Traffman

Description

Traffman connects your WordPress site(s) to a content traffic exchange network. Your site
displays a block containing content and links published by other member sites, and in
return your own content is shown on theirs. There are no campaigns, no bids and no
payments for placements – participation is accounted for in points.

The plugin adds a configurable block to your site. You choose where it appears –
sidebar, inside post content, or footer – and adjust its appearance to match your
theme. The block is rendered client-side via JavaScript, so no markup is added to the
server-rendered HTML of your pages. You can place up to four blocks on a page.

Only the posts you explicitly select are shared with the network. Nothing is sent
until you choose it.

Topic filtering lets you specify which content niches and languages you want to
receive, and a blacklist excludes words and site domains you never want to see.
A demo mode fills the blocks with sample content, so you can see how they look on the
page before your site joins the exchange.

Using the plugin requires a free Traffman account and API credentials, which you
enter in the plugin settings.

Features

  • Block placement via the block editor, the site editor, visual builders, widgets, or shortcodes
  • Appearance settings to match your theme
  • Targeting by language and content niche, plus stop-word and site-domain blacklists
  • Per-post control over what you share with the network
  • Demo mode for previewing the block before the site joins the exchange
  • Content, points and traffic statistics inside wp-admin
  • Works with both standard WordPress installations and Multisite networks

External service

This plugin connects to the Traffman content traffic exchange network, a third-party
service operated by Traffman. The plugin will not function without this connection.

The plugin sends the following data to the service:

  • Your site URL and registered site identifier
  • Your API credentials, for authentication
  • The URL of the page currently being viewed, used to select relevant content
  • The posts you have selected for the exchange
  • Targeting settings you configure in the plugin

The service returns a set of content and links, which the plugin renders in the block.

The block itself is filled by a script loaded from the service. When a block is displayed
or a recommendation is clicked, the service records the event together with the visitor’s
IP address, which it uses to count each visitor once and to detect artificial impressions
and clicks. Because that happens on your website, the service asks you to describe the
block in your own privacy notice and to obtain any consent your local law requires.

Installation

  1. Upload the traffman plugin folder to /wp-content/plugins/, or install the plugin
    through the WordPress plugins screen.
  2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ screen in WordPress.
  3. Create a free account at traffman.com, then create a “Client” for the site
    you are connecting. Each Client is issued an API Key and an API Secret.
  4. Open Traffman Settings, go to the API tab and enter the API Key and API Secret.
    After saving, verification of the client runs automatically and usually completes
    within a few minutes; the Healthcheck tab shows the current status.
  5. On the Common tab set the service status to Enabled, or to Demo for a dry run.
  6. Configure the targeting rules – language, topics, and the blacklist.
  7. On the Exchange content tab select which of your posts to share with the network. A
    single post can also be added from its editor sidebar.
  8. Add the Traffman Content block where you want content to appear. You can use the block
    editor, the site editor, a visual builder, or the classic widget and shortcode
    interfaces.

Step-by-step guides with screenshots are in the Help Center:
traffman.com/help/wordpress

FAQ

Do I need an account to use the plugin?

Yes, a free account at traffman.com and a Client registered there for the site you
are connecting. One account can hold as many Clients as you have sites.

How much does it cost?

Traffman is free. Paid tiers may follow later, but nothing is charged today – see
traffman.com/pricing

What are points?

Points are the internal accounting units of the exchange: showing other members’ content
earns them, having your own content shown elsewhere spends them, and your content is
offered to the network as long as the balance stays positive. Each site also gets a monthly
grant. They are not money and have no value outside the exchange –
traffman.com/help/getting-started/points

Can I see how the block looks before my site joins the exchange?

Yes. Set the service status to Demo on the Common tab of the settings: the blocks fill
with demo content and nothing is exchanged for real.

Why is my block empty?

Check that the service status is Enabled, that the Healthcheck tab reports a working
connection, that the client has been verified, and that your site offers content to the
network.

Is everything I select shown on other sites?

Not automatically. Every item goes through a technical check once it reaches the
service, and only valid items are offered to other members. The Main page of the plugin shows how many
of your items are selected, pushed, queued, valid and not valid.

Can I place the block without the block editor?

Yes, use the [traffman-content] shortcode. Its top-label, style and class
attributes are all optional.

[traffman-content top-label="It could be useful for you:"]

How do I take my content out of the network?

Deselect the posts on the Exchange content tab, or clear the checkbox in the post editor
and save.

Reviews

Ogwomwenda (Mutunda) 9, 2026
I'd been searching for something like this for a long time and finally found it. Everything works just as expected – no issues so far. The network is still relatively small, so there isn't a huge variety of content yet, but I expect that to grow as more users join. There are a few features I'd like to see added or improved, and I've already reached out to the developer to share some feedback.
Read all 1 review

Contributors & Developers

“Traffman” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.

Contributors

Translate “Traffman” into your language.

Interested in development?

Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.

Changelog

1.0.2

  • Added a troubleshooting notice to the API and Healthcheck settings tabs.
  • Improved the layout and styles of the Main and Statistics pages.
  • Improved the responsive view of the Exchange content settings tab.

1.0.1

  • Added Help Center links to the Additional information card on the Main page.
  • Reworded the admin interface texts to correct grammar and wording mistakes.
  • New admin menu icon.

1.0.0

  • Initial release.