal. No other WordPress SEO plugin ships one.
20 -* **Every AI feature is included, with no credit meter.** You bring your own API key (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, OpenRouter), so there are no monthly AI credits to buy, meter, or watch expire — in free and in Pro alike.
19 +* **Your assistant runs it directly.** A built-in, self-hosted MCP server connects your AI assistant - no companion plugin, no terminal. No other WordPress SEO plugin ships one.
20 +* **Every AI feature is included at a flat price, with no credit meter.** Bring your own API key (OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, OpenRouter): no monthly AI credits to buy, meter, or watch expire - in free and in Pro alike.
21 21
22 -Switching? The Setup Wizard **imports your data from Yoast SEO, Rank Math, AIOSEO, and SEOPress** and takes over cleanly — details below.
22 +Switching? The Setup Wizard **imports your data from Yoast SEO, Rank Math, AIOSEO, SEOPress, and Squirrly SEO**. ThinkRank works where you build - **Gutenberg, Elementor, Divi, Oxygen/Breakdance, and the Classic Editor** - and on multilingual sites running **WPML, Polylang or TranslatePress**.
23 23
24 -It works where you already build: **Gutenberg, Elementor, Divi, Oxygen/Breakdance, and the Classic Editor** — and on multilingual sites running **WPML, Polylang or TranslatePress**.
25 -
26 24 = Watch: SEO in the Assistant Era =
27 25
28 -SEO creator Tin Rovic on how AI assistants and answer engines are changing day-to-day SEO work:
26 +SEO creator WP Simple Hacks on how AI assistants and answer engines are changing day-to-day SEO work:
29 27
30 -https://youtu.be/TEzfS2dAMC8
28 +https://youtu.be/gdU3TwA1fPM
31 29
32 -= Run Your SEO From a Chat Window — Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor =
30 += Run Your SEO From a Chat Window: MCP for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor =
33 31
34 -ThinkRank ships a self-contained **Model Context Protocol (MCP) server** built right into the plugin — no companion plugin, no external libraries, no terminal. It turns your AI assistant into an **SEO operator, not just an SEO copywriter**.
32 +ThinkRank's self-contained **Model Context Protocol (MCP) server** turns your AI assistant into an **SEO operator, not just an SEO copywriter**.
35 33
36 -* **Connect Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor** or any MCP-compatible AI assistant to your WordPress site.
37 -* **Ask for SEO in plain language:**
38 - * "Write an SEO title and meta description for this post."
39 - * "Which posts are missing SEO metadata?"
40 - * "Add FAQ schema to this page."
41 - * "Generate an llms.txt file for my website."
42 - * "Review this page and suggest on-page SEO improvements."
43 - * "Check Search Console opportunities for pages with high impressions and low CTR."
44 -* **35+ SEO tools** exposed to your assistant — metadata, schema, site identity, sitemaps, robots.txt & robots meta, image SEO, social meta, instant indexing, llms.txt, SEO scores, insights and opportunities.
45 -* **Connection health check** — a "Test connection" button makes a real call and tells you exactly which step failed: HTTPS, authentication, permissions, or ability discovery.
46 -* **Safe imports** — connected assistants can preview an SEO import as a dry run before anything is written.
34 +* **Connect Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor** or any MCP-compatible AI assistant: Claude in one click through a guided OAuth 2.1 flow, others with an Application Password and ready-made configuration.
35 +* **Ask for SEO in plain language:** "Write an SEO title and meta description for this post", "Which posts are missing SEO metadata?", "Add FAQ schema to this page", "Check Search Console opportunities for pages with high impressions and low CTR."
36 +* **35+ SEO tools** exposed over MCP - metadata, schema, site identity, sitemaps, robots.txt and robots meta, image SEO, social meta, instant indexing, llms.txt, SEO scores and opportunities.
37 +* **Safe by default** - off until an admin enables it, revocable in one click, with a connection health check and dry-run previews of SEO imports.
47 38
48 -= Easy Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and MCP Client Setup =
39 += Migrate from Rank Math, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO, SEOPress or Squirrly =
49 40
50 -* **One-click Claude connection** via a guided OAuth 2.1 flow with PKCE — no API key to copy, no config file.
51 -* **Application Password fallback** for ChatGPT, Cursor, and other MCP-compatible clients, with ready-made configuration details.
52 -* **No companion plugin required** and **no terminal setup**.
53 -* **Admin-controlled and off by default** — enable it under ThinkRank → MCP whenever you're ready.
54 -* **Revocable in one click** — delete the connected Application Password and access is removed immediately.
41 +The Setup Wizard detects your current SEO plugin and imports metadata, schema, sitemap, image SEO and title-format settings from **Rank Math SEO, Yoast SEO, All in One SEO (AIOSEO), SEOPress, and Squirrly SEO** - then deactivates the old plugin once its data is safely migrated.
55 42
56 -= Migrate from Rank Math, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO or SEOPress =
43 +Looking for a **Rank Math, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO or SEOPress alternative** because of upsell notices, metered AI credits or per-site pricing? This migration path is built for exactly that switch.
57 44
58 -A guided Setup Wizard detects your current SEO plugin and imports your metadata, schema settings, sitemap settings, image SEO data, templates, and related SEO settings from **Rank Math SEO, Yoast SEO, All in One SEO (AIOSEO), and SEOPress** — then deactivates the old plugin once its data is safely migrated.
45 += AI SEO Metadata Generator: Meta Tags, SEO Titles and Meta Descriptions =
59 46
60 -The importers go well past basic post meta: title formats per page type, Knowledge Graph and organization identity, author archive settings, role permissions, IndexNow keys and submission history, per-post sitemap exclusions, breadcrumb settings, social defaults, News/Video sitemap post types, and local business details all carry over where the source plugin has them.
47 +* AI-generated SEO titles and meta descriptions for posts, pages, products, and custom post types, written for search snippets and click-through rate.
48 +* Live SERP preview, one-click apply, and fully editable fields.
61 49
62 -If you're looking for a **Rank Math, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO, or SEOPress alternative** because of upsell notices, metered AI credits, or per-site pricing, this migration path is built for exactly that switch — and our promotional surface stays confined to ThinkRank's own settings pages, where every notice is dismissible.
63 -
64 -= AI SEO Metadata Generator for Titles and Meta Descriptions =
65 -
66 -* Generate SEO title suggestions for posts, pages, products, and custom post types.
67 -* AI meta descriptions written for search snippets and click-through rate.
68 -* Live SERP preview before you publish.
69 -* Apply suggestions with one click — no copy-pasting.
70 -* Fully editable fields with manual override.
71 -
72 50 = SEO Content Analysis, Focus Keywords and Keyword Optimization =
73 51
74 -* Real-time content analysis with a 13-factor SEO score.
75 -* Focus keyword tracking and usage (up to 5 keywords per post) with cannibalization warnings.
76 -* Actionable recommendations for title, meta description, headings, links, readability, and structure.
77 -* One-click "Apply" for AI-suggested fixes — not just generic advice.
78 -* **"Explain with AI"** on any suggestion — a short, post-specific explanation of why it matters and how to fix it.
79 -* **Bulk SEO Optimization** — review and fix titles, descriptions, and keywords across many posts from one screen.
52 +* Real-time on-page SEO content analysis with a 13-factor SEO score.
53 +* Focus keyword tracking (up to 5 focus keywords per post) with cannibalization warnings.
54 +* Recommendations for titles, meta descriptions, headings, links, readability, and structure - with one-click "Apply" and **"Explain with AI"**.
55 +* **Bulk SEO Optimization** - fix titles, descriptions, and keywords across many posts from one screen.
80 56
81 -= Site SEO Analyzer — a Whole-Site Audit With No Google Connection =
57 += Site SEO Analyzer: Whole-Site Audit With No Google Connection =
82 58
83 -* A crawl-free, whole-site SEO audit with a **0–100 score and letter grade**.
84 -* Checks across **Basic SEO, Advanced SEO, Content, Performance & Technical, and Security**.
85 -* Per-category results with "how to fix" guidance, plus deep links straight to the relevant setting.
86 -* Runs without connecting Google — useful on staging, new sites, and client audits.
59 +* The Site SEO Analyzer is a crawl-free, whole-site SEO audit with a **0–100 score and letter grade** across Basic SEO, Advanced SEO, Content, Performance & Technical, and Security.
60 +* "How to fix" guidance that deep-links to the relevant setting - works on staging, new sites, and client audits.
87 61
88 62 = Schema Markup and Structured Data for Rich Snippets =
89 63
90 -Output valid JSON-LD structured data so search engines can show rich results:
64 +* Valid JSON-LD for Organization, Website, Article, FAQ, HowTo, VideoObject, Review, Local Business, and Breadcrumb schema, so search engines can show rich results.
