Troubleshooting: Other Issues

🔗 What to Do If Your Published Link Returns a 404

🔗 Troubleshooting High Domain Spam Score

If a client's domain shows a high spam score, the fix isn't just running one report — it's a repeatable audit-disavow-recheck cycle. This article walks through exactly how to find the toxic links, take action on them, and confirm the score actually drops afterward. 🛠️ Step-by-Step 1. Open your backlink analysis tool for the domain and pull the full backlink list, sorting by toxicity or spam score if that column is available. 2. Review each flagged link's source page — look for signs of link farms, irrelevant foreign-language sites, hidden text, or expired-domain redirects. These are the highest-impact links to remove. 3. Export or compile the list of toxic domains you've identified. Do not rely on a single toxicity number alone — manually spot-check the top 20-30 highest-spam links, since automated scores can misflag legitimate but low-authority sites. 4. Reach out to webmasters of removable links where possible, and build a disavow file for the remainder following your search engine's disavow tool format. 5. Submit the disavow file through the appropriate search console for the domain. 6. Set a recurring reminder (30-45 days out) to re-pull the backlink profile, since spam score recalculation is not instant. ✅ How to Confirm It Worked - Re-run the backlink audit after 30-45 days and compare the total count of flagged toxic domains against your original export — it should be measurably lower. - Check that the overall domain spam score metric has decreased compared to your first baseline reading, not just that individual links are gone. - Confirm no new toxic backlinks have appeared in the same period, which would indicate an active negative SEO attack requiring an updated disavow file. - If the score hasn't moved after two audit cycles, the remaining toxic links likely need direct removal requests rather than disavowal alone. 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.

🔑 Fix a 401 Invalid API Token in Signal Genesys

🚨 What This Error Means When you attempt to publish a press release through Signal Genesys and see a 401 'API Token is invalid' error, it means Signal Genesys cannot authenticate your request. This is a credential issue, not a platform permission problem. The token you have entered is either incorrect, expired, or has not been saved properly. This error will always block publishing until the API token is corrected. A simple refresh or retry will not resolve it. 🔍 Common Causes - The API token was copied with an extra space at the beginning or end. - The token was regenerated in your press release distribution account but not updated in Signal Genesys. - The token was entered into the wrong field during setup. - The token has been revoked or expired by your distribution provider. - The integration was set up using a test token that is no longer valid in production. 🛠️ How to Fix the Error 1. Log in to your press release distribution account and navigate to your account settings or API / developer section to locate your current API token. 2. Copy the token carefully. Click the copy button if one is available, rather than selecting the text manually. This reduces the risk of including hidden spaces or missing characters. 3. Open Signal Genesys, the separate site connected to Search Atlas via API key. 4. Locate the API key or credential field within Signal Genesys where your distribution provider token is stored. 5. Clear the existing token completely before pasting. Do not paste over the old value, as residual characters can cause validation failures. 6. Paste your new token and check that no spaces appear before or after it. 7. Save your settings. 8. Attempt to publish your press release again. If the token is valid, the 401 error will no longer appear and your submission will proceed. ✅ How to Confirm Your Token Is Valid Before re-entering your token in Signal Genesys, verify it is active in your distribution provider's dashboard. Most providers display a status label such as Active, Enabled, or show a last-used date. If your token shows as expired, revoked, or is missing entirely, generate a new one from within that provider's platform and use the new value. If your provider requires you to set specific permissions for the token (such as publish or submit access), confirm those permissions are enabled. A token that exists but lacks the correct scope will still return a 401 error. 🔄 If You Recently Regenerated Your Token API tokens generated in your distribution provider's account must be manually updated in Signal Genesys — the integration does not refresh them automatically. Any time you regenerate or rotate your token on the provider side, repeat the steps above to update the value stored in Signal Genesys. 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.

