Docs

Appearance

Connect a WordPress Site ​

The show.fm plugin for WordPress can post each new episode to your own site. You connect the site once, choose which shows it may post, and from then on every episode you publish or schedule can appear on your site as a post.

You don't need to connect to use the plugin's blocks: they play any public show. Connecting adds Publish to WordPress, scheduled episodes in the block editor, and Migrate. For everything the plugin does, see show.fm for WordPress.

Connecting needs:

  • a WordPress site that uses https and is reachable on the internet
  • the show.fm plugin installed and active on that site (see Install the plugin)
  • a show hosted on show.fm, on a plan that includes connected sites (Creator plans and up)
  • the Admin or Owner role on that show

Connect from WordPress ​

  1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings → show.fm, open the Connection tab and click Connect to show.fm.
  2. show.fm opens on the Connect a WordPress site screen. If you are signed out, click Sign in (or Create account if you are new). You come straight back to this screen afterwards.
  3. Check the site address in the dashed box is your site. Only approve requests you started from that site's WordPress dashboard.
  4. Under Shows this site can post, tick the shows you want this site to post. Shows you cannot connect are listed greyed out with the reason.
  5. Choose the options:
    • Hide these shows' show.fm pages from search engines: search engines list the posts on your site instead. It starts unticked. If you turn it on, it stays on if you disconnect later, until you turn it off in Podcast Settings → Distribution. See Hide from Search Engines.
    • Include transcripts in posts: adds the transcript to each post when the episode has one.
  6. Click Approve. show.fm checks with the plugin on your site that you control it. This takes a few seconds.
  7. When you see that your site is connected, show.fm takes you back to WordPress to finish. If that does not happen, click Back to WordPress.
  8. Back in WordPress, the Connection tab says Connected to show.fm. and lists the shows the site posts. The Publishing and Migrate tabs appear.

The site can then read your chosen shows and their episodes (including scheduled ones) and tell show.fm the address of each post it creates. It cannot change your shows or episodes.

Change your mind later

You can take a show off a site, or disconnect the site, at any time in Connected Sites. Posting stops straight away.

If something goes wrong ​

MessageWhat it meansWhat to do
This request has expired or isn't validConnection requests work once and only for a short time.Go back to WordPress and click Connect to show.fm again.
We couldn't confirm you control your siteshow.fm checks that your site is reachable, uses https and that the show.fm plugin answers. The failed check is shown in red with the reason.Fix that problem, then click Try again.
You don't have any shows to connectNone of your shows can be connected. Each show is listed with the reason.A show can be connected when it's hosted on show.fm, its plan includes connected sites, and you're an Admin or Owner.
Your plan doesn't include connected sitesYour shows' plan does not include connected sites.Click Upgrade. Connected sites are available on Creator plans and up.
You've reached the 50-site limitYour account already has 50 connected sites.Disconnect a site you no longer use in Connected Sites, then try again.
We couldn't connect your siteSomething else stopped the connection. The reason is shown under the title.Click Try again.

Common reasons the site check fails:

  • The site is in maintenance mode, or not public.
  • A security plugin or firewall blocks the show.fm plugin's address on your site.
  • The WordPress Address and Site Address in WordPress under Settings → General differ from the address you use, so the check is redirected.

If the message says We couldn't check your site just now, nothing is known to be wrong with your site: our check could not start in time. Wait a minute, then click Try again.

Connect from WP-CLI ​

If you manage a site from the command line, you can connect it without the browser.

  1. In show.fm, open your podcast and go to Podcast Settings → Connected sites.

  2. Under Add a site with WP-CLI, click Create site key.

  3. Enter your current password, choose whether to include transcripts, and click Create site key.

  4. Copy the key. This is the only time you'll see this key.

  5. On your server, in your WordPress folder, run the command (Copy command copies it):

    sh
    wp showfm connect

  6. Paste the site key when the command asks for it. In a terminal it asks with the input hidden, so the key stays out of your shell history.

In a script, or anywhere without a terminal, give the key another way: pipe it in with wp showfm connect --key=-, or set the SHOWFM_KEY environment variable (the command then uses it and doesn't ask).

The key connects this show only, and must be used within 24 hours. The site appears in your connected sites once the command finishes.

For every way to give the key, see Use WP-CLI.

Keys and expiry ​

Each site has its own key, which lasts a year. We email you 30 days and 7 days before it expires. To keep posting, reconnect from the plugin before then. If you change your show.fm password, every connected site is disconnected and we email you; reconnect each site from the plugin.

Disconnect your site ​

  1. Go to Settings → show.fm and open the Connection tab.
  2. Click Disconnect.
  3. Read Disconnect from show.fm?: new episodes stop being posted here, posts already created stay as they are, and blocks keep playing public episodes.
  4. Click Disconnect.

The plugin asks show.fm to cancel the site's key, then removes it from your site whatever show.fm answers. If show.fm didn't confirm, the message says so and offers Open Connected sites in show.fm, where you can disconnect the site yourself.

You can also disconnect the site from show.fm in Connected Sites, or with wp showfm disconnect.

Next steps ​

Was this page helpful?