Why API Keys Are Needed

The Short Answer

AI SEO Writer uses several AI services to produce high-quality articles. Each service requires an API key. You can use system keys (included with every plan) or add your own for independent rate limits.

Gemini API — Account level

Used for: High-level planning, H2/H3 structure, article writing, meta generation, SEO title variants.

Where to add: Account → My API Keys → Gemini API

OpenAI API — Account level

Used for: Web research — AI with live web access gathers current facts and context before writing.

Where to add: Account → My API Keys → OpenAI API

OpenRouter API — Account level

Used for: Longread pipeline only — provides access to an extended set of AI models for deep research and in-depth writing.

Where to add: Account → My API Keys → OpenRouter API

Note: OpenRouter is required for longread generation. Without a personal key, the system OpenRouter key is used as fallback.

SerpAPI — Site level

Used for: Image search — finding relevant photos from Google Images for each article section.

Where to add: Sites → [Your site] → Settings → Additional APIs → SerpAPI

This is a per-site setting, not account-wide. Without SerpAPI, articles publish without inline images.

YouTube Data API — Site level

Used for: Finding and embedding relevant YouTube videos in articles.

Where to add: Sites → [Your site] → Settings → Additional APIs → YouTube Data API v3

Also per-site. Without it, the video embedding step is skipped.

[SCREENSHOT: Account → My API Keys showing Gemini, OpenAI, and OpenRouter fields with Add buttons] [SCREENSHOT: Site settings → Additional APIs section showing SerpAPI and YouTube Data API v3 fields]

System Keys vs Your Own Keys

Every plan includes system API keys as a fallback. Your own keys always take priority and give independent rate limits. On the Free plan, only system keys are available for account-level providers.

Key Fallback Chain

Your personal key (if set)
Your agency's key (if you are an agency client)
System key set via Admin panel
Environment variable fallback on the server