When we can't read your site

Phynite builds your recommendations from two kinds of information: how your pages perform (from Google and Pinterest) and what's actually on them (by reading your posts, the way a visitor would). Some sites run a security service that turns away every automated visitor, ours included. Lots of sites do. It isn't something you did wrong, and it doesn't touch your traffic data at all.

What still works, and what doesn't

Everything from Google Analytics, Search Console, Pinterest, and Kit keeps flowing exactly as before. Rankings, clicks, sessions, pins: all fine.

What we can't do is read the posts themselves. That means your recommendations get built from performance alone, without seeing your recipe cards, your photos, your headings, or the links between your posts. They still work, but they're lighter than they should be.

The best fix: install the Phynite WordPress plugin

If your blog runs on WordPress, this is the two-minute fix, and it's better than any security setting. The plugin sends us your posts straight from WordPress, so nothing has to get past your site's security. It also confirms your edits are live the moment you publish them, which powers the "Verified live" checkmarks on your changes.

1. In Phynite, go to Settings → Connections and find the WordPress section.
2. Create an API key and copy it.
3. In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New, search for Phynite, and install and activate the plugin.
4. Paste your API key into the plugin's settings and save.

That's it. Within a day we'll be reading your posts through the plugin, and we'll send you a note confirming it.

The other option: allow PhyniteBot through your security

If you'd rather not add a plugin, or your site isn't on WordPress, you can tell your security service to let our reader through. Our reader is called PhyniteBot.

If BigScoots hosts your site: you're already set. BigScoots allows PhyniteBot for all their customers. If you're still seeing this message a day later, reply to the email that brought you here and we'll sort it out with them.

If you use Cloudflare yourself:

1. Log in to Cloudflare and pick your site.
2. Go to Security → WAF → Custom rules (on some plans this is Security → Bots).
3. Create a rule that skips or allows traffic where the User Agent contains PhyniteBot.
4. Save the rule.

If another service or your host manages your security: forward this article to them (or to your host's support) and ask them to allow the user agent PhyniteBot. Hosts handle this kind of request all the time. If they want the technical details, point them at our bot information page: phyniteanalytics.com/bot. It describes exactly what PhyniteBot is, how it identifies itself, and how to verify it.

How you'll know it's fixed

You don't need to tell us. We keep trying gently, and the moment your posts become readable we'll email you to confirm. The "Site reading" note on your Connections page disappears on its own.

Questions, or a setup that doesn't match the steps above? Reply to the email that linked you here. We read everything.