65 +* Out-of-the-box schema on posts, pages, CPTs, archives, and the homepage, validated before it reaches Search Console.
66 +* **Import Schema From Any Website** to start from a competitor's structured data.
91 67
92 -* Organization, Website, Article, FAQ, HowTo, VideoObject, Review, Local Business, and Breadcrumb schema.
93 -* Out-of-the-box schema on posts, pages, CPTs, archives, and the homepage.
94 -* **Import Schema From Any Website** to clone a competitor's structured data as a starting point.
95 -* Deployment validation to catch structured-data errors before they reach Search Console.
96 -
97 68 = SEO Blocks: FAQ, HowTo and Table of Contents =
98 69
99 -* **FAQ block** — inline Q&A rendered as an accordion that works with **no JavaScript**, and outputs FAQPage structured data automatically.
100 -* **HowTo block** — step-by-step instructions with per-step images and total time, with automatic HowTo schema.
101 -* **Table of Contents block** — builds its list live from your headings, adds anchor links that work without JavaScript, and emits SiteNavigationElement schema.
102 -* **Elementor widgets** for all three, so Elementor-built pages get the same content patterns and structured data as Gutenberg.
70 +* **FAQ, HowTo and Table of Contents blocks** that output FAQPage, HowTo and SiteNavigationElement structured data automatically and work without JavaScript - with **Elementor widgets** for all three.
103 71
104 72 = Works With Every Page Builder =
105 73
106 -Page builders store their content outside `post_content`, which is why SEO plugins often report a 1,500-word page as empty. ThinkRank reads each builder's own stored content, so scoring, bulk optimization, the post-list SEO column, cron reports, and AI assistants all see the real words on the page.
74 +Page builders store content outside `post_content`, so many SEO plugins score a 1,500-word page as empty. ThinkRank reads each builder's stored content and adds its SEO panel inside **Gutenberg** (with a live SEO score badge), **Elementor**, the **Divi** Visual Builder, **Oxygen / Breakdance**, and the **Classic Editor**.
107 75
108 -* **Gutenberg / Block Editor** — a pinned "Configure SEO" launcher in the editor header with a live SEO score badge.
109 -* **Elementor** — edit ThinkRank SEO fields without leaving the Elementor editor.
110 -* **Divi** — a ThinkRank button in the Divi Visual Builder page bar opens the full SEO panel over the canvas.
111 -* **Oxygen / Breakdance** — a floating launcher inside the builder opens the same SEO panel, with content read straight from the builder's node tree.
112 -* **Classic Editor** — the full ThinkRank metabox with a bottom drawer and live SEO pattern previews.
113 -
114 76 = Multilingual SEO for WPML, Polylang and TranslatePress =
115 77
116 -* **SEO fields in the WPML Translation Editor** — SEO title, meta description, social titles/descriptions, and focus keyword are exposed as translatable strings, so translators no longer need to open every language by hand.
117 -* **Correct `og:locale` and `og:locale:alternate`** — each translated page advertises its own language and links to its alternates for social crawlers.
118 -* **hreflang without duplicates** — ThinkRank emits hreflang tags **only** when WPML or Polylang isn't already printing them, so you never end up with two competing sets.
119 -* **Language-aware XML sitemaps** — the sitemap covers every language, instead of only the one that was active when it was generated.
120 -* **Sensible per-field behaviour** — copy for indexing intent and imagery, translate for copy, and never copy an explicit canonical onto a translation (which would point it back at the source language).
121 -* Detected automatically, and completely inactive on monolingual sites.
78 +SEO fields in the WPML Translation Editor, correct `og:locale` alternates, hreflang only when WPML or Polylang isn't already printing it, and language-aware XML sitemaps - detected automatically, inactive on monolingual sites.
122 79
123 -= XML Sitemap Generator and Indexing Tools =
80 += XML Sitemap Generator and Instant Indexing =
124 81
125 -* Multiple sitemap modes: Basic, Complete, E-commerce, and Segmented.
126 -* Real sitemap index with paginated child sitemaps, automatic splitting of oversized sitemaps, and per-post-type controls.
127 -* Memory-efficient generation that stays fast on large sites.
82 +* Basic, Complete, E-commerce, and Segmented sitemap modes with a real sitemap index, paginated child sitemaps and per-post-type controls - fast on large sites.
128 83 * AI-optimized robots.txt with automatic sitemap discovery.
129 -* **Instant Indexing** — submit new and updated URLs straight to search engines (IndexNow) for faster indexing, in the background via WP-Cron.
84 +* **Instant Indexing** - submit new and updated URLs to search engines through IndexNow.
130 85
131 -= llms.txt Generator =
86 += Built for AI Search: AEO, GEO and llms.txt =
132 87
133 -* Generate and maintain an llms.txt file — a Markdown index of your important content that AI coding agents and agentic tools read by convention.
134 -* Straight talk, because you deserve a vendor that gives it: Google has stated llms.txt does not affect Google Search or AI Overviews, and no reliable evidence ties the file to AI citations. We ship it as useful infrastructure for AI tooling, not as a ranking lever.
135 -* Auto-regenerates as your content changes, with full control over what's included.
88 +**Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)** is being the answer ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude and Google AI Overviews give; **Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)** is being the source they cite. ThinkRank ships the groundwork both depend on - no unverifiable ranking claims:
136 89
90 +* **Structured data AI systems can parse**, validated before output.
91 +* **Consistent on-page signals** - meta titles and descriptions, canonical URLs, robots directives and Open Graph that agree everywhere.
92 +* **llms.txt generator** - a maintained Markdown index of your key content for AI agents and tools. Google has said llms.txt does not affect Google Search, so we ship it as infrastructure, not a ranking lever.
93 +* **An AI assistant in the loop** - ask Claude or ChatGPT to review a page the way an answer engine reads it, and apply the fixes from the same chat.
94 +
137 95 = Google Search Console, GA4 and SEO Insights =
138 96
139 -* Google Search Console: clicks, impressions, queries, and keyword opportunities inside WordPress.
140 -* **Website Insights dashboard widget** — your last 30 days of Search Console traffic, top queries, and headline metrics right on the WordPress dashboard.
141 -* Google Analytics 4: traffic and organic performance.
142 -* PageSpeed Insights and Core Web Vitals monitoring.
143 -* AI-powered, natural-language explanations, trends, and scheduled email SEO reports.
97 +* Google Search Console clicks, impressions, queries, and keyword opportunities inside WordPress, plus a **Website Insights dashboard widget** for your last 30 days.
98 +* Google Analytics 4 traffic and organic performance, PageSpeed Insights and Core Web Vitals monitoring, and scheduled email SEO reports.
144 99
145 100 = On-Page & Technical SEO: Robots Meta, Canonical URLs, Robots.txt, Breadcrumbs =
146 101
147 -* Canonical URL controls to manage duplicate-content signals.
148 -* Robots meta settings (noindex, nofollow) per post and globally.
149 -* Robots.txt management with sitemap linking, kept in sync with the live file.
150 -* Schema-enabled breadcrumb navigation, with context-aware titles and an optional border.
151 -* Site identity and title-format management, including Tag and Archive title formats with context-aware variable buttons.
102 +* Canonical URL controls, robots meta (noindex, nofollow) per post and globally, and robots.txt management kept in sync with the live file.
103 +* Schema-enabled breadcrumbs, site identity, and title formats for posts, tags and archives.
152 104
153 -= Open Graph and Social Meta =
105 += Open Graph, Twitter Cards and Social Media Previews =
154 106
155 -* Open Graph metadata, social titles, and descriptions.
156 -* Twitter/X card support.
157 -* Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest previews with real-time editing.
158 -* Social profile fields validated before they're published as verification tags.
107 +* Open Graph metadata and Twitter Cards (X), with Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest social media previews you edit in real time.
159 108
160 109 = AI Content Brief Generator =
161 110
162 -* Generate a full content brief — outline, headings, entities, and content gaps — from a target keyword.
163 -* Competitor analysis so you can see what's already ranking.
164 -* Generate a **complete article draft**, not just an outline, in a tabbed layout.
165 -* Save briefs and export them in multiple formats.
111 +* A full content brief - outline, headings, entities, content gaps and competitor analysis - from a target keyword, plus a **complete article draft**, saved and exportable.
166 112
167 113 = Image SEO, Local SEO & WooCommerce =
168 114
169 -* **Image SEO** — automated alt text written to the Media Library record itself, so it works everywhere (not just in rendered content). Bulk-fill every image missing alt text, auto-fill new uploads, and optionally overwrite existing alt text.
