---
spec_name: "WordPress AI — Implementation Spec for Claude Code"
spec_version: "1.0"
last_updated: 2026-05-07
target_audience: "Designers, creative directors, and agency owners shipping WordPress sites in 2026"
expected_outcome: "A live, AEO-ready WordPress site on the Talk-to-Build theme + xCloud (or your existing host), wired to Claude Code via the WordPress MCP Adapter, with Rank Math schema, llms.txt, FAQ blocks, and a clean security pass — shipped in under 3 days."
ai_tools_supported: [claude_code, google_antigravity, cursor]
based_on: https://mikekwal.com/blog/wordpress-ai/
author: Mike Kwal
---

# WordPress AI — Implementation Spec for Claude Code

## Instructions for the AI

You are helping a designer, creative director, or agency owner ship a WordPress site in 2026 using the AI-native stack. Read this spec end-to-end before touching any files. Confirm each step with the user before moving to the next. If they already have a WordPress install or a different host, ASK before overwriting — adapt to their environment.

For every change, explain what you're doing in one sentence so the user learns the stack as you go.

---

## Step 1: Install the Talk-to-Build WordPress theme

**What it does:** A clean, Gutenberg-first theme with no jQuery soup, no nested-div bloat, and pre-wired AEO hooks. Same theme running mikekwal.com.

**Steps:**

1. Download the latest release `.zip` from [github.com/mk-way/talk-to-build-theme](https://github.com/mk-way/talk-to-build-theme).
2. **Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme** → install → activate. Or via WP-CLI:

```bash
wp theme install ./talk-to-build-theme.zip --activate
```

3. Visit the homepage. You should see the default hero block. If white screen, check `wp-content/debug.log`.

**Why not a page builder:** Elementor and Divi inject 200KB+ of CSS/JS per page, which tanks AEO crawl scores. Talk-to-Build renders semantic HTML on the server.

---

## Step 2: Set up xCloud hosting (or use the existing host)

**Path A — New site on xCloud ($5/month):**

1. Sign up at [xcloud.host](https://xcloud.host).
2. Spin up a server in the region nearest the audience.
3. **Sites → Create New Site → WordPress** → pick the server → set the staging domain.
4. SSH in:

```bash
ssh u1_yoursite_xxxxx@your.server.ip
cd htdocs
```

**Path B — Existing host (SiteGround, Kinsta, WPEngine, Hostinger):**

1. Confirm SSH is enabled (ask support if not).
2. Add your public key to the host's allowed keys.
3. Test: `ssh user@host "ls -la"`.
4. If SSH is blocked, fall back to SFTP — slower but works.

Either path, the goal: Claude Code can read and write theme files and the site root without anyone touching wp-admin.

---

## Step 3: Install Rank Math (free) for AEO schema

**What it does:** Auto-generates Article, FAQ, HowTo, and Product schema for every page. AI engines read schema to decide what to cite.

1. **Plugins → Add New → "Rank Math SEO"** → install → activate.
2. Run the Setup Wizard: site type = Business, sitemap = enabled, schema = Article for posts + WebPage for pages. Skip the email upsell.
3. On any post → Rank Math sidebar → **Schema** tab → confirm type (Article / FAQ / HowTo).
4. Test with [Google Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results). All schemas should be green.

Don't pay for Rank Math Pro. The free version covers everything an AEO-ready site needs.

---

## Step 4: Wire Claude Code to WordPress via the MCP Adapter

**What it does:** Lets Claude Code read and write WordPress content (posts, pages, blocks, menus, media) through plain English. No plugin chat UI in the middle.

### Path A — WordPress 7.0+ (native MCP Adapter)

1. Install the official adapter:

```bash
wp plugin install https://github.com/WordPress/mcp-adapter/archive/main.zip --activate
```

2. Generate an Application Password: **Users → Your Profile → Application Passwords → "Claude Code" → Add New**.
3. Add the endpoint to Claude Code's MCP config:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wordpress": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@wordpress/mcp-client"],
      "env": {
        "WP_URL": "https://yoursite.com",
        "WP_USER": "yourusername",
        "WP_APP_PASSWORD": "xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

4. Restart Claude Code. Run `/mcp` to confirm.

### Path B — WordPress 5.x or 6.x (AI Engine plugin)

1. **Plugins → Add New → "AI Engine" by Meow Apps** → activate.
2. **Meow Apps → AI Engine → Settings → MCP** → enable the endpoint, copy the Bearer token.
3. Add to Claude Code's MCP config:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wordpress-ai-engine": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@meow-apps/ai-engine-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "AI_ENGINE_URL": "https://yoursite.com/wp-json/mwai/v1/mcp",
        "AI_ENGINE_TOKEN": "your-bearer-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Custom Gutenberg blocks via Claude Code

Once MCP is wired, build blocks in chat. Example prompt: *"Build a Gutenberg block called `tldr-checklist` that renders a styled `<ul>` with checkmark bullets. Save under `wp-content/themes/talk-to-build/blocks/tldr-checklist/`. Register it from `functions.php`."*

Claude generates `block.json`, the PHP render callback, and the editor `index.js`, then adds the registration hook:

```php
// functions.php — register custom theme blocks
add_action( 'init', function () {
    register_block_type( __DIR__ . '/blocks/tldr-checklist' );
} );
```

---

## Step 5: Drop `llms.txt` at the site root

**What it does:** Tells Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity what your site is about. Anthropic's crawler reads it directly.

