Onboarding

📘 Welcome to Signal Genesys — Now Part of Search Atlas

📖 Site Catalog Overview (Advertiser View)

📘 Media Rooms Overview: Benefits & Setup for Tier 1–3

💰 Publication Media: Publisher Onboarding, Payments, and How It's Different from Link Laboratory

✉️ Connect Email with SMTP/IMAP in Search Atlas

✉️ Connect Email with SMTP/IMAP in Search Atlas To send outreach emails through Search Atlas, you must connect your Gmail account using SMTP/IMAP with an App Password. 🚨 Important Regular Gmail passwords will NOT work. Search Atlas requires a Google App Password. Using your regular password will always fail! ✅ Confirmed Fix (resolves 90%+ of cases) 1. Enable 2-Factor Authentication on your Google account. 2. Create an App-Specific Password and use it in Search Atlas (not your normal Gmail password). This is a setup requirement, not a bug. 🔐 Step 1 — Enable 2-Step Verification 1. Go to: https://myaccount.google.com 2. Click Security 3. Enable 2-Step Verification 🔑 Step 2 — Create an App Password 1. Go to: https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords 2. Select: App: Mail 3. Device: Other → "Search Atlas" 4. Click Generate 5. Copy the password ⚠️ This is NOT your Gmail password. ⚙️ Step 3 — Enable IMAP 1. Open Gmail 2. Go to Settings → See all settings 3. Go to Forwarding and POP/IMAP 4. Enable IMAP 🔗 Step 4 — Connect in Search Atlas 1. Go to: Authority Building → Campaigns 2. Click: Manage Connected Emails → + Add New Email 3. Select: Configure SMTP/IMAP 4. Enter: Email → your Gmail / Password → App Password 5. Click Connect 📌 Where is this used? Connecting your email enables outreach campaigns inside the Digital PR tool. 👉 See how it works in context: 🔗 Digital PR Tool — Overview & Functionality ❌ Common Errors - "Authentication failed" 👉 You used your normal Gmail password. ✔ Use App Password instead. - "Connection error" 👉 IMAP not enabled. ✔ Enable IMAP in Gmail settings. - "Still not working" 👉 Most commonly 2FA is not enabled, OR you generated the App Password before enabling 2FA. ✔ Enable 2-Step Verification FIRST, then generate a fresh App Password. 🚨 Most users get stuck here If your email is not connecting, 90% of the time it's because: → You're using your Gmail password instead of an App Password. Make sure you generate and use an App Password from Google. Once connected, you can: - Send outreach emails - Receive replies inside Search Atlas - Manage conversations in the Inbox 🔗 Related Known Issues Users connecting Gmail for outreach frequently encounter these adjacent issues. If any apply, please open a separate ticket referencing the IDs below so we can track them properly: - Report Builder — Competitors not showing: Confirmed bug, currently being worked on by engineering (internal ticket GitLab #16861). Support can provide status updates on request. - OTTO SEO schema causing Google errors: Known issue under investigation by the technical team. Please share the affected URL and a screenshot of the Google error with support so it can be attached to the open ticket. - Billing quota reset date: Your billing cycle and quota reset on your own subscription billing day each month (the day your plan renews, clamped to the last day in shorter months) — confirm your specific date in the account menu (person icon, top-right) → Billing.

🧱 Authority Building — Execution Layer (Search Atlas)

Purpose Execute off-page authority creation and discovery acceleration through controlled distribution, cloud asset publishing, and forced indexation. Primary Function Create, deploy, and surface authority signals (links, mentions, indexed URLs) that support ranking, discovery, and trust for target pages. UI Entry Point Left Sidebar → Authority → PR Distribution (Press Releases) Subsections: - 📰 PR Distribution - ☁️ Cloud Stacks - 🧷 Indexer Inputs Common Inputs (shared across tools) - Project context (OTTO Project, optional GBP Project) - Target URL (page receiving authority) - Keywords (topical alignment) - Knowledge Graph data (business info, location, authorship) - Media assets (logo, images, optional video) - Social profile URLs Core Actions 📰 PR Distribution Action: Distribute press releases across selected media channels. User actions: - Create press release - Populate Knowledge Graph fields - Select distribution category and tiers - Review credit summary - Publish to selected channels Execution characteristics: - Multi-step workflow with approval points - Channel-based distribution - Optional content variation and indexing services ☁️ Cloud Stacks Action: Publish AI-generated articles across cloud-hosted platforms with backlinks. User actions: - Create Cloud Stack - Attach project and target URL - Provide contextual business data - Select cloud platforms (up to 14) - Publish stack Execution characteristics: - Fixed credit cost regardless of number of platforms - Distributed asset deployment - Embedded backlinks to target URL 🧷 Indexer Action: Submit URLs for accelerated indexation. User actions: - Create indexing batch - Provide batch name - Submit URLs (one per line) Execution characteristics: - Batch-based submission - Status tracking per batch - Used post-publication or post-link acquisition State Changes PR Distribution - Draft → Ready → Published - Unpublished/Generated PRs expose a “Resume” action - Published PRs populate publish date and status Cloud Stacks - Draft → Select Sites → Published - Published state shows “Published X of 14 Sites” Indexer - Submitted → Processing → Indexed (partial or complete) Outputs 1. Backlinks to target URLs 2. Brand mentions across distributed assets 3. Indexed URLs discoverable by search engines 4. Authority signals supporting ranking and trust Dependencies 1. Indexer is commonly used after: - PR Distribution - Cloud Stack publication 2. Knowledge Graph accuracy affects: - Content consistency - Entity alignment 3. Credit availability gates execution Non-Goals 1. Does not perform: - Outreach negotiation - Publisher relationship management - LLM answer optimization 2. Does not replace: - Digital PR campaigns - QUEST analysis - Template-based scaling Notes & Tips 1. 📝 Index newly published PR and Cloud Stack URLs to reduce discovery lag. 2. 📝 Cloud Stacks should target specific URLs, not entire domains. 3. 📝 Review credit summary before publishing PR Distribution to avoid unexpected spend. 4. 💡 Authority Building tools are execution-focused and designed to be combined, not used in isolation. This article defines the execution layer of Authority in Search Atlas. It describes how authority signals are created, deployed, and surfaced through controlled distribution, cloud-based publishing, and indexation workflows. Each component in this layer is designed to operate independently while producing outputs that can be consumed by downstream systems, including indexing services, Digital PR, and AI Visibility (formerly LLM Visibility) workflows. No strategic interpretation or outreach logic is applied at this stage, only execution, state transitions, and measurable outputs. For research, opportunity discovery, and AI visibility, refer to the dedicated QUEST documentation. For outreach orchestration and response management, see the Digital PR and Templates execution layers. This separation ensures Authority remains modular, predictable, and scalable across different visibility and ranking use cases.

👑 Authority: Complete Guide to Authority Building, Indexing, Digital PR & Outreach