170 -* **Local SEO** — business information, opening hours, location data, Local Business schema, and a local sitemap.
171 -* **WooCommerce** — product metadata and E-commerce sitemap support (advanced product SEO is available in ThinkRank Pro).
115 +* **Image SEO** - automated alt text written to the Media Library itself: bulk-fill missing alt text and auto-fill new uploads.
116 +* **Local SEO** - business information, opening hours, Local Business schema, and a local sitemap.
117 +* **WooCommerce SEO** - product metadata and an E-commerce sitemap.
172 118
173 119 = Role Manager: Team and Client Access Control =
174 120
175 -* Control which roles can access Essential SEO, AI Tools, and Settings areas.
176 -* A role × capability matrix, so editors, authors, contributors, and custom roles get exactly the SEO access you intend.
177 -* Access rules are enforced on the REST API too, not just hidden in the menu.
121 +A role × capability matrix controls which roles reach Essential SEO, AI Tools, and Settings - enforced on the REST API, not just hidden in the menu.
178 122
179 -= Bring Your Own AI Provider Key =
180 -
181 -ThinkRank works with **OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, and compatible custom endpoints** — you bring your own key, so you keep direct control over model selection, cost, and privacy.
182 -
183 -* **No AI key needed for:** metadata fields, schema controls, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, breadcrumbs, Open Graph, Search Console/GA4 connections, the Site SEO Analyzer, multilingual output, page-builder integrations, and most dashboard controls.
184 -* **AI key required for:** AI metadata generation, content briefs, AI insights, "Explain with AI", and the generative MCP tools.
185 -
186 123 = ThinkRank Pro =
187 124
188 -Upgrade to **ThinkRank Pro** for advanced, agentic-ready SEO automation:
125 +Upgrade to **ThinkRank Pro** for advanced SEO automation, also available to your AI assistant over MCP:
189 126
190 -* **Redirect Manager & 404 Monitor** — create and manage redirects (301/302/307/308/410/451) and log 404s with one-click "create redirect from 404".
191 -* **AI Internal Linking** — relevance-ranked internal-link suggestions with one-click insertion, in bulk by post type.
192 -* **Broken Link Checker** — scan content, verify links, and fix, unlink, or dismiss broken URLs.
193 -* **Rank Tracker** — track keyword positions over time with daily Search Console snapshots and per-keyword history charts.
194 -* **Custom Schema & Display Conditions** — add any JSON-LD schema type and control exactly where it outputs, with live validation.
195 -* **Advanced WooCommerce SEO** — product identifiers (GTIN/MPN/ISBN), variation offers, and product Open Graph.
196 -* **Multi-location Local SEO** — a locations table, per-location LocalBusiness schema, and the `[thinkrank_locations]` shortcode.
197 -* **Publisher Sitemaps** — News and Video sitemaps — plus additional focus keywords.
198 -* **Advanced Analytics** — GA4 users overview, traffic channels, top content, and URL index status inside WordPress.
199 -* Pro features are exposed to connected AI assistants through the MCP server too.
127 +* **Redirect Manager & 404 Monitor** (301/302/307/308/410/451) and a **Broken Link Checker**.
128 +* **AI Internal Linking** - relevance-ranked suggestions with one-click insertion.
129 +* **Rank Tracker** - daily keyword positions from Search Console with history charts.
130 +* **Custom Schema & Display Conditions**, **Advanced WooCommerce SEO** (GTIN/MPN/ISBN, variation offers) and **Multi-location Local SEO**.
131 +* **News and Video sitemaps**, additional focus keywords, and **Advanced Analytics** for GA4 and URL index status.
200 132
201 -= Perfect For =
202 -
203 -* WordPress site owners who want AI-powered SEO
204 -* Bloggers and publishers producing content at scale
205 -* SEO professionals and agencies managing client sites
206 -* WooCommerce stores and local businesses
207 -* Elementor, Divi, and Oxygen/Breakdance site builders
208 -* Multilingual sites running WPML or Polylang
209 -* Content teams, developers, and AI power users
210 -* Teams that run their work through an AI assistant
211 -
212 133 = Why Choose ThinkRank? =
213 134
214 -* The only WordPress SEO plugin your AI assistant can operate directly (built-in MCP server)
215 -* Every AI feature included at a flat price — your own API key, no monthly credit meter
216 -* Real on-page and technical SEO — not just an AI writer
217 -* AI-generated meta titles and descriptions with SERP preview
218 -* SEO content analysis and keyword optimization with one-click fixes
219 -* A whole-site SEO Analyzer that needs no Google connection
220 -* Accurate scoring on Elementor, Divi, and Oxygen/Breakdance pages
221 -* WPML and Polylang support with correct hreflang and per-language sitemaps
222 -* Schema markup and structured data for rich snippets, plus FAQ/HowTo/TOC blocks
223 -* XML sitemap generator, robots.txt, instant indexing, and llms.txt
224 -* Search Console and GA4 insights inside WordPress
225 -* Role Manager for team and client access control
226 -* One-click migration from Rank Math, Yoast, AIOSEO, and SEOPress
135 +* The only WordPress SEO plugin your AI assistant can operate directly, through a built-in MCP server
136 +* AI SEO titles and meta descriptions, schema markup and structured data, XML sitemaps, robots.txt and llms.txt in one plugin
137 +* A Site SEO Analyzer that needs no Google connection, and accurate SEO scores on Elementor, Divi and Oxygen/Breakdance pages
138 +* AEO and GEO groundwork for ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews
139 +* Multilingual SEO with correct hreflang for WPML and Polylang
140 +* One-click migration from Rank Math, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO, SEOPress and Squirrly SEO
141 +* Built for bloggers, publishers, agencies, WooCommerce stores and teams that work through an AI assistant
227 142
228 143 == Installation ==
229 144
230 145 **Minimum Requirements**
@@ -239,15 +154,15 @@
239 154 4. Run the ThinkRank Setup Wizard.
240 155
241 156 **Setup Workflow**
242 157 1. Open the ThinkRank Setup Wizard.
243 -2. Import existing SEO data from Rank Math, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO, or SEOPress if needed.
158 +2. Import existing SEO data from Rank Math, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO, SEOPress, or Squirrly SEO if needed.
244 159 3. Choose your AI provider and enter your API key for AI features.
245 160 4. Configure metadata, schema, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, social meta, Search Console, GA4, and llms.txt.
246 161 5. (Optional) Enable the MCP server under ThinkRank → MCP and connect Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor.
247 162
248 163 **Connect the MCP Server**
249 -* *Claude:* enable the MCP server, copy your site's MCP URL, add it in Claude, and approve the connection through the guided OAuth 2.1 flow — no manual API key required.
164 +* *Claude:* enable the MCP server, copy your site's MCP URL, add it in Claude, and approve the connection through the guided OAuth 2.1 flow - no manual API key required.
250 165 * *ChatGPT, Cursor & other MCP clients:* use the Application Password fallback and the ready-made configuration details ThinkRank provides.
251 166
252 167 **Getting API Keys**
253 168 * OpenAI: https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
@@ -262,9 +177,9 @@
262 177 ThinkRank is an AI SEO plugin for WordPress that helps manage metadata, on-page SEO, technical SEO, schema markup, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, Open Graph social meta, Google Search Console insights, GA4 analytics, llms.txt, and AI-powered SEO recommendations. It also includes a built-in MCP server so AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor can help run SEO tasks in plain language.
263 178
264 179 = What is the ThinkRank MCP server? =
265 180
266 -The ThinkRank MCP server is a built-in Model Context Protocol server that lets compatible AI assistants connect to your WordPress site and work with ThinkRank's SEO tools. After authorization, your AI assistant can help generate metadata, review SEO opportunities, work with schema, manage llms.txt, inspect SEO scores, and guide optimization workflows — without constant dashboard switching.
181 +The ThinkRank MCP server is a built-in Model Context Protocol server that lets compatible AI assistants connect to your WordPress site and work with ThinkRank's SEO tools. After authorization, your AI assistant can help generate metadata, review SEO opportunities, work with schema, manage llms.txt, inspect SEO scores, and guide optimization workflows - without constant dashboard switching.
267 182
268 183 = How do I connect ThinkRank to Claude? =
269 184
270 185 Enable the MCP server in ThinkRank, copy your site's MCP URL, add it to Claude, and approve the connection through the guided authorization flow. ThinkRank uses an OAuth 2.1 flow with PKCE protection, so you don't need to manually copy API keys into Claude for the standard connection.
