Search Atlas Help Center

🔌 Fix WordPress Plugin Status & Connect GSC

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Camilo Aponte

Camilo Aponte

Last updated on Sep 30, 2026

🔍 Overview

Two issues commonly appear together when setting up a new project in Search Atlas: the WordPress plugin showing Not installed on the dashboard despite being active on your site, and Google Search Console (GSC) not yet linked to the project. This article walks you through resolving both quickly.

🛠️ Fix the 'Not Installed' WordPress Plugin Status

Even if the Search Atlas plugin is installed, activated, and authenticated on your WordPress site, the dashboard may still show Not installed. This is almost always a sync or connection issue, not a plugin problem. Follow these steps in order:

  1. Confirm the plugin is active in WordPress. Log in to your WordPress admin panel, go to Plugins → Installed Plugins, and verify the Search Atlas plugin is listed and activated.
  2. Check your API key inside the plugin. In WordPress, navigate to the Search Atlas plugin settings and confirm the API key matches the one found in your Search Atlas account under Account Menu → Settings → API Keys. Copy and re-paste it if unsure, then save.
  3. Force a re-sync from the Search Atlas dashboard. Open your project in Search Atlas, go to Settings → Integrations → WordPress, and click Reconnect or Re-authenticate if that option is available. This triggers a fresh handshake between your site and the platform.
  4. Clear any caching on your WordPress site. If you use a caching plugin (e.g., WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache), clear the cache after saving your API key. Cached responses can block the verification ping Search Atlas sends to confirm installation.
  5. Check for plugin conflicts. Temporarily disable other plugins one at a time to rule out conflicts, particularly security plugins that may block outgoing or incoming API requests.
  6. Verify your site URL matches the project URL. In Search Atlas, confirm the domain entered for your project exactly matches your WordPress site's URL (including or excluding www). A mismatch will prevent the status from updating.

After completing these steps, wait up to 5 minutes and then refresh your Search Atlas dashboard. The status should update to Installed.

📊 Connect Google Search Console to Your Project

Linking GSC gives Search Atlas access to your site's real search performance data, which powers keyword tracking, ranking insights, and OTTO SEO recommendations. Here is how to connect it:

  1. Make sure GSC is already set up for your domain. Before connecting, confirm your site is verified in Google Search Console at search.google.com/search-console. If your site is not verified there yet, complete that step first.
  2. Open the GSC connection flow in Search Atlas. From the main dashboard, navigate to Site Metrics → Site Explorer → Manage Sites to reach the Manage Sites page.
  3. Click 'Connect GSC Account'. On the Manage Sites page, click the Connect GSC Account button. You will be redirected to a Google authentication screen.
  4. Sign in with the correct Google account. Use the Google account that has Owner or Full User access to the GSC property for your domain. Accounts with Restricted access cannot share data with third-party tools.
  5. Grant the required permissions. Review and accept the permissions Search Atlas requests. These are read-only and allow the platform to pull impressions, clicks, and ranking data.
  6. Select the correct GSC property. After authenticating, you may be asked to choose which GSC property to link. Select the property that matches your project domain exactly — note that https://beesmartbeeremoval.com and https://www.beesmartbeeremoval.com are separate properties in GSC, so pick the one where your data lives.
  7. Save and confirm the connection. Once selected, click Save or Confirm. The integration status should update to Connected within a few minutes.

⚠️ Common Reasons GSC Connection Fails

  • You are signed into the wrong Google account during the OAuth flow.
  • The Google account used does not have sufficient permissions on the GSC property.
  • The domain in Search Atlas does not exactly match a verified property in GSC.
  • A browser extension (e.g., an ad blocker) is interrupting the Google authentication popup — try in an incognito window or a different browser.

✅ Confirm Everything Is Working

After completing both steps, return to your Search Atlas project dashboard. You should see the WordPress plugin status show Installed and the GSC integration show Connected. Data from GSC may take up to 24 hours to begin populating in your reports, as Search Atlas syncs historical data in batches.

💬 Still Need 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.