MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the system that allows AI assistants to interact with Search Atlas tools on your behalf. Access to MCP tools is controlled by your Search Atlas plan and permissions. This means you can only use the tools, features, and product areas that are included in your account. MCP does not grant additional access beyond what your plan allows.

## 🧠 How Access Works

MCP uses the same system as the Search Atlas platform:

- Same authentication
- Same plan entitlements
- Same permission structure

👉 If you can access a feature in the Search Atlas app, you can access it through MCP.  
👉 If you cannot access it in the app, MCP will not allow it.

Note: Some MCP tools may not yet be publicly available even if the corresponding feature appears accessible in your Search Atlas dashboard. In these cases, you will receive an ACCESS\_DENIED error that is unrelated to your plan or quota status. See the 🚫 Tools Not Yet Publicly Available section below for known examples.

## ⚙️ Step-by-Step: What Happens When You Use a Tool

## Step 1

You request an action through your AI assistant

Example:

- “Run a site audit”
- “Create a PPC campaign” (see the ⚠️ OTTO PPC Standalone Mode section below for which PPC tools require a fully configured Search Atlas business profile)

## Step 2

The assistant selects the appropriate MCP tool

## Step 3

The MCP checks your permissions and plan access

## Step 4

One of two outcomes occurs:

- ✅ Access granted → the action executes
- ❌ Access denied → the action fails with an error. Important: an ACCESS\_DENIED error does not always mean a plan or quota problem — the specific MCP tool may simply not yet be publicly enabled (see the 🚫 Tools Not Yet Publicly Available section below).

Note: The error message returned may not always specify the exact reason for denial. Check your plan entitlements in the Search Atlas dashboard first; if your plan shows access but you still receive ACCESS\_DENIED, the tool may not yet be publicly available via MCP — contact support for clarification.

## ⚠️ OTTO PPC Standalone Mode — What Works Today

Some OTTO PPC tools can be used in **standalone mode** (with a connected Google Ads account but without a fully configured Search Atlas business profile). Others still require a complete business profile setup. Here is the current readiness status:

- **Reports** — ✅ Available in standalone mode. Backend support for `ads_account_id` has shipped, so Reports can be used with only a connected Google Ads account.
- **Negative Keywords** — ✅ Available in standalone mode with a connected Google Ads account.
- **Campaign Performance** — ❌ Not yet available in standalone mode. The account-scoped APIs for standalone Campaign Performance have not yet been released to production. A fully configured Search Atlas business profile is currently required.
- **Performance Preferences** — ❌ Not yet available in standalone mode. The `/performance-preferences/` endpoint does not yet support standalone (`ads_account_id`) mode. A connected business profile remains required for this tool until the update is released.

Note: Standalone support for Campaign Performance and Performance Preferences is on the roadmap. Until those updates ship to production, please configure a full Search Atlas business profile to use them.

## 🔍 What Determines Access

Your ability to use MCP tools depends on:

- Your Search Atlas plan
- Enabled product areas (SEO, Content, GBP, PPC, etc.)
- Available quotas and credits
- Whether the specific MCP endpoint is publicly enabled for MCP access

## ⚠️ Common Access Issues

## Issue 1 — Tool is not available

**Cause:** The feature is not included in your plan

**Result:** The assistant cannot execute the action

## Issue 2a — Action fails after request (permission/plan denial)

**Cause:** You do not have permission for that product area, or your plan does not include it

**Result:** The MCP returns an authorization error

## Issue 2b — Action fails after request (endpoint not yet publicly available for MCP)

**Cause:** The specific MCP endpoint has not yet been publicly released for MCP usage, even though the corresponding feature is accessible in the Search Atlas dashboard

**Result:** The MCP returns an ACCESS\_DENIED error that is not related to your plan or permissions. In this case, no plan upgrade will resolve the issue — contact support to confirm endpoint availability.