@@ -282,9 +197,9 @@
282 197 Yes. ThinkRank adds a native SEO panel inside the Elementor editor, the Divi Visual Builder, and the Oxygen/Breakdance builder, alongside the Gutenberg launcher and the Classic Editor metabox. Just as importantly, ThinkRank reads the content those builders store outside `post_content`, so SEO scoring, bulk optimization, the post-list SEO column, and AI assistants analyze the real page content instead of reporting a builder page as empty.
283 198
284 199 = Does ThinkRank support WPML, Polylang and TranslatePress? =
285 200
286 -Yes. ThinkRank detects WPML and Polylang automatically. SEO fields appear in the WPML Translation Editor, each translated page advertises its own `og:locale` and links to its alternates, XML sitemaps cover every language, and hreflang tags are only added when your multilingual plugin isn't already printing them — so you don't end up with two competing sets. On monolingual sites the integration stays completely inactive.
201 +Yes. ThinkRank detects WPML and Polylang automatically. SEO fields appear in the WPML Translation Editor, each translated page advertises its own `og:locale` and links to its alternates, XML sitemaps cover every language, and hreflang tags are only added when your multilingual plugin isn't already printing them - so you don't end up with two competing sets. On monolingual sites the integration stays completely inactive.
287 202
288 203 = What is the Site SEO Analyzer? =
289 204
290 205 The Site SEO Analyzer is a crawl-free, whole-site audit that gives your site a 0–100 score and a letter grade without requiring a Google connection. It runs checks across Basic SEO, Advanced SEO, Content, Performance & Technical, and Security, and shows per-category results with "how to fix" guidance that deep-links to the relevant setting.
@@ -294,13 +209,13 @@
294 209 Yes. The Role Manager lets you decide which roles can access Essential SEO, AI Tools, and Settings, using a role × capability matrix. The rules are enforced on ThinkRank's REST API as well as in the admin menu, so access is genuinely restricted rather than just hidden.
295 210
296 211 = Do I need an AI API key to use ThinkRank? =
297 212
298 -You don't need an AI key for every core SEO feature. Metadata fields, schema controls, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, breadcrumbs, Open Graph, the Site SEO Analyzer, multilingual output, page-builder integrations, and Search Console/GA4 connections work without AI generation. AI-powered features — AI metadata generation, content briefs, AI insights, and generative MCP tools — require your own OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, OpenRouter, or compatible provider key.
213 +You don't need an AI key for every core SEO feature. Metadata fields, schema controls, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, breadcrumbs, Open Graph, the Site SEO Analyzer, multilingual output, page-builder integrations, and Search Console/GA4 connections work without AI generation. AI-powered features - AI metadata generation, content briefs, AI insights, and generative MCP tools - require your own OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, or OpenRouter API key.
299 214
300 215 = Which AI providers and models does ThinkRank support? =
301 216
302 -ThinkRank supports OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, and compatible custom endpoints. Model availability depends on your provider account and configured API key.
217 +ThinkRank supports OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, and OpenRouter. Model availability depends on your provider account and configured API key.
303 218
304 219 = Does ThinkRank generate SEO titles and meta descriptions? =
305 220
306 221 Yes. ThinkRank can generate SEO titles and meta descriptions with AI and lets you edit them before publishing, across posts, pages, products, and supported custom post types.
@@ -318,13 +233,13 @@
318 233 Yes. ThinkRank includes an XML sitemap generator with Basic, Complete, E-commerce, and Segmented modes, plus a real sitemap index with paginated child sitemaps, controls for post types, and sitemap discovery through robots.txt.
319 234
320 235 = What is llms.txt and why does ThinkRank support it? =
321 236
322 -llms.txt is an emerging convention: a Markdown index of your important content, kept at a fixed URL, that AI coding agents and agentic tools read to discover site content. ThinkRank generates and maintains it automatically. To be straight with you: Google has said llms.txt does not affect Google Search or AI Overviews, and we don't claim it earns AI citations — it is useful infrastructure for AI tooling, and that is the claim we stand behind.
237 +llms.txt is an emerging convention: a Markdown index of your important content, kept at a fixed URL, that AI coding agents and agentic tools read to discover site content. ThinkRank generates and maintains it automatically. To be straight with you: Google has said llms.txt does not affect Google Search or AI Overviews, and we don't claim it earns AI citations - it is useful infrastructure for AI tooling, and that is the claim we stand behind.
323 238
324 239 = Does ThinkRank work with Google Search Console and GA4? =
325 240
326 -Yes. ThinkRank connects with Google Search Console to show clicks, impressions, queries, and keyword opportunities inside WordPress — including a dashboard widget with your last 30 days of traffic — and supports GA4 for traffic and organic-performance insights.
241 +Yes. ThinkRank connects with Google Search Console to show clicks, impressions, queries, and keyword opportunities inside WordPress - including a dashboard widget with your last 30 days of traffic - and supports GA4 for traffic and organic-performance insights.
327 242
328 243 = Does ThinkRank support Open Graph, canonical URLs and noindex? =
329 244
330 245 Yes. ThinkRank includes Open Graph and social meta controls for Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and X/Twitter, plus canonical URL controls and robots meta settings such as noindex and nofollow.
@@ -330,13 +245,13 @@
330 245 Yes. ThinkRank includes Open Graph and social meta controls for Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and X/Twitter, plus canonical URL controls and robots meta settings such as noindex and nofollow.
331 246
332 247 = Is ThinkRank a Yoast, Rank Math, AIOSEO or SEOPress alternative? =
333 248
334 -Yes. ThinkRank covers the core SEO those plugins cover — metadata, schema, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, Search Console and GA4 insights — plus two things they don't sell at any price: an AI-assistant connection that operates the plugin directly, and AI features at a flat price with your own key instead of metered credits. The Setup Wizard imports your existing Rank Math, Yoast, AIOSEO, or SEOPress data and can deactivate the old plugin once migration completes.
249 +Yes. ThinkRank covers the core SEO those plugins cover - metadata, schema, XML sitemaps, robots meta, canonical URLs, Search Console and GA4 insights - plus two things they don't sell at any price: an AI-assistant connection that operates the plugin directly, and AI features at a flat price with your own key instead of metered credits. The Setup Wizard imports your existing Rank Math, Yoast, AIOSEO, or SEOPress data and can deactivate the old plugin once migration completes.
335 250
336 -= Can I migrate from AIOSEO or SEOPress? =
251 += Can I migrate from AIOSEO, SEOPress or Squirrly SEO? =
337 252
338 -Yes. ThinkRank's Setup Wizard imports supported SEO data from All in One SEO (AIOSEO) and SEOPress, along with Rank Math and Yoast SEO — including title formats, Knowledge Graph details, role permissions, author archive settings, IndexNow keys, breadcrumb settings, and social defaults.
253 +Yes. ThinkRank's Setup Wizard imports supported SEO data from All in One SEO (AIOSEO), SEOPress and Squirrly SEO, along with Rank Math and Yoast SEO - including title formats, Knowledge Graph details, role permissions, author archive settings, IndexNow keys, breadcrumb settings, and social defaults.
339 254
340 255 = Does ThinkRank include a redirect manager, 404 monitor, or internal linking? =
341 256
342 257 Redirect management, 404 monitoring, the broken link checker, and AI internal linking are available in ThinkRank Pro. The free plugin shows these sections with an option to upgrade.
@@ -346,211 +261,142 @@
346 261 Yes. The free plugin supports product metadata, an E-commerce sitemap mode, Local Business schema, business information, and a local sitemap. Advanced WooCommerce product SEO and multi-location Local SEO are available in ThinkRank Pro.
347 262
348 263 = Will ThinkRank conflict with my current SEO plugin? =
349 264
350 -For best results, use only one primary SEO plugin at a time — running two can create duplicate meta tags, duplicate schema, conflicting robots meta, and sitemap confusion. ThinkRank's migration workflow imports supported data and can deactivate the previous SEO plugin when migration is complete.
265 +For best results, use only one primary SEO plugin at a time - running two can create duplicate meta tags, duplicate schema, conflicting robots meta, and sitemap confusion. ThinkRank's migration workflow imports supported data and can deactivate the previous SEO plugin when migration is complete.
351 266
267 += Who is ThinkRank for? =
268 +
269 +WordPress site owners, bloggers and publishers producing content at scale, SEO professionals and agencies managing client sites, WooCommerce stores and local businesses, and teams that run their work through an AI assistant.
270 +
352 271 = Is ThinkRank free? =
353 272
354 -Yes, ThinkRank is a free WordPress SEO plugin with bring-your-own-key AI features — your AI provider usage is billed by the provider you choose, giving you direct control over model, cost, and privacy. There are no ThinkRank AI credits to buy and no monthly meter, in free or in Pro. ThinkRank Pro adds advanced automation such as the redirect manager, 404 monitor, internal linking, and rank tracker.