This article is split into 2 parts. Part 1, Part 2 The Authority section in Search Atlas is where you go to build trust signals that help your pages and your brand get discovered, indexed, and referenced — by Google and by LLMs. This guide is written as a click-by-click UI walkthrough so users (and internal teams) can quickly answer: ✅ Where do I find each tool? ✅ What does each section do? ✅ What’s the exact workflow from start → publish → index → outreach → tracking? 🧭 Where to Find Authority 📍 Left sidebar (global navigation) 1. In Search Atlas, look at the left navigation rail 2. Click 👑 Authority (crown icon) Once you click it, you’ll see a secondary menu expand with tool groups like: - Authority Building - 📰 PR Distribution - ☁️ Cloud Stacks - 🧷 Indexer - 🔗 Link Building (Executions / Outreach surfaces) - AI Visibility (formerly LLM Visibility) - 🧠 QUEST (AI Visibility (formerly LLM Visibility)) - Digital PR - 📣 Campaigns - 📥 Inbox - 📤 Sent - 🧩 Templates 🧱 Authority Building Authority Building is where you create and accelerate authority signals: - PR placements (brand mentions + links) - cloud-based link assets - faster discovery + indexing - link building execution workflows 📰 PR Distribution (Press Release Distribution) ✅ What it’s for Use PR Distribution to distribute press releases to a network of outlets to generate: - 🔗 backlinks - 🗞️ mentions - 📈 faster brand trust signals - ⚡ indexing acceleration (when paired with Indexer / indexing services) 📍 Where it lives (UI path) Left Sidebar → 👑 Authority → Authority Building → PR Distribution 👀 What you see on the PR Distribution main screen At the top left of the main content area you’ll typically see: - A large page title: “Press Release Distribution” - A short description explaining what the tool does - A prominent purple button: ➕ New Release Above the table area, you’ll also see: - A Project selection area (e.g., “Select a project”) - Filters and dropdowns (depending on the view) 📊 The Press Release table (tracking your PRs) Below the header is a large table with columns like: - Created Date 📅 - Headline 📝 - Target URL 🔗 - Target Keywords 🧠 - Published Date ✅ - NEXT STEP (action buttons) 🟣 “Resume” / “View report” buttons On rows where a press release is ready to distribute, you’ll see a “Resume” or “View report” button on the far right in the NEXT STEP column. ⋮ Row actions menu On the far-right edge of each row, you’ll see a three-dot menu (⋮). Click it to reveal options like: - Export ⬇️ - Delete 🗑️ 🔑 Signal Genesys API Key (Important Setup) In the PR Distribution screen header area, you may see an API Key label and a small gear icon ⚙️. 📍 Where it appears Near the top of PR Distribution (upper area), there is: - A small API Key area - A gear icon that opens the configuration 🧩 What happens when you click it A modal appears titled: “Signal Genesys API Key” Inside the modal you’ll see: - A text input field (paste your key) - Buttons: - Cancel - Update ✅ ✅ This is what lets PR Distribution sync and display press release distribution capabilities directly in your account. ➕ New Release (Multi-step flow) Click ➕ New Release to open the creation flow. 👈 Left-side stepper panel On the left, you’ll see a vertical “Steps” progress block with numbered steps like: 1. Select A Project 2. Create Your Press Release 3. Edit & Review 4. Distribution Select a Project At the top of the form panel you’ll see Select A Project. You typically get dropdowns like: - OTTO Project (dropdown) - GBP Project (dropdown) - Target URL (text field) 🧠 Knowledge Graph section Below project/URL selection is a Knowledge Graph panel — a big form block that “pre-fills” business context for content generation. It includes sections like: Business Info - Business Name - Business Language (dropdown; shows “Automatic Detection” and language list) - Phone Number - Email Address - Website - Business Description - Country - City (Locality) - Postal Code - State (Administrative Area) - Street Address - Google Map Embedded URL Authorship - First Name - Last Name Images & Media - Logo (upload) - Photos (Required: 1 image) - “Add Video URL” ➕ Social Profiles - Dropdown selectors for platforms + URL fields - “Add Social Link” ➕ ✅ These details help the system produce more accurate, consistent PR content (especially when generating variations). Distribution (Distribution Channels screen) When you reach Distribution, you land on a screen titled something like: Distribution Channels This is where users choose which outlets / packages to distribute to. 📍 What it looks like - A large category dropdown near the top (e.g., Category: Apps & Software) - A table of channel options grouped by tiers - A right-hand Summary box showing credits/costs 🧾 The Summary box (right side) On the right, you’ll see a sticky-style panel with: - Selected channels - Total sites - Publication cost - Content variations cost - Indexing cost - Editorial review cost - Total credits (big number) This makes cost and selections transparent before publishing. 🧰 Additional Services (checkboxes) Near the bottom you may see Additional Services with options like: - ✅ Dynamic PRs (creates unique content variation per channel; shows credits cost) - ✅ Priority Indexing (sends PR links through indexing service; shows Free or cost) 🚀 Publish button behavior At the bottom right: - A Back button (left) - A primary publish button that reads like: - “Publish to X channels” - If none are selected, it can show “Publish to 0 channels” and remain inactive/disabled. ☁️ Cloud Stacks ✅ What it’s for Cloud Stacks let you generate AI-backed content assets and publish them across trusted cloud-hosted platforms to strengthen: - 🔗 backlink profile - 🏛️ domain authority - 🧭 indexation signals 📍 Where it lives (UI path) Authority → Authority Building → Cloud Stacks 👀 Cloud Stacks main screen layout At the top: - Title: Cloud Stacks - Description text explaining the purpose - Primary action button (purple): “Create Cloud Stacks (15 credits)” (or similar) Below that is a table of previously created Cloud Stacks with columns like: - Created Date - Target URL - Target Keywords - Cloud Stack Status (buttons like Select Sites / Draft Status / Published) 🟣 “Select Sites” buttons Many rows include a purple Select Sites button in the status column. This is the trigger to choose where to publish your stack. ✅ “Published 13 of 14 Sites” Some rows display a status like: - Published 13 of 14 Sites Often this appears as clickable/expandable status text, indicating progress. ⋮ Actions menu (Export / Delete) On the far right of each row you may also see a three-dot menu (⋮) with: - Export ⬇️ - Delete 🗑️ ➕ Add Cloud Stack (Multi-step flow) Click Create Cloud Stacks to open the guided flow. 👈 Left-side stepper panel On the left you’ll see steps like: 1. Select A Project 2. Create Your Cloud Stack 3. Edit & Review 4. Select Cloud Stack Sites Select a Project You’ll see a form that mirrors PR Distribution’s top fields: - OTTO Project (dropdown) - GBP Project (dropdown) - Target URL (text input) Then the Knowledge Graph block appears again (business info, authorship, images, social links). ⚠️ You may see a note like: Updating the Knowledge Graph here does not update it elsewhere. Meaning: edits here are for this flow/context. SSelect Cloud Stack Sites (The publish targets) This step opens a big selection panel titled: Cloud Stack Sites ✅ What it looks like A two-column checklist UI with: - A Select All checkbox at top - A list of cloud platforms (each with logo + checkbox), such as: - Cloudflare - Vercel - Scaleway - AWS - Bunny - Contabo - Wasabi - Azure - GitHub - Tencent - DigitalOcean - UpCloud - Exoscale - Backblaze At the bottom right: - A Publish to X sites button If none are selected it may show Publish to 0 sites and be disabled. ✅ Publishing here creates distributed assets + backlinks pointing to your target. 🧷 Indexer (URL Indexer) ✅ What it’s for The Indexer submits URLs for indexing so search engines discover pages faster (especially useful after publishing, PR, or new backlinks). 📍 Where it lives Authority → Authority Building → Indexer 👀 Indexer main screen layout Top area includes: - Title: URL Indexer - Description: indexing quickly / no waiting - Primary button: Index URLs - A visible usage indicator like Consumed Quota: X used of Y Below: - “Analyze Batches” or batch tracking area - A large empty-state table when no batches exist 🧲 Index URLs (Submit URLs for Indexation modal) Click Index URLs to open a form titled: Submit URLs for Indexation Inside you’ll see: - Batch name (required) - URLs (one per line) (large textarea) - Buttons at bottom: - Cancel - Submit ✅ 📌 Best practice: Make batches meaningful (e.g., “PR Links – Jan 2026” / “New Blogs – Week 3”). 🧠 AI Visibility (QUEST) QUEST helps you understand what the SERPs and sources say about a query — then generates structured Q&A that can be used for outreach and campaigns. Where it lives Authority → AI Visibility (formerly LLM Visibility) → QUEST QUEST main screen layout Top: - Title: QUEST - Description: analyzes query, extracts insights, crafts questions and expert answers - Query field: “Enter query” - Green button: Analyze query - Quota indicator at top (e.g., “0 used of 30”) Below: A table of Analyzed queries with columns like: - Query - Status (Draft / Campaign launched) - Results count - Date - View button View a QUEST analysis Click View on a row. 🧩 The screen splits into functional areas Left: Q&A Table A table with: - Question column - Answer column - Toggle controls (like “Highlight sources”) These answers are meant to be: - outreach-ready - expert-formatted - source-backed (when highlight sources enabled) Right: Data Sources panel A right rail titled Data Sources showing: - list of source URLs (checkboxes) - selected count - controls like Select all / Deselect all - a big CTA button at bottom like: - Create Campaign with X Domain ✅ This is the bridge from AI Visibility (formerly LLM Visibility) → Digital PR outreach. 📣 Digital PR (Outreach) Digital PR is where you build campaigns, send outreach emails, track replies, and manage templates. 📍 Where it lives Authority → Digital PR You’ll see: - Campaigns - Inbox - Sent - Templates 📣 Campaigns (Outreach campaigns dashboard) What you see Top: - Blue button: Create new campaign - Two inline links: - Manage connected emails - Global blacklist Below: - Campaign table with performance columns (opportunities, emailed, replies, response rate, etc.) - Top right: Manage folders button Create Campaign modal (step flow) When you click Create new campaign, a modal appears with steps across the top: 1. Integrations 2. Email Present 3. Follow-Up Emails In Step 1, you’ll see: - Campaign name field - Folder dropdown - Target type selector (Keywords / Domains) - Keyword input area - Filters row (country/TLD/domain rating/traffic/etc.) - Blacklist area for excluding domains Bottom right: - Next Step button ✉️ Manage Connected Emails When clicked, you get a compact panel that lists: - Email addresses - Status badges like ✅ Connected - A link to Add new email 🚫 Global domains blacklist This opens a large text field page titled Global domains blacklist. You can: - paste domains separated by commas - import from CSV - click Update list when ready Use this to exclude domains globally (e.g., major platforms, competitors, irrelevant properties). 📥 Inbox (Replies) Inbox shows: - a syncing notice banner (“Email syncing can take some time”) - filters: From / Campaign / Subject / Milestone - table columns for contact, last reply, campaign/opportunity, status, milestone This is where users manage conversation state. 📤 Sent (Outbound log) Same structure as Inbox, but for outbound messages: - useful for monitoring delivery and campaign activity - helps reconcile what was sent vs. what got replies 🧩 Templates Templates are shown in a card grid layout with previews. Top: - button: Create new template - template search bar Continued in Part 2 →