🛠️ Fix Page Load Failures Blocking Internal Links

🔍 Overview If a page refuses to load inside Search Atlas — even after clearing your cache — you may find yourself locked out of the Internal Links update feature. This guide walks you through the most effective fixes, step by step, so you can get back to optimizing your site without delay. ⚠️ Common Causes of Page Load Failures Before jumping into fixes, it helps to understand what typically triggers this issue: - Browser cache or cookies serving a stale or corrupted session - Browser extensions (ad blockers, privacy tools) interfering with platform scripts - Unstable internet connection causing incomplete page loads - Outdated browser version lacking support for platform features - Temporary platform hiccup affecting a specific page or session 🧹 Step 1: Clear Cache and Cookies Properly A basic cache clear sometimes misses cookies that store broken session data. Follow these steps for a thorough reset: 1. Open your browser settings and navigate to Privacy & Security (or equivalent). 2. Select Clear browsing data. 3. Choose All time as the time range. 4. Check both Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data. 5. Click Clear data, then close and reopen your browser. 6. Log back into Search Atlas and attempt to load the page again. 🌐 Step 2: Try a Different Browser or Incognito Mode If clearing the cache does not resolve the issue, test in a clean environment: - Open an Incognito or Private window in your current browser and log in to Search Atlas. - If that does not work, try a different browser entirely (e.g., switch from Chrome to Firefox or Edge). - If the page loads successfully in a different browser, the problem is tied to your original browser's settings or extensions. 🔌 Step 3: Disable Browser Extensions Ad blockers, VPNs, and privacy extensions frequently block scripts that Search Atlas needs to render pages correctly. 1. Open your browser's extension or add-on manager. 2. Temporarily disable all extensions. 3. Reload the Search Atlas page. 4. If the page now loads, re-enable extensions one at a time to identify the culprit, then keep it disabled while using Search Atlas or add the platform to its allowlist. 🔄 Step 4: Force a Full Page Refresh A hard refresh bypasses locally cached files without requiring you to clear your entire cache: - Windows/Linux: Press Ctrl + Shift + R - Mac: Press Cmd + Shift + R Attempt this two or three times. If the page loads on any attempt, you can proceed to update your internal links normally. 🌍 Step 5: Check Your Internet Connection An unstable connection can cause partial page loads that appear as failures. Try the following: - Run a quick speed test to confirm your connection is stable. - If you are on Wi-Fi, move closer to your router or switch to a wired connection. - Restart your router if speeds are significantly lower than expected. - Once your connection is stable, reload the page in Search Atlas. 📊 Step 6: Accessing Internal Links After the Page Loads Once the page loads successfully, you can update your internal links through the On-Page Audit feature: 1. In the left sidebar, click Content. 2. Select On-Page Audit. 3. Choose the page you want to work on. 4. Navigate to the Internal Links section within the audit results. 5. Apply your updates and save your changes. 💡 Tips to Prevent This Issue in the Future - Keep your browser updated to the latest version for the best compatibility with Search Atlas. - Periodically clear your cookies and cache — once a week is a good habit. - Add Search Atlas to your ad blocker's allowlist so extensions never interfere again. - If you are working in a team, ensure all users are accessing the platform on a supported, up-to-date browser. 🆘 Still Experiencing the Issue? If you have worked through all the steps above and the page still will not load, our support team is ready to investigate further. 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.

🔗 Internal Links Feature — Fixing Page Load Failures

Overview If the Internal Links update feature fails to load despite repeated attempts, this article explains what to do and what information to gather so the support team can resolve it quickly. What to Do When the Feature Won't Load Because page load failures in this feature can stem from account-level or backend causes that are not visible to the user, the most effective path to resolution is to escalate directly to the support team with the right details ready. Before reaching out, please gather the following information: - Your project name — the exact name of the project where the Internal Links feature is failing to load. - The exact error message — if any message appears on screen, copy it word for word. - When it started — note the date and approximate time you first encountered the issue. - What you have already tried — for example, refreshing the page or logging out and back in. Having this information ready when you contact support will allow the team to investigate and resolve your issue as quickly as possible. 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.