273 +Yes, ThinkRank is a free WordPress SEO plugin with bring-your-own-key AI features - your AI provider usage is billed by the provider you choose, giving you direct control over model, cost, and privacy. There are no ThinkRank AI credits to buy and no monthly meter, in free or in Pro. ThinkRank Pro adds advanced automation such as the redirect manager, 404 monitor, internal linking, and rank tracker.
355 274
356 -== Screenshots ==
275 +== External services ==
357 276
358 -1. Agentic AI SEO — connect Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to your WordPress SEO with the built-in MCP server.
359 -2. Your AI assistant generating and updating WordPress SEO metadata in plain language via ThinkRank's MCP tools.
360 -3. AI Metadata Generator — SEO title and meta description with a live SERP preview.
361 -4. SEO content analysis dashboard — 13-factor score, focus keyword, and one-click apply suggestions.
362 -5. Schema Manager — choose Article, FAQ, Local Business, or Review schema with validation.
363 -6. XML Sitemap generator — Basic, Complete, E-commerce, and Segmented modes with post-type controls.
364 -7. llms.txt generator — a maintained Markdown index of your content for AI agents and tools.
365 -8. Google Search Console & GA4 insights with Core Web Vitals inside WordPress.
366 -9. AI Content Brief Generator with competitor analysis and content gaps.
277 +Core SEO features need no external service. Each service below is contacted only when you use or switch on the feature that needs it - never to license or unlock ThinkRank features.
367 278
368 -== Changelog ==
279 += AI providers: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, OpenRouter =
369 280
370 -= 2.0.0 =
371 -Release Date: 2026-08-20
281 +For AI features: metadata and content brief generation, AI insights, "Explain with AI", image alt text, and the generative MCP tools. Only providers you add an API key for are contacted. ThinkRank sends that key and the content the task needs (such as a post's title and content, your prompt, or image data) when you run an AI action, or in the background for automatic AI features you switch on.
372 282
373 -- New: The FAQ block has a new accordion design and each answer can now carry its own image. The question sits on its own row with a plus that becomes a minus when the answer opens, a line separates the open question from its answer, and the image you add shows with the answer — and travels into the FAQ structured data, so search engines can use it
374 -- Fixed: While editing an FAQ block the question and answer fields did not line up — the question was pushed to the right edge while the answer stayed on the left, which made an empty item look broken
375 -- Fixed: Changing a page's address from ThinkRank's Permalink field looked like it did nothing. The new address was saved, but the editor went on showing the old one until the page was reloaded, so it read as though nothing had happened. In Elementor, Divi and Oxygen it genuinely did nothing: the address was never saved at all
376 -- Fixed: The check for whether your keyword appears in the page address was wrong in both directions. On a draft it always reported the keyword as missing, whatever the address said, and only began passing once the post was published. On a published page it could report a match that actually came from a parent page, a category or a date in the address rather than from the page's own address. Each line of the keyword breakdown now states plainly whether it matched or not, instead of leaving you to read it out of a list of words
283 +* OpenAI (api.openai.com): [Terms](https://openai.com/policies/services-agreement/), [Privacy](https://openai.com/policies/row-privacy-policy/)
284 +* Anthropic (api.anthropic.com): [Terms](https://www.anthropic.com/legal/commercial-terms), [Privacy](https://www.anthropic.com/legal/privacy)
285 +* Google Gemini (generativelanguage.googleapis.com): [Terms](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/terms), [Privacy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)
286 +* OpenRouter (openrouter.ai): [Terms](https://openrouter.ai/terms), [Privacy](https://openrouter.ai/privacy)
377 287
378 -= 1.32.0 =
379 -Release Date: 2026-08-18
288 += OpenAI-compatible endpoint you configure =
380 289
381 -- New: All of ThinkRank's structured data is now published as one linked graph instead of several separate scripts. A page that had, say, an Article, a breadcrumb trail and an FAQ used to emit three unconnected blocks — search engines now receive one graph in which those entities reference each other, and duplicate or competing entries are merged away
382 -- New: FAQ content is collected from anywhere on the page — the FAQ block, the Elementor FAQ widget and any FAQ you deployed for the post — and published as a single FAQPage instead of several competing ones with different questions
383 -- New: The Instant Indexing Submit URLs screen tells you what will actually be sent before you send it. Line numbers down the side, and each URL checked as you type: URLs pointing at another site, lines that are not URLs and duplicates are all called out, with a counter against the 100-URL limit. Clean up tidies the list, Clear empties it, Cmd/Ctrl+Enter submits, and the success message says how many URLs went
384 -- New: The submission history screen was rebuilt — an empty state instead of a blank table, readable response codes with an explanation of what each one means, and Refresh now really re-reads the log, so URLs you just submitted show up immediately
385 -- New: Every feature on/off switch now saves itself. Flipping a switch is the save — there is no separate Save button to remember, the switch rolls back and tells you if the save fails, and a short message confirms the new state. The Save button stays where you are filling in a form
386 -- New: Screens show a placeholder shaped like the content while their data loads, instead of the word "Loading" or a blank panel
387 -- New: Role Manager can grant or withhold AI Insights and Manage Roles separately, like every other ThinkRank area
388 -- Changed: Connecting ChatGPT and other AI assistants now works on hosts that answer /.well-known/ addresses themselves before WordPress ever sees the request — reported on SiteGround, where the connection failed with "does not implement OAuth". ThinkRank now advertises an address that reaches WordPress on every host, and publishes the discovery files directly where a host insists on serving them itself
389 -- Fixed: The first few sentences of a password-protected post were published as its meta description, and in its Facebook and X preview text — visible to anyone requesting the page and to every crawler and link preview, while the page itself still showed the password form. Questions from an FAQ block on a protected post could be published the same way
390 -- Fixed: AI content briefs were displayed without sanitizing them. Brief text comes back from an AI provider and can include content pulled from competitor pages you supplied, so it is not trusted input; it is now cleaned before it is stored and before it is shown
391 -- Fixed: A user given access to only the Social Media or Schema section could read the SEO details of posts they cannot edit — including other authors' drafts and pending posts — by changing the post number in the request
392 -- Fixed: A user given access to only the Settings section could write post-specific social and SEO settings onto another author's post, changing what its public page shares. The same request also overwrote your site-wide defaults
393 -- Fixed: Saving settings reported a server error even though the settings had been saved, on 8 of the 11 settings groups. People re-entered settings that were never lost, and a genuine failure looked identical to the permanent one. A successful save also came back empty, leaving the form blank
394 -- Fixed: A published llms.txt file could display accented and non-Latin characters as mojibake ("Aktivitäten" as "Aktivitäten") because the file was served without saying which character set it used. The bytes were always correct — only the declaration was missing
395 -- Fixed: On block themes, a page with an FAQ block published its questions twice — once inside ThinkRank's graph and once in a second block beside it
396 -- Fixed: A Codex connection on the MCP screen showed a plain letter instead of the OpenAI mark
397 -- Fixed: The two Schema screens showed their title three times over before any content, and the Global SEO, Crawling and Author Archives screens had the wrong icon or a missing divider
290 +Optional. If you choose the "Custom endpoint" AI provider and enter a base URL, the AI features above send the same content - and the API key you enter, if any - to that URL instead of to a provider above. Nothing is sent until you configure it, and where it goes is entirely your choice: a model on your own server (Ollama, LM Studio, vLLM), your Azure OpenAI deployment, your company gateway, or a hosted service. ThinkRank has no relationship with that endpoint, so its own terms and privacy policy apply.
