# **🔍 Overview**

This article explains two things: how to exclude specific URLs from OTTO SEO scans, and how to improve your Google Business Profile (GBP) ranking and reach a perfect score of 100. Both actions help you get cleaner SEO automation and stronger local visibility.

# **⚙️ How to Exclude URLs from OTTO SEO Scans**

If there are pages you do not want OTTO to scan or apply optimisations to — such as thank-you pages, internal tools, or staging URLs — you can exclude them directly inside the OTTO SEO section.

1. In the left sidebar, click **OTTO SEO** and then open **SEO Automation** to access the automation dashboard.
2. Locate the **OTTO SEO** panel for the relevant project.
3. Look for the **Settings** or **Exclusions** option within your OTTO project configuration.
4. Enter the URLs or URL patterns you want to exclude from scans. You can typically use exact URLs or wildcard patterns (e.g. **/thank-you/\***) to match multiple pages at once.
5. Save your changes. OTTO will skip those URLs in all future scans and will not apply automated fixes to them.

**Tip:** Review your excluded URL list periodically. Pages that were once excluded may later need optimisation as your site evolves.

# **📊 How to Improve Your GBP Score to 100**

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) score reflects how complete and optimised your local listing is. A score of 100 signals to Google that your profile is fully set up, which supports higher local rankings and greater visibility in map results.

To access your GBP project and start improving your score, navigate to **Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects**. From here you can work across all the sub-sections that contribute to your overall score.

# **✅ Key Areas That Improve Your GBP Score**

Focus on the following actions inside the **Local** section to push your score toward 100:

- **Overview:** Go to **Local → Overview** to see your current score and a breakdown of what is complete and what still needs attention. Use this as your starting checklist.
- **Posts:** Go to **Local → Posts** and publish regular Google posts — promotions, updates, events, or offers. Consistent posting signals an active, trustworthy business.
- **Reviews:** Go to **Local → Reviews** to monitor and respond to customer reviews. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, is a ranking factor and contributes to your profile score.
- **Media Library:** Go to **Local → Media Library** to upload high-quality photos and videos. Profiles with rich media consistently outperform those without.
- **Local Citations:** Go to **Local → Local Citations** to build and manage citations across directories. Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data across the web reinforces your local authority and improves map pack rankings.
- **My Tasks:** Go to **Local → My Tasks** to see a prioritised list of recommended actions. Complete these tasks in order to make the fastest progress toward a score of 100.

# **🚀 Tips for Expanding Local Reach**

Beyond hitting a score of 100, the following practices will help you expand how many local searches your business appears in:

- **Target multiple service areas:** If your business serves more than one location, make sure each area is reflected in your GBP settings and citation profiles.
- **Use location-specific keywords in posts:** When writing posts inside **Local → Posts**, include city or neighbourhood names naturally in your content.
- **Build citations consistently:** Use **Local → Local Citations** to submit your business to high-authority directories. The more consistent and widespread your citations, the broader your local footprint.
- **Keep your profile active:** Google rewards profiles that are updated regularly. Aim to post at least once a week and respond to new reviews within 24 hours.

# **💡 Frequently Asked Questions**

**Will excluding a URL remove it from my site's overall SEO?** No. Excluding a URL only prevents OTTO from scanning and automating changes on that page. It does not affect how Google crawls or indexes the page.

**Why is my GBP score not reaching 100?** Open **Local → Overview** to see exactly which items are incomplete. The most common gaps are missing photos, unanswered reviews, and no recent posts.

**How long does it take for GBP improvements to affect rankings?** Changes to your profile can start showing results within a few days, but meaningful ranking improvements in competitive areas typically take two to four weeks of consistent activity.

# **🙋 Need More Help?**

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.