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2025 • code • AI

How to Automate Your Ghost Blog with Claude Desktop and MCP

The Lad

• 3 min read
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What is MCP and How Does It Work?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a powerful framework that allows AI assistants like Claude to connect directly to external services and tools. Think of it as a bridge that lets Claude interact with your applications—in this case, your Ghost blog—without you having to manually copy and paste or switch between different interfaces.

This blog post was created automatically using the Claude Desktop app connected to the Ghost MCP server. I simply asked Claude to create this post, and it used the MCP connection to communicate directly with the Ghost Admin API to publish content.

How I Created This Post

Here's what happened behind the scenes:

  1. I configured the Claude Desktop app to connect to the Ghost MCP server
  2. I asked Claude to "Add a post detailing how this MCP Service works"
  3. Claude used the ghost-mcp:posts_add function to create this post
  4. The post was automatically added to my Ghost blog as a draft

The Exact Prompt

Add a post detailing how this MCP Service works and how I was able to create a post automatically using the Claude Desktop Client. Also, Give bullet point instructions on how to configure the Claude desktop app as I used the backend via json, but actually even easier using the built in Integration tool(s)

No manual API calls, no copying content between applications—just a natural conversation with Claude that resulted in automated content management.

Setting Up Ghost MCP with Claude Desktop

There are two ways to configure the Ghost MCP integration with Claude Desktop. The easiest method is using the built-in Integration tools, but I'll cover both approaches.

Method 1: Using the Built-in Integration Tool (Easiest)

  1. Open Claude Desktop Settings
    • Click on the Claude icon in your menu bar (Mac) or system tray (Windows)
    • Select "Settings" or "Preferences"
  2. Navigate to the Integrations Section
    • Look for "Integrations" or "Developer" settings
    • Find the MCP servers configuration area
  3. Add the Ghost MCP Server
    • Click "Add Integration" or "Add MCP Server"
    • Search for "Ghost" in the available integrations
    • Follow the prompts to install the Ghost MCP server
  4. Configure Your Ghost Connection
    • Enter your Ghost blog URL (e.g., https://yourblog.com)
    • Provide your Ghost Admin API key
    • Test the connection to ensure it works
  5. Save and Restart
    • Save your configuration
    • Restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect

Method 2: Manual JSON Configuration (Advanced)

For more control, you can manually edit the Claude Desktop configuration file:

  1. Locate the Configuration File
    • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
    • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
  2. Edit the JSON Configuration
    • Open the file in a text editor
    • Add the Ghost MCP server configuration to the mcpServers section
  3. Get Your Ghost Admin API Key
    • Log into your Ghost Admin panel
    • Navigate to Settings → Integrations
    • Click "Add custom integration"
    • Give it a name (e.g., "Claude MCP")
    • Copy the Admin API Key
  4. Save and Restart Claude Desktop
    • Save the JSON file
    • Completely quit and restart Claude Desktop

Add Your Ghost Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ghost": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-ghost"],
      "env": {
        "GHOST_URL": "https://yourblog.com",
        "GHOST_ADMIN_API_KEY": "your-admin-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

What You Can Do with Ghost MCP

Once configured, you can ask Claude to:

  • Browse and read posts: "Show me my latest 5 posts"
  • Create new posts: "Write a blog post about photography tips"
  • Edit existing posts: "Update the post about MCP to add more examples"
  • Manage members: "List all my blog subscribers"
  • Work with tags: "Show me all posts tagged with 'photography'"
  • Manage tiers: "What subscription tiers do I have?"
  • Handle newsletters: "Create a new newsletter for weekly updates"

Tips for Using Ghost MCP

  • Start with drafts: When creating posts, they're saved as drafts by default so you can review before publishing
  • Be specific: The more detailed your request, the better Claude can help
  • Iterate naturally: You can have a conversation with Claude about your content—ask it to revise, expand, or modify posts
  • Combine with other MCPs: Use Ghost MCP alongside other MCP servers for even more powerful workflows

Troubleshooting

If things aren't working:

  • Double-check your Ghost Admin API key is correct
  • Ensure your Ghost URL is properly formatted (include https://)
  • Verify Claude Desktop has been fully restarted after configuration changes
  • Check that you have the necessary permissions in Ghost
  • Look at the Claude Desktop logs for any error messages

Conclusion

The Ghost MCP integration transforms how you can manage your blog. Instead of logging into the admin panel for every task, you can simply have a conversation with Claude and let it handle the technical details. This post itself is proof of concept—created entirely through a natural language conversation with an AI assistant.

Whether you're a developer comfortable with JSON configuration or someone who prefers GUI tools, the Ghost MCP makes blog automation accessible and powerful.