🔍 Overview
This article answers two common questions that come up when working with local projects in Search Atlas: how AI-generated images are treated in schema markup, and whether you need to reconnect your Google Business Profile (GBP) when switching to a local project type. Understanding both topics will help you configure your project correctly and avoid unexpected schema output.
🤖 How AI-Generated Photos Are Handled in Schema Markup
When you use Search Atlas to generate AI images for your local project, it is important to understand how those images interact with schema markup output.
- AI-generated images are not automatically included in schema markup. Schema markup in Search Atlas references media that has been explicitly added to your project and confirmed as appropriate for structured data use.
- Only images stored in your Media Library are eligible for schema inclusion. If you want an AI-generated photo to appear in your schema, you must first save it to your Media Library and then assign it to the relevant schema field manually.
- Image schema best practices still apply. Whether an image is AI-generated or sourced elsewhere, it must meet standard schema requirements — it should be publicly accessible, accurately represent the business or content it is attached to, and comply with Google's structured data guidelines.
To access your Media Library, go to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Media Library. From there you can review saved images, confirm which are active, and manage which assets feed into your schema configuration.
⚙️ Should You Reconnect GBP When Selecting a Local Project?
When you create or switch to a local project in Search Atlas, you may be prompted to connect or reconnect your Google Business Profile. Here is what you need to know:
- A GBP connection is required for local projects to function fully. Features such as Posts, Reviews, and Local Citations rely on an active GBP connection to sync data correctly.
- You should reconnect GBP if you have recently changed the Google account associated with your business profile, revoked permissions, or if the connection shows as disconnected in your project settings.
- Switching between project types (for example, moving from a standard project to a local project) does not automatically carry over your GBP connection. You will need to re-authorise the connection within the new local project to restore full functionality.
- If your GBP was already connected and you have not changed any account permissions, you do not need to reconnect. The existing authorisation will remain valid.
To check or manage your GBP connection, navigate to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects (GBP Projects | searchatlas.com) and open your project from the GBP Projects dashboard. Look for the connection status indicator within your project settings and follow the on-screen prompts if a reconnection is needed.
📋 Step-by-Step: Adding an AI Image to Schema
- Generate your AI image using the Search Atlas image tools and save it when prompted.
- Navigate to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Media Library to confirm the image has been saved.
- Open your local project and go to the schema markup configuration section.
- Locate the image field within the relevant schema type (for example, LocalBusiness or ImageObject).
- Select the saved image from your Media Library and assign it to the schema field.
- Save your schema configuration. The image will now be referenced in your structured data output.
💡 Key Reminders
- AI-generated images do not appear in schema automatically — they must be manually assigned after saving to the Media Library.
- Always reconnect GBP when starting a new local project or after changing Google account permissions.
- Use Left sidebar → Local → Overview to get a quick status summary of your local project, including connection health and active schema settings.
- Schema changes may take time to be re-crawled and reflected in Google Search results — this is normal behaviour.
🛠️ 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.