Core Concepts
Zapify Buttons: Run an Automation on a Click (PRO)
Most Zapify triggers wait for something the site does — an order, a form entry, a new user. The Buttons integration waits for a person to decide: you put a button on any page, and when a logged-in visitor clicks it, the automation runs for them. Buttons is a Zapify PRO feature.
PRO feature
The Buttons integration — the A user clicks a button trigger and the [zapify_button] / [zapify_link] shortcodes — is available in Zapify PRO. On the free build the shortcodes render, but clicks do nothing until the buttons feature is unlocked.
What is the Buttons integration?
The Buttons integration is a Zapify PRO feature that turns a click on the front end into an automation trigger. It provides one trigger, A user clicks a button (code BUTTON_CLICKED), and two shortcodes that render the control: [zapify_button] for a standalone button and [zapify_link] for an inline text link. A visitor's click starts the automation and attributes the run to that user.
How to run an automation when a button is clicked
- Open Zapify → Automations and create or edit an automation.
- Add the A user clicks a button trigger.
- Give the trigger a key — any name you choose, such as
enrol-me. The key is what ties the button to the automation.
- Add the actions you want the click to run.
- Set the trigger and the automation Live.
- Place the matching shortcode on any page, post, or widget:
[zapify_button key="enrol-me" label="Enrol me"]
Or as an inline link inside a sentence:
[zapify_link key="enrol-me"]Claim your badge[/zapify_link]
The key in the shortcode must match the key on the trigger. When a logged-in visitor clicks, Zapify runs the automation for that user.
Shortcode attributes
| Attribute | Applies to | What it does |
|---|---|---|
key |
both | The button key that matches the trigger. This is the recommended way to link the two. |
automation |
both | An automation ID (for the single-site case). Zapify resolves it to the trigger's key. |
label |
[zapify_button] |
The button text. Defaults to Go. |
class |
both | Extra CSS class(es) added to the control. |
For [zapify_link], the label is the text between the tags ([zapify_link ...]Label[/zapify_link]); the label attribute is a fallback if no text is enclosed.
Why use a key instead of an automation ID
Use a key because the key travels with your content and an ID does not. Automation IDs are local to one site: export an automation and import it elsewhere and it arrives with a different ID, so a shortcode carrying automation="12" copied from staging to production points at a different automation, or at nothing. A key you chose stays the same on both halves.
[zapify_button automation="12"] is accepted for a single-site setup — Zapify resolves the ID to the trigger's key internally — but the key is the value that survives a migration.
Who can click a button
Only logged-in visitors can trigger a button. The run is attributed to whoever clicked, so per-user limits (such as "run once per user") work exactly as they do for every other trigger.
A logged-out visitor sees the control rendered as Log in to do this rather than a page with a hole in it, so the layout stays intact and the message tells them what to do next.
Why the button is a form, not a link
A Zapify button renders as a real POST form with a nonce, not a plain link, and that is deliberate. A link that starts an automation gets followed by browsers prefetching, by scanners, and by cache warmers — none of which the visitor asked for. A POST form only submits when a person clicks it.
Each button's security token is scoped to its own key, so a token minted for one button is not a valid ticket for another. Zapify also never reveals whether a key exists: a wrong key and a valid key with nothing configured behind it produce the same public response.
Conclusion
The Buttons integration lets a logged-in visitor's click start a Zapify automation, using a stable key that survives export, import, and staging-to-production copies. It is a PRO feature. To see everything the paid plan unlocks, read Zapify Free vs Pro, and review Triggers and actions for the full list of events an automation can start from.
FAQs
Is the Zapify Buttons feature free?
No. Buttons is a Zapify PRO feature (feature id buttons). On the free build the [zapify_button] and [zapify_link] shortcodes still render, but a click does nothing until the buttons feature is unlocked with a PRO licence. Logged-out visitors always see "Log in to do this" regardless of plan.
Why does my button show "Log in to do this"?
Because the visitor is not logged in. The Buttons trigger only fires for logged-in users, since each run is attributed to the person who clicked so per-user limits can be enforced. A logged-out visitor sees "Log in to do this" in place of the button. Once they log in, the button renders normally and their click runs the automation.
Should I use the key or the automation attribute?
Use the key attribute. A key is a name you choose and it stays the same when you export, import, or copy content between sites. An automation ID is local to one site, so a shortcode with automation="12" breaks after a migration. The automation attribute is accepted for single-site use, but the key is the migration-safe choice.
Why is a Zapify button a form instead of a link?
Because a link that starts an automation would be triggered by browser prefetching, security scanners, and cache warmers — none of which represent a real visitor decision. Zapify renders each button as a POST form with a per-key nonce, so the automation runs only when a logged-in person actually clicks. The token for one button cannot be reused on another.