## Issue 3 — Action blocked despite access

**Cause:** Quota is exhausted

**Result:** The action cannot proceed until credits or quota are replenished or your billing cycle resets.

## 🚫 Tools Not Yet Publicly Available

Some MCP tools exist on the backend but are not yet open for general MCP usage. If you call one of these tools, you will receive an ACCESS\_DENIED error even if your plan, permissions, and quota are all valid. This is not a billing or upgrade issue — the tool itself is simply not publicly enabled for MCP yet.

Known examples of MCP tools that are not yet publicly available:

- `se_bulk_serps` — This endpoint is not currently publicly enabled for MCP usage. Even if your dashboard shows available Site Explorer or keyword quota, MCP calls to `se_bulk_serps` will return ACCESS\_DENIED. This is not a plan or quota issue. No action is needed on your account.

If you receive ACCESS\_DENIED on one of these tools, no plan change will resolve it. Contact Search Atlas support to confirm whether a specific tool is currently publicly available, as endpoint availability changes over time.

## 🐞 Known Issues

**Known Issue — Domain-level schema deployment via MCP:** When using MCP to deploy all schemas for a project, domain-level schema deployment may fail with an HTTP 400 error (`otto_urls not found`). Page-level schemas are unaffected. This is a known bug currently being resolved — manually deploy domain-level schemas from the Search Atlas dashboard as a workaround.

## ⚙️ Step-by-Step: How to Resolve Access Issues

## Step 1

Confirm the feature exists in your Search Atlas plan — open the Search Atlas app dashboard and check whether you can use the corresponding feature there.

## Step 2

Check that you have available quota

## Step 3

Retry the action

## Step 4

If the issue persists, review plan access or upgrade

## Step 5

If your dashboard shows available quota but you still receive ACCESS\_DENIED via MCP, the endpoint may not be publicly enabled for MCP yet. Contact support to confirm whether the tool is currently available for MCP access.

**Quick decision checklist for ACCESS\_DENIED errors:**

1. Is the feature accessible in the Search Atlas app dashboard? If **no**, the feature is not on your plan — upgrade your plan or check quota.
2. If **yes** in the app but you still receive ACCESS\_DENIED via MCP, the MCP tool may not yet be publicly available (see 🚫 Tools Not Yet Publicly Available) — contact support to confirm.
3. If the feature is on your plan and the tool is publicly available, check your remaining quota or credits — the action will resume when quota is replenished or your billing cycle resets.

## ❓ What to Do If You Receive ACCESS\_DENIED

If you receive an ACCESS\_DENIED error from an MCP tool, follow these decision steps before assuming it is a quota or sync issue:

1. **Check your dashboard.** Is the feature accessible in the Search Atlas app? If **no**, the feature is not included in your plan — review your plan or upgrade.
2. **If yes in the dashboard but ACCESS\_DENIED via MCP**, the tool may not yet be publicly available via MCP. Consult the 🚫 Tools Not Yet Publicly Available list above (for example, `se_bulk_serps`). No plan upgrade or quota change will resolve this — the endpoint is simply not yet enabled.
3. **If the tool is not on the known list and you believe your plan includes it**, contact Search Atlas support. Provide the tool name and the exact error so support can confirm endpoint availability or investigate further.

## 🔁 Key Principle

👉 MCP does not bypass permissions or plan limits.

All actions strictly follow:

- account permissions
- plan entitlements
- quota availability
- whether the endpoint is publicly enabled for MCP

## 💬 Still Having Issues?

If you've confirmed your plan, permissions, and quota but are still receiving an ACCESS\_DENIED or similar error, here are your next steps:

- Contact Search Atlas support chat to confirm whether the specific MCP endpoint is currently publicly available.
- Review your plan and upgrade options if a feature is not included in your current plan.
- Ask support for the latest list of MCP tools that are currently publicly available, as endpoint availability can change over time.

MCP gives you conversational access to Search Atlas, but it does not expand your access beyond your plan. By understanding how permissions, entitlements, and endpoint availability work, you can quickly identify why an action succeeds or fails and take the appropriate next step.