Because a Soames site is static, content you publish in WordPress does not appear on the live site until the site is rebuilt. A publish webhook closes that gap: it tells Netlify to rebuild automatically whenever content changes. This guide covers creating the build hook in Netlify and connecting it to Soames.

This assumes the site is already deploying on Netlify — see Deploying Soames to Netlify first.

Create a build hook in Netlify

1. In Netlify, open your site and go to Site configuration → Build & deploy → Build hooks.
2. Choose Add build hook. Give it a recognizable name (for example, WordPress publish) and set the branch to build to main.
3. Save, then copy the generated URL. It looks like https://api.netlify.com/build_hooks/<id>.

Treat this URL as a secret. Anyone who has it can trigger builds of your site. Do not paste it into public pages, tickets, screenshots, or chat. Store it only where credentials belong.

Add it to Soames

1. In WordPress admin, go to Soames → Settings.
2. Paste the copied URL into the Build hook URL field.
3. Save. Soames now has everything it needs to trigger rebuilds.

How it behaves

• Publishing, updating, or unpublishing a post, page, or Knowledge Base article schedules a rebuild.
• Rapid edits are coalesced into a single build that runs after your changes settle, so the build always reflects your final content instead of firing once per save.
• The change is typically live about a minute after you publish.
• A Deploy now button on the Soames Settings screen forces an immediate rebuild — handy after changing menus or Site Assets, which aren’t tied to publishing a single post.

Test it

1. Make a small edit to a published page and update it (or use Deploy now).
2. In Netlify, open Deploys and confirm a new deploy starts within a minute or so.
3. When it finishes, reload the live site and confirm your change is there.

Security and troubleshooting

• Keep the URL private. If it is ever exposed, delete it in Netlify and create a new one, then update the Build hook URL field in Soames Settings.
• Nothing rebuilds after publishing? Check that the Build hook URL is saved in Soames Settings and that it targets the main branch. Try Deploy now to confirm the hook itself works.
• Too many builds? Remember edits are coalesced; a burst of quick saves should produce one build, not many.