seo/guides/INSTALL_RANK_MATH_EXTENDED_PLUGIN.md

Install Rank Math API Manager Extended - Complete Guide

What This Plugin Does

This extended version of the Rank Math API Manager plugin adds GET endpoints to read Rank Math SEO metadata (the original only had POST for updating).

New GET Endpoints

GET  /wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/get-meta/{post_id}
     → Retrieve Rank Math meta for a single post

GET  /wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/posts?per_page=100&page=1&status=publish
     → Retrieve all posts with their Rank Math meta (paginated)

POST /wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/update-meta
     → Update Rank Math meta (original functionality)

---

Installation

Option 1: Install from File (Easiest)

Step 1: Download the Plugin File

The plugin file is at:

/Users/acid/Documents/seo/wordpress-plugins/rank-math-api-manager-extended.php

Step 2: Upload to WordPress

1. Download the file
2. In WordPress Admin:

   Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
   

3. Select file: rank-math-api-manager-extended.php
4. Click: Install Now
5. Click: Activate Plugin

Option 2: Install Manually via FTP

1. Connect to your server via FTP
2. Navigate to: /wp-content/plugins/
3. Create folder: rank-math-api-manager-extended
4. Upload rank-math-api-manager-extended.php to that folder
5. In WordPress Admin: Plugins → Activate "Rank Math API Manager Extended"

Option 3: Install via SSH/Command Line

# SSH into your server
cd /path/to/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/

# Create plugin folder
mkdir rank-math-api-manager-extended

# Upload file (if you have it locally)
# Or create it directly:
cat > rank-math-api-manager-extended/rank-math-api-manager-extended.php << 'EOF'
[Paste the entire plugin code here]
EOF

# Then activate in WordPress Admin

---

Verify Installation

Step 1: Check Plugin is Activated

In WordPress Admin:

Plugins → Installed Plugins
Look for: "Rank Math API Manager Extended"
Status: Should say "Active"

Step 2: Test the GET Endpoint

Run this curl command (replace credentials and domain):

curl -u "your_username:your_app_password" \
  "https://www.mistergeek.net/wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/posts?per_page=1&status=publish"

You should see:

[
  {
    "id": 2845,
    "title": "Best VPN Services 2025",
    "slug": "best-vpn-services",
    "url": "https://www.mistergeek.net/best-vpn-services/",
    "status": "publish",
    "rank_math_title": "The Best VPN Services 2025",
    "rank_math_description": "Discover the best VPN services...",
    "rank_math_focus_keyword": "best VPN",
    "rank_math_canonical_url": ""
  }
]

If you see this: ✓ SUCCESS!

Step 3: Run Diagnostic

python scripts/multi_site_seo_analyzer.py --diagnose https://www.mistergeek.net

You should now see:

Available meta fields:
  • rank_math_description: Discover the best VPN...
  • rank_math_title: The Best VPN Services 2025
  • rank_math_focus_keyword: best VPN

---

Available API Endpoints

1. GET Single Post Meta

curl -u "username:password" \
  "https://www.mistergeek.net/wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/get-meta/2845"

Response:

{
  "post_id": 2845,
  "post_title": "Best VPN Services 2025",
  "post_url": "https://www.mistergeek.net/best-vpn-services/",
  "rank_math_title": "The Best VPN Services 2025",
  "rank_math_description": "Discover the best VPN services...",
  "rank_math_focus_keyword": "best VPN",
  "rank_math_canonical_url": ""
}

2. GET All Posts (Paginated)

curl -u "username:password" \
  "https://www.mistergeek.net/wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/posts?per_page=100&page=1&status=publish"

Query Parameters:

• per_page - Number of posts per page (1-100, default: 100)
• page - Page number (default: 1)
• status - Post status: publish, draft, pending, trash (default: publish)

Response: Array of posts with meta fields

3. POST Update Meta

curl -u "username:password" \
  -X POST \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "post_id": 2845,
    "rank_math_title": "New Title",
    "rank_math_description": "New description"
  }' \
  "https://www.mistergeek.net/wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/update-meta"

---

Update the SEO Analyzer Script

Now that the plugin is installed, update the script to use the new endpoint:

File: /Users/acid/Documents/seo/scripts/multi_site_seo_analyzer.py

The script should automatically detect the meta fields from the REST API response. Just run:

python scripts/multi_site_seo_analyzer.py --include-drafts --top-n 50

The meta descriptions will now be fetched from Rank Math!

---

Install on All 3 Sites

Repeat the same installation steps for:

• mistergeek.net ← Install here first to test
• webscroll.fr
• hellogeek.net

For each site:

1. Upload plugin via WordPress Admin
2. Activate plugin
3. Test with curl command
4. Run diagnostic

---

Troubleshooting

"Plugin could not be activated"

Solutions:

1. Check PHP syntax: php -l rank-math-api-manager-extended.php
2. Ensure /wp-content/plugins/ folder exists and is writable
3. Check WordPress error log: /wp-content/debug.log

"Endpoint not found" (404)

Solutions:

1. Verify plugin is activated
2. Verify correct URL: /wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/posts (not v1)
3. Flush WordPress rewrite rules:

   WordPress Admin → Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes
   

"Unauthorized" (401)

Solutions:

1. Verify credentials (username and app password)
2. Verify user has read_posts permission (at least Author role)
3. Check if security plugin is blocking REST API

"No meta fields returned"

Solutions:

1. Verify Rank Math SEO is installed and activated
2. Verify posts have Rank Math meta set (check in WordPress editor)
3. Check WordPress database: wp_postmeta table has rank_math_* entries

---

Security Notes

This plugin respects WordPress permissions:

• Read access: Requires read_posts capability (any logged-in user)
• Write access: Requires edit_posts capability (Author or higher)
• Uses HTTP Basic Auth (same as original)

For production, consider:

• Using HTTPS only (not HTTP)
• Restricting API access by IP in .htaccess or security plugin
• Creating a separate API user with limited permissions

---

Remove Plugin

If you need to uninstall:

1. In WordPress Admin: Plugins → Deactivate "Rank Math API Manager Extended"
2. Delete the plugin folder: /wp-content/plugins/rank-math-api-manager-extended/
3. Original Rank Math SEO still works

---

Next Steps

1. Install the plugin on mistergeek.net
2. Test with curl:

   curl -u "username:password" \
     "https://www.mistergeek.net/wp-json/rank-math-api/v2/posts?per_page=1"
   

3. Run diagnostic:

   python scripts/multi_site_seo_analyzer.py --diagnose https://www.mistergeek.net
   

4. Run analyzer:

   python scripts/multi_site_seo_analyzer.py --include-drafts --top-n 50
   

5. Install on other 2 sites and repeat

---

Support

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the troubleshooting section above
2. Verify curl command works (tests plugin directly)
3. Check WordPress debug log: /wp-content/debug.log
4. Share the error message and we can debug together

Ready to install? Download the plugin file and upload it! 🚀