=== ThinkRank - AI SEO Assistant (LLMs, Schema, Metadata, Sitemaps, GA4) ===
Contributors: wpdevteam, thinkrank, re_enter_rupok, rafinkhan, rudlinkon, mdnahidhasan
Tags: seo, ai, schema, sitemap, llms.txt
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 8.0
Stable tag: 1.16.1
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

AI SEO for WordPress: content briefs, metadata, schema, sitemaps, GA4 & Search Console, PageSpeed, and actionable insights.

== Description ==

**[ThinkRank](https://thinkrank.ai/)** is an AI-native SEO plugin designed for WordPress that helps you create better content and optimize your website for search engines. Unlike other SEO plugins, ThinkRank leverages artificial intelligence to provide intelligent content suggestions, comprehensive SEO analysis, and automated optimization recommendations.

= Key Features (Always Free) =

= AI-Powered Content Tools =
* **AI Content Brief Generator** - Create comprehensive content outlines with competitor analysis and gap identification
* **AI Metadata Generation** - Auto-generate SEO-optimized titles and meta descriptions with SERP preview
* **Real-time SEO Score Calculator** - 13-factor algorithm with actionable improvement suggestions
* **Competitor Analysis** - Analyze competitor content structure, keywords, and SEO strategies
* **SERP Preview** - Live preview of how your content appears in search results

= Essential SEO Management =
* **Site Identity Management** - Complete site-wide SEO configuration (Basic Info, Title Formats, Breadcrumbs, Hero & Branding, Business Info)
* **Schema Manager** - Organization schema, website markup, and structured data management with deployment validation
* **Social Media Optimization** - Open Graph, Twitter Cards, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest integration with real-time preview
* **Performance Monitoring** - Core Web Vitals tracking, PageSpeed insights, and technical SEO diagnostics
* **Analytics Integration** - Google Analytics 4, Search Console, and AI-powered insights with intelligent reporting

= Crawling & AI Indexing =
* **Robots.txt Management** - AI-optimized robots.txt generation, validation, and automatic sitemap integration
* **XML Sitemap Generation** - Multiple sitemap types (Basic, Complete, E-commerce, Segmented) with AI content optimization
* **LLMs.txt for AI** - Specialized file for AI search engines and LLM indexing with automated generation
* **AI Search Optimization** - Prepare your content for next-generation AI-powered search engines

= Analytics & Intelligence =
* **SEO Analytics Dashboard** - Traffic analysis, organic search performance, and keyword opportunity identification
* **AI-Powered Insights** - Natural language explanations and optimization recommendations
* **PageSpeed Insights Integration** - Real-time Core Web Vitals, technical SEO diagnostics, and improvement opportunities
* **Intelligent Reporting** - Automated alerts, trend analysis, and actionable recommendations

= Technical Features =
* **Post/Page Integration** - Seamless metabox integration for all content types with real-time optimization
* **Multi-AI Provider Support** - Works with OpenAI (GPT-4o), Claude (Claude 3.7 Sonnet), and Google Gemini (Gemini 2.5 Flash) with intelligent model selection
* **Local SEO** - Business information, operating hours, location data, and local schema markup
* **Your API Key Control** - Complete cost transparency and control with your own AI provider keys

= Your API Key, Your Control =

ThinkRank uses your own AI API keys, giving you:
- Complete cost transparency and control
- No monthly subscription fees for the core plugin
- Unlimited usage based on your AI provider plan
- Enhanced privacy - your data stays between you and your chosen AI provider

= Perfect For =

* **Content Creators & Bloggers** - AI-powered content briefs and SEO optimization
* **E-commerce Store Owners** - Product SEO optimization and performance monitoring
* **SEO Professionals & Agencies** - Comprehensive SEO management with client reporting
* **WordPress Developers** - Technical SEO tools and performance diagnostics
* **Local Businesses** - Local SEO optimization with business information management
* **Enterprise Websites** - Advanced analytics, schema management, and AI indexing
* **Anyone wanting to improve their content's search visibility** - User-friendly interface with AI guidance

