Onboarding

🤖 Get Your Website on Google AI Overview

🔴 Disable GBP Auto-Posting on Deactivated Accounts

Overview When a Search Atlas account is deactivated or a customer churns, any active Google Business Profile (GBP) automation — such as scheduled posts or sync settings — may continue running unless it is manually stopped on the backend. This is a backend action that requires intervention from our support team. Why This Matters If GBP automation is left active after an account is deactivated, the following issues can occur: - Scheduled posts continue publishing to Google Business Profile without approval - Location data may continue to be overwritten with stale or unwanted information - Sync processes may push updates to Google even though the account is no longer active - The account may trigger unnecessary error notifications or consume post quota What to Expect Disabling GBP automation on a deactivated account is a backend operation — there is no self-serve workflow available to customers for this action. Our support team will need to handle the disabling of any active automation, scheduled posts, or sync connections tied to your account on your behalf. How to Escalate To help our team resolve this as quickly as possible, please have the following information ready when you reach out: - The name of the deactivated Search Atlas account or workspace - The Google Business Profile location name(s) affected - A description of the automation activity still occurring (e.g. posts still publishing, data being overwritten) - Any relevant timestamps or examples of posts or updates that should not have gone live - Any error messages or notifications you have received 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 Client GBP Authorization

🔗 Before You Begin Use the authorization link generated in Search Atlas to let your client securely connect their Google Business Profile (GBP). The client must sign in with a Google account that has permission to manage the correct profile. - Confirm the client has Manager or Owner access to the GBP. - Ask the client to use the Google account connected to that profile. - Send the complete link without editing, shortening, or adding characters. 🚀 Connect a Client Through the Link 1. Open the GBP connection flow in Search Atlas and generate the authorization link. 2. Copy the full link and send it to your client. 3. Ask the client to open the link in a current browser. 4. The client should sign in to Google, choose the correct Business Profile, and approve the requested permissions. 5. After authorization, the client should wait for the confirmation page before closing the browser. 6. Return to Search Atlas and confirm that the GBP is connected to the correct client or site. ⚠️ Fix the “Malformed Request” Error This message usually means the authorization link was changed, copied incompletely, expired, or opened in a session that could not complete the request. Do not repeatedly retry the same link. 1. Generate a new authorization link in Search Atlas. 2. Copy it again from the platform and send it as plain text. 3. Ask the client to open the new link in a private window or a different current browser. 4. Have the client sign in with the Google account that manages the intended GBP. 5. Ask the client to complete the process in one session without using the browser Back button. 🛠️ Resolve Other Connection Problems - Wrong profile appears: Sign out of other Google accounts or use a private window, then select the correct account and profile. - Access is denied: Add the client’s Google account as a Manager