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Initial Configuration

Learn how to configure AI Content Writer right after activation so it works correctly with your site, content workflow, and API provider.

Table of Contents

Overview

After installing and activating AI Content Writer, you should complete a quick initial configuration to:

  • Connect your preferred AI provider (Google Gemini or OpenAI/ChatGPT)
  • Define how content is generated and published
  • Control who can access plugin features
  • Set basic automation and logging behavior

This page walks you through each core setting group so you can start generating content confidently.

Tip: You can change these settings at any time. Initial configuration simply gives you a safe, sensible default setup.

Accessing the Settings Page

  1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
  2. In the left-hand menu, click AI Content Writer.
  3. Click Settings in the submenu.

You will see multiple tabs or sections (depending on your version), such as:

  • General
  • Content or Generation
  • AI Provider / API Settings
  • Images (if image generation is enabled)
  • Cron / Automation
  • Roles & Permissions
  • Logs / Debug

The exact labels may vary slightly, but the configuration concepts are the same.

General Settings

The General tab controls core plugin behavior and default options.

Common options in this section include:

  • Plugin Status / Enable Features: Toggle whether AI Content Writer features are active site-wide. Keep this enabled unless you are temporarily disabling the plugin.
  • Default Language Set the primary language used for generated content (e.g. English). This helps improve tone and relevance.
  • Default Post Type: Choose where generated content should be created by default, for example:
    • post (Blog posts)
    • page
    • Custom post types supported by your theme or plugins
  • Default Post Status: Decide whether generated items should be:
    • Draft (recommended for review)
    • Pending review
    • Published (only if you fully trust your templates)
  • Timezone / Date Settings: Ensure your site timezone is correct in Settings → General. AI Content Writer uses the WordPress timezone for scheduling.

Recommended: Start with posts created as Drafts and manually review early results before switching to automatic publishing.

Content Settings

The Content (or Generation) tab controls how AI-generated posts look and how much control you have over the output.

Typical options include:

  • Default Title Pattern: Defines how titles are generated. Example: {{keyword}} – Complete Guide.
  • Content Length: Choose approximate word count or length (short, medium, long). Longer content may require more tokens from your AI provider.
  • Headings & Structure: Enable generation of structured headings (H2/H3), bullet lists, and paragraphs to keep content readable.
  • Meta Description / Excerpt Generation: Allow the plugin to automatically create excerpts or meta descriptions from the generated content.
  • SEO Fields Compatibility: If you use SEO plugins (Rank Math, Yoast, etc.), check if there are integration options or filters. AI Content Writer can often generate SEO-friendly text that works with your existing SEO plugin.

Tip: Start with conservative, human-like settings such as medium-length content and clear headings. You can adjust templates after seeing real output.

AI Provider & API Keys

The most important part of the initial setup is connecting to an AI provider.

Supported Providers

AI Content Writer typically supports:

  • Google Gemini API (Recommended Free Option)
  • OpenAI / ChatGPT API (Paid, per usage)

Check the API Settings or AI Provider tab in the plugin.

Step 1: Choose a Provider

  1. Go to AI Content Writer → Settings → API / AI Provider.
  2. Select your preferred provider from the dropdown:
    • Google Gemini
    • OpenAI (or similar label)

You can switch providers later if needed. Each provider may have slightly different pricing and capabilities.

Step 2: Enter API Keys

For each provider you use, you must enter a valid API key.

  • Google Gemini
    • Sign up at the official Google AI or Gemini developer page.
    • Create an API key.
    • Paste the key into the Google Gemini API Key field.
  • OpenAI / ChatGPT
    • Log in to your OpenAI account.
    • Generate a new API key.
    • Paste it into the OpenAI API Key field.

Security Note: Never share your API keys publicly. Treat them like passwords.

Step 3: Choose a Model (If Available)

If the plugin offers a Model selector:

  • Pick a balanced, recommended model (for example: gemini-pro, gpt-4, or gpt-3.5-turbo based on your provider).
  • Heavier models may have a higher cost but better quality.

Step 4: Test Connection

Most versions of AI Content Writer include a Test Connection or Check API button.

  1. Click the test button at the bottom of the API settings.
  2. Wait for a success or error message.
  3. If an error appears, double-check:
    • The API key value (no extra spaces)
    • Whether the key is active and has credits
    • Your server can make outbound HTTPS requests

Do not proceed with campaign creation until you have a successful test connection.

Image Generation Settings

If your installation of AI Content Writer supports image generation or image suggestions, configure it here.

