Hello, AI-meeee readers! Today I’m going to show you how to automatically export URLs and titles from your WordPress site for free. This handy method uses WordPress’s standard features with a bit of clever integration – no need to purchase expensive plugins! This approach is especially useful for those managing numerous articles on their site.
The Basics: Using RSS Feeds for Free Automatic Exports
Did you know that instead of relying on paid plugins like “Export All URLs” or “WP All Export,” you can use WordPress’s built-in RSS feed functionality to automatically export article URLs and titles for free?
WordPress comes with an RSS feed feature right out of the box, designed to distribute your site’s latest updates. This RSS feed contains information such as article titles, URLs, and publication dates. By connecting this feed to free external tools, you can set up automatic and regular exports.
What is an RSS Feed?
RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and is a standard format for efficiently distributing website update information. Your WordPress site automatically provides an RSS feed at the following URL:
Setting Up Automation with IFTTT
Next, I’ll explain how to use the free automation tool “IFTTT” (If This Then That) to automatically transfer data from your RSS feed to Google Sheets.
What is IFTTT?
IFTTT stands for “If This Then That,” a free tool for connecting various web services and apps. The free version allows you to set up to 5 automations per month, which is plenty for our purposes.
Step-by-Step Setup Instructions
- Register with IFTTT: Visit https://ifttt.com/ and create a free account.
- Create a New Automation (Applet): After logging in, click “Create”.
- Set Up the Trigger (If This): Select “RSS Feed” and set “New feed item” (when a new article is published) as your trigger.
- Enter Your Feed URL: Input your WordPress site’s RSS feed URL (e.g., https://your-site-url.com/feed/).
- Set Up the Action (Then That): Select “Google Sheets” and choose “Add row to spreadsheet” (add a row to the spreadsheet).
- Connect Your Google Account: Link your Google account and specify which spreadsheet will receive the data.
Effective Spreadsheet Configuration
Configure your spreadsheet columns as follows to neatly organize the necessary information:
With this setup, information will be automatically added to your Google Spreadsheet every time a new article is published. Google Sheets also has CSV export functionality, so you can save the data as a CSV file if needed.
Alternative Option: Make (formerly Integromat)
As an alternative to IFTTT, you can also use “Make“. Its free plan allows up to 1,000 operations per month and can handle more complex automation setups. This is recommended if you want more advanced automation without additional costs.
Benefits and Limitations of This Method
Benefits
- Completely Free: Implement without any additional costs
- Automation: Once set up, data updates automatically every time a new article is published
- Simple Setup: Can be configured by following steps even without technical knowledge
- Flexible Data Utilization: Being output to Google Sheets makes data processing and analysis easy
Limitations
RSS feeds typically only include the 10-20 most recent articles, so they’re not suitable for bulk exports of all articles. If you want to include all past articles, it’s recommended to manually retrieve all article data once at the beginning, and then use this RSS integration to automatically add new articles going forward.
If You Need to Retrieve All Articles at Once
If you need to retrieve all articles on your site at once, consider using WordPress’s “Tools” → “Export” function just for the initial data, or temporarily utilize AI-assisted scripts to extract all URLs and titles. If you’re familiar with programming, you might also consider creating custom scripts using AI coding assistants like Claude Code.
Practical Applications
The URL and title data collected using this method can be utilized for various purposes:
- Automatic sitemap generation
- Analysis and improvement of internal linking strategy
- Organizing articles by category and chronology
- Collecting basic data for SEO analysis
- Automating social media posts (with further IFTTT integration)
Especially for those utilizing AI models, you can develop more effective content strategies by analyzing and optimizing articles based on the collected data.
Summary: WordPress Data Management Achievable for Free
We’ve seen how combining WordPress’s RSS feed functionality with free automation tools like IFTTT or Make allows you to create an automatic URL and title export system without additional costs.
This method is particularly recommended for:
- Individual bloggers or small site operators
- Those looking to minimize plugin purchase costs
- Anyone wanting to gradually automate their site management
- Those seeking methods that can be implemented without programming knowledge
Give it a try and use it to streamline your WordPress site management. If you’re interested in further automation using AI tools, be sure to check out our other articles!
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