🔗 Connect Gmail to Digital PR Campaigns

Overview Search Atlas Digital PR campaigns support connecting an email account to send outreach emails. You can pick from a list of built-in email providers, or choose + Add a provider and enter SMTP and IMAP settings manually (host, port, and encryption: STARTTLS, SSL/TLS, or None). Custom providers use email and password login only (no OAuth), and the credentials are tested before the mailbox is linked. This article explains how to connect a Gmail account to your campaigns, though Gmail is not required. Supported Email Types - Gmail addresses ending in @gmail.com (personal Gmail accounts or Google Workspace accounts where Gmail powers the mailbox) - Other listed email providers - Any other email provider via the + Add a provider option, using manual SMTP and IMAP configuration If your business email is not Gmail-based, you can connect it by picking your provider from the list, or by choosing + Add a provider and entering your SMTP and IMAP settings manually. How to Connect Your Gmail Account 1. Navigate to the Digital PR Campaigns area of the platform. 2. Open an existing campaign or create a new one. 3. Locate the email account or sender connection section within the campaign settings. 4. Choose the option to connect or add a Gmail account. 5. A Google sign-in window will appear. Sign in with the Gmail address you want to use for outreach. 6. Grant Search Atlas the requested permissions to send email on your behalf. 7. Once authorised, your Gmail address will appear as the connected sender for that campaign. Once connected, you can monitor replies and track sent outreach emails from within the campaign or inbox area of the platform. Setting Up a Gmail Address for Business Outreach If you currently use a custom domain email for your business, the easiest approach is to create a dedicated Gmail account specifically for outreach — for example, yourbusiness.outreach@gmail.com. You can still reference your business name and branding in the email signature and display name within the campaign settings. Alternatively, if your organisation uses Google Workspace and your custom domain email is powered by Gmail (meaning you sign in through Google), that account may be supported. Try connecting it using your Google Workspace credentials during the Gmail connection step. If the account authenticates successfully, it can be used for Digital PR outreach. 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.

☁️ Cloud Stack Project Requirements and Target URL Setup

Overview When setting up a Cloud Stack in Search Atlas, one of the most common questions is whether you need a saved project before you can get started. This article explains what we know about the project requirement and how to get the right information for your specific setup. Do You Need a Saved Project to Run a Cloud Stack? Based on confirmed resolutions from our support team, a saved project is not required to run a Cloud Stack. You can enter a target URL directly without needing to link the Cloud Stack to an existing project in your account. If you do have a saved project, you may be able to use it during setup to associate your Cloud Stack activity with that project — but this is optional, not mandatory. What to Do If You Are Unsure About Your Setup Because Cloud Stack configuration details can vary depending on your account and the current state of the platform, the safest way to get accurate guidance for your specific situation is to contact our support team directly. When you reach out, please have the following ready: - The target URL you want to use for your Cloud Stack - Whether you have an existing saved project you want to associate with it - Your Search Atlas account email or project name - A description of any error or unexpected behaviour you are encountering This will allow our team to give you fast, accurate guidance without back-and-forth. 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.

👑 Authority: Complete Guide to Authority Building, Indexing, Digital PR & Outreach (Part 2 of 2)

← Back to Part 1 — Part 2 of 2 Create/Edit template screen Inside a template you can edit: - Name - Subject - Body (rich editor toolbar) Below the editor you can insert tokens/variables like: - Website URL - First name - Last name - Contact title - Photo URL - Twitter URL - LinkedIn URL - GitHub URL Bottom right: - Update template ✅ Templates are essential for scaling outreach without rewriting every email. 🔗 Link Laboratory (Publisher & Placement Sourcing) This is part of the broader authority ecosystem: it supports finding placements, evaluating publisher quality, and tracking orders. Link Laboratory is a separate product with its own dedicated support team — for questions about a specific order, use your Link Laboratory chat rather than general Search Atlas support. 🗂️ LinkLaboratory navigation layout The LinkLaboratory UI has its own left navigation with sections like: - My Projects - Sites Catalog - Marquee Publications - Orders Top left includes a role toggle: - Advertiser - Publisher 📁 My Projects This page shows a table of projects (domains) and tracking columns like: - total orders - in progress - complete - spend this month - spend in total On the Home page (Hi, CSM. What will we get done today?), you'll find: - Create Project button 🧭 Site Metrics → Site Explorer (Site Explorer) (Find publishers related to your site) This page includes: - a headline panel with benefits bullets - a large search bar area: “Enter your site…” - a button: Find Publishers - a checkbox option like “Create a project for your site” Below: A dense filter row with dropdown filters such as: - Publisher - Category - Country - Language - Organic Keywords - Traffic - Domain Power / Authority / Rating - Trust Flow - Spam Score - Index status (Google Indexed) - Common Crawl - Gemini LLM / OpenAI LLM (visibility signals) - A big button: Columns Then a publisher table showing: - publisher name - category tags - organic keywords/traffic - DP/DA/DR metrics - backlinks/ref domains - trust flow / citation flow - spam score ✅ This is the “research and selection” hub. 💎 Marquee Publications Similar layout to Sites Catalog, but curated premium placements. You’ll still see: - filters row - publisher list - authority metrics Some rows show badges like Coming Soon. 🧾 Orders Orders shows an empty-state table if none exist, plus filters like: - Status - Promoted URL - Anchor text - Service type - Price This is where placements get tracked after ordering. 🔔 Popups / visibility gates One of your screenshots shows a modal that says something like: For big engagements, we allow all URLs to be visible… contact us. This implies visibility or catalog scope may expand for large placements. ✅ Recommended End-to-End Authority Workflow (Practical) Here’s how most users should run Authority as a system: 1. 🧠 Use QUEST to identify the questions, answers, and sources that dominate a topic 2. 📣 Convert those sources into targets via Create Campaign (Digital PR) 3. 🧩 Send outreach using Templates + connected emails 4. 📥 Track engagement in Inbox and follow-ups 5. 📰 Publish credibility assets via PR Distribution (optional but strong) 6. ☁️ Reinforce link ecosystem using Cloud Stacks 7. 🧷 Submit new URLs + PR URLs using Indexer so everything gets discovered faster 8. 🔗 If needed, expand authority sourcing via LinkLaboratory catalogs and manage placements through Orders 🌐Notes & UX Tips (Based on UI Behavior) 1. 🟣 If you see Publish to 0 channels/sites, you must select at least one option before the publish button activates. 2. ⋮ menus are typically your Export/Delete controls for items in tables. 3. The stepper panel (left) is your best indicator of “what comes next” in PR Distribution and Cloud Stacks. 4. The Summary box in PR Distribution helps prevent surprise credit spend, always review Total credits before publishing. Authority in Search Atlas is not a single action, it’s a connected system. Each tool in the Authority section is designed to solve a specific part of the visibility problem, but the real impact happens when they’re used together. From publishing PRs and Cloud Stacks, to accelerating discovery with the Indexer, to researching and activating outreach through QUEST and Digital PR, every step builds on the last. This guide is meant to help you understand where everything lives, how each workflow functions, and how the pieces connect, so you can move from execution to impact with confidence. Whether you’re building authority for a new domain, reinforcing trust in a competitive niche, or expanding visibility across search engines and AI-driven platforms, Authority gives you the tools—and the control—to do it at scale. As a next step, you can dive deeper into each workflow with focused, step-by-step guides covering: - 🧱 Authority Building (Cloud Stacks, PR Distribution, and Indexer) - 🔍 QUEST & AI Visibility (formerly LLM Visibility) - 📣 Digital PR Campaigns and Outreach Management - ✉️ Templates and Outreach Scaling Used together, these tools turn authority building from a fragmented process into a repeatable, measurable system.

