---
title: "How to Install SearchMention AI Traffic on Magento 2"
description: "Download the connector from Settings, unzip into app/code, enable SearchMention_Connector, and paste your API key—Hyvä- and cache-friendly referral tracking."
url: https://searchmention.com/guides/magento-connector-manual
updated: 2026-05-07
---

Magento

# How to Install SearchMention AI Traffic on Magento 2

Updated May 7, 2026

On this page

- [Before you start](#prerequisites)
- [Download the module](#download)
- [Install under app/code](#install)
- [Enable & upgrade](#enable)
- [API key in Magento](#configure)
- [AI bots (optional)](#bots)
- [Confirm in SearchMention](#confirm)

Install the **SearchMention\_Connector** module on Magento 2 (Adobe Commerce or Magento Open Source) to report **AI referral** traffic to SearchMention—think clicks from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and similar surfaces. The API key stays on the server; your storefront sends lightweight beacons only when the visitor looks like AI-driven traffic.

## Before you start

You will need Magento admin access, SSH or deployment access to `app/code`, and a SearchMention project on a plan that includes AI Traffic.

- **API key.** Generate an `sm_live_…` key in SearchMention **Dashboard → Settings → AI Traffic Tracking** for the store you are wiring up.
- **Referrals vs bots.** This module focuses on **human referrals** (referrer and UTM signals). For broad **AI crawler / bot** coverage at the edge, pair it with the [Cloudflare Worker](https://searchmention.com/guides/cloudflare-worker-manual) when Cloudflare sits in front of your storefront.
- **Themes.** The connector uses a small external script in `before.body.end`—compatible with Luma, Hyvä, and full-page cache / Varnish.

## 1 Download the module

Signed-in SearchMention users can download the packaged extension from **Dashboard → Settings → AI Traffic Tracking** using **Download Magento module** (`searchmention-connector-1.0.0.zip`). The archive matches a manual `app/code` install—module name `SearchMention_Connector`.

## 2 Install under `app/code`

On your Magento host, open or create the directory **`app/code/`** at the Magento root (next to `bin/magento`). Unzip the download: it contains `SearchMention/Connector/` with `registration.php`, `etc/`, and the rest of the module.

**Exact target path**  Merge so that this file exists: `app/code/SearchMention/Connector/registration.php`. If you already have other code under `app/code/SearchMention/`, only the `Connector` folder should be added or replaced by this package.

Set ownership and permissions to match your other `app/code` modules (same user PHP-FPM or the web server uses). Deploy the new files through your normal release process—do not edit `vendor/` for this extension.

## 3 Enable the module and run setup

From the Magento root, enable the module and apply schema updates (adjust mode flags if you use production deploy steps):

```
bin/magento module:enable SearchMention_Connector
bin/magento setup:upgrade
bin/magento cache:flush
```

In production, follow your standard checklist (`setup:di:compile`, static content deploy, etc.) after `setup:upgrade`.

## 4 Paste the API key in Magento admin

In Magento admin, go to **Stores → Configuration → SearchMention → Connector**. Set **Enable** to **Yes**, paste the same project API key from SearchMention Settings into **API key**, save, then use **Test connection** if shown— it validates against `POST /api/v1/visits`.

## 5 AI bots (optional)

The connector is optimized for **cached HTML** and human referral detection. Crawler and bot hits that never execute PHP may not be visible through Magento alone. If your storefront is behind Cloudflare, add the SearchMention Worker using the [manual Cloudflare guide](https://searchmention.com/guides/cloudflare-worker-manual) so training and crawler visits appear alongside Magento-sourced referrals.

## 6 Confirm in SearchMention

Open **Dashboard → AI Traffic** for this project. After real shoppers arrive from AI surfaces (or you test with a recognized `utm_source`), events should appear with source **magento**. Normal organic traffic without AI signals will not create rows.

---

Key rotation: regenerating the API key in SearchMention Settings invalidates the old value—update Magento configuration until the new key is saved.

[All guides](https://searchmention.com/guides) [Cloudflare Worker guide](https://searchmention.com/guides/cloudflare-worker-manual)