🔍 Overview

Search Atlas gives you two ways to create a Cloud Stack: directly inside OTTO SEO, or independently through the Authority → Cloud Stacks section. These two methods are not interchangeable. Each serves a different purpose, and understanding the distinction will help you get the most out of your Cloud Stack and avoid a common point of confusion — an empty Knowledge Graph.

☁️ What Is a Cloud Stack?

A Cloud Stack is a network of authoritative web properties (Google Sites, cloud documents, social profiles, and more) built to strengthen your domain's authority signals. When connected to a Knowledge Graph, the Cloud Stack inherits structured entity data about your business, making the authority signals far more relevant and powerful.

⚙️ Method 1: Creating a Cloud Stack Inside OTTO

When you create a Cloud Stack from within OTTO SEO, it is automatically tied to the OTTO project for that domain. Here is how to do it:

1. Go to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) in the left sidebar (or navigate to /seo-automation-v3).
2. Open the relevant OTTO project for your domain.
3. Locate the Cloud Stack task card inside OTTO and follow the on-screen prompts to generate your Cloud Stack.

Because OTTO already holds your project's configuration, the Cloud Stack created this way is linked to that project context. However, it is important to understand that the Knowledge Graph connected here is scoped to OTTO's own Knowledge Graph for that project — not your full, standalone Knowledge Graph profile. If you have built out a rich Knowledge Graph profile separately, that data will not automatically flow into the OTTO-scoped Cloud Stack.

🛠️ Method 2: Creating a Standalone Cloud Stack

You can also create a Cloud Stack independently, without going through OTTO:

1. Click Authority in the left sidebar.
2. Select Cloud Stacks from the sub-menu.
3. Click the button to create a new Cloud Stack and complete the setup form.

A standalone Cloud Stack gives you direct control and allows you to associate it with your complete Knowledge Graph profile. This is the recommended path when you want the Cloud Stack to reflect the full set of entity information you have already built.

💡 Why Does the Cloud Stack Knowledge Graph Appear Empty?

This is the most common question customers ask about Cloud Stacks. Here is what causes it and how to resolve it:

• OTTO uses its own scoped Knowledge Graph. When a Cloud Stack is generated inside OTTO, it pulls entity data from OTTO's internal Knowledge Graph for that project. If you have not populated that specific Knowledge Graph inside OTTO, the Cloud Stack will have little or no entity data to work with — even if your main Knowledge Graph profile is fully built out elsewhere.
• Standalone Cloud Stacks are not automatically linked. Creating a Cloud Stack through Authority → Cloud Stacks does not automatically import your existing Knowledge Graph. You need to actively associate your Knowledge Graph during or after setup to populate the entity fields.
• The fix: populate or link the correct Knowledge Graph. If you are working inside OTTO, fill in the Knowledge Graph fields within the OTTO project before generating the Cloud Stack. If you are working standalone, ensure you select and connect your complete Knowledge Graph profile during the Cloud Stack creation process.

✅ Which Method Should You Use?

• Use OTTO → Cloud Stack when you want a streamlined, project-managed workflow and are happy to populate entity data directly inside OTTO.
• Use Authority → Cloud Stacks (standalone) when you want to leverage a fully built Knowledge Graph profile and have more direct control over the Cloud Stack configuration.

Both methods produce a functional Cloud Stack — the key is making sure the right Knowledge Graph data is connected before the stack is built, so the authority signals are as relevant and complete as possible.

💬 Need More Help?

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