📰 Publication.Media Onboarding: Setup and Metatag Verification

📋 What Is Publication.Media? Publication.Media is a content publishing network integrated with Search Atlas. Once your account is approved and verified, you can distribute content across the network to build authority and visibility for your websites. This guide walks you through every step of the onboarding process, from eligibility to metatag installation to account confirmation. ✅ Eligibility Requirements Before your Publication.Media account can be created, each website you submit must meet the following minimum thresholds: - Organic Traffic (OT): More than 100 monthly organic visits - Domain Authority (DA): Score greater than 20 If your website does not currently meet these criteria, your application will not be approved. We recommend using the Search Atlas Site Explorer to check your domain's metrics before submitting. 🚀 How to Start the Onboarding Process 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Contact the Search Atlas team via the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform to request Publication.Media onboarding. Type human teammate to reach a team member directly. 3. Provide the URL of each website you want to register with Publication.Media. 4. The team will verify your eligibility and, if your site qualifies, initiate the account creation process. 🏷️ Installing the Verification Metatag Once your onboarding request is accepted, you will receive a unique verification metatag for each website. This metatag confirms site ownership and must be added to your website before your Publication.Media account can be activated. 1. After your request is processed, you will receive your unique metatag code. It will look similar to this: <meta name="publication-verify" content="YOUR\_UNIQUE\_CODE" /> 2. Open the <head> section of your website's HTML. In most CMS platforms (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace), this is found under Theme Settings, Custom Code, or SEO Settings. 3. Paste the metatag anywhere inside the <head> tags — before the closing </head> tag. 4. Save and publish your changes so the metatag is live on your homepage. 5. Notify the Search Atlas team once the metatag is installed so they can run the verification check. Important: Do not remove the metatag after installation. It must remain on your site permanently to keep your Publication.Media account active. ⏱️ Account Creation Timeline After your metatag is verified, please allow 10 to 15 business days for your Publication.Media account to be fully created and activated. This window covers internal review, network registration, and account provisioning. You will receive confirmation once your account is live. If you have not received confirmation after 15 business days, use the chat widget to follow up with the team. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Can I register multiple websites? Yes. Each website must individually meet the OT and DA eligibility criteria and will receive its own unique metatag. - Where do I find my metatag after the request is approved? The team will provide your metatag code directly through the chat conversation once your eligibility is confirmed. - What if my site just missed the DA or OT threshold? You can reapply once your metrics improve. Use Search Atlas tools such as the Keyword Researcher and Link Building features to grow your domain authority and organic traffic before resubmitting. - Will I get an email confirmation when my account is ready? The team will confirm account activation through the platform chat. Ensure you check your platform notifications during the 10–15 business day window. 💬 Need 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.

📘 Getting Started with Search Atlas Authority Building & PR Distribution

👋 Welcome This feature is accessed through the left sidebar → Authority → PR Distribution (Press Releases) section of your Search Atlas dashboard. To help you hit the ground running, we've curated the most essential video tutorials and resources for you. These step-by-step guides will walk you through everything from initial setup to building your SEO strategy using the platform. 🎬 Top Video Tutorials to Watch First Start with these foundational tutorials to understand the full capabilities of the platform. Note that some videos reference legacy names such as "Signal Genesys" or "Media Room" — those videos cover Search Atlas's own Authority → PR Distribution (Press Releases) feature, which uses the separate Signal Genesys platform as its backend distributor. They are not tutorials for logging into Signal Genesys directly. Getting Started with Authority Building & PR Distribution Watch Now These two videos are your go-to guide for creating a repeatable SEO strategy. 10 Simple Steps to Ranking Anything – Part 1 Watch Part 1 10 Simple Steps to Ranking Anything – Part 2 Watch Part 2 Step-by-step guide for launching branded press distribution for your agency. Deploying Press Distribution for Your Agency Watch Tutorial 🧭 SEO Ranking Blueprint & Resource Hub We've created a comprehensive SEO blueprint that outlines the platform's strategies and best practices, including everything from content syndication to authority building. View SEO Ranking Blueprint Document 📊 Presentation Deck (for Agencies) Access the Slide Deck Here Note: please do not use the slides as-is. The deck is a base template. You're encouraged to customize it with your agency's branding and narrative. 💬 Need 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.

🔍 Understanding Domain Authority vs Domain Power

Domain Authority (DA) is one of the most referenced metrics in SEO — but it captures only part of your site's true search performance. This article explains what DA measures, how it is calculated, and why Search Atlas's proprietary Domain Power metric provides a more accurate and manipulation-resistant view of your site's authority. While DA is not a direct Google ranking factor, the strategies that strengthen it — earning quality backlinks, publishing authoritative content, and building trust signals (such as brand mentions, E-E-A-T content, and secure HTTPS hosting) — are the same strategies that drive real rankings. The difference lies in which metric you use to measure your progress. What Is Domain Authority? Domain Authority (DA) is a proprietary metric created by Moz that estimates how likely a website is to rank in search results. It is scored on a scale of 1 to 100, with higher scores suggesting a stronger ability to rank competitively. DA is not an official Google signal, is not shared with Google, and plays no role in Google's ranking algorithm. It is derived entirely from Moz's own link index and machine learning models — not from any data Google provides. It is best used as a comparative tool: helpful for benchmarking your site against competitors, but not a substitute for actual search performance data. Think of DA like a credit score for your website: the better your link profile and the more trusted the domains pointing to you, the higher your score — but the score itself is Moz's estimate, not Google's verdict. 📊 Why Is Domain Authority Important? DA is not a Google ranking factor, but it supports: - Competitive benchmarking: Compare your site against industry competitors to set realistic goals. - Backlink prospecting: A link from a high-DA site typically carries more value than one from a low-quality source. 🔗 How Is Domain Authority Calculated? Moz uses a machine learning model to evaluate: - Link profile: Both internal and external links. Trusted sites linking to you build credibility. - Root domains: The number of unique domains linking to you matters more than total link count. - Spam score: Moz's system checks whether your backlinks resemble spammy patterns. Because DA is a relative metric calculated from Moz's index, it can fluctuate as other sites in the index gain or lose backlinks — even if nothing changes on your own site. 🧠 What Is a Good Domain Authority Score? A "good" DA depends on your industry and competitive landscape. General benchmarks: - 70+: Dominant authority sites (e.g., Forbes, TechCrunch). - 50–70: Well-established businesses with solid link profiles. - 30–50: Growing sites building credibility. - Under 30: Newer or smaller sites working on their backlink strategy. How to Check Domain Authority You can check DA and other SEO metrics using Site Explorer in Search Atlas. It provides: - Domain Power — Search Atlas's proprietary metric, more accurate than DA. - Organic traffic trends. - Backlinks and referring domains. - Top competitors and ranking keywords. 📅 How Often Should You Check Domain Authority? Check DA monthly. It changes slowly, so 30-day intervals let new backlinks register without tracking meaningless short-term fluctuations. 5 Ways to Increase Your Domain Authority 1. Earn high-quality backlinks — Reach out to industry sites for links. Use Backlink Analyzer, Link Gap Analysis, and Bulk DA Checker in Search Atlas to identify opportunities. 2. Create shareable, high-value content — Publish guides, research, and posts that attract natural backlinks. Use Content Genius to optimize for clarity, factuality, and user intent. 3. Audit and remove harmful links — Toxic backlinks can drag your score down. Audit regularly and disavow spammy links. Use OTTO SEO to find and fix broken or redirected links automatically. 4. Optimize site structure and user experience — A clean architecture, fast load times, SSL, and mobile optimization make your site easier to crawl and more trusted. Use the Site Audit tool in Search Atlas to fix robots.txt and sitemap issues. 5. Improve internal linking — Internal links spread authority across your site. Use OTTO SEO to identify missing link opportunities and deploy them automatically. ❓ Why Domain Authority Alone Doesn't Provide Accurate SEO Insights DA and DR (Domain Rating) can be manipulated with spammy link-building. While inflated scores may look impressive on paper, they don't deliver sustainable SEO value and do not reflect how a site actually performs in Google search results. That's why Search Atlas created Domain Power — a metric designed to resist manipulation and reflect true search performance. What Is Domain Power? Domain Power (DP) is Search Atlas's proprietary authority metric. Unlike DA, which is based solely on a third-party link index, Domain Power is calculated using a combination of real-world data sources that reflect actual Google search performance: - Google Search Console data: Direct impressions, click-through rates, and ranking signals sourced from Google. - Organic traffic and ranking keywords: The volume and quality of keywords a domain actually ranks for in Google search results. - Content quality signals: Page relevance, topical depth, and optimization quality across the site. - Topical authority: A domain's demonstrated expertise within its specific niche or industry. By anchoring the score to real Google performance data rather than a third-party link index, Domain Power cannot be inflated by purchasing low-quality backlinks — making it a more reliable signal for internal benchmarking, competitive analysis, and evaluating link partners. 📊 Why Domain Power Is More Accurate Unlike DA, Domain Power incorporates: - Page quality: Content relevance and optimization level across your entire domain. - Topical authority: Depth of expertise within your specific niche — not just raw link volume. - Real-world traffic signals: Actual visibility and click performance in Google search results. Testing shows Domain Power correlates more closely with actual rankings than DA or DR, precisely because it measures what happens in Google — not what a third-party crawler estimates. 🧠 What Is a Good Domain Power Score? Domain Power is scored from 0 to 100. General benchmarks: - 65–100: Giants with massive organic footprints (e.g., Google, Forbes, SpaceX). - 35–65: Industry leaders with strong, sustained search visibility. - 0–35: Up-and-comers building presence in niche markets. Even sites with a Domain Power score in the 30s can be valuable backlink partners if they serve a well-defined niche with genuine organic traffic. 🔍 Domain Power vs Domain Authority: Real-World Examples Example 1 — Inflated DA, no real authority: - DA 48 site with 723 backlinks. - Ranks for only 2 keywords, receives no organic traffic. - Domain Power score: 4 — exposes the site's lack of genuine authority. Example 2 — Low DA, high real authority: - DA 20 site with 4,400 ranking keywords and strong organic traffic. - Domain Power score: 40 — accurately reflects its real-world SEO strength. 📍 Where to Find Domain Power in Search Atlas Domain Power is surfaced across several areas of the Search Atlas platform: - Site Explorer: Enter any domain to view its Domain Power score alongside organic traffic, backlinks, and top-ranking keywords — the primary place to check DP for your own site or a competitor's. - Site Metrics → Backlinks (Backlinks): Domain Power scores appear in the DP column next to each referring domain so you can assess the true authority of every link source before pursuing or accepting a link. - Link Gap Analysis: Compare your Domain Power against competitors to identify link-building and content gaps worth prioritizing. - QP Add Sites flow: When adding publisher sites in the Quality Publishers module, Domain Power is surfaced as a key site-quality signal to help evaluate partner suitability at a glance. 🚀 How to Improve Your Domain Power Because Domain Power is anchored to real Google performance, improving it requires genuine SEO progress — not link manipulation. Take the following steps within Search Atlas: 1. Build topical authority — Use Content Genius to identify content gaps in your niche and publish comprehensive, optimized articles. Topical depth across a subject area is a direct input into Domain Power. 2. Earn authoritative, relevant backlinks — Use Link Gap Analysis to find high-Domain-Power sites that link to competitors but not to you. Prioritize topical relevance over raw link volume. 3. Grow real organic traffic — Because Domain Power reads Google Search Console signals, improving impressions, clicks, and ranking keywords lifts your score. Use Site Explorer to track progress over time. 4. Maintain technical health — Run regular Site Audit checks and let OTTO SEO auto-fix crawlability, internal linking, and on-page issues that hold back visibility. Domain Power gives you a clearer, more honest view of your site's true authority — and the steps that raise it are the same steps that grow sustainable search performance.

