Overview
Two separate issues can block a successful Search Atlas WordPress plugin installation: a fatal error that prevents activation entirely (commonly caused by PHP 7.4 incompatibility), and a site alert triggered after manually adding the OTTO pixel snippet to your theme header. This article walks you through resolving both issues in the correct order.
Issue 1 — Fatal Error Blocks Plugin Activation (PHP 7.4)
If you see "Plugin could not be activated because it triggered a fatal error" immediately after trying to activate the Search Atlas plugin, the most likely cause is that your server is running PHP 7.4, which is below the minimum required version.
Why this matters: Standard troubleshooting steps — such as deactivating conflicting plugins or checking error logs inside WordPress — assume the plugin can at least partially load. When activation fails completely, those steps will not help until the PHP version is resolved first.
- Confirm your current PHP version. Check your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, or equivalent) — most hosts display the active PHP version under PHP settings or a similar section. You can also ask your host directly if you are unsure where to find this.
- If your version is below PHP 8.0, upgrade to PHP 8.0 or higher. PHP 8.1 or 8.2 is recommended for best compatibility. Most managed hosts allow you to switch PHP versions from their control panel — consult your host's documentation if you are unsure how to do this.
- After upgrading PHP, return to the Plugins section in your WordPress dashboard and activate the Search Atlas plugin again.
- If the fatal error persists after upgrading PHP, check your server's PHP error log (available through your hosting control panel or via FTP) and note the exact error message before contacting support.
Do not proceed to the OTTO pixel steps below until the plugin activates successfully. Adding the pixel snippet to a site where the plugin is not active will not establish a connection and may cause the alert described in Issue 2.
Issue 2 — Site Alert After Adding the OTTO Pixel Snippet
If you were advised to manually paste the OTTO pixel snippet into your theme's header and you then saw an alert or warning appear on your site, the snippet itself is the cause. This is a known side effect of adding the snippet to certain themes or page builders, and it must be removed before the alert will stop.
How to remove the snippet and clear the alert:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to your theme's header file. Depending on your setup, you can do this through your theme's editor in the Appearance section of your WordPress dashboard, or by using an FTP client or your host's File Manager to access the theme files directly.
- Locate the OTTO pixel snippet and remove it completely, then save the file.
- Confirm that the alert no longer appears on your site.
If you continue to experience issues after following these steps, please reach out to our support team via the chat widget in your Search Atlas dashboard and we will be happy to help.