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Auto Blog Topics Documentation

Menu Location: Settings > Content > Auto Blog Topics

Access Level: Administrator and above

Last Updated: 2026-03-02

Overview

The Auto Blog Topics page (admin-edit.php?table=blog_topics) manages AI-generated blog topic suggestions. The system uses configured blog keywords combined with Google search suggestions to generate trending, relevant blog topic ideas via the OpenAI API. Topics are stored and can be linked to generated blog posts.

Primary Functions:

  • View AI-generated blog topic suggestions
  • Track trending keywords that triggered each topic generation
  • Monitor AI model used and response times
  • Link topics to generated blog posts
  • Track whether topic emails have been sent

Database Fields

Field Description
id Unique identifier
date_generated When the topics were generated
trending_keywords Keywords from Google suggestions that triggered the AI
topics The AI-generated blog topic suggestions (typically 5 per batch)
ai_model AI model used for generation (e.g., gpt-4)
response_time AI API response time in seconds
email_sent Whether the generated topics were emailed to the admin
blog_post_id Link to a generated blog post (if one was created)

How the System Works

Topic Generation Process

  1. Keyword Collection: System reads blog keywords from content settings (blog_keywords)
  2. Google Suggestions: Each keyword is sent to Google Autocomplete for trending suggestions
  3. AI Generation: Combined trending keywords are sent to the OpenAI API
  4. Deduplication: AI is given the 5 most recent topic sets to avoid duplicates
  5. Storage: Generated topics are saved to the blog_topics table
  6. Notification: Topics can be emailed to the admin

AI Prompt Details

The AI is prompted as a "marketing expert specializing in home delivery and subscription businesses" and generates 5 engaging blog topics based on:

  • The company name and website
  • Current trending keywords
  • Previously generated topics (to avoid repetition)
  • Filters out non-US/Canada/South Africa keywords and competitor mentions

How to Use

Viewing Topics

  1. Navigate to Settings > Content > Auto Blog Topics
  2. Browse the list of generated topic batches
  3. Click on any entry to see full details including keywords and generated topics

Understanding Entries

Each row represents one topic generation session:

  • Date Generated: When the AI created these topics
  • Trending Keywords: What real-world search trends influenced the topics
  • Topics: The actual suggested blog topics (usually 5 per batch)
  • AI Model: Which AI model was used
  • Blog Post ID: If a blog post was created from one of these topics

Common Use Cases

Content Calendar Planning

Review recent topic suggestions to plan upcoming blog content. The AI provides fresh ideas based on current trends.

Trend Monitoring

Check the trending_keywords field to understand what topics are currently popular in search, relevant to your business.

Blog Post Creation

Use a suggested topic as the basis for a new blog post. The linked blog_post_id shows which topics have already been turned into posts.

Tips & Best Practices

  1. Configure blog keywords in content settings to steer topic relevance
  2. Review topics regularly to keep content calendar fresh
  3. The AI avoids duplicating recent topics but check manually for similar themes
  4. Topics based on current trends tend to perform better for SEO
  5. Use topics as inspiration - adapt the angle to fit your brand voice

FAQ

How are blog keywords configured?

Blog keywords are set in the content management system under the blog_keywords content key. These are comma-separated keywords used to fetch Google suggestions.

How often are topics generated?

Topic generation is typically triggered by a cron job or manual process. Each run creates one batch of ~5 topic suggestions.

Can I edit generated topics?

Yes, through the admin-edit interface you can modify any field in existing records.

What happens if Google suggestions fail?

The system handles failures gracefully and can still generate topics using the configured keywords directly.

  • Auto Blog Posts (admin-edit.php?table=blog_posts) - Generated blog post content
  • Content Overview (content.php) - Content management dashboard
  • Keywords - SEO keyword management