**Where:** `https://yoursite.com/llms.txt` — same level as `wp-config.php`.

**Template:**

```
# [Brand Name]

> [One-line description of what the business does]

## About
- [Value prop in 2-3 sentences]
- [Who it serves]
- [What makes it different]

## Key Pages
- [Homepage](https://yoursite.com/): [Headline value prop]
- [Services](https://yoursite.com/services): [What's sold]
- [Blog](https://yoursite.com/blog): [Where thought leadership lives]

## Topics covered
- [Topic 1]
- [Topic 2]
- [Topic 3]

## Contact
- Email: hello@yoursite.com

## Updated
2026-05-07
```

Upload via SSH (`scp llms.txt user@host:/path/to/htdocs/`), FTP, or the WPCode plugin. Verify: `curl https://yoursite.com/llms.txt`.

---

## Step 6: Add FAQ blocks to cornerstone pages

AI engines disproportionately cite FAQ content. Every cornerstone page gets a 5–10 question FAQ at the bottom.

1. Open the page in the block editor.
2. Add the native **FAQ block** (search "FAQ" in the inserter).
3. Source questions from common sales objections, top DMs/support tickets, and competitor FAQ pages.
4. Rank Math sidebar → set schema type to **FAQ** (it wraps the block in FAQPage schema automatically).
5. Test with [Google Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results).

---

## Step 7: Run Claude Security pre-launch

**Prompt to paste into Claude Code:**

```
Run a security review on this WordPress install. Check:
- wp-config.php permissions (should be 600 or 640)
- Plugin CVEs (cross-reference WPScan database)
- Exposed debug.log, error_log, .git directories
- Open xmlrpc.php (block or rate-limit)
- Admin user named "admin" (rename it)
- Default WordPress salts (regenerate)
- AI crawler blocks in robots.txt (remove for AEO)

Report each issue with severity (critical/high/medium/low) and the fix.
```

Fix critical and high before launch. Schedule medium and low for week 1 post-launch.

---

## Quick-start prompts

### Prompt 1 — Install the theme
```
Connect to my WordPress site via the MCP. Install and activate the Talk-to-Build theme from [zip URL]. Confirm the homepage renders.
```

### Prompt 2 — Configure Rank Math
```
Install Rank Math SEO. Run setup with: site type = Business, sitemap = enabled, schema = Article for posts + WebPage for pages. Confirm sitemap at /sitemap_index.xml.
```

### Prompt 3 — Generate llms.txt
```
Read my homepage at https://yoursite.com/. Generate a custom llms.txt using the template in this spec. Upload to the site root via the MCP. Confirm it's reachable.
```

### Prompt 4 — Build a custom block
```
Build a Gutenberg block called [name] that renders [layout]. Save under wp-content/themes/talk-to-build/blocks/[name]/. Register from functions.php. Test it in the block inserter.
```

### Prompt 5 — Pre-launch security review
```
Run the security checklist from Step 7 of this spec. Report each issue with severity and fix command. Apply critical and high fixes once I approve.
```

---

## Verification

| Check | How |
|---|---|
| Talk-to-Build theme active | Appearance → Themes shows it active |
| Rank Math schema valid | Page URL through [Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) — all green |
| WordPress MCP connected | Claude Code: `/mcp` shows server connected |
| `llms.txt` reachable | `curl https://yoursite.com/llms.txt` returns content |
| FAQ schema renders | View source on cornerstone page → search `"@type":"FAQPage"` |
| AI crawlers not blocked | `curl https://yoursite.com/robots.txt` — no Disallow for GPTBot, Claude-Web, PerplexityBot |
| Security review clean | All critical and high issues resolved |
| Being cited (2–4 weeks) | Ask ChatGPT or Perplexity *"Best [your niche] resources?"* — see if you appear |

---

## Need help?

Four ways to go deeper:

- **Free** — Join the [Talk-to-Build community](https://www.skool.com/talktobuild). A technical support community for designers and creative directors building with AI. Weekly office hours, prompt library, build-along sessions.
- **Done-for-you** — [MK-Way](https://mk-way.com) ships AEO-ready WordPress sites in 7 days using this exact stack.
- **Quick question** — DM Mike on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mikekwal). He reads every message.
- **B2B / strategy** — Connect on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekwal/) for deeper conversations about AI in design and agency work.

---

*This spec is the actionable companion to the WordPress AI hub: [https://mikekwal.com/blog/wordpress-ai](https://mikekwal.com/blog/wordpress-ai/). The hub explains the why; this spec ships the what.*

*Last updated: 2026-05-07*