=== Traffman ===
Contributors: traffman
Tags: traffic, content traffic, traffic exchange
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
Requires PHP: 7.4
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 7.1
Stable tag: 1.0.0

Exchange content with other member sites: show their content on yours, and yours on
theirs, to reach new interested visitors.

== Description ==

Traffman connects your WordPress site(s) to a content traffic exchange network. Your site
displays a block containing content and links published by other member sites, and in
return your own content is shown on theirs. There are no campaigns, no bids and no
payments for placements — participation is accounted for in points.

The plugin adds a configurable block to your site. You choose where it appears –
sidebar, inside post content, or footer – and adjust its appearance to match your
theme. The block is rendered client-side via JavaScript, so no markup is added to the
server-rendered HTML of your pages. You can place up to four blocks on a page.

Only the posts you explicitly select are shared with the network. Nothing is sent
until you choose it.

Topic filtering lets you specify the content niches and languages you want to receive
content from, and a blacklist excludes words and site domains you never want to see.
A demo mode fills the blocks with sample content, so you can see how they look on the
page before your site joins the exchange.

Using the plugin requires a free Traffman account and API credentials, which you
connect in the plugin settings.

= Features =

* Block placement via the block editor, the site editor, visual builders, widgets, or shortcodes
* Appearance settings to match your theme
* Targeting by language and content niche, plus stop-word and site-domain blacklists
* Per-post control over what you share with the network
* Demo mode for previewing the block before the site joins the exchange
* Content, points and traffic statistics inside wp-admin
* Works with both standard WordPress installations and Multisite networks

= External service =

This plugin connects to the Traffman content exchange network, a third-party service
operated by Traffman. The plugin will not function without this connection.

The plugin sends the following data to the service:

* Your site URL and registered site identifier
* Your API credentials, for authentication
* The URL of the page currently being viewed, used to select relevant content
* The posts you have selected for the exchange
* Targeting settings you configure in the plugin

The service returns a set of content and links, which the plugin renders in the block.

The block itself is filled by a script loaded from the service. When a block is displayed
or a recommendation is clicked, the service records the event together with the visitor's
IP address, which it uses to count each visitor once and to detect artificial impressions
and clicks. Because that happens on your website, the service asks you to describe the
block in your own privacy notice and to obtain any consent your local law requires.

Service Website: https://traffman.com
Help Center: https://traffman.com/help
WordPress guides: https://traffman.com/help/wordpress
Features: https://traffman.com/features
How It Works: https://traffman.com/how-it-works
Pricing: https://traffman.com/pricing
Privacy Policy: https://traffman.com/privacy-policy
Terms and Conditions: https://traffman.com/terms-and-conditions

== Installation ==

1. Upload the `traffman` plugin folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`, or install the plugin
   through the WordPress plugins screen.
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' screen in WordPress.
3. Create a free account at https://traffman.com, then create a "Client" for the site
   you are connecting. Each Client is issued an API Key and an API Secret.
4. Open Traffman → Settings, go to the API tab and enter the API Key and API Secret.
   After saving, verification of the client runs on its own and usually completes within
   a few minutes; the Healthcheck tab shows where things stand.
5. On the Common tab set the service status to Enabled, or to Demo for a dry run.
6. Configure the targeting rules — language, topics, and the blacklist.
7. On the Exchange content tab select which of your posts to share with the network. A
   single post can also be added from its editor sidebar.
8. Add the Traffman Content Block where you want content to appear. You can use the block
   editor, the site editor, a visual builder, or the classic widget and shortcode
   interfaces.

Step-by-step guides with screenshots are in the Help Center:
https://traffman.com/help/wordpress

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Do I need an account to use the plugin? =

Yes, a free account at https://traffman.com and a Client registered there for the site you
are connecting. One account can hold as many Clients as you have sites.

= How much does it cost? =

Traffman is free. Paid plans are planned, but nothing is charged today — see
https://traffman.com/pricing

= What are points? =

Points are the internal accounting units of the exchange: showing other members' content
earns them, having your own content shown elsewhere spends them, and your content is
offered to the network while the balance stays positive. Each site also gets a monthly
grant. They are not money and have no value outside the exchange —
https://traffman.com/help/getting-started/points

= Can I see how the block looks before my site joins the exchange? =

Yes. Set the service status to Demo on the Common tab of the settings: the blocks fill
with demo content and nothing is exchanged for real.

= Why is my block empty? =

Check that the service status is Enabled, that the Healthcheck tab reports a working
connection, that the client has been verified, and that your site offers content to the
network.

= Is everything I select shown on other sites? =

Not automatically. Every item is validated technically once it reaches the service, and
only valid items are offered to other members. The Main page of the plugin shows how many
of your items are selected, pushed, queued, valid and not valid.

= Can I place the block without the block editor? =

Yes, use the `[traffman-content]` shortcode. Its `top-label`, `style` and `class`
attributes are all optional.

`[traffman-content top-label="It could be useful for you:"]`

= How do I take my content out of the network? =

Deselect the posts on the Exchange content tab, or clear the checkbox in the post editor
and save.

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release.
