WordPress Automations
Update a WordPress Post When a Post Is Published
When a new post goes live, you may want an existing post updated automatically — a "Latest updates" page refreshed, an announcement revised, or related content kept current. Zapify handles this with the free A post is published trigger and the free Update a post action, carrying details from the new post across using tokens. No code required.
No post-is-created trigger
Zapify has no literal "a post is created" trigger. The trigger that fires when a post first goes live is A post is published (WP_POST_PUBLISHED). To react to other status changes instead, use A post changes status (WP_POST_STATUS_CHANGED).
What this automation does
This automation pairs one free trigger with one free action:
- Trigger: A post is published (
WP_POST_PUBLISHED) - Action: Update a post (
WP_UPDATE_POST)
Whenever a post is published, Zapify updates the specific post you target in the action.
Build the automation
The flow is the same as every Zapify automation: Zapify → Automations → Add New → pick a trigger → add an action → map fields → set the steps Live → Save.
Step 1: Create a new automation
Go to Zapify → Automations and click Add New. Name it clearly, for example Update announcement when a post is published.
Step 2: Choose the trigger
Click Add Trigger, choose WordPress, then select A post is published.
Set the trigger's post type field to limit which posts start the automation. Filtering the trigger is free.
Step 3: Add the Update a post action
Click Add Action, choose WordPress, then select Update a post.
Step 4: Choose which post to update
In the Post ID field, enter the numeric ID of the post you want to keep updated — for example your "Latest updates" post. This is a fixed target, not the post that triggered the automation, so double-check the ID is correct.
Step 5: Choose what to change
Fill only the fields you want to update — the others keep their current values:
| Field | What it changes |
|---|---|
| Title | New title (leave empty to keep the current one) |
| Content | New body (leave empty to keep the current one) |
| Excerpt | New excerpt (leave empty to keep the current one) |
| Status | New status (leave empty to keep the current one) |
Step 6: Pull in details from the new post
Click the {} token button in any field to insert information from the post that triggered the automation. For example, set Content to Check out our latest post: {Post title} so the updated post always references the newest published post.
Step 7: Set the steps Live and save
Each step has its own Live / Off / Draft switch, and a new automation starts as a Draft. Set both the trigger and the Update a post action to Live, then Save.
Step 8: Test it
Publish a test post that matches the trigger's post type, then open the post you targeted in Post ID and confirm the expected fields changed. Check Zapify → Logs to confirm the run.
Action result tokens
After it runs, the Update a post action exposes Updated post ID and Updated post URL for use in later steps.
Conclusion
With the free A post is published trigger and Update a post action, one post can keep another current with no manual editing. Next, see how to create a post when a post is published or delete a post when a post is published, or browse the triggers and actions reference.
FAQs
Does this update the post that triggered the automation?
Not by default. The Update a post action changes the post whose ID you enter in the Post ID field, which is usually a different, fixed post. To update the triggering post instead, insert the trigger's Post ID token into that field so it targets whatever post just went live.
Is there a "post is created" trigger?
No. Zapify has no literal "a post is created" trigger. Use A post is published (WP_POST_PUBLISHED) to start the automation when a post first goes live, or A post changes status (WP_POST_STATUS_CHANGED) for other transitions. Both are free.
Which fields does the Update a post action change?
Only the fields you fill in. Title, Content, Excerpt, and Status each keep their current value if you leave them empty, so you can change one thing without disturbing the rest. Use the {} token button to build any of these fields from details of the post that triggered the automation.
Is this automation free?
Yes. Both the A post is published trigger and the Update a post action are included in the free version of Zapify. You can build and run this without a PRO license. Only optional refinements such as action conditions and step delays require Zapify PRO.
Will the targeted post be deleted?
No. The Update a post action only changes the fields you configure; it never removes the post. To remove a post automatically, use the separate Delete a post action described in delete a WordPress post when a post is published.