= Technical Excellence =

Built with modern WordPress development standards:
- PHP 8.0+ with strict typing
- React 18+ admin interface
- WordPress 6.0+ compatibility
- Security-first approach with proper sanitization and nonce verification
- Performance optimized with intelligent caching

== Installation ==

**Minimum Requirements**
* WordPress 6.0 or higher
* PHP 8.0 or higher
* OpenAI API key OR Claude API key (Anthropic)

**Automatic Installation**
1. Log in to your WordPress admin panel
2. Go to Plugins → Add New
3. Search for "ThinkRank"
4. Click "Install Now" and then "Activate"

**Manual Installation**
1. Download the plugin zip file
2. Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
3. Choose the zip file and click "Install Now"
4. Activate the plugin

**Setup**
1. Go to ThinkRank → Settings in your WordPress admin
2. Choose your AI provider (OpenAI or Claude)
3. Enter your API key
4. Select your preferred AI model
5. Save settings and start optimizing!

**Getting API Keys**
* **OpenAI**: https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
* **Claude (Anthropic)**: https://console.anthropic.com/
* **Gemini (Google AI)**: https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/api-key

== Privacy ==

ThinkRank stores your settings and your AI provider API keys in your site's own database. Beyond the third-party services you actively use or enable, it does not send your data anywhere. Every outbound request ThinkRank can make — the service, exactly what is sent, and when — is listed in the "External services" section below.

Usage tracking is opt-in and off by default: no diagnostic or usage data is sent unless you explicitly agree during setup, and you can turn it off again at any time from ThinkRank's settings.

== External services ==

ThinkRank connects to the third-party services below. Requests are only made for features you use or enable — most require you to add an API key or connect an account first — so a default install sends nothing until you configure the relevant feature (and usage tracking, which is opt-in).

= AI providers: OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), Google Gemini, OpenRouter =
Used when you run an AI feature (content brief, metadata, SEO score, etc.). The prompt you submit — which can include your post content, titles and keywords — is sent to the provider you configure, authenticated with the API key you supply. Requests are only made when you actively trigger an AI feature.
Terms & privacy: OpenAI — https://openai.com/policies/terms-of-use , https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy ; Anthropic — https://www.anthropic.com/legal/consumer-terms , https://www.anthropic.com/legal/privacy ; Google Gemini — https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/terms , https://policies.google.com/privacy ; OpenRouter — https://openrouter.ai/terms , https://openrouter.ai/privacy

= Google Analytics, Search Console & PageSpeed Insights =
Used when you connect a Google account and open the analytics/performance dashboards. Account, property and site-metric queries are sent to Google's APIs using your OAuth token, when you view those dashboards or on the scheduled analytics refresh.
Terms: https://developers.google.com/terms ; Privacy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

= ThinkRank Google token service (api.thinkrank.ai) =
After you connect Google Analytics/Search Console, ThinkRank refreshes your Google OAuth access token through https://api.thinkrank.ai/v1/callback.php. Your Google OAuth refresh token and OAuth client id are sent to this endpoint so a fresh access token can be issued. This runs on a scheduled token refresh (roughly every 45 minutes) and just before Google API calls when the token is about to expire — only after you have connected a Google account.
Provided by WPDeveloper — Terms: https://wpdeveloper.com/terms , Privacy: https://wpdeveloper.com/privacy-policy

= IndexNow (api.indexnow.org) =
Used when Instant Indexing is enabled. When you publish, update or delete a supported post type, your site host, IndexNow key and the affected URL(s) are submitted to https://api.indexnow.org so participating search engines are notified. Only runs when the feature is enabled.
Terms & info: https://www.indexnow.org , https://www.bing.com/indexnow

= Google & Bing sitemap ping =
When sitemap auto-regeneration runs with pinging enabled, your sitemap URL is sent to https://www.google.com/ping and https://www.bing.com/ping.
Google privacy: https://policies.google.com/privacy ; Bing/Microsoft privacy: https://www.microsoft.com/privacy/privacystatement