🔒 Fix Gmail 'App is Blocked' Error in Campaigns

🧭 Overview When connecting a Gmail account to Search Atlas Authority Campaigns, you may see an 'App is Blocked' error or an SMTP/IMAP authentication failure. This happens because Google blocks direct password sign-ins for third-party apps by default. The fix is to generate a Gmail App Password and use it in place of your regular Google account password. This article walks you through generating an App Password and entering it correctly inside Search Atlas so your campaigns can send and receive emails without interruption. ⚠️ Why This Error Occurs Google's security policy prevents third-party applications from authenticating with your standard Gmail password. When Search Atlas attempts to connect via SMTP or IMAP using a regular password, Google blocks the request and returns an 'App is Blocked' or 'Username and password not accepted' error. An App Password is a unique 16-character code that Google generates specifically for a single app, bypassing this restriction securely. Before you begin, confirm the following requirements are met on your Google account: - 2-Step Verification is enabled on your Google account — App Passwords are only available when 2-Step Verification is active. - You are signed in to the Google account you want to connect to Search Atlas. - The Google account is not a Google Workspace account with App Passwords disabled by an administrator. If it is, contact your Workspace admin to enable App Passwords for your account. 🔑 Step 1 — Enable 2-Step Verification on Google Skip this step if 2-Step Verification is already active on your account. 1. Go to myaccount.google.com and sign in. 2. Click Security in the left navigation panel. 3. Under How you sign in to Google, click 2-Step Verification. 4. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete setup. 🛠️ Step 2 — Generate a Gmail App Password 1. Go to myaccount.google.com/apppasswords while signed in to your Gmail account. If prompted, re-enter your Google password. 2. In the App name field, type a recognisable label such as Search Atlas Campaigns. 3. Click Create. 4. Google will display a 16-character App Password in a yellow box. Copy this code immediately — Google will not show it again. Store it somewhere safe until you have finished the next step. 📧 Step 3 — Connect Gmail to Search Atlas Authority Campaigns 1. In Search Atlas, navigate to Left sidebar → Authority → Campaigns. 2. Open your campaign settings or click Add Email Account (the exact label may vary depending on your campaign setup). 3. When prompted for your email connection details, enter the following SMTP settings: - SMTP Host: smtp.gmail.com - SMTP Port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS) - Username: your full Gmail address (e.g. yourname@gmail.com) - Password: the 16-character App Password you generated in Step 2 — not your regular Gmail password 4. For IMAP (incoming mail), use these settings: - IMAP Host: imap.gmail.com - IMAP Port: 993 (SSL) - Username: your full Gmail address - Password: the same 16-character App Password 5. Save your settings and test the connection. A successful connection will show a green confirmation status. ✅ Verifying the Connection After saving, send a test email from within the Campaigns interface. Navigate to Left sidebar → Authority → Sent to confirm the email appears in your sent log. Check Left sidebar → Authority → Inbox to verify incoming mail is being received correctly. 🔍 Common Issues and Fixes - App Password option not visible: 2-Step Verification is not yet enabled. Complete Step 1 above and then return to the App Passwords page. - Still seeing 'App is Blocked' after entering the App Password: Confirm you copied the full 16 characters and removed any spaces. Re-generate a new App Password and try again. - Google Workspace account errors: Your Workspace administrator may have restricted App Passwords. Ask your admin to enable App Passwords at the domain level in the Google Admin Console. - Connection times out: Confirm the correct SMTP/IMAP ports are entered. Some networks block port 465; switch to port 587 with TLS. 💬 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.

🔒 Preventing Unauthorized Account Linking

Understanding Account Linking in Search Atlas Search Atlas allows you to connect external accounts such as Google Business Profile (GBP) and third-party integrations to power your Local and Social projects. These connections should only grant access to users you have explicitly authorized. In rare cases, a known technical issue may cause accounts to become unintentionally linked. When this occurs, a user on a separate account may gain visibility into—or the ability to modify or delete—projects they should not have access to. What This Means for Your Projects If your account has been affected by this bug, you may notice: - Projects appearing in your workspace that you did not create. - Projects missing that you or your team did not delete. - Accounts or data visible that do not belong to your workspace. - Changes to your projects made by someone outside your organization. This is a technical issue on our platform's side, not a result of misconfigured permissions or shared credentials. Our engineering team is aware of the problem and is actively working on a resolution. How to Report This Issue If you suspect unauthorized account linking or unexplained project deletion, please gather the following information so our engineering team can investigate promptly: - Project name(s) affected by the issue. - Account email(s) involved — both yours and the unauthorized account, if known. - Timestamp(s) of when you first noticed the linking or deletion. - Description of what happened, including any unexpected changes, deletions, or new projects. - Screenshots of any unfamiliar projects, accounts, or activity you have observed. What to Expect Once you report the issue, our engineering team will investigate the root cause of the unauthorized linking, work to separate the affected accounts, and attempt to recover any deleted projects where possible. Resolution times may vary depending on the complexity of the account linkage and the extent of the data affected. 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.

