🔍 What Is a Quota Exhaustion Error?
A quota exhaustion error means your account has used all the allocated points or credits for a specific feature. In the context of Local SEO, this most commonly affects heatmap keyword tracking. When your heatmap keyword quota runs out, Search Atlas pauses new scans and displays a quota exhaustion notice until additional points are added.
This is not a bug — it is expected behaviour when your plan's included quota has been fully consumed.
📊 How Heatmap Keywords and Local SEO Points Work
Local SEO features in Search Atlas — including heatmap keyword scans — are powered by Local SEO points. Each heatmap keyword scan consumes a set number of points depending on the grid size and scan frequency you have configured. Once your points balance reaches zero:
- Scheduled heatmap scans will not run.
- Manual scan requests will be blocked.
- You may see a quota exhaustion warning inside the Local section.
Adding more Local SEO points restores full access immediately without any changes to your existing project settings or historical data.
🗺️ How to Check Your Current Local SEO Points Balance
- In the left sidebar, click Local to open the Local SEO section.
- Click Overview (Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview).
- Your current Local SEO points balance and usage breakdown are displayed at the top of the Overview page.
- Review which projects or heatmap keywords are consuming the most points to help you plan future usage.
➕ How to Purchase Additional Local SEO Points
- Navigate to Avatar → Billing → Plans & Top-ups.
- Locate the points balance section and click Top Up or the equivalent purchase button shown on screen.
- Select the points package that fits your needs and complete the checkout process.
- Your new points are added to your balance instantly upon successful payment.
- Any previously paused heatmap scans will resume on their next scheduled run.
💡 Tips to Avoid Running Out of Points
- Audit your heatmap grid sizes. Larger grids consume more points per scan. Reduce the grid size on lower-priority keywords to extend your quota.
- Review scan frequency. Daily scans use points faster than weekly scans. Adjust frequency based on how competitive or time-sensitive each keyword is.
- Remove unused keywords. If a heatmap keyword is no longer relevant, delete it from your project to stop ongoing point consumption.
- Monitor usage regularly. Check your balance in Avatar → Billing → Plans & Top-ups at least once a month to catch low balances before scans are interrupted.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Has the quota exhaustion problem been fixed? Quota exhaustion is not a platform bug — it means your account's included Local SEO points have been fully used. Purchasing additional points resolves the issue immediately.
Do I lose my heatmap data when quota runs out? No. All historical heatmap data and project configurations are preserved. Only new scans are paused until points are replenished.
Will my quota reset automatically? Depending on your subscription plan, a portion of Local SEO points may refresh on your monthly billing cycle. Check your plan details in your account settings for exact reset terms. Purchased top-up points do not expire within your active subscription period.
Can I set up a low-balance alert? Notifications and alert settings can vary by plan. Check your account notification preferences or ask via the chat widget for guidance specific to your subscription.
🆘 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.