= Usage tracking (send.wpinsight.com) — opt-in, off by default =
Only if you opt in during setup, ThinkRank sends non-sensitive diagnostic data — site URL, WordPress and PHP versions, active/inactive plugins and theme, and (if you separately consent to marketing) the admin email — to https://send.wpinsight.com/process-plugin-data to help improve the plugin. During the one-time registration a country lookup is made via https://ip-api.com using the request IP address. This is disabled by default and can be turned off at any time from ThinkRank's settings.
Provided by WPDeveloper — Terms: https://wpdeveloper.com/terms , Privacy: https://wpdeveloper.com/privacy-policy ; ip-api.com: https://ip-api.com/docs/legal

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Do I need an AI API key to use this plugin? =

Yes, ThinkRank requires an OpenAI, Claude, or Gemini API key to function. This approach gives you complete control over costs and ensures your data privacy. The plugin itself is free — you only pay your AI provider directly for usage.

= Which AI models are supported? =

**OpenAI (examples):**
- GPT-5-nano (default), GPT-5-mini, GPT-5, GPT-4o

**Claude (examples):**
- Claude 4 Sonnet, Claude 4 Opus, Claude 3.7 Sonnet (default), Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 3.5 Haiku

**Gemini (examples):**
- Gemini 2.5 Flash (default), 2.5 Flash Lite, 2.5 Pro, 2.0 Flash, 1.5 Flash

Support for the latest stable models of each provider. Defaults can be changed in Settings.

= How much does AI usage cost? =

Costs depend on your chosen AI provider and usage:
- OpenAI GPT-4o: ~$0.01-0.03 per content brief
- Claude 3.7 Sonnet: ~$0.01-0.02 per content brief
- Actual costs vary based on content length and complexity

= Is my data secure? =

Yes. ThinkRank follows WordPress security best practices:
- API keys are securely stored in your database
- All data is sanitized and validated
- Nonce verification for all requests
- Your content is only sent to your chosen AI provider

= Can I use this with WooCommerce? =

Yes! ThinkRank includes WooCommerce integration for optimizing product pages, though advanced e-commerce features are available in our premium extensions.

= Does this conflict with other SEO plugins? =

ThinkRank is designed to work alongside other SEO plugins. However, for best results, we recommend using ThinkRank as your primary SEO solution to avoid conflicting meta tags.

= Can I export my content briefs? =

Yes, all generated content briefs can be exported in multiple formats for use in external tools or documentation.

= What happens to my data if I uninstall the plugin? =

By default, ThinkRank preserves your API keys and generated content when uninstalled. You can change this behavior in Settings → Data Management if you prefer to delete everything.

= Does ThinkRank work with Google Analytics and Search Console? =

Yes! ThinkRank includes comprehensive analytics integration with Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, and Google PageSpeed Insights. You can connect your accounts in the Essential SEO → Analytics section for AI-powered insights and performance monitoring.

= Is there rate limiting to prevent overuse? =

Yes. You can enable rate limiting in Settings to cap AI requests per minute and prevent accidental overuse.

= What is LLMs.txt and why do I need it? =

LLMs.txt is a specialized file that helps AI search engines and language models better understand and index your website content. As AI-powered search becomes more prevalent, this file ensures your content is properly represented in AI search results and recommendations.

= Can I generate multiple types of sitemaps? =

Yes! ThinkRank offers multiple sitemap types including Basic, Complete, E-commerce, and Segmented sitemaps. You can customize which content types to include and generate AI-optimized sitemaps that improve your search engine visibility.

= How does the competitor analysis work? =

ThinkRank analyzes competitor URLs to provide insights on content structure, keyword usage, SEO strategies, and technical implementation. This helps you identify content gaps and optimization opportunities to outrank your competition.