🔗 Link Laboratory and Search Atlas Account Setup

🧩 What Is Link Laboratory? Link Laboratory is a publisher marketplace accessible within Search Atlas that allows you to discover and purchase link placements. It is associated with Publication.media and can be accessed from within the Search Atlas dashboard. Link Laboratory functions as a connected service within Search Atlas. Understanding how the two relate will help you decide which access method suits your workflow. 🔐 Do You Need a Separate Login? It depends on how you plan to use Link Laboratory: - Accessing through Search Atlas: You may be able to use Link Laboratory from within the Search Atlas dashboard without a separate Publication.media login. You can browse and place orders through the integrated interface. - Accessing Publication.media directly: If you want to log in to Publication.media at its own website, you may need a separate Publication.media account and login. Contact our support team to confirm the exact requirements for your account. 🔄 Are the Two Accounts Linked? Whether a Search Atlas account and a Publication.media account are linked or synced depends on your specific account configuration. Creating a Search Atlas account may not automatically create a Publication.media account. If you need direct Publication.media access, contact our support team to clarify the steps required for your situation. 🗺️ How to Access Link Laboratory Inside Search Atlas 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to the Link Laboratory section within the Search Atlas dashboard. If you are unsure where to find it, use the dashboard's search or navigation menu to locate the Link Laboratory or link-building area. 3. From there, you can browse publishers and manage link placements. If you cannot locate Link Laboratory within your dashboard, contact support to confirm access and whether any additional setup is required for your account. ⚖️ When to Use Each Access Method - Use Search Atlas dashboard if you want to research publishers, place orders, and manage link-building campaigns as part of your regular SEO workflow. - Use Publication.media directly if you require access to features or settings outside the integrated dashboard view. Contact support to confirm what is available through each access method for your account. 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.

📧 Connect Gmail to Authority Building Outreach

📋 Before You Begin Connecting Gmail to Search Atlas requires three things to be in place: 2-Step Verification enabled on your Google account, IMAP access turned on inside Gmail settings, and a Google App Password generated for this integration. Browser troubleshooting such as hard refresh or incognito mode will not resolve connection errors — the fix lies entirely within Gmail and Search Atlas settings. 🔧 Step 1: Enable IMAP in Gmail IMAP must be active in Gmail before Search Atlas can communicate with your inbox. 1. Open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top-right corner, then select See all settings. 2. Go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. 3. Under IMAP Access, select Enable IMAP. 4. Under Auto-Expunge, confirm that Auto-Expunge on is selected. 5. Click Save Changes. 🔑 Step 2: Generate a Google App Password An App Password is a 16-character code that lets Search Atlas access your Gmail securely without using your main Google password. 2-Step Verification must already be enabled on your account before this option appears. 1. Go to myaccount.google.com and select Security from the left-hand menu. 2. Under How you sign in to Google, click 2-Step Verification. 3. Scroll to the bottom and click App passwords. 4. Enter a name such as Search Atlas and click Create. 5. Copy the 16-character password shown on screen. Do not close this window until you have saved it — Google will not display this code again. Google Workspace users: If you do not see the App passwords option, your account is managed by an administrator. Contact your admin to enable App Passwords or generate one at the domain level. 📬 Step 3: Configure SMTP/IMAP in Search Atlas With IMAP enabled and your App Password ready, link your Gmail account inside the platform. 1. In Search Atlas, go to Authority Building in the left-hand navigation. 2. Open Campaigns and click Manage connected emails. 3. Click Add email account or the + icon. 4. Select Configure SMTP/IMAP as the connection method. 5. Fill in the connection details as follows: - Email address: your full Gmail address (e.g. name@gmail.com) - Password: paste the 16-character App Password — not your regular Gmail password - IMAP Host: imap.gmail.com | Port: 993 | Encryption: SSL/TLS - SMTP Host: smtp.gmail.com | Port: 465 | Encryption: SSL/TLS Click Save or Test connection. A successful test confirms your Gmail is connected and ready for outreach. ⚠️ Common Errors and How to Fix Them - Authentication failed / Invalid credentials: Confirm you entered the App Password, not your regular Gmail password. If unsure, delete the existing App Password in Google and generate a new one. - IMAP not enabled: Return to Gmail settings and verify IMAP is toggled on and that changes were saved. - Auto-Expunge warning: If Search Atlas reports a mailbox configuration issue, revisit Step 1 and ensure Auto-Expunge is set to on. - Connection timed out: Double-check the host addresses and port numbers listed above for typos. 💬 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.

🚫 Publisher Account Deactivated for Terms Violation

📝 Reason for Deactivation Your publisher account was marked Inactive by our internal compliance team after a review found violations of the Search Atlas Terms and Conditions. The specific issues identified include: - Requiring permanent DoFollow links for published articles - Threatening to remove articles that had already been placed - Failure to complete ownership verification for listed websites - Insufficient or improper use of the publisher dashboard These actions conflict with our publisher guidelines and the contractual terms agreed upon during onboarding. ⚠️ Reactivation Eligibility Based on the compliance review, the decision has been made that this account is no longer eligible for reactivation. The deactivation is final and applies to all websites associated with the publisher account. 💬 Next Steps 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.