Pexels or Other Image APIs

  1. Go to AI Content Writer → Settings → Images (or similar tab).
  2. Enable Image Generation or Image Suggestions.
  3. Enter your Pexels API Key (or other image provider key), if required.

Typical options:

  • Enable Featured Image Generation: Automatically generate or fetch a featured image for new posts.
  • Image Size / Resolution: Choose an approximate size that matches your theme requirements.
  • Safe Search / Filters: Enable safe-search options if offered, especially for public or client sites.

Recommendation: Enable automatic featured images for campaigns where visual content is important, but always verify licensing and suitability.

Cron & Automation Settings

AI Content Writer can schedule or automate content generation using WordPress cron.

Enabling Automation

  1. Navigate to the Cron or Automation tab in Settings.
  2. Confirm Automation or Scheduled Generation is enabled.

Key options:

  • Cron Interval: How often the plugin runs automated tasks (e.g., every 15 minutes, hourly, twice daily).
  • Maximum Posts Per Run Limit: How many posts can be generated per cron execution to control API usage and site resources?
  • Daily Limit / Token Limit: Some versions allow you to cap daily usage to prevent unexpected API charges.

Hosting Note: WP-Cron relies on site traffic. On low-traffic sites, you may want to configure a real server cron job to trigger wp-cron.php reliably.

Role & Capability Settings

Control who can access AI Content Writer features.

  1. Open the Roles & Permissions (or Access Control) tab.
  2. Review available roles and capabilities.

Typical options:

  • Allow Only Administrators to restrict all plugin settings and generation tools to administrators.
  • Allow Editors to Generate Content: Permit editors to create content using AI while keeping settings restricted to admins.
  • Custom Capability Some setups use a dedicated capability (e.g. manage_ai_content_writer). Assign this to specific roles via a role editor plugin if needed.

Best Practice: Limit configuration access to admins and grant content generation to trusted editorial roles.

Logging & Debug Options

Proper logging helps diagnose issues with API calls or content generation.

Enable Logging

  1. Go to the Logs / Debug tab.
  2. Enable Activity Logging or Debug Logging as available.

Typical options:

  • Store Generation Logs: Save a record each time content is generated (campaign name, timestamp, status).
  • API Error Logs: Record failed API calls and responses (sanitized) for troubleshooting.
  • Log Retention Period: Automatically delete logs older than a set number of days to keep the database small.

Tip: Keep logging enabled during initial setup and disable or reduce it once the plugin is running smoothly.

To get started safely and efficiently, follow this simple checklist:

  1. Complete General Settings
    • Set default language, post type, and post status to Draft.
  2. Configure AI Provider
    • Choose Google Gemini or OpenAI.
    • Enter your API key and test the connection.
  3. Adjust Content Settings
    • Use medium-length content.
    • Enable headings and basic structure.
  4. Set Up Image Options (Optional)
    • Add a Pexels API key if you need automatic images.
  5. Review Automation Settings
    • Start with automation disabled until you’re happy with manual results.
  6. Check Role Permissions
    • Ensure only trusted users can create or publish AI-generated posts.
  7. Enable Logging
    • Turn on logs temporarily while testing.
  8. Create a Test Campaign
    • Generate 1–2 draft posts and review them in the Posts screen.

Once you’re satisfied with the quality, you can enable automatic publishing or scheduled campaigns.

Troubleshooting Configuration Issues

API Key Not Working

  • Double-check you copied the entire key without spaces.
  • Confirm the key is active and not restricted by IP or domain.
  • Make sure your server can make outbound HTTPS requests.
  • Review the log entries under AI Content Writer → Logs.

Content Not Generating

  • Verify that the AI provider connection test is successful.
  • Check that your campaign or manual generation request has valid prompts/keywords.
  • Ensure there are no JavaScript errors in the browser console when using the admin interface.

Cron Jobs Not Running

  • Confirm WP-Cron is enabled in wp-config.php (no DISABLE_WP_CRON constant set to true), or set up a real cron job.
  • Check your hosting provider’s cron configuration if you rely on the server cron.
  • Review the plugin logs for missed or failed cron events.

Permission or Access Issues

  • Verify your user role has the required capability (e.g. administrator or editor).
  • If using a role editor plugin, ensure AI Content Writer capabilities are properly assigned.

Next Steps

Once the initial configuration is complete, you can move on to using the plugin in your daily workflow:

Last Updated: November 27, 2025 | Plugin Version: 2.1.0

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