🔄 Switching From GHL to Vercel in Search Atlas

🔍 Overview

If you moved your website from GoHighLevel (GHL) to Vercel, your Search Atlas project still points to the old setup until you update it. This guide shows you how to disconnect the GHL integration, connect your site on Vercel, and make sure OTTO and your CMS connection work on the new site.

The process takes about 10 to 20 minutes. Allow extra time if you need to change files in your website code.

📝 Before You Start

Have the following ready so the switch goes smoothly:

• Your live Vercel site URL. Use the final domain (for example, yourdomain.com), not a temporary preview link.
• Access to your Vercel account and the project that hosts your site.
• Admin access to your Search Atlas project.
• Confirmation that your domain now points to Vercel. If your domain still loads the old GHL site, finish the domain change first.

Tip: Keep your old GHL account active until the new site is confirmed working. That way you can compare pages if something looks different.

🔌 Step 1: Disconnect the GHL Integration

Remove the old connection first so Search Atlas does not try to publish or optimize through GHL.

1. Log in to Search Atlas and open the project for your website.
2. Go to the project's integrations or CMS connection settings.
3. Find the GoHighLevel (GHL) connection in the list.
4. Select the option to disconnect or remove it, then confirm.
5. Refresh the page and check that GHL no longer appears as an active connection.

Disconnecting does not delete your Search Atlas project, keyword data, or reports. It only stops the link to GHL.

🚀 Step 2: Connect Your Vercel Site

Next, connect the website that now lives on Vercel.

1. In the same integrations or CMS connection area, choose to add a new connection.
2. Select Vercel from the list of platforms. If Vercel is not listed, choose the option for a custom or other website setup and follow the instructions shown.
3. Enter your live website URL exactly as it appears in the browser.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to authorize Search Atlas. You may be asked to log in to Vercel and approve access to the project that hosts your site.
5. Save the connection and wait for the status to show as connected.

If your project has more than one domain, such as a www and a non-www version, use the main version your visitors see.

⚙️ Step 3: Set Up OTTO on the New Site

OTTO needs to be active on your Vercel site to apply SEO updates. Your old GHL setup does not carry over automatically.

1. Open OTTO SEO inside your Search Atlas project.
2. Check the installation status for your site. If it shows as not installed or not detected, follow the install instructions shown for your site.
3. If the instructions include a script or code snippet, add it to your Vercel project as directed, then redeploy the site so the change goes live.
4. Return to OTTO and select the option to re-check or verify the installation.

Important: If you previously added an OTTO snippet to your GHL site's tracking code or header, do not copy it over unless the new instructions tell you to. Using an outdated snippet can stop OTTO from working properly or cause duplicate changes.

✅ Step 4: Confirm Everything Works

Run through this quick checklist:

• The Vercel connection shows as connected in your Search Atlas project.
• The GHL connection is removed.
• OTTO shows your site as installed or active.
• Your site loads correctly on your main domain.
• A page you expect OTTO to update shows the change after it is published and the page is refreshed.

Changes can take a few minutes to appear. If you use caching or a CDN, the update may take a little longer.

🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Vercel will not connect. Check that you are logged in to the correct Vercel account and that you have permission to access the project. Team projects may require an owner or admin to approve access.
• The URL is not accepted. Use the full live domain without extra paths. Make sure it loads in your browser without errors.
• OTTO still shows as not installed. Make sure you redeployed your Vercel project after adding any code. Then clear your cache and run the verification again.
• Changes are not showing on the site. Wait a few minutes, hard refresh the page, and check that you are viewing the live domain instead of a preview link.
• Old GHL data still appears. Confirm that your domain points to Vercel and no longer to GHL. DNS changes can take time to spread.
• Page content looks different after the move. If titles, descriptions, or URLs changed during migration, rerun a site audit in Search Atlas to catch new issues.

💡 Best Practices After Migrating

• Keep your URLs the same where possible. If any changed, set up redirects in Vercel so you do not lose rankings.
• Submit your sitemap again in Google Search Console after the move.
• Run a fresh site audit in Search Atlas to check for broken links, missing tags, and other issues.
• Monitor rankings for a few weeks so you can spot and fix any drops early.

💬 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 instantly connected with a member of our team.

To help us resolve your request faster, mention your domain name and which step you got stuck on.