🔗 Backlink Building with Search Atlas

Backlinks are a cornerstone of SEO, signaling trust and authority to search engines. Search Atlas offers multiple stand-alone backlink building tools within the Authority Building section of your dashboard. These tools help you scale outreach, publish content on high-authority platforms, and ensure your backlinks get indexed quickly. 💡 Note: Some of these features (like Cloud Stacks and Press Releases) can also be accessed within projects, but this guide explains the stand-alone way to use them. ☁️ Cloud Stacks (Stand-Alone) Cloud Stacks let you generate high-authority backlinks at scale by publishing AI-generated content across multiple trusted cloud-hosted platforms. 🔹 What Are Cloud Stacks? - AI-generated articles containing backlinks to your chosen URL - Published across up to 14 reputable cloud platforms - Designed to boost visibility, authority, and indexation 🚀 Where to Find It Dashboard > Authority > Cloud Stacks 🛠️ How It Works 1. Submit Inputs: Target URL, keywords, business info. 2. AI Generates Article: Unique, SEO-optimized draft. 3. Review + Edit: Adjust or share with clients for approval. 4. Select Platforms: Choose up to 14 cloud hosts (best practice = select all). 5. Publish with One Click: Content goes live across chosen platforms. 6. Indexation Begins: Submitted to indexing tools for faster discovery. 📊 Key Details - Publishing Time: 7–14 days - Backlink Lifespan: 3 months – 1 year - Credits: Uses Hyperdrive credits - Indexing Note: Search Atlas facilitates indexing but final inclusion depends on search engines/third-party indexers. 📰 Press Release Distribution (Stand-Alone) Press Release Distribution helps you strengthen brand authority and SEO by publishing content across high-impact media outlets. 🚀 Where to Find It Left sidebar → Authority → Authority Building (Press Releases) 🛠️ How It Works 1. Submit Inputs: Target URL, keywords, AI writing instructions (business info, authorship, social links, images, videos). 2. Review Content: Preview AI-generated PR → edit → confirm. 3. Select Distribution Channels: - Optional Add-Ons: - Dynamic PR (3 credits) → variations across channels - Boost (10 credits) → more backlinks + faster indexing - Editorial Review Fee (10 credits) → professional review 4. Publish + Monitor: Track progress under “Status” until links are live. 📊 Key Details - Publishing Time: 14–30 days - Backlink Lifespan: 3 months – 1 year - Tracking: Real-time dashboard shows progress, published links, or unfinished PRs 🔍 Links Laboratory The Links Lab Marketplace offers 50,000+ guest post opportunities, allowing you to buy backlinks across niches. 🚀 Where to Find It Dashboard > Three Dots (⋮) > Authority Building > Links Laboratory 🛠️ How It Works 1. Open Links Lab. 2. Filter publishers (industry, domain power, spam score, visibility). 3. Select publishers (blue check = low rejection rate). 4. Add to cart. 5. Choose content option: - Write your own - Hire a writer ($15/article) 6. Submit order and wait for publishing. 📊 Key Details - Publishing Time: 30–45 days - Backlink Lifespan: 3 months – 1 year - Premium Option: “Marquee Publications” (Apple.com, Yahoo Finance, Investing.com) for maximum reach and authority. - Guarantee: If rejected, Search Atlas replaces with equal or better publisher—or refunds. Link Lab Placement Guarantee All Link Lab placements are permanent placements. Search Atlas backs every placement with a 12-month guarantee: if a published link is taken down or removed within 12 months of going live, Search Atlas will: - Replace it with an equal or better publisher, or - Refund the credits for the affected link(s). Your backlink profile stays protected for the full 12 months. Note: this guarantee applies specifically to Link Lab placements and may differ from the terms of other backlink programs. Questions about a specific Link Lab order or guarantee claim should go through your Link Laboratory chat rather than general Search Atlas support, since the Link Laboratory team handles order-level details directly. 📧 PR Outreach Campaigns PR Outreach Campaigns automate personalized outreach to build backlinks through direct publisher relationships. 🚀 Where to Find It Dashboard > Three Dots (⋮) > Authority Building > PR Outreach Campaigns 🛠️ How It Works 1. Create a Template: Professional, personalized outreach email. 2. Start Campaign: Add target domains. 3. Select Template + Follow-ups (0–3). 4. Launch Campaign: Emails are sent automatically. 5. Manage Replies: Conversations continue in your inbox. 🔍 Pro Tip: Finding Targets Use Link Gap Analysis: Compare your domain vs. competitors → identify backlinks they have → add those publishers into your outreach list. ⚙️ Indexer The Indexer ensures your backlinks and content are discovered faster by search engines. 🚀 Where to Find It Dashboard > Three Dots (⋮) > Authority Building > Indexer 🛠️ How It Works 1. Paste one or multiple URLs. 2. Click Index URLs to submit. 3. Track batches: Indexed vs Not Indexed. 4. Export reports for records. 📊 Key Details - Best used immediately after publishing new content or updating existing pages. - Re-submit if major changes are made. - Search Atlas facilitates submission, but final indexing is controlled by search engines. ✅ Closing Note Search Atlas provides a full suite of stand-alone Authority Building tools: Cloud Stacks, Press Releases, Links Laboratory, PR Outreach, and the Indexer. By combining these strategies, you can diversify your backlink profile, strengthen domain authority, improve visibility, and accelerate SEO growth.

Complete Your Publication.Media Onboarding and Metatag Verification

📋 Overview Publication.Media is a content distribution network integrated with Search Atlas. To start publishing through this channel, you must complete a short onboarding process and verify ownership of your websites using a metatag. This article explains what to prepare when contacting the support team to get your account created and your sites verified. 🚀 Step 1: Start the Onboarding Process To begin, you will need to request access to Publication.Media through Search Atlas. Here is what to prepare before reaching out: - Your Search Atlas account login credentials. - The name and URL of each website you want to register with Publication.Media. - Your company name and any additional account details that may be required during sign-up. If the Publication.Media onboarding option is not visible in your account, or if you are unsure how to proceed, contact the support team directly (see below) so they can guide you to the correct location or initiate the process on your behalf. 🏷️ Step 2: Retrieve Your Metatag After your Publication.Media account is created, you will be issued a unique metatag for each website you registered. This tag proves you own or manage the site and must be added before you can publish content. If you cannot locate your metatag or your account setup is still pending, reach out to the support team with your registered website URLs so they can confirm the status and provide your verification code directly. 🛠️ Step 3: Add the Metatag to Your Website The metatag must be placed inside the <head> section of your website's HTML — on every page, or at minimum the homepage. The exact method for inserting code into the <head> section will depend on your platform or CMS. Refer to your platform's official documentation for instructions on adding custom code to the site-wide header. After saving, the tag should be publicly accessible on your site. Do not remove it — Publication.Media may re-check verification at any time. ⚠️ If Verification Fails or You Need Help If you have added the metatag but verification is still failing, or if you are unable to locate any part of the onboarding flow, please have the following ready when you contact support: - Your Search Atlas account email. - The exact URLs of the websites you are trying to verify. - A description of where you are in the onboarding process and any error messages you have seen. 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.

🤖 Automate Articles and Set Up Cloud Stacks

🗺️ Overview Search Atlas gives you two powerful ways to scale your SEO output: OTTO SEO automation for publishing content on a schedule, and Cloud Stacks for building authoritative link structures around your key pages. This article explains how both features work and how to configure them correctly. 📅 Scheduling AI-Generated Articles from Topical Maps Yes — articles generated from topical maps can be fully automated. The OTTO SEO tool lets you build a topical map, generate article drafts, and schedule them to publish automatically so your site receives a steady flow of optimised content without manual intervention. To set up automated article publishing from a topical map: 1. Go to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) in the left sidebar (or navigate to /seo-automation-v3). 2. Create or open an existing topical map for your project. 3. Select the articles you want to include in your automation queue. 4. Click the Schedule option and choose your publishing frequency (for example, daily, every few days, or weekly). 5. Connect your CMS integration if you want articles pushed directly to your website. 6. Confirm your settings and activate the automation. Once active, Search Atlas will generate and publish articles from your topical map according to the schedule you set. You can pause, edit, or stop the automation at any time from the same OTTO SEO dashboard. ☁️ What Are Cloud Stacks? Cloud Stacks is a feature inside the Authority section of Search Atlas. It creates a network of high-authority, cloud-hosted pages — such as Google Sites, Notion pages, and similar properties — that are interlinked and all pointing back to a target page on your website. This builds topical authority and passes link equity to the pages you most want to rank. To access Cloud Stacks, go to Left sidebar → Authority → Cloud Stacks. 🎯 Choosing Target Pages for Cloud Stacks A target page is the specific URL on your website that the Cloud Stack will point to. Choosing the right target page is critical to getting the best results. Focus on pages that are strategically important to your business and that already have some foundational SEO in place. Strong examples of target pages include: - Money pages — your homepage, pricing page, or core product and service pages that directly drive conversions. - Pillar content pages — long-form, authoritative articles that cover a broad topic and link out to supporting cluster content. - Category or collection pages — key e-commerce or blog category pages you want to rank for competitive keywords. - Location pages — geo-targeted landing pages for local SEO campaigns. - High-priority blog posts — articles targeting competitive keywords that are ranking on page two and need a rankings boost. Pages to avoid as Cloud Stack targets: - Thin or low-quality pages with minimal content. - Pages under construction or with technical issues such as broken links or missing meta tags. - Duplicate or near-duplicate pages. - Pages you do not intend to keep long-term. 🔗 Combining OTTO SEO Automation with Cloud Stacks For best results, use both features together. Use OTTO SEO to consistently publish topical content that internally links to your most important pages, then use Cloud Stacks to build external authority pointing directly at those same pages. This combined approach strengthens both on-page topical relevance and off-page link authority at the same time. 💡 Tips for Best Results - Start Cloud Stacks with your highest-converting or most competitive pages first. - Make sure your target page has a clear, keyword-focused title tag and meta description before launching a Cloud Stack. - Review your OTTO SEO automation queue regularly to ensure the scheduled articles stay relevant to your current keyword strategy. - Use the Authority → Cloud Stacks section to track the progress of your Cloud Stacks and monitor link activity over time. 🆘 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.

