=== Spiky Age Gate ===
Contributors: spikyaceltd
Tags: age gate, age verification, seo friendly, popup, 18 plus, shortcode
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 6.5
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

A 100% SEO-friendly, lightweight age verification popup that does not block search engines or AI crawlers from indexing your site.

== Description ==

**Spiky Age Gate** is a high-performance age verification tool designed for business owners who prioritize SEO. Most age gates destroy search rankings by blocking bots or using slow redirects. This plugin uses an advanced "Invisible Bypass" strategy.

While human visitors see a beautiful, branded popup, search engine bots (Google, Bing) and AI crawlers (ChatGPT, Claude, Apple Intelligence) bypass the gate entirely to read, crawl, and index your content seamlessly.

### Key Features:
* **SEO & AI Proof:** Search engines and AI bots see your content as if the plugin isn't there, preserving your rankings.
* **Shortcode Support:** Use `[spiky_age_gate]` to manually protect specific posts or landing pages, even if the global gate is turned off.
* **Ultra-Lightweight:** Zero heavy libraries. Built for maximum site speed and server efficiency.
* **Fully Customizable:** Change background colors, text colors, button styles, and border radius from a simple admin page.
* **Real-Time Live Preview:** See exactly what your popup will look like as you design it in the WordPress dashboard.
* **Smart Cookie Control:** Choose how many days before a visitor needs to verify their age again.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the entire `spiky-age-gate` folder to the `/wp-content/plugins/` directory.
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
3. Navigate to the new **Age Gate** menu in your WordPress admin sidebar.
4. Upload your logo, customize your colors, and configure your cookie settings.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Will this affect my Google rankings? =
No. We use a dedicated, modern SEO-handler that detects Googlebot, Lighthouse, and other crawlers. It allows them to bypass the verification entirely so they can index your full site content without any speed penalties or blocks.

= Can I use this on specific pages only? =
Yes! Just turn off the global "Enable Age Gate" setting, and simply paste the shortcode `[spiky_age_gate]` into the content of the specific post or page you want to protect.

= Does it work with Pinterest and Social Media? =
Yes. We have specifically included Pinterestbot, Facebot, and Twitterbot in our bypass list so your links generate beautiful previews with full image metadata on social networks.

== Screenshots ==

1. screenshot-1.png - The Admin Settings page where you can customize the design with a Live Preview.
2. screenshot-2.png - The beautiful front-end age verification popup.

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release.
* Added advanced SEO & AI Bot Bypass logic.
* Added `[spiky_age_gate]` shortcode for manual page protection.
* Added Admin Live Preview and seamless color picker integration.