> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://faii.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installing the Plugin

> Step-by-step guide to installing and configuring the FAII WordPress plugin for AI bot tracking on your website.

<Info>
  **Quick Answer:** Install the FAII WordPress plugin from your dashboard, enter your API key, and bot tracking starts automatically. Total setup time: under 5 minutes.
</Info>

## What You'll Learn

* How to download and install the FAII plugin
* How to configure the API connection
* How to verify tracking is working
* Troubleshooting common installation issues

## Requirements

Before installing, ensure you have:

| Requirement           | Details                          |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| **WordPress version** | 5.8 or higher                    |
| **PHP version**       | 7.4 or higher                    |
| **Admin access**      | WordPress administrator role     |
| **FAII account**      | Active subscription (any plan)   |
| **SSL**               | HTTPS recommended (not required) |

## Installation Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Download the plugin">
    1. Log in to your FAII dashboard at [app.faii.ai](https://app.faii.ai)
    2. Navigate to **Account > Integrations > WordPress**
    3. Click **Download Plugin** to get the `.zip` file
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install on WordPress">
    1. Go to your WordPress admin panel
    2. Navigate to **Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin**
    3. Choose the downloaded `.zip` file
    4. Click **Install Now**
    5. Click **Activate Plugin**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter your API key">
    1. In WordPress admin, go to **Settings > FAII**
    2. Find your API key in FAII dashboard under **Account > Integrations**
    3. Paste the API key into the WordPress plugin settings
    4. Click **Save & Connect**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify connection">
    After saving, the plugin will show a green "Connected" status. This confirms:

    * API key is valid
    * Your site can communicate with FAII servers
    * Bot tracking is now active
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure preferences">
    Optional settings to customize:

    | Setting              | Default | Options                          |
    | -------------------- | ------- | -------------------------------- |
    | **Track all bots**   | On      | On/Off - track all known AI bots |
    | **Sync frequency**   | Hourly  | Real-time, Hourly, Daily         |
    | **Dashboard widget** | On      | Show/hide the WP admin widget    |
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Plugin Settings

### Bot Selection

By default, all known AI bots are tracked. You can selectively disable tracking for specific bots if needed:

* GPTBot (OpenAI)
* ChatGPT-User (OpenAI)
* ClaudeBot (Anthropic)
* PerplexityBot (Perplexity)
* Google-Extended (Google AI)
* Googlebot (Google Search)

### Sync Frequency

| Option        | Best For                                  | Data Freshness |
| ------------- | ----------------------------------------- | :------------: |
| **Real-time** | High-traffic sites wanting immediate data |     Instant    |
| **Hourly**    | Most sites (recommended)                  |     ≤1 hour    |
| **Daily**     | Low-traffic sites                         |    ≤24 hours   |

<Tip>
  Hourly sync is recommended for most sites. Real-time sync adds minimal overhead but provides faster data visibility in your dashboard.
</Tip>

### WordPress Admin Widget

When enabled, a small widget appears on your WordPress dashboard showing:

* Total bot visits today
* Most active bot
* Most visited page (by bots)
* Link to full FAII analytics

## Verifying It Works

After installation, verify tracking is active:

1. **Check plugin status** - Should show "Connected" with a green indicator
2. **Wait for first sync** - Data appears in FAII dashboard after the first sync cycle
3. **Check FAII dashboard** - Go to **AI Website Analytics** to see incoming data

<Note>
  It may take a few hours to days before AI bots visit your site after installation. The plugin doesn't attract bots - it detects their natural crawling behavior.
</Note>

## Multi-Site Setup

### Multiple WordPress sites

If you have multiple WordPress sites:

| Plan         | Sites Supported |
| ------------ | :-------------: |
| Starter      |        1        |
| Professional |        3        |
| Enterprise   |    Unlimited    |

Each site uses the same FAII API key. The plugin automatically identifies which site is reporting data based on the domain.

### WordPress Multisite

The plugin supports WordPress Multisite networks. Install once as a network plugin, and it tracks all sites in the network.

## Troubleshooting

### "Connection Failed" error

* Verify your API key is correct (copy fresh from FAII dashboard)
* Check that your site can reach external APIs (some hosts block outgoing requests)
* Ensure your FAII subscription is active

### No data appearing

* Confirm the plugin status shows "Connected"
* Check your sync frequency setting
* AI bots may not have visited yet (especially for new sites)
* Verify your `robots.txt` isn't blocking AI crawlers

### Plugin conflicts

If you experience issues:

1. Temporarily deactivate other security/firewall plugins
2. Check for JavaScript errors in browser console
3. Try switching to a default WordPress theme temporarily
4. Contact support with your WordPress version and active plugins list

### Performance concerns

The plugin is lightweight by design:

* No frontend JavaScript added
* No database queries on page load for visitors
* Bot detection happens at the PHP level during request processing
* Data is batched and synced according to your frequency setting

## Uninstalling

If you need to remove the plugin:

1. Go to **Plugins > Installed Plugins**
2. Click **Deactivate** under FAII
3. Click **Delete** if you want to remove completely

<Warning>
  Uninstalling the plugin stops all bot tracking for that site. Historical data remains in your FAII dashboard.
</Warning>

## Related Articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="How Bot Tracking Works" icon="robot" href="/docs/ai-website-analytics/how-bot-tracking-works">
    Technical overview of detection
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bot Visit Analysis" icon="chart-bar" href="/docs/ai-website-analytics/bot-visit-analysis">
    Understanding your bot visit data
  </Card>
</CardGroup>