WordPress Automations
Send an Email When a Category or Tag Is Added to a WordPress Post
Some categories and tags mark a post as something that needs attention — "urgent", "legal review", "press", a client name on a multi-author site. Zapify can watch for exactly that with the A term is added to a post trigger and the Send an email action — both free.
What this automation does
The automation is one trigger plus one action:
- Trigger: A term is added to a post (
WP_TERM_ASSIGNED, WordPress) - Action: Send an email (
WP_SEND_EMAIL, WordPress)
When the category, tag, or custom taxonomy term you choose is newly attached to a post, Zapify fills the email's tokens and sends it.
Only newly attached terms count — re-saving a post that's already tagged "urgent" doesn't fire the automation again, only the moment the tag is first added.
Before you start
- The taxonomy and term you want to watch must already exist.
- Both the trigger and the action are free.
How to build the automation
Step 1: Create a new automation
- In the WordPress admin, go to Zapify → Automations.
- Click Add New to open the builder.
- Name it clearly, such as Alert on "urgent" tag.
Step 2: Add the "A term is added to a post" trigger
- Click Add Trigger.
- Choose WordPress as the app.
- Select the trigger A term is added to a post.
- Configure the fields:
| Field | Required | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Taxonomy | Yes | The taxonomy to watch — Category, Tag, or a custom one — or Any taxonomy. |
| Term | No | A specific term within that taxonomy, or Any term. Options load once you pick a taxonomy. |
Step 3: Add the "Send an email" action
- Click Add Action.
- Choose WordPress as the app.
- Select Send an email.
Step 4: Configure the email
For example, watching for the tag "urgent":
- To:
editors@example.com - Subject:
Post tagged urgent: {{trigger:POST_TITLE}} - Body:
{{trigger:POST_URL}}
Step 5: Set the steps Live and save
- Set both the trigger and the action to Live.
- Click Save.
Tokens you can use
| Token | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Taxonomy | The taxonomy the term belongs to. |
| Term ID | The numeric ID of the term. |
| Term name | The term's display name. |
| Term slug | The term's URL slug. |
| Post tokens | The post the term was added to. |
| User tokens | The post's author. |
How to test it
- Edit a test post and add the category or tag you configured, then update or publish it.
- Check the recipient inbox for the email.
- If nothing arrives, open Zapify → Logs — the most common reason a run doesn't fire is that the post already had the term, so nothing was newly added.
Conclusion
With the A term is added to a post trigger and the Send an email action, Zapify turns a category or tag into a working alert. Next, react to a post's status instead of its taxonomy with an email when a post changes status, or see the full picture in triggers and actions.
FAQs
Does this fire if I re-save a post that already has the term?
No. Only a term that's newly attached fires the trigger — an already-tagged post being re-saved does not fire it again.
Can I watch for any tag, not a specific one?
Yes. Set Taxonomy to Tag and leave Term on Any term.
Is this feature free?
Yes. Both the trigger and the Send an email action are free.
Do I need to write any code?
No. Everything is configured in the Zapify visual builder.