398 291
399 -= 1.31.0 =
400 -Release Date: 2026-08-16
292 += ThinkRank Google connection (api.thinkrank.ai) =
401 293
402 -- New: Submission Coverage for Instant Indexing — compares every published URL against the last successful IndexNow submission and tells you what is stale, what failed and what was never announced, then closes the gaps on its own once a day. There is a Reconcile Now button for when you do not want to wait
403 -- New: A noindex you set on a category, tag or custom taxonomy archive is finally applied. The setting saved and read back correctly before, but the archive still carried your site-wide default — and the archive is now dropped from the XML sitemap too, so the sitemap cannot advertise a page that asks not to be indexed
404 -- New: The Robots.txt screen shows what crawlers actually receive right now, and warns you when a robots.txt file sitting in your site's folder is being served by the web server instead of the content you saved
405 -- Changed: ThinkRank now runs on PHP 7.4 and higher, instead of requiring PHP 8.0
406 -- Changed: WordPress's own sitemap is switched off while ThinkRank's is enabled, so your site stops publishing two competing sitemaps and pointing search engines at both
407 -- Changed: Core Web Vitals now reports Interaction to Next Paint, the metric Google replaced First Input Delay with
408 -- Fixed: /sitemap.xml led search engines to a dead page on sites using a sitemap index — the one sitemap URL crawlers guess. It now goes to the sitemap you actually publish, and while your sitemap has not been generated yet WordPress's own sitemap is left in place rather than leaving that URL answering nothing
409 -- Fixed: Cleaning up sitemaps deleted any file in your site's folder with "sitemap" in its name — including WordPress's own and other plugins' — and then left your site with no sitemap and nothing scheduled to rebuild it. It now removes only ThinkRank's files and queues the rebuild
410 -- Fixed: Turning off a content type stopped its sitemap from being updated but left the old file serving and listed in the index. Sitemaps you no longer publish are now removed
411 -- Fixed: Regenerating the sitemap from anywhere other than the settings screen could republish one flat sitemap over your sitemap index, or republish files that had lost their styling and their image entries
412 -- Fixed: When a Core Web Vitals check fails, ThinkRank now tells you why — your site could not be reached, no Google connection, or the daily quota is used up — instead of reporting a server error for all three. Pressing refresh after a failure also really re-measures now, and a site set up with only a PageSpeed API key works without a Google account
413 -- Fixed: The historical performance charts drew an empty card for a metric with no measurements, most visibly for the new INP metric on sites with older data
414 -- Fixed: Open Graph told Facebook and LinkedIn your site was in US English no matter what language it was actually in
415 -- Fixed: Pages built with Elementor and similar builders contributed no links, images or headings to SEO analysis, so scores and recommendations were based on text alone
416 -- Fixed: SEO Insights failed with a server error on sites that had connected PageSpeed
417 -- Fixed: With some caching or optimization plugins, ThinkRank's screens and the Dashboard widget could stay stuck on "Loading" forever
418 -- Fixed: The AI usage overview reported empty fields on a site that had not used any AI features yet
294 +Clicking Connect Google (Search Console, GA4) signs in through api.thinkrank.ai, which holds ThinkRank's Google app credentials. It receives your site URL and a one-time sign-in code on connect, and your Google refresh token whenever the access token is renewed. [Terms](https://thinkrank.ai/terms-and-conditions/), [Privacy](https://thinkrank.ai/privacy-policy/)
419 295
420 -= 1.30.0 =
421 -Release Date: 2026-08-13
296 += Google APIs: Search Console, Analytics Data, PageSpeed Insights, OAuth =
422 297
423 -- New: AI alt text for images — ThinkRank can now look at the picture and describe it, instead of only rewriting the filename. Choose it under Image SEO; the filename template stays the default because AI costs you money per image, and AI runs are capped at 10 images per click
424 -- New: One-click fixes in the Site SEO Audit. Where an issue is safely fixable — search visibility, XML sitemap, structured data, missing image alt text — a button applies it and the audit is re-scored on the spot. Fixes with consequences warn you before you click, and things that are your call (your titles, your permalinks, your server) are deliberately left alone with an explanation
425 -- New: A warning when WordPress is set to discourage search engines from indexing your site, so the setting that quietly undoes all your SEO cannot sit there unnoticed
426 -- Fixed: Opening the editor could hammer your site with repeated SEO requests until pages took 30-40 seconds to load, or failed outright. The panel now makes one request at a time, and only keeps checking while ThinkRank is actually writing metadata in the background
427 -- Fixed: SEO data imported from another plugin did not appear in an editor that was already open until you reloaded the page
428 -- Fixed: Saved content briefs could not be listed, exported or deleted on sites with no AI key configured — the screen failed with a server error, even though none of those actions need AI
429 -- Fixed: On some hosts ThinkRank's settings tables were never created, so every save in Site Identity, Sitemap, Social and Schema silently failed and the setup wizard dead-ended after a migration. The tables now fit the stricter index limit on those servers, and existing sites are migrated
430 -- Fixed: A settings save that fails now records why in the error log, instead of leaving you with "Failed to update settings" and nothing to act on
431 -- Fixed: The one-click sitemap and schema fixes reported success while saving nothing, and the audit's sitemap check could never fail no matter what your settings said
432 -- Fixed: Author archives printed two meta descriptions, ended their title in a stray space, ignored your chosen title separator, and would not let you clear the title or description templates — a cleared field came back on the next load
433 -- Fixed: The alt-text coverage panel could claim "6 of 5 images have alt text" by counting trashed images on one side only, and the bulk alt fill could spin forever on sites with private images, turning one click into thousands of requests
434 -- Fixed: The Alt text source setting accepted any value, so an unrecognised value silently fell back to the template and the AI batch limit stopped applying
435 -- Fixed: Saving Schema settings could white-screen the site on WordPress 6.0, after the settings had already been written
436 -- Fixed: Email reports — the Save button disappeared when you toggled the feature off, so turning it off never stuck; changing the frequency did not move the next send; a failed send still consumed the whole reporting period; the report described three different date ranges at once; "Next report" showed the wrong time outside UTC; pages and keywords that lost all their clicks were dropped from the Top Losing sections; and a report with no sections could be configured and sent empty
437 -- Fixed: Deleting ThinkRank with "Delete all data on uninstall" enabled while ThinkRank Pro was active silently reinstalled the free plugin and recreated all of its data
438 -- Fixed: Data Management could not be saved on sites without an AI API key
439 -- Fixed: An author or contributor granted Schema Manager access could deploy structured data onto other people's posts
440 -- Fixed: Alt text beginning with an accented character was corrupted
441 -- Changed: AI Visibility data is now removed when you delete the plugin with data deletion enabled, and old probe transcripts are aged out after 90 days instead of accumulating forever
442 -- Changed: The Integrations tab no longer displays or re-saves settings it has no control over, and a partial save now leaves untouched settings exactly as they were
298 +After you connect Google or add a PageSpeed Insights key, ThinkRank sends your access token or API key, your Search Console or GA4 property, and page URLs to test, to www.googleapis.com and analyticsdata.googleapis.com - when you open analytics or performance screens or the dashboard widget, and when scheduled reports or checks run. Disconnecting sends the token to oauth2.googleapis.com to revoke it. [Terms](https://developers.google.com/terms), [Privacy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)
443 299
444 -= 1.29.0 =
445 -Release Date: 2026-08-11
300 += IndexNow (api.indexnow.org) =
446 301
447 -- New: Show/hide your API key while typing it, and a Replace control so a saved key can be swapped without clearing it first. Saved keys are now only ever sent back to your browser masked, never in full
448 -- New: A social card on the dashboard with the ThinkRank community and channels in one place
449 -- Fixed: Content briefs that came back as "Unable to parse AI response", or saved a brief full of raw API output. When the AI refuses, is cut off at its token limit, or answers in an unexpected shape, ThinkRank now tells you what happened instead of saving the failure as a brief
450 -- Fixed: Short, Medium and Long content briefs all asked the AI for the same output budget, so a Long brief could be truncated while a Short one paid for room it never used. Each length now requests a budget that fits it
451 -- Fixed: Briefs on GPT-5 models ran at maximum reasoning effort by default — the slowest and most expensive setting, with much of the budget spent on hidden reasoning before any text was written
452 -- Fixed: A request that ran past the time ThinkRank allows was retried twice more, each attempt near-certain to time out again — multiplying the wait while the abandoned requests kept running, and billing, on your AI provider. A timed-out request now fails once, straight away, instead of being retried
453 -- Fixed: "X days ago" counts on sites outside UTC were off by the site's time offset
454 -- Fixed: Saving settings could send your API key back to the browser in the clear, and re-saving a form that displayed a masked key could overwrite the real key with the mask
455 -- Fixed: Importing SEO data from another plugin read serialized values from that plugin's tables in a way that could be abused to create PHP objects on your site; those values are now parsed without ever instantiating an object
456 -- Fixed: Fetching a schema or competitor URL could be pointed at private, internal or cloud-metadata addresses, including addresses disguised as IPv6. All outbound fetches now share one check, applied again on every redirect hop
