As a busy merchant, maintaining an active social media presence can be a time-consuming task. Manually posting updates, articles, and promotional content across multiple platforms can detract from more pressing business activities. Fortunately, you can streamline this process by automating posts. This guide will explore how to fully automate posting from your WordPress blog to social media using ChatGPT, Zapier, SendGrid, Buffer, and Google forms using a method that breaks the workflow into two distinct Zaps and includes an approval step via a form.

Why Automate Social Media Posts?

Before diving into the how, let’s discuss the why. Automating your social media posts can:

1. Save Time: Automation frees up valuable time, allowing you to focus on other critical aspects of your business.
2. Ensure Consistency: Regular posting keeps your audience engaged and improves your brand visibility.
3. Optimize Timing: Schedule posts at optimal times for maximum engagement without having to be online.
4. Reduce Errors: Automation minimizes the risk of errors that can occur when posting manually.

Tools Overview

1. ChatGPT

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a language model that can generate human-like text based on prompts. It can be used to create engaging social media content derived from your blog posts.

2. Zapier

Zapier is a web-based automation tool that connects different apps and services. It allows you to create automated workflows, known as “Zaps,” that trigger actions across multiple platforms.

3. Buffer

Buffer is a social media management tool that enables you to schedule and publish posts across various social media channels. It also provides analytics to track your social media performance.

4. SendGrid

SendGrid is a cloud-based email delivery service that allows you to send email notifications, ensuring that the generated social media content is reviewed and approved before posting.

5. Google Forms

Google Forms is a web-based form creation tool that allows you to easily build, share, and collect responses from forms. It can be used to gather feedback, approvals, or any other type of information, making it ideal for the content approval process in automated workflows.

Step-by-Step Guide to Automate Your Social Media Posts

Step 1: Set Up Your WordPress Blog

Ensure your WordPress blog is set up and that you have administrative access to it. You will need the RSS feed URL for your blog, which is usually in the format http://yourblog.com/feed.

Step 2: Create a Zapier Account

If you don’t already have one, sign up for a free account at Zapier.

Two-Zap Workflow for Improved Automation

To ensure quality and provide a buffer for review and approval, we will break the automation into two separate Zaps.

Zap 1: Generate and Review Content

Purpose: The first Zap will trigger when a new blog post is published, generate social media content using ChatGPT, and send an email for review and approval.

Step 3A: Create the First Zap in Zapier

1. Make a Zap: Start by creating a new Zap in Zapier.
2. Set Trigger App: Choose “WordPress” as the trigger app.
3. Choose Trigger Event: Select “New Post” as the trigger event. This will initiate the Zap every time a new post is published on your WordPress blog.
4. Connect WordPress Account: Connect your WordPress account to Zapier by providing the necessary credentials and permissions.
5. Set Up Trigger: Customize the trigger by specifying the post status (e.g., published) and any other criteria relevant to your workflow.

Step 4A: Use ChatGPT to Generate Social Media Content

1. Add Action App: Select “ChatGPT by OpenAI” as the action app.
2. Configure Action: Set the action to “Conversation” or a similar function. Customize the prompt to include variables like the blog post title, summary, or any specific instructions for generating the post content.
   • Example Prompt: “Create a social media post for Facebook based on the following blog title and summary: {Title} – {Summary}”

Step 5A: Use SendGrid to Review Generated Content

1. Add Action App: Choose “SendGrid” as the action app.
2. Configure Action: Set the action to “Send Email.” Customize the email content to include the generated social media content and a link to a form (e.g., Google Form or Typeform) where the content can be reviewed and approved.
   • Example Email: “New blog post content has been generated for social media. Please review the content below and approve it using the following form link: [Approval Form Link].”

Using SendGrid allows you to verify the quality and relevance of the content generated by ChatGPT. By receiving an email notification, you can check for any inaccuracies, ensure the tone aligns with your brand, and make any necessary adjustments before the post goes live.

Zap 2: Approve and Publish Content

Purpose: The second Zap will trigger when the approval form is submitted, scheduling the approved content in Buffer.

Step 3B: Create the Second Zap in Zapier

1. Make a Zap: Start by creating a new Zap in Zapier.
2. Set Trigger App: Choose “Google Forms” (or “Typeform”) as the trigger app.
3. Choose Trigger Event: Select “New Form Response” as the trigger event. This will initiate the Zap every time the approval form is submitted.
4. Connect Form Account: Connect your form account to Zapier by providing the necessary credentials and permissions.

Step 4B: Add to Buffer Queue for Posting

1. Add Action App: Choose “Buffer” as the action app.
2. Configure Action: Set the action to “Add to Queue.” Specify the social media platforms you want to post to (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn) and map the approved content to the appropriate fields.

Test and Activate Your Zaps

Before activating your Zaps, test them to ensure everything is working correctly. Publish a test blog post and verify that it triggers the first Zap, generates the social media content, and sends the review email via SendGrid. Then, submit the approval form and check that the second Zap schedules the approved post in Buffer.

Once you’ve confirmed that everything is functioning as expected, turn on your Zaps. From now on, every time you publish a new blog post, Zapier will automatically use ChatGPT to create social media content, send it for review via SendGrid, and schedule it through Buffer upon approval.

Conclusion

Automating your social media posts using ChatGPT, Zapier, SendGrid, and Buffer can significantly enhance your efficiency and consistency in maintaining a robust online presence. By breaking the workflow into two Zaps and including an approval step, you ensure the quality and relevance of your content while maintaining control over your social media activities.

Start leveraging the power of automation today and watch your social media engagement soar while you focus on what you do best—running your business.