Quickstart

Go from zero to your first push notification in under 15 minutes.

What You Need Before You Begin #

Before setting up PushPilot, make sure you have these three things ready.

1. A WordPress website running on HTTPS – Push notifications will not work on HTTP sites. Contact your hosting provider if you need help switching.
2. A PushPilot Console account – This is where you create and manage your license. You can sign up for free at the PushPilot Console with no credit card needed.
3. A Google account – This is required to set up Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM), the service that delivers your notifications to subscribers. Any standard Gmail or Google account will work.

Once you have all three ready, you can complete the full setup in under 15 minutes.

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Step 1: Create Your Console Account and License #

1. Go to the PushPilot Console and click Get Started.
2. Enter your email and password, click Create Account, then complete your account details.
3. From your Dashboard, click Add New License.
4. Choose a plan. Select Free Forever if you are just getting started.
5. Complete the checkout.

Your license key is generated immediately. Go to License and copy it. You will need it in Step 3.

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Step 2: Install the WordPress Plugin #

1. In the Console menu, click Download Plugin Zip.
2. In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin.
3. Upload the ZIP file and click Install Now.
4. Click Activate Plugin.

You will now see a PushPilot menu in your WordPress sidebar.

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Step 3: Connect Your License Key #

1. In WordPress, go to PushPilot → Setup → Account and License.
2. Paste your license key and click Connect.

The status should show: Connected. If it fails, check that the key has no extra spaces. Note that the domain binds automatically to the license key the first time you connect.

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Step 4: Set Up Firebase (Google FCM) #

Firebase is required to deliver notifications. This part takes around 10 minutes.

Create your Firebase project:

1. Go to firebase.google.com and sign in.
2. Click Add Project, give it a name, and click Create Project.

Get your app credentials:

1. Click the Web icon to add a web app.
2. Enter your app name and click Register App.
3. Copy and save these four values: API Key, Project ID, Messaging Sender ID, and App ID.
4. Click Continue to Console.

Get your VAPID key:

1. Go to Project Settings → Cloud Messaging tab.
2. Under Web Push Certificates, click Generate Key Pair.
3. Copy the VAPID Key.

Download your Service Account JSON:

1. Go to Project Settings → Service Accounts tab.
2. Click Generate New Private Key and download the JSON file.

Enter credentials in the plugin:

1. In WordPress, go to PushPilot → Setup → Firebase Setup.
2. Upload your Service Account JSON file.
3. Enter all five values: API Key, Project ID, Messaging Sender ID, App ID, and VAPID Key.
4. Click Save Firebase Settings.
5. Click Test. The status should confirm success.

If the test fails, check that all five fields match your Firebase project exactly.

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Step 5: Configure Your Subscription Prompt #

1. Go to PushPilot → Setup → Subscription Prompt.
2. Set your Headline and Benefit Line, for example “Never Miss an Update” and “Instant alerts for new posts.”
3. Choose when the prompt appears: Time Delay, Scroll Depth, or Manual Only.
4. Click Save Prompt Settings.

Visitors to your site will now see the prompt and can subscribe. You will need at least one subscriber before you can send your first notification.

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Step 6: Send Your First Notification #

Option A: Auto Push

1. Go to PushPilot → Notifications → Auto Push.
2. Enable notifications for Posts on Publish.
3. Set your notification template.
4. Click Save.

Every new post you publish will now automatically notify your subscribers.

Option B: Campaign

1. Go to PushPilot → Notifications → Campaign.
2. Enter a Title (65 characters max) and Body (240 characters max).
3. Add a Landing URL.
4. Select your audience and click Send.

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You’re All Set

Your website is now collecting subscribers and ready to send push notifications.

A few things worth setting up next: enable the Bell Widget so visitors can subscribe at any time (PushPilot → Setup → Bell Widget), set a Default Icon and Welcome Notification (PushPilot → Setup → Global Defaults), create Segments to target specific subscriber groups, and check Analytics to track your performance.

For detailed guides on any of these topics, read the full documentation.