457 -- Fixed: Dismissing a ThinkRank admin notice, importing or resetting the whole configuration, and adding database indexes no longer accept requests from users without the capability for them
458 -- Changed: Brand Visibility is temporarily hidden while it is reworked. Nothing is deleted — recorded runs, history and settings are kept, and the feature returns in a later release
302 +Only with Instant Indexing on: your host name, IndexNow key and key file location, and the URLs you publish, delete or submit, shared with participating search engines. [Terms](https://www.indexnow.org/terms), [Privacy](https://privacy.microsoft.com/privacystatement)
459 303
460 -= 1.28.0 =
461 -Release Date: 2026-08-10
304 += WP Insights usage tracking (send.wpinsight.com, opt-in) =
462 305
463 -- New: AI Insights — see how much of your traffic comes from AI assistants and AI crawlers, first-party. AI platforms strip referrers so Google Analytics files those visits under "Direct"; ThinkRank reads them as they arrive. Daily totals only — no IPs, no cookies, no per-visit tracking
464 -- New: Brand Visibility measures whether AI assistants mention your brand — asking each question several times for a real mention rate instead of a one-shot yes/no, ranking you against named competitors as share of voice, and scoring everything into a 0–100 Visibility Index
465 -- New: Brand Visibility uses its own API key and model per AI platform, so measuring visibility never means switching the provider that writes your metadata. Adds Perplexity, which searches the web live — the closest thing to what a person actually sees
466 -- New: Auto AI writes a missing SEO title or description when you publish, in the background, so publishing never waits on an AI call. It fills empty fields only and never overwrites what you wrote
467 -- New: Quick Edit SEO on the posts list — edit the SEO title, meta description and focus keywords straight from the posts table, without opening the post. Cleared fields fall back to your Global SEO patterns
468 -- New: Traffic Recovery tab on the AI Tools screen, which finds published pages losing search traffic and writes a refresh brief for each
469 -- New: A Migration screen for moving SEO data in from another plugin, with a re-scan control that re-detects what is installed
470 -- New: Social platform verification is now one tab per network, with per-card saving and masked verification codes
471 -- Fixed: The AI Traffic and Brand Visibility tables were never created, so AI traffic went unrecorded and every brand check spent a paid AI call without saving any history
472 -- Fixed: Brand Visibility failed to start on upgraded sites with "Could not start the analysis run". A missing table is now detected and repaired on load, instead of going unnoticed until a deactivate/reactivate
473 -- Fixed: Brand checks reported "not mentioned" for questions that could not plausibly omit your brand — the AI never actually returned an answer, and the blank was saved as a clean negative. A probe with no answer now fails visibly and is never stored
474 -- Fixed: A Brand Visibility run could sit at 0% forever, and progress never advanced while it was running
475 -- Fixed: A site that configured Brand Visibility on Pro and then lapsed to free kept running the larger Pro batch on the user's own paid API keys
476 -- Fixed: The SEO Overview column showed "Not Analyzed" forever on sites that never ran an analysis, even right after editing a post's SEO title and description
477 -- Fixed: Saving in the editor could wipe an SEO title or description that Auto AI, bulk optimization or an import had just written, and the editor kept showing the old empty value until a manual reload
478 -- Fixed: Google Analytics, Search Console and PageSpeed were reported as "not configured" on sites connected through Google sign-in, and a site with a perfectly working GA4 tag was told its tracking was unverified
479 -- Fixed: Reconnecting a different Google account kept showing the previous account's Search Console properties for up to 30 minutes, and domain properties could not be found by searching
480 -- Fixed: The ThinkRank data stream picker in Pro went blank on every reload
481 -- Fixed: ThinkRank's styles leaked into the WordPress admin and page builders
306 +Nothing is sent unless you opt in, from the admin notice or "Get Started" in the Setup Wizard. Then, on opt-in and daily after: site URL and name, admin email, WordPress, PHP and server versions, active and inactive plugins, active theme, the plugin's file path, which ThinkRank features you use, and a country on the first send. Optional deactivation feedback is sent too. The email may be used for ThinkRank news and offers. [Terms](https://wpdeveloper.com/terms-and-conditions/), [Privacy](https://wpdeveloper.com/privacy-policy/)
482 307
483 -= 1.27.0 =
484 -Release Date: 2026-08-06
308 += ip-api.com country lookup =
485 309
486 -- New: Connected Apps page for MCP — see every AI app connected to your site, when it last used the connection, and disconnect any of them in one click
487 -- New: AI now writes in your site's language. Titles, descriptions and content briefs came back in English on non-English sites; they now follow the post's language, or the site language, and can be overridden with a filter
488 -- New: Instant Indexing checks that your IndexNow key file is actually reachable and tells you what is wrong before you submit a single URL
489 -- New: The MCP connection test detects hosts that block AI clients by User-Agent — the "couldn't register with the sign-in service" failure that no other check could see
490 -- Fixed: MCP could connect successfully and offer no tools at all, with nothing reporting a problem — the most common cause was another plugin's copy of the Abilities API loading first
491 -- Fixed: A connector still using an old token could lock itself out of your site permanently by retrying. The lockout window no longer extends on every retry, and the plugin now shows when clients are locked out
492 -- Fixed: ChatGPT rejected some sites with "MCP server does not implement OAuth" — the sign-in handshake itself was tripping the rate limiter
493 -- Fixed: Every IndexNow submission returned 403 on hosts with a read-only web root, because the key file could never be written. The key is now served directly by WordPress, and the error message names the file and what to check
494 -- Fixed: Importing from Rank Math (and Yoast, AIOSEO, SEOPress) could fail outright on a single unexpected setting value
495 -- Fixed: The "ThinkRank SEO" metabox was hidden by a leftover style rule — Classic Editor users never saw it, and the block editor's panel toggle appeared to do nothing
496 -- Fixed: Missing borders in the SEO drawer inside the Divi Visual Builder
497 -- Improved: The plugin package now installs as an upgrade rather than a second copy, and ships the WPML config file that earlier packages left out
310 +Only on WP Insights' first send after opt-in: the IP address of that request (normally yours) is sent to look up a country name. Nothing else is sent. [Terms and privacy](https://ip-api.com/docs/legal)
498 311
499 -= 1.26.0 =
500 -Release Date: 2026-08-04
312 += Websites you enter =
501 313
502 -- New: Search Console's Property field is now searchable — type to filter instead of scrolling a long site list
503 -- New: TranslatePress support — translated URLs now advertise their own language to social networks instead of the site's default
504 -- Improved: SEO scoring now uses the title and description your site actually outputs, so posts that inherit the Global or Bulk pattern are no longer scored as if they had no title or description
505 -- Improved: Suggestions that only offer guidance now read "How to fix" instead of "Apply", so a button never promises an edit it will not make
506 -- Fixed: Saving from the ThinkRank panel silently did nothing on posts with no other edits — SEO fields were never written and no error was shown
507 -- Fixed: The SEO score kept showing the old value for several minutes after changing the title or description, then appeared to update on its own
508 -- Fixed: The "ThinkRank SEO" metabox rendered empty — it now shows the current score with a way into the panel
509 -- Fixed: Schema edits could be lost when navigating away right after editing
510 -- Fixed: A focus keyword typed but not yet added was lost when saving, and the typed text lingered in the box after it was added
511 -- Fixed: Sites in a formal locale (such as German formal) emitted an invalid hreflang language code that search engines discard
314 +Content brief competitor analysis and schema import fetch the URLs you type in, from your server. Nothing else is sent to those sites.
512 315
513 -= 1.25.0 =
514 -Release Date: 2026-08-03
316 +== Screenshots ==
515 317
516 -- New: Redesigned AI Metadata Generator — generated title and description now come with a live Google preview, character-length indicators, one-click copy, and a result card that carries the metadata straight to the next step
517 -- New: Press Enter to add a keyword in the Content Brief generator instead of reaching for the mouse
518 -- Improved: Refreshed styling across the Content Brief generator, top navigation and form controls
519 -- Fixed: Signing in with Google failed on sites using Plain permalinks — the callback now completes on any permalink setting
520 -- Fixed: The dashboard could still show the old connection state right after finishing Google sign-in
521 -- Fixed: WordPress hover fly-out submenus were mispositioned and lost their pointer arrow on ThinkRank's full-page screens
522 -- Fixed: Posts and pages without their own social image now correctly inherit the site-wide default in every context
523 -- Fixed: Social meta tags and image schema no longer output zero width and height for images WordPress has no dimensions for
524 -- Fixed: Several crashes on unusual or malformed data — sitemap generation, custom schema validation, saving settings, Local SEO business hours, importing from another SEO plugin, and unexpected responses from AI or Google APIs
318 +1. Agentic AI SEO - connect Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to your WordPress SEO with the built-in MCP server.
319 +2. Your AI assistant generating and updating WordPress SEO metadata in plain language via ThinkRank's MCP tools.
320 +3. AI Metadata Generator - SEO title and meta description with a live SERP preview.
321 +4. SEO content analysis dashboard - 13-factor score, focus keyword, and one-click apply suggestions.
322 +5. Schema Manager - choose Article, FAQ, Local Business, or Review schema with validation.