⚡ Authority Building and Backlink Strategy Workflow

Overview: The Authority Building Workflow Getting a high-quality backlink — like a TV interview mention — is a great first step, but it is only one part of a complete authority-building strategy. Search Atlas provides tools to help you index your backlinks, amplify their impact, and build long-term domain authority. This article explains the general workflow from start to finish. Step 1: Submit Your Backlink URL for Indexing Once you have a live backlink URL, your first action is to submit it to the URL indexing tool inside Search Atlas so search engines can discover it quickly. Locate the URL indexing feature in your Search Atlas dashboard, paste your backlink URL into the input field, and submit it. Indexing can take anywhere from a few hours to several days depending on the search engine. Once the URL has been submitted, no further action is needed inside the indexing tool — move on to the next steps to maximise the value of that link. Step 2: Create Supporting Content Around the Backlink Indexing a backlink gets it found, but supporting content helps search engines understand its relevance and increases its authority signal. After submitting your URL, create content that reinforces the topic of the backlink. - Blog posts or articles: Write a page on your own site that discusses the topic of the interview or mention, and link out to the backlink URL naturally within the content. - Press releases: Search Atlas includes press release capabilities. A press release announcing the same interview or achievement creates additional indexed references that surround and strengthen your primary backlink. - Supporting link properties: Search Atlas offers tools to build supporting web properties that point to both your backlink URL and your main site, creating a supporting link ecosystem. Explore the relevant sections of the platform to find these options. Content creation and press releases should be used in addition to indexing — not instead of it. Each layer amplifies the others. Step 3: Organise Your Efforts Into a Campaign Once you have your backlink indexed and supporting content live, use the campaign features available in Search Atlas to organise your work for better tracking and consistency. Add your target URLs and supporting assets to a campaign so all activity is tracked in one place, and monitor progress over time to ensure no step in your strategy is missed. Step 4: Monitor Your Backlink Profile As your strategy develops, regularly review your backlink profile inside Search Atlas to track new links, identify gaps, and measure improvements to your domain authority. Use the backlink and gap analysis tools available in the platform to guide your next steps. What to Do If You Need Help If you are unsure which specific tools to use for your authority-building workflow or need guidance on next steps, our team is happy to 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.

⚙️ OTTO, GMB Posts, Cloud Stacks, and Local Citations Setup

🔍 Overview This article covers four common configuration questions in one place: enabling OTTO to post to your website, generating Google Business Profile (GMB) posts from articles, setting up Cloud Stacks for multi-location clients, and purchasing Local Citations on a trial account. 🤖 Enabling OTTO to Post to Your Website OTTO can be configured to publish content directly to your website. To get this set up, open your project in Search Atlas and locate the OTTO configuration options for your project. If you are unsure where to find the website publishing settings or cannot complete the connection, have the following ready before reaching out to our team: - Your project name in Search Atlas - Your website URL - The exact step where you got stuck or any error message displayed Our team can walk you through the correct steps for your account and site setup. 📲 Generating GMB Posts from Articles (Manual vs. Auto) Search Atlas supports creating Google Business Profile (GBP) posts from your content. There are two general approaches — creating posts manually through the platform's Local or GBP tools, and generating posts directly from within OTTO based on an article you have already produced. Before publishing GBP posts by either method: Make sure your Google Business Profile is already connected in your Search Atlas account. If it is not yet linked, you will need to complete that authorisation step first. If you are unsure how to connect your GBP profile or which posting method is right for your workflow, contact our team with your project name and GBP account details so we can guide you through it. 🗺️ Setting Up Cloud Stacks for Multi-Location Clients Cloud Stacks build authority for a specific business location. For clients with multiple locations, the recommended approach is to create one Cloud Stack per location rather than a single shared stack. If you are unsure how to structure your Cloud Stacks for a multi-location client, or cannot find the Cloud Stacks feature in your account, have the following ready when you reach out: - Your project name - The full list of locations you need to cover (business name and address for each) - Any error or limitation message you have encountered Our team can confirm the correct setup for your account type and guide you through the process. 🏷️ Purchasing Local Citations on a Trial Account Local Citations can be purchased even if you are currently on a trial account. If you are having trouble locating the purchase option or are unsure whether your trial account supports this, contact our team with your account email and project name and we will confirm your options and assist with the purchase. 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.

🔥 Finding and Using Wildfire and Link Laboratory

🗺️ Overview If you've followed older instructions and can't find Wildfire, Link Laboratory, or OTTO SEO features in your account, you're not alone. The Search Atlas interface has been updated, and some navigation paths have changed. This article reflects the current UI as of July 2026. 🔥 Where to Find Wildfire and Link-Building Tools Wildfire and related link-building features are now housed under the Authority section in the left sidebar. Here's what's available and how to reach each tool: - Cloud Stacks: Left sidebar → Authority → Cloud Stacks - Indexer (URL Indexer): Left sidebar → Authority → Indexer - QUEST LLM Visibility: Left sidebar → Authority → QUEST LLM Visibility - Campaigns: Left sidebar → Authority → Campaigns - Inbox: Left sidebar → Authority → Inbox If you're looking for OTTO SEO features and don't see them listed under Authority, check that your current plan includes access to those tools — some features are plan-dependent. Link Laboratory is a separate product with its own dedicated support team; if you have a question about a Link Laboratory order, reach out through your Link Laboratory chat rather than general Search Atlas support. 🧭 How to Navigate to the Authority Section 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Look at the left sidebar — scroll down if needed until you see Authority. 3. Click Authority to expand the section. 4. Select the specific tool you want to use from the sub-menu. You can also navigate directly to the press release and outreach area by going to /outreach/press-release in your browser's address bar while logged in. ⚙️ Setting Up a Link-Building Campaign Once you're inside the Authority section, follow these steps to set up your first campaign: 1. Click Campaigns in the Authority sub-menu. 2. Select New Campaign and choose your campaign type. 3. Enter your target URL, keywords, and any additional settings relevant to your project. 4. Save your campaign and monitor progress from the Inbox tab, where outreach responses and updates will appear. 🏷️ Agency Whitelabel Settings If you're an agency user looking for white-label configuration, that option has moved. Go to More Features in the top navigation, then select Agency Hub (/agency-settings). You can also navigate directly to /agency-settings while logged in. ❓ What to Do If a Feature Seems Missing If you navigate to Authority and still can't find a feature you expect to see, try the following: - Confirm you are logged in to the correct workspace or project. - Check your subscription plan — some tools require a specific tier. - Clear your browser cache and reload the page, as cached versions of the UI can sometimes display outdated layouts. - Try a different browser or an incognito window to rule out extension conflicts. 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.

📧 Connect Your Email for Digital PR Campaigns

📍 Where to Find the Digital PR Email Outreach Feature The Digital PR and email outreach tools in Search Atlas are located in the Authority section of the platform — not in OTTO SEO or OTTO SEO. If you have been looking in a different area, navigate to Authority in the left sidebar to find the email outreach and campaign features. ✅ Prerequisites Before Connecting Your Email Before you can send outreach emails or run campaigns, you must connect and verify an email account. Make sure you have the following ready: - Access to the email account you want to use for outreach (Gmail, Outlook, or a custom domain address). - Permissions to authorise third-party app access for that email account. - A confirmed Search Atlas account with an active subscription that includes the Authority features. 🔗 How to Connect and Verify Your Email Account 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Authority. 3. Navigate to the campaign or outreach area within Authority. 4. Look for the option to connect or link an email account and follow the on-screen prompts to authorise Search Atlas to send on your behalf. 5. Complete any verification steps as instructed on screen. 6. Once your email account is confirmed, it will be ready to use for campaigns. 🚀 Starting Your First Outreach Campaign With your email connected, you are ready to create and send campaigns from the Authority section. From there you can: - Create a new press release or outreach campaign. - Add contact lists and personalise your outreach messages. - Schedule sends and monitor delivery status. 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.

🔗 What Information Do You Need to Provide to Get Started with a Link-Building Request?

To get your link-building request underway as smoothly as possible, our team needs a few key pieces of information from you upfront. Providing these details from the start helps avoid back-and-forth delays and ensures the final placement matches your goals. Please have the following ready when you submit your request: - Anchor text — This is the clickable word or phrase that will appear as the hyperlink. Choose something descriptive and relevant to the page you are linking to. - Destination URL — This is the full web address of the page you want the link to point to. Double-check that the URL is correct and the page is live before submitting. - Suggested neutral references (optional) — You may provide one or two example websites or sources that represent the type of neutral, authoritative context you would like the link placed within. This is entirely optional but can be helpful guidance. - Critical "avoid" terms (optional) — If there are any words or phrases that must not appear near your link or within the surrounding content, you can flag up to two or three of these terms. Keep this list focused on truly critical exclusions only. Once you have gathered these details, you are ready to submit your request. If you are unsure about any of the fields or have a more complex placement in mind, feel free to chat with a human teammate directly through the in-app live chat widget and we will be happy to help you get started.

