Connect CntX to WordPress

Overview

CntX publishes to WordPress through the WordPress REST API (`/wp-json/wp/v2/`). The integration stores your site URL, WordPress username, and an Application Password—a revocable credential WordPress generates for API access without sharing your primary login password. Once connected at the workspace level, content items mapped to WordPress destinations can be pushed as CMS drafts or live posts while preserving CntX editorial workflow separately from CMS state.

Editorial status in CntX (Draft, In review, Approved) tracks internal readiness. CMS status (CMS draft, CMS published, CMS failed) reflects sync with WordPress. Publishing does not automatically mark editorial work complete, and approving content does not publish it—you explicitly trigger publish actions from the content item header.

The integration may load categories and support SEO metadata fields when Yoast or compatible plugins expose meta via REST. Always verify formatting, featured images, and SEO in WordPress admin after the first successful handoff.

When to use

Connect WordPress when you:

• Publish blog or resource content from CntX without copy-pasting into wp-admin.
• Need a draft-first workflow—push to WordPress as draft, finalize layout there, then go live.
• Run editorial planning in CntX but keep WordPress as the system of record for the public site.
• Want CMS URLs stored on content items for Performance and Learning Loop features later.

Use Webflow or manual export instead if your primary site is not WordPress.

Before you start

• WordPress 5.6+ with Application Passwords enabled (default on most installs; some security plugins disable them).
• A WordPress user with `publish_posts` capability (Editor or Administrator typically).
• HTTPS site URL reachable from the public internet—local-only or VPN-blocked sites fail connection tests.
• REST API reachable at `https://yoursite.com/wp-json/` (no 404 or auth wall).
• In CntX: workspace selected, Settings → Integrations access, and a channel destination configured in your content strategy pointing to this integration.
• Optional: Yoast SEO or similar if you expect meta title/description sync—confirm REST exposure per your plugin version.

Steps

1. Create a WordPress Application Password

1. Log in to WordPress admin as the publishing user.
2. Go to Users → Profile (or edit the target user if you are an admin).
3. Scroll to Application Passwords.
4. Enter a label such as `CntX Production` or `CntX Staging`.
5. Click Add New Application Password.
6. Copy the generated password immediately—it displays once. Store it in a password manager; you cannot retrieve it later.

Revoke old Application Passwords when rotating credentials or offboarding integrations.

2. Add the integration in CntX

1. Switch to the correct workspace (integrations are workspace-scoped).
2. Open Settings → Integrations.
3. Choose WordPress (or Add WordPress).
4. Enter:

– Site URL — `https://example.com` with no trailing path to wp-admin. – Username — WordPress login for the publishing user. – Application Password — paste the generated password (spaces may be stripped automatically).

1. Click Test connection or Save. CntX validates REST access and may fetch categories.
2. If category pickers appear, select defaults appropriate for your blog workflow.
3. Confirm the integration shows Connected or equivalent success state.

3. Wire strategy destinations

1. Open your content strategy for this workspace.
2. Edit the relevant channel (e.g., Blog).
3. Set destination to the WordPress integration you just created.
4. Save the strategy so new and existing items inherit the mapping.

4. Publish a test item

1. Open a content item with body text filled in.
2. Use Publish draft first—creates or updates a draft post in WordPress.
3. Open WordPress admin to verify title, content, categories, and SEO fields.
4. When satisfied, use Publish live from CntX or publish manually in WordPress depending on team policy.

Expected result

Settings → Integrations lists an active WordPress connection for the workspace. Test connection succeeds without 401/403 errors. Publishing a content item updates CMS status, stores an external URL when WordPress returns one, and creates or updates the corresponding post in wp-admin.

Category mappings from CntX appear on the WordPress post when configured. Failed publishes show CMS failed with an error message while preserving CntX content—fix credentials or mapping and retry.

Tips

• Never use your main account password in the integration field—Application Passwords are revocable and scope-safe.
• Staging vs production — Create separate integrations per environment; mismatched URLs are a common source of “wrong site” publishes.
• Security plugins — Wordfence, iThemes, or custom rules may block REST; whitelist `/wp-json/` or CntX server IPs per vendor docs.
• Permalinks — Plain `?p=` permalinks sometimes break REST expectations; use Post name structure in Settings → Permalinks.
• Yoast meta — If SEO fields do not sync, confirm Yoast REST support; you may need a manual pass in wp-admin until mapping is complete.
• Draft first — Always validate HTML, embeds, and shortcodes on staging before live publish.
• Featured images — May require manual upload in WordPress if not yet mapped in your CntX build.

Next step

After a successful draft publish, read Publish Content as a Draft or Live Post for editorial vs CMS status rules, then connect Google Search Console and GA4 so live URLs feed performance data.