Site Connector & Multisite Network
Link separate WordPress installs into one network view on the hub site: register child sites with URL + API key, assign site roles, and sync SEO Rank Genius settings per module — without logging into each dashboard.
Before you start
Site Connector is designed for operators who maintain more than one WordPress property — agencies, franchises, multilingual stacks, or production + staging pairs. One install acts as the hub (where you open Tools → Site Connector). Every other install is a connected site that exposes an API key the hub uses to handshake and optionally pull or push configuration.
- You need HTTPS on every site — keys and sync payloads must not travel over plain HTTP.
- Use a dedicated Administrator — only trusted admin users should manage network keys and sync jobs.
- Plans & activations still apply per site — connecting sites does not replace licensing. Confirm each install is covered under your Account & license limits.
Site Connector screen
Open the hub WordPress dashboard and go to:
SEO Rank Genius → Tools & Analytics → Site Connector
Select the Network sub-tab (?tab=network). This view is your central dashboard: at a glance you see how many sites are linked, whether the last sync succeeded, aggregate health signals, and any queued jobs.
Site Connector
Hub dashboard · Network scope
Connected sites
6
Last network sync
2m ago
Sites healthy
5 / 6
Queued jobs
1
Network summary
Orange actions run from the hub. Child sites only expose the key you copy from their connector screen.
Network tab — KPI row for connected count, last sync, healthy sites, and pending jobs.
From here you drill into individual sites (test connection, open remote admin in a new tab when permitted), trigger a full network sync, or jump to per-site sync toggles covered below.
Connected sites
Add site| Site | Role | License | Last sync | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hub.example.com This site |
Hub | Agency | — | OK |
| shop.client-a.com | Child | Pro | 3m ago | Synced |
| blog.client-b.org | Read-only | Personal | 1h ago | Key rotated |
Connected sites table — URL, site role, plan context, last sync time, and connection health.
Add a connected site
Each child site generates its own connector credentials. On the child install, open Site Connector (same menu path) and copy the site URL and API key shown in the local panel. On the hub, click Add site and paste both values.
Choose a site role
When saving the new row, pick how this site participates:
- Child (full) — hub can pull status and push allowed settings modules.
- Read-only — hub ingests telemetry only; no pushes (useful for client-owned production where you audit but do not write).
- Staging pair — same as child, but tagged so you can filter sync jobs away from live properties.
Verify the handshake
After saving, click Test connection on the row. A green badge means the key, REST route, and TLS chain are valid. A red badge usually means a wrong URL, blocked REST, or a key that was regenerated on the child.
Add connected site
Paste the child site base URL and API key. Keys are hashed at rest on the hub.
https://shop.client-a.com srg_live_•••••••••••••••••••••••••8f2aAdd site form — base URL plus API key field (masked), role selector, and optional label.
Sync settings
Once a site is trusted, the hub can synchronize SEO Rank Genius option groups — the same families you see in General Settings and related screens. Sync is modular: enable only the bundles you want so you never overwrite GSC tokens, local business schema, or redirect tables by accident.
Sync to: shop.client-a.com
Push from hub → child. Disabled rows are skipped; child read-only roles hide push actions.
Templates & robots
Org + WebSite defaults
Ping + sitemap paths
Usually child-specific
Large tables — confirm first
Per-module sync toggles — turn on only the bundles you intend to push from the hub.
Best practice: run Preview diff (when available) or export a JSON backup on the child before the first push. After a push, spot-check Settings → General on the child and run a quick SEO Advisor pass.
Use cases
Troubleshooting
“Connection failed” right after adding a site
Confirm the URL includes https://, has no trailing login path, and matches the child’s Site Address (URL) in WordPress general settings. Retry Test connection after flushing permalinks on the child (Settings → Permalinks → Save).
REST API blocked by security plugin
Some firewalls block unauthenticated or custom REST namespaces. Whitelist SEO Rank Genius REST routes on the child, or temporarily disable the rule to verify. The connector requires the same outbound/inbound HTTPS your site already uses for the block editor.
Key rejected after it used to work
Keys can be rotated from the child connector screen. If someone regenerated the key, update the hub row — old keys show as Key rotated or failed tests until replaced.
Sync succeeded but settings look unchanged
Check that the module toggle was ON for the bundle you expected, and that the child role allows writes. Compare timestamps in the Activity log (same Tools area). Also confirm object cache on the child is not serving stale options — purge cache and reload admin.
Do not sync these without a plan
Keep Integrations off by default — Google Search Console properties and analytics IDs are almost always unique per hostname. Likewise, hesitate before pushing full Redirections tables across unrelated domains.