🔗 Getting Started with Link Laboratory (Publisher Exchange)

📋 Overview Publisher Exchange, also known as Link Laboratory, is an innovative platform introduced by Search Atlas. It is the world's largest publisher exchange, boasting over 51,000 authoritative websites that accept guest posts and press releases. The platform is designed to provide agencies, businesses, and SEO professionals with direct access to publishers, eliminating middlemen and offering cost-efficient solutions for building backlinks, expanding online presence, and boosting search rankings. 🔗 Key Features - Largest Publisher Catalog: Over 51,000 publishers, 4x larger than competitors. - Direct Publisher Access: No intermediaries or "link pimps," ensuring the best pricing for sponsored content. - Automation: Streamlined processes for delivery and publication. - Quality Assurance: Publishers vetted for quality and relevance to ensure impactful backlinks. - Wide Coverage: Includes publishers across various regions and niches, including restricted industries like CBD, firearms, and adult content. - Dynamic Growth: Continuous outreach and onboarding of new publishers. 💡 Benefits of Publisher Exchange 1. Cost Efficiency - By eliminating intermediaries, Publisher Exchange provides access to publishers at their lowest offered rates for sponsored content. - Agencies save on outreach costs through an automated system. 2. Time Savings - Automated processes for finding, contacting, and securing placements with publishers. - Faster turnaround times: average 14 days, with a maximum of 30 days. 3. Global Coverage - Includes publishers from major English-speaking countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia) as well as regions like Asia-Pacific, Germany, and Singapore. 4. Comprehensive Validation - All publishers are vetted using a minimum of two validation methods to ensure authenticity. - Programmatic checks to ensure links remain live, are indexed, and meet agreed-upon terms (e.g., do-follow tags). 5. Marquee Publishers - Access to high-profile sites like USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Apple News, and EDU domains. - Premium options for clients requiring top-tier links with name-brand recognition. 🚀 Use Cases 1. SEO Campaigns - Improve domain authority and search rankings through high-quality backlinks. - Expand online presence for clients by publishing on authoritative platforms. 2. Brand Awareness - Increase visibility through placements on reputable publishers. - Build credibility by featuring content on well-known sites. 3. Restricted or Niche Industries - Supports industries with limited publisher options (e.g., cannabis, adult content, firearms). - Provides a vetted list of publishers suitable for these niches. 4. Agencies and White-Labeling - Agencies can white-label the platform for reselling to clients. - Simplified campaign management and reporting. ⚙️ Technology and Innovation 1. Automation and Tools - Link Gap Analysis Tool: Identifies opportunities by analyzing competitor backlinks. - Digital PR Campaigns: Automates outreach, email sequences, and follow-ups. - Publisher Exchange Dashboard: Centralized access to publisher data and filters. 2. Advanced Filters - Filter publishers by: - Traffic levels - Domain power and authority - Geographic region and TLD - Niche or industry category 3. AI Integration (Upcoming) - Smart matching algorithms to rank publishers based on topical relevance. - Advanced recommendations for the best publishers tailored to a specific campaign. ✅ Publisher Quality Assurance Validation Steps - Publishers must prove ownership of the domain using email validation or LinkedIn verification. - Programmatic checks ensure: - Articles remain live for at least one year (guaranteed). - No unauthorized changes like no-follow tags or removal of content. - Indexability and visibility in search engines. Continuous Monitoring - Weekly cron jobs validate links and flag any issues to the fulfillment team. - Publishers who violate terms are removed from the platform. 💳 Pricing and Order Management Pricing - Transparent pricing displayed for each publisher. - Two options: 1. Placement Only: Users provide content for publication. 2. Writing & Placement: Content creation included. Order Tracking - Automated email notifications: - Order confirmation. - Weekly status updates. - Completion reports. - All orders tracked within the dashboard. Turnaround Times - Average: 7–14 days. - Maximum: 30 days (longer for marquee publishers). Additional Notes Error troubleshooting steps: e.g., publication search returns no results (Voyager index fails), link orders stuck pending, live link not verifying, billing/credits issues, vendor reporting gaps — with specific resolution steps for each error scenario.

How to Connect Your Email Account in Digital PR (Gmail, Microsoft 365, Zoho, iCloud, and More)

Overview Digital PR now supports a wide range of email providers, so you can send outreach campaigns from the inbox you already use. Connect Gmail, Microsoft 365 / Outlook, Zoho, iCloud, Yahoo, Fastmail, GoDaddy, Bluehost, Namecheap, or any custom domain using SMTP. There are two ways to connect, depending on your provider: - OAuth — a one-click secure login (Gmail and Microsoft 365). Recommended whenever available. - SMTP / IMAP — username and password (or app password) for all other providers. Before you start - Make sure you have admin access to the email account you want to connect. - If your provider uses two-factor authentication, you'll likely need an app password instead of your normal password. - Use a dedicated sending inbox for outreach to protect your primary domain's deliverability. How to open the Connect Email modal 1. Go to Digital PR in Search Atlas. 2. Open Settings > Email Accounts. 3. Click Connect Email. 4. Select your provider from the catalogue. Connecting via OAuth (Gmail & Microsoft 365) 1. Select Gmail or Microsoft 365 in the modal. 2. Click Continue with Google or Continue with Microsoft. 3. Sign in with the account you want to connect. 4. Approve the requested permissions: send (so Search Atlas can deliver your outreach emails on your behalf) and read / manage outreach replies (so we can detect inbound replies, thread them to the correct campaign, and pause sequences automatically when a prospect responds). Search Atlas only reads messages tied to your outreach campaigns. 5. You'll be redirected back to Search Atlas with your inbox connected. Tip: If you use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 with strict admin policies, your IT admin may need to whitelist Search Atlas first. Google Workspace admins can approve Search Atlas under Admin Console > Security > Access and data control > API controls > App access control. Microsoft 365 admins can approve it under Entra ID > Enterprise applications. If your admin needs the exact OAuth client ID or app identifier, contact Search Atlas support and we'll provide it. Connecting via SMTP / IMAP Use this method for Zoho, iCloud, Yahoo, Fastmail, GoDaddy, Bluehost, Namecheap, or any custom domain. 1. Select your provider (or choose Custom / Other). 2. Enter your email address and password (or app password — see below). 3. For known providers, SMTP and IMAP server settings are filled in automatically. For custom domains, enter: - SMTP host and port (usually 465 SSL or 587 TLS) - IMAP host and port (usually 993 SSL) 4. Click Test & Connect. We'll verify both sending and receiving before saving. Threading mode When you connect an email account, the Connect Email modal includes a Threading mode dropdown. This setting controls how Search Atlas reads and groups inbound replies into conversation threads for the provider you're connecting, and it applies to every email account linked under that provider — not just the inbox you're currently adding. If you're unsure which option to choose, leave the default selected; you can revisit this setting later from Settings > Email Accounts. If replies aren't threading correctly after connecting, try switching the mode and reconnecting. (Reach out to support if you'd like guidance on which mode best matches your provider's IMAP/threading behavior.) Where to find an app password - iCloud: appleid.apple.com > Sign-In & Security > App-Specific Passwords - Yahoo: Account Security > Generate app password - Zoho: Account > Security > App Passwords - Fastmail: Settings > Privacy & Security > App Passwords - GoDaddy / Bluehost / Namecheap: use your standard mailbox password from your hosting control panel Common pitfalls - "Authentication failed" — You're using your regular password on an account that requires an app password. Generate one and try again. - OAuth blocked by admin — Ask your Workspace or Microsoft 365 admin to approve Search Atlas as a trusted app. - Wrong SMTP port — Try 587 (TLS) if 465 (SSL) fails, or vice versa. - Custom domain not connecting — Confirm your hosting provider has IMAP enabled; some shared hosts disable it by default. - Two-factor authentication errors — SMTP cannot bypass 2FA. You must use an app password. Next steps - Verify the connection: After saving, the inbox should appear with a green "Connected" status under Settings > Email Accounts. Click the inbox and use Send test email to confirm sending works end-to-end; the test message should arrive in the destination inbox within a minute. - Set your sender name and signature in Email Account settings. - Warm up new inboxes before launching large campaigns to protect deliverability. - Connect multiple inboxes to rotate sending and increase daily volume. - Head to Campaigns to start your first outreach sequence using the connected inbox as the sender. Need to disconnect or re-authenticate? Open Settings > Email Accounts, click the inbox, and choose Reconnect or Remove.