323 +6. XML Sitemap generator - Basic, Complete, E-commerce, and Segmented modes with post-type controls.
324 +7. llms.txt generator - a maintained Markdown index of your content for AI agents and tools.
325 +8. Google Search Console & GA4 insights with Core Web Vitals inside WordPress.
326 +9. AI Content Brief Generator with competitor analysis and content gaps.
525 327
526 -= 1.24.0 =
527 -Release Date: 2026-08-02
328 +== Changelog ==
528 329
529 -- New: Website Insights dashboard widget — see your last 30 days of Google Search Console traffic, top queries and headline metrics right on the WordPress dashboard
530 -- New: ThinkRank now works inside the Oxygen/Breakdance and Divi visual builders — a launcher button in the builder's top bar opens the full ThinkRank panel without leaving the canvas
531 -- New: Content briefs can now generate a complete article draft, not just an outline, in a cleaner tabbed layout
532 -- New: MCP Server screen has a connection health card and a "Test connection" button that makes a real call and tells you exactly which step failed — HTTPS, authentication, permissions or ability discovery
533 -- New: Connected AI assistants can preview an SEO import as a dry run before anything is written, and score and save many posts in a single request
534 -- Improved: ThinkRank's abilities are now always registered, so any AI connector can discover the plugin — the MCP switch now only controls the MCP server itself
535 -- Improved: Redesigned Settings page with tabs and independent saving per tab, and a card-based AI provider picker
536 -- Improved: Content briefs on OpenAI reasoning models no longer time out before finishing
537 -- Fixed: Pages built with Oxygen, Breakdance, Divi or Elementor were scored as having no content at all — a client reported published pages with over 1,000 words scoring in the 40s. ThinkRank now reads the real page content everywhere: bulk optimization, the post list SEO column, cron reports, AI assistants and the live analysis panel in the editor
538 -- Fixed: The SEO score shown by AI assistants is now saved, so the post list no longer keeps saying "Not Analyzed"
539 -- Fixed: Social profile fields accepted invalid values (like a malformed YouTube channel ID) and published them as broken verification tags — invalid values are now rejected with a clear message
540 -- Fixed: Homepage social sharing — the share title now matches your SEO title, your logo is used as the share image with a large card, and the share URL matches your canonical URL
541 -- Fixed: Search Console errors on the dashboard widget now explain what to fix instead of showing raw Google error text
542 -- Fixed: Divi's layout library and Theme Builder templates no longer appear in SEO screens
543 -- Few minor bug fixes & improvements
330 += 2.9.0 =
331 +Release Date: 2026-09-23
544 332
333 +- New: Custom AI provider: connect any OpenAI-compatible endpoint (Ollama, LM Studio, vLLM, Azure)
334 +- New: AI spend controls: a daily request limit, a pause-all-AI switch and a per-minute limit
335 +- New: Bulk Snippets: every post's title, description and keyword in one table, with AI drafts
336 +- New: Sitemaps are served dynamically when the WordPress folder cannot be written to
337 +- New: Site Health warns when another plugin publishes schema markup on the same pages
338 +- New: Site Health and an admin notice flag a WordPress folder ThinkRank cannot write to
339 +- Changed: AI requests are no longer throttled to 10 per minute by default
340 +- Changed: The usage tracking prompt waits a week and appears only on ThinkRank screens
341 +- Fixed: MCP connectors on subdirectory multisite were sent to the main site instead of the subsite
342 +- Fixed: The AI usage meter turned red when AI was paused rather than when the limit was reached
343 +
344 += 2.8.0 =
345 +Release Date: 2026-09-21
346 +
347 +- New: Import your SEO data from Squirrly SEO
348 +- Improved: Email reports redesigned, with site traffic and AI assistant cards when connected
349 +- Changed: Email reports pause until Search Console is connected, and the panel says so
350 +- Changed: Email report subjects lead with your Google clicks and their change
351 +- Fixed: Migrations discarded imported title formats and the default social image
352 +- Fixed: Migrations lost category and tag noindex, focus keywords and social fields
353 +- Fixed: Re-scan on the Migration screen now finds newly installed SEO plugins
354 +- Fixed: Minor migration issues with sparse snapshots, deleted content and sitemap exclusions
355 +
356 += 2.7.0 =
357 +Release Date: 2026-09-17
358 +
359 +- New: Hide a post from this site's own search results and archive listings
360 +- New: RSS feed controls: excerpt only, a link back to the source post, and noindex for feeds
361 +- New: Extra og:image tags, so a share has a fallback when the first image fails validation
362 +- New: Post embeds carry your SEO title, description and social image
363 +- New: A canonical URL scheme setting for sites behind a proxy that terminates TLS
364 +- New: Brand the XML sitemap stylesheet with your logo and two colours
365 +- New: URLs asking for content that does not exist now answer 404 instead of the page
366 +- Changed: Archive titles drop the "Category:" label and strip markup, and your alternate site name is published as schema
367 +- Fixed: Turning Schema off now stops every schema producer, including blocks and page builders
368 +- Fixed: Non-Latin titles and descriptions are no longer cut short, plus minor sitemap, feed and database fixes
369 +
370 += 2.6.0 =
371 +Release Date: 2026-09-15
372 +
373 +- New: Pages publish every schema you deploy, not just the first two
374 +- Changed: Admin screens load the Inter font from your site instead of Google Fonts
375 +- Changed: Email reports go out every 30 days to the admin email; schedule, recipients and branding are in ThinkRank Pro
376 +- Changed: Posts take up to five focus keywords; ThinkRank Pro adds more
377 +- Changed: Automatic AI metadata, the GA4 tag installer and SEO insights moved to ThinkRank Pro
378 +- Removed: Brand Visibility
379 +
380 += 2.5.0 =
381 +Release Date: 2026-09-10
382 +
383 +- New: AI Search (GEO) category in the Site SEO Audit, with one-click fixes
384 +- New: Audit findings list the exact pages and images affected
385 +- New: Allow or block individual AI crawlers in robots.txt
386 +- New: Automatic nofollow and new-tab for external links, with an exception list
387 +- New: Per-content-type matrix to turn SEO features on or off
388 +- New: Beaver Builder support, with FAQ, How-To and Table of Contents modules
389 +- Improved: Test Connection checks your AI model as well as your key
390 +- Fixed: Saving the Posts or Pages SEO screen reset matrix switches
391 +- Fixed: Turning product schema off also removed WooCommerce's own product data
392 +- Fixed: Minor Site SEO Audit, sitemap and robots.txt issues
393 +
545 394 [See changelog for all versions](https://thinkrank.ai/changelog/).
546 395
547 396 == Upgrade Notice ==
548 397
549 -= 2.0.0 =
550 -Redesigns the FAQ block and lets every answer carry its own image, both on the page and in its structured data. Fixes the FAQ editor's misaligned question and answer fields, a permalink change that looked like it had not saved (and in Elementor, Divi and Oxygen genuinely had not), and a keyword-in-address check that always failed on drafts while reporting false matches from parent pages, categories and dates on published ones. Recommended for all sites.
398 += 2.9.0 =
399 +Adds a custom OpenAI-compatible AI provider, daily AI spend limits with a pause switch, Bulk Snippets editing, dynamic sitemaps for read-only hosts and schema conflict detection in Site Health. Fixes MCP connectors on subdirectory multisite. Recommended for all sites.
551 400
552 -= 1.32.0 =
553 -Publishes all of ThinkRank's structured data as one linked graph, with every FAQ on the page merged into a single FAQPage. Rebuilds the Instant Indexing Submit URLs and History screens, makes every feature switch save itself, and fixes AI assistant connections on hosts that intercept /.well-known/ addresses. Includes five security fixes: password-protected post content published as meta and social descriptions, unsanitized AI content briefs, and three cases where a user with access to one ThinkRank section could read or write SEO data for content they cannot edit. Also stops settings saves reporting a failure after they had saved. Recommended for all sites.
554 -
555 -= 1.31.0 =
556 -Adds Submission Coverage for Instant Indexing, applies a noindex set on category and tag archives, and shows what your robots.txt actually serves. ThinkRank now runs on PHP 7.4 and stops WordPress publishing a second, competing sitemap. Fixes /sitemap.xml leading crawlers to a dead page, a cleanup that deleted other plugins' sitemap files and left your site without one, Core Web Vitals failures reported as server errors, and Open Graph claiming every site is in US English. Recommended for all sites.
401 += 2.8.0 =
402 +Adds import from Squirrly SEO and redesigned email reports that pause until Search Console is connected. Fixes migrations dropping title formats, the default social image and category SEO. Recommended for all sites.