--- title: Getting Started with VuloPilot description: "## What VuloPilot does VuloPilot is a health-check and helper for your WordPress website. It **scans** your site, tells you **what is wrong in plain language**, gives you a **score** for each area, and helps you **fix** problems. Areas covered:…" url: "https://vulopilot.com/docs/getting-started-with-vulopilot/" updated: "2026-10-10" category: Introduction --- # Getting Started with VuloPilot ## What VuloPilot does VuloPilot is a health-check and helper for your WordPress website. It **scans** your site, tells you **what is wrong in plain language**, gives you a **score** for each area, and helps you **fix** problems. Areas covered: search engine visibility (SEO), being found by AI assistants, site health, speed, accessibility, security and (with WooCommerce) your online store. ## Why use it - One place to see what needs attention, instead of many tools. - Scores show whether your site is getting better or worse over time. - Nothing changes on your site unless you approve it. - The core scans and reports work without any AI service. ## About this page This page covers what you only need once: requirements, installing, your first scan, a map of the menu and the ideas every other guide uses. The other guides do not repeat it. **In this guide** 1. [How it works](#1-how-it-works) 2. [Requirements](#2-requirements) 3. [Install and activate](#3-install-and-activate) 4. [Your first scan](#4-your-first-scan) 5. [Find your way around](#5-find-your-way-around) 6. [Ideas you will see everywhere](#6-ideas-you-will-see-everywhere) 7. [Connect the optional services](#7-connect-the-optional-services) 8. [Where to go next](#8-where-to-go-next) ## 1. How it works The flow is always the same: ``` Scan -> Findings and scores -> Fix (yourself, or with an AI draft you approve) -> Scan again ``` ## 2. Requirements | Requirement | Minimum | | --- | --- | | WordPress | 6.7 or greater | | PHP | 8.1 or greater | | Who can use it | Site administrators | Optional: a VuloCloud connection (for AI), a Google account (Search Console, Analytics), WooCommerce (Commerce page). ## 3. Install and activate Pick whichever method suits you. ### Method 1 - From the WordPress plugin directory 1. In WordPress go to **Plugins → Add New Plugin**. 2. Search for **VuloPilot**. 3. Click **Install Now**, then **Activate**. ![](https://vulopilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Vulopilot-Installation.gif) ### Method 2 - Upload the zip file 1. Download the VuloPilot zip file. 2. Go to **Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin**. 3. Choose the zip, click **Install Now**, then **Activate Plugin**. ### Method 3 - Install on the server 1. Unzip the plugin on your computer. 2. Upload the `vulopilot` folder to `/wp-content/plugins/` (FTP, SFTP or your host's file manager). 3. Open **Plugins** in WordPress and click **Activate** under VuloPilot. After activation a **VuloPilot** item appears in the admin menu. The main modules (SEO/GEO analysis, content, brand visibility, knowledge graph and AI Copilot) are switched on automatically. ## 4. Your first scan 1. Open **VuloPilot → Dashboard**. 2. Click **Run scan** in the header. VuloPilot runs every scanner and refreshes all scores. 3. Read the score cards. Open the areas that need work from the menu. > The Dashboard also has a **Getting started** card with links to docs and help. ## 5. Find your way around The top-level menu, in order: | Menu item | What it is for | Guide | | --- | --- | --- | | **Dashboard** | Overall health, needs-attention list, recent activity | [DASHBOARD](DASHBOARD.md) | | **AI Copilot** | Chat with an assistant that knows your scan data | [AI-COPILOT](AI-COPILOT.md) | | **SEO & Visibility** | SEO score, robots.txt, redirects, 404s, AI visibility, schema | [SEO](SEO.md), [AI-VISIBILITY](AI-VISIBILITY.md) | | **Content** | AI content tools and content quality | [CONTENT](CONTENT.md) | | **Performance** | Speed score, slow pages, caching and asset checks | [PERFORMANCE](PERFORMANCE.md) | | **Site Health** | WordPress health checks and backups | [SITE-HEALTH-AND-BACKUPS](SITE-HEALTH-AND-BACKUPS.md) | | **Accessibility** | WCAG-based checks | [ACCESSIBILITY](ACCESSIBILITY.md) | | **Security** | Malware, firewall, login protection, vulnerabilities | [SECURITY](SECURITY.md) | | **Commerce** | WooCommerce store checks (only shown when WooCommerce is active) | [COMMERCE](COMMERCE.md) | | **Automations** | Scheduled scans and reports | [AUTOMATIONS](AUTOMATIONS.md) | | **Reports** | Generated reports and the change history | [REPORTS](REPORTS.md) | | **Settings** | Every setting, grouped by topic | [SETTINGS](SETTINGS.md) | Direct links look like `wp-admin/admin.php?page=vulopilot#&tab=dashboard`. Only the tab name after `tab=` changes. ## 6. Ideas you will see everywhere **Findings.** One specific problem on one page or item, with a severity (critical, high, medium, low). Findings stay open until a later scan no longer finds the problem. **Scores.** Each area has a 0-100 score with a rating: **Good**, **Needs Work** or **At Risk**. Scores are calculated from your open findings and tracked over time, so you can see whether things are improving. **Scans.** A scan re-checks your site. You can start one with a **Run ... scan** button on the page you are in, or let an automation run it on a schedule. **AI suggestions and the approval flow.** When VuloPilot proposes a change, nothing on your site changes until you approve it: ``` Propose (AI drafts a change) → Preview (see before and after) → Approve or Reject Approved changes can be rolled back afterwards ``` Some pages have an **Auto-applies** switch. It lets VuloPilot prepare the fix itself, but the change still waits for your approval before it goes live. **Modules.** Optional features can be turned on or off in **Settings → Modules**. If you turn a module off, its scanning stops, but findings already found are kept. ## 7. Connect the optional services None of these are required. | Service | Why connect it | Where | | --- | --- | --- | | **VuloCloud** | Enables AI features (suggestions, content generation, AI Copilot) and AI credits | Settings → Integrations → VuloCloud AI | | **Google** | Search Console, Analytics (GA4), AdSense data inside VuloPilot | Settings → Integrations → Google Services | | **Google PageSpeed Insights** | Real Mobile/Desktop speed scores | Settings → Integrations → PageSpeed Insights | | **IndexNow** | Tell search engines about new content immediately | Settings → SEO → Instant Indexing | Only the features you turn on contact outside services. The plugin readme's **External services** section lists what each one receives. ## 8. Where to go next Recommended order for a new site: 1. [SETTINGS](https://vulopilot.com/docs/settings/) - fill in **Business Information** so scans and AI understand your business. 2. [SEO](https://vulopilot.com/docs/seo-search-engine-optimization/) - titles, sitemap, robots.txt, redirects. 3. [SITE-HEALTH-AND-BACKUPS](https://vulopilot.com/docs/site-health-and-backups/) - turn on automatic backups. 4. [SECURITY](https://vulopilot.com/docs/security/) - login protection and malware checks. 5. [AUTOMATIONS](https://vulopilot.com/docs/automations/) - schedule scans so the scores stay fresh. Stuck? See [TROUBLESHOOTING](https://vulopilot.com/docs/troubleshooting-and-faq/). ## 9. **Pro: Install and activate the licence** [VuloPilot Pro](https://vulopilot.com/pricing/) needs the free VuloPilot plugin. Install and activate free first, then install the Pro plugin the same way (Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin). To turn on the Pro features: - 1. Go to ****VuloPilot → Settings → Licensing****. - 2. Paste your licence key and click save. - 3. Pro modules then appear under ****Settings → Modules****. Turn on the ones you want. - If the licence is no longer valid, Pro features stop working until it is renewed. Your data stays in place. ![](https://vulopilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Licensing-1024x293.png)