📘 App Channels for Reddit, Twitter & Media Rooms — Feature Update

⚠️ Feature Update The "App Channels" menu described in this article, previously used to connect Reddit, Twitter/X, and Media Rooms, is no longer present in its original form in the current Search Atlas dashboard. Media Room distribution is now handled through the left sidebar → Authority → PR Distribution (Press Releases). Reddit and Twitter/X posting continue as an active, separate capability under the Social section of your dashboard — they were reorganized, not folded into PR Distribution or removed. The steps below are kept for historical reference. If you're looking to distribute press or media content today, go to the left sidebar → Authority → PR Distribution (Press Releases) in your dashboard; for Reddit or Twitter/X posting, use the Social section, or ask your Account Manager for current setup steps. 🗂️ Original Overview App Channels previously allowed you to amplify your content distribution by integrating with popular platforms like Reddit, Twitter, and Media Rooms. Watch the original video walkthrough (this video demonstrates the retired App Channels interface — see the notice above for the current paths). 🛠️ Legacy Step-by-Step (No Longer Current) - Log in to your agency dashboard. - Navigate to the content distribution area. - Choose a channel to connect (previously: Reddit, Twitter, Media Room). - Follow the prompts to securely authorize the selected platform. - Confirm the connection and test with a sample campaign. 🧩 What Happens Today Historically, connected campaigns distributed press releases and media content across the connected platforms. Today, press content published through PR Distribution can be indexed by Google, and social posts published through the Social section are handled independently from PR Distribution. 🔧 Troubleshooting - If a connection fails, check API permissions or expired tokens. - Confirm you're logged into the correct account. - Check your account's posting limits or restrictions. 💬 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.

📡 Fix Signal Genesys Publishing Integration Errors

📋 Overview When distributing a press release through Search Atlas to outlets like USA Today, the platform uses a third-party service called Signal Genesys to handle distribution. If the connection between Search Atlas and Signal Genesys becomes out of sync, you may see errors such as: - "Signal Genesys: The selected client ID is invalid" - "API Token is invalid" - A press release that appears to fail but is actually published This article explains what causes these errors, what to do when you see them, and how our team resolves them. ⚠️ Why This Error Happens The Signal Genesys integration relies on an API token and client ID that link your Search Atlas account to the distribution network. These credentials can become invalid for several reasons: - The API token has expired or been rotated on the Signal Genesys side - The client ID associated with your account has changed - A temporary sync issue between Search Atlas and Signal Genesys has occurred This is an integration-level issue and cannot be resolved by changing settings inside your Search Atlas account. It requires our technical team to re-sync the connection on the backend. 🔍 What to Check Before Contacting Support Before reaching out, take a moment to confirm the following: 1. Check if your press release was actually published. In some cases, the error message appears even though the press release was successfully distributed. Check the status of the submission in question within your press releases section to see if it shows as published. 2. Check your distribution quota. Failed press releases do not consume your quota. If you see a failed status, your quota should remain intact and you can safely attempt to republish once the integration is fixed. 3. Note the exact error message. Copy the full error text so our team can identify the specific cause quickly. 🛠️ How to Resolve the Error Because this issue requires a backend fix, the resolution steps are straightforward: 1. Do not repeatedly attempt to republish while the error is active. Multiple failed attempts can create duplicate submissions once the integration is restored. 2. Contact our support team using the chat widget described at the bottom of this article. Provide the press release title, the outlet you were publishing to, and the exact error message you received. 3. Our team will re-sync the Signal Genesys integration on your account. This typically involves refreshing the API token and verifying the client ID. 4. Once the fix is confirmed, return to your press releases section and republish the affected press release. Your quota will not have been affected by the failed attempt. 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 Authority Building 403 Error

🔍 What the 403 error means A 403 Forbidden error means the Authority Building 30-Day Growth Plan page rejected the request. This can happen when OTTO uses an outdated page link, your session has expired, or the feature is not correctly enabled for the workspace. Workspace owners and administrators should normally be able to access the plan. 🧭 Open Authority Building from the current menu 1. Sign in to Search Atlas and confirm that you are using the correct workspace. 2. Open Authority from the left sidebar. 3. Open an available Authority section, such as PR Distribution, Cloud Stacks, Indexer, QUEST AI Visibility, Campaigns, or Inbox. 4. Return to OTTO and try opening the Authority Building 30-Day Growth Plan again. 🔄 Try these quick fixes - Refresh the page and sign in again. - Open Search Atlas in a private or incognito browser window. - Clear the browser cache and cookies for Search Atlas. - Disable browser extensions that block scripts or redirect links. - Try a current version of Chrome, Edge, or another supported browser. - Make sure your subscription and workspace are active. 👥 Check your workspace access Open the top-right avatar menu and select Team Members. Confirm that your account is listed as an active Admin or Member in the correct workspace. If you belong to multiple workspaces, switch to the workspace where OTTO and the plan were set up. 🧾 What to include when reporting the issue If the error continues, note the exact steps that produce it, the workspace name, your account role, the browser you used, and the approximate time of the attempt. A screenshot of the 403 page can also help the team identify an outdated link or workspace provisioning issue. 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.