Create, copy and revoke an SEOmatic API key
Updated
You need an API key for Make, n8n, the command line tool and your own scripts. Claude, ChatGPT and Zapier sign in instead, so you do not need a key for them. See use SEOmatic inside Claude and ChatGPT.
Create a key#
- In SEOmatic, switch to the workspace of the site you want to automate. A key works for one workspace only.
- Open Settings and click the AI Agents tab. Scroll to API Keys at the bottom.
- Type what will use the key, for example Make, in the box that says What will use this key?
- Tick Allow this key to make changes only if the tool needs to stage or approve changes. Leave it off for reading data.
- Click Create key.
- Copy the key from the yellow box. It starts with
smk_live_. Store it somewhere safe, like a password manager.
The full key is shown only once
After that, the list shows only the start of the key and its last 4 characters. If you lose a key, create a new one and revoke the old one.
Only Admins and the Owner see the API Keys section. When a key is created, the account owner gets a security email.
What a key can do#
| Label on the key | What it allows | Plan needed |
|---|---|---|
| Search data | Read your Search Console data | Any plan, including Free |
| Ask questions | Ask SEO questions over your data | Any plan. The Free plan gets 5 questions a month |
| Can make changes | Stage changes for your approval, and approve or dismiss tasks | A paid plan or trial. Through Make, n8n, Zapier or the REST API it also needs Infrastructure |
Changes made with a key are staged for approval, never published silently. If you tick Allow this key to make changes without an active plan or trial, SEOmatic creates a key that can only read and ask, and says so. The key gets the right to make changes when you start a plan or trial. If you cancel or downgrade later, your keys lose the right to make changes, and get it back when you subscribe again. See pricing for plans.
Check that your key works#
Right after you create a key, the yellow box shows a command you can paste into a terminal. Run it to confirm the key works. Setup guides for each tool are on the REST API, Make and n8n pages.
Revoke a key#
- Open Settings > AI Agents > API Keys.
- Find the key by its name. Each row shows when it was last used, or never used.
- Click the trash icon. There is no confirm step: the key stops working right away and you see Key revoked.
Connected assistants, Zapier and the command line tool also appear in this list. Assistants show as OAuth: followed by their name. Revoking one of those rows disconnects it.
Good to know#
- 10 keys per workspace. The limit counts every row in the list, including connected assistants, Zapier and the command line tool. Old assistant connections stay in the list until you revoke them. If you see Workspace already has 10 active API keys. Revoke one first., remove the rows you no longer use.
- One key, one workspace. To automate a second site, switch to its workspace and create a key there.
- Keys follow the person who created them. If that person is removed from your team, their keys stop working. If their role changes to Viewer, their keys can no longer make changes or ask questions.
- Never share a key in a public place. Anyone with the key can read that workspace's data. If a key leaks, revoke it and create a new one.
- Automation log. Click Show automation log under the list to see the last 30 days of calls made with your keys.
- I don't see the API Keys section.
- It is for Admins and the Owner only. Ask your account owner to change your role, or to create the key for you. See invite teammates and choose their roles.
- Can I see a key again after I closed the page?
- No. Create a new key, update the tool that uses it, then revoke the old one.
- Can I create a key on the Free plan?
- Yes. Free keys can read your data and ask questions. They cannot make changes.
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