How to Get a Free Gemini API Key for AI Content Generation

AuditMySite Pro uses Google Gemini to power its AI Content Generator and AI Chat Widget. You need your own API key to use these features. The good news: Gemini offers a generous free tier that is more than enough for most sites.

What You Get for Free

Google Gemini's free tier includes:

15 requests per minute
1 million tokens per minute
1,500 requests per day

That is enough to generate dozens of blog posts per day at zero cost.

Step 1: Go to Google AI Studio

Visit aistudio.google.com/apikey and sign in with your Google account.

Step 2: Create an API Key

Click Create API Key
Select an existing Google Cloud project or create a new one
Your API key will be generated immediately
Click the copy icon to copy it to your clipboard

Step 3: Add the Key to AuditMySite Pro

In your WordPress admin, go to AuditMySite > AI Content
Paste your API key in the Gemini API Key field
Click Save Settings

Your key is encrypted before being stored in the database. It never leaves your server except when making API calls to Google.

Step 4: Test It

Click Generate Post in the AI Content module. Enter a topic like "best practices for small business SEO" and click Generate. You should see a draft appear within 10-15 seconds.

Using the AI Chat Widget

The same API key powers the AI Chat Widget. Once configured, go to AuditMySite > AI Chat and enable it. A floating chat bubble will appear on your site (visible to admins only by default) where you can make changes to your site through conversation.

Security Notes

Your API key is encrypted with AES-256-CBC before storage
Keys are never exposed in HTML source or JavaScript
All AI requests are made server-side from your WordPress installation
You can revoke your key anytime at Google AI Studio

Troubleshooting

"Invalid API key" error: Make sure you copied the full key. It starts with "AIza" and is about 39 characters long.

"Quota exceeded" error: You have hit the free tier limit. Wait a few minutes or upgrade to a paid Google AI plan.

No response: Check that your server can make outbound HTTPS requests to generativelanguage.googleapis.com.