== Screenshots ==

1. LLMs.txt for AI Indexing
2. AI Content Brief Generator
3. Core Web Vitals & Performance Dashboard
4. AI Metadata Generator
5. SEO Metadata: Generate with AI
6. Schema Manager: Generate Schema with AI

== Changelog ==

= 1.16.1 =
Release Date: 2026-07-12

- Improved: Instant Indexing now submits URLs in the background via WP-Cron, so publishing or updating a post no longer waits on the IndexNow request
- Improved: Expanded the Privacy section and added an "External services" section documenting every third-party request ThinkRank can make
- Fixed: AI features (content brief, metadata, SEO score) no longer time out with a 502 on slower hosts — the PHP time limit is raised for blocking AI requests
- Fixed: Saved Briefs panel is capped to the form height and scrolls internally instead of overflowing
- Fixed: Removed a stray breadcrumb reference from schema output
- Security: Hardened REST API permission and capability checks, added SSRF protection to sitemap and content-brief URL fetching, per-user AI rate limiting, and direct-access (ABSPATH) guards
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.16.0 =
Release Date: 2026-07-09

- New: FAQ Gutenberg block (`thinkrank/faq`) — inline Q&A rendered as a no-JavaScript accordion with FAQPage schema
- New: Migration Tools — opt-in setting that reveals a dedicated Migration page to re-run SEO data imports after setup
- New: Setup Wizard Ecosystem auto-detects already-active plugins; migrated SEO plugins are deactivated automatically once their data is imported
- New: Editable permalink slug in the metabox, and a "You have already used this Focus Keyword" warning
- New: Out-of-the-box schema on posts, pages, CPTs, archives, and the homepage (WebSite + SearchAction, CollectionPage), plus canonical URLs and meta descriptions on archive pages
- New: Local business sitemap (`local-sitemap.xml`), and fuller Rank Math local-business migration (address, geo, price range, opening hours)
- Changed: Migration page and SEO conflict notice redesigned to match the ThinkRank/native WordPress look; sidebar navigation regrouped
- Fixed: XML sitemap no longer drops short/"demo" content or lists non-viewable CPTs; 404/search/date-archive robots directives corrected
- Fixed: robots.txt no longer blocks render-critical CSS/JS paths
- Security: Hardened REST API permission and capability checks
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.15.0 =
Release Date: 2026-07-06

- New: Role Manager — control which roles can access Essential SEO, AI Tools, and Settings sections
- New: Elementor integration — edit ThinkRank SEO fields directly inside the Elementor editor, plus a Classic Editor sidebar widget
- New: AI providers — OpenRouter support, custom-model entry for any provider, and Gemini 3.x models
- New: SEO Score — one-click "Apply" for AI-generated title, meta description, link, keyword, and schema fixes
- Changed: Per-post SEO scoring now aligns with other SEO plugins. Segmented sitemaps now paginate based on the Links per Sitemap setting.
- Fixed: Duplicate robots/canonical meta tags removed; honor "Discourage search engines"; full og:title without truncation
- Improved: Import now migrates sitemap settings and Yoast title/description templates and author meta
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.14.0 =
Release Date: 2026-06-25

- New: 7-step Setup Wizard onboarding with migration and Site Setup pre-fill
- New: Native multiple focus keywords (up to 5), with extra keywords gated behind Pro
- New: Redesigned SEO metabox with logo launcher, bottom drawer, and live SEO pattern previews
- New: VideoObject and Review schema types with Rank Math import support
- Changed: Expanded SEO data import (Rank Math schema, sitemap, Image SEO, templates, pillar content & more)
- Fixed: Honor per-post OG title/description overrides; full-size featured image in social preview
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.13.0 =
Release Date: 2026-06-16

- New: Email Reporting — scheduled SEO email reports
- Changed: Refactored schema generation and settings components
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.12.0 =
Release Date: 2026-06-15

- Added: Redesigned admin interface built on Tailwind CSS with a new reusable UI component library
- Changed: Modernized loading states and navigation, and renamed "Usage Analytics" to "Usages"
- Fixed: Uninstall now preserves data by default, preventing accidental data deletion

= 1.11.0 =
Release Date: 2026-05-24

- Added: CSS design system with `tr-*` component classes and `--tr-*` design tokens
- Added: Pre-commit hooks (husky + lint-staged) for automated lint on commit
- Added: Auto DB migration on `plugins_loaded` — missing tables/columns are created automatically without requiring deactivation/reactivation
- Changed: WordPress 6.9+ component compliance (`__nextHasNoMarginBottom`, `__next40pxDefaultSize` props)
- Changed: Moved XSL sitemap stylesheets from `assets/` to `static/xsl/` (survives webpack clean builds)
- Changed: DB schema version bumped to 1.1.0
- Fixed: 63 dead JS imports removed across 22 files
- Fixed: `npm run release` zip now correctly includes `assets/` and `static/` directories
- Fixed: lint-staged no longer hangs on existing formatting mismatches
- Removed: Build artifacts from git tracking (12 files, 1.4MB) — now generated via `npm run build`

= 1.10.0 =
Release Date: 2026-05-05

- Added: New Feature | Google Analytics
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements


= 1.9.0 =
Release Date: 2026-03-31

- Improved: Updated dashboard interface for better user experience
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements


= 1.8.0 =
Release Date: 2026-03-11

- Added: New Feature | Import Schema From Any Website
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.7.0 =
Release Date: 2026-02-15

- Added: New Feature | Author Archives SEO
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.6.0 =
Release Date: 2026-02-09

- Added: New Feature | Pillar Content
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.5.0 =
Release Date: 2026-01-12

- Added: New Feature | Global Robot Meta
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.4.0 =
Release Date: 2026-01-06

- Added: New Feature | Image SEO
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.3.0 =
Release Date: 2025-12-29

- Added: New Feature | Instant Indexing
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.2.0 =
Release Date: 2025-12-11

- Added: New Feature | ThinkRank SEO Overview
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.1.0 =
Release Date: 2025-11-23

- Added: New Feature | Bulk SEO Optimization Settings
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.0.2 =
Release Date: 2025-10-30

- Fixed: Google Service integration issue for PageSpeed Insights
- Fixed: WooCommerce edit conflict with ThinkRank plugin
- Fixed: Version number inconsistency
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.0.1 =
Release Date: 2025-09-25

- Improved: Updated Database Schema
- Fixed: AI Content Brief not showing properly on Firefox
- Few minor bug fixes & improvements

= 1.0.0 =
Release Date: 2025-07-07

- Initial release
- AI Content Brief Generator with competitor analysis
- Real-time SEO Score Calculator (13-factor)
- AI Metadata Generation with SERP preview
- Competitor analysis insights
- Export content briefs in multiple formats
- Complete Site Identity management (Basic Info, Title Formats, Breadcrumbs, Hero & Branding, Business Info)
- Advanced Schema Manager for organization/website structured data
- Social Media Optimization (Open Graph, Twitter Cards)
- Performance Monitoring (Core Web Vitals, PageSpeed, diagnostics)
- Analytics Integration (GA4, Search Console) with insights
- Robots.txt management with AI optimization
- XML Sitemap generation: Basic, Complete, E-commerce, Segmented
- LLMs.txt for AI indexing
- SEO Analytics Dashboard with keyword opportunities
- AI-powered insights with natural language explanations
- Real-time diagnostics and improvement recommendations
- Intelligent reporting with automated alerts and trends
- Post/Page metabox integration with real-time optimization
- Multi-AI provider support (OpenAI GPT-4, Claude)
- Local SEO data management
- Secure API key management; your own keys
- React-based admin interface
- PHP 8.0+ with strict typing
- Custom tables and intelligent caching
- Error handling, logging, performance optimization
- WordPress 6.0+ compatibility

== Upgrade Notice ==

= 1.0.0 =
Initial release of ThinkRank. Welcome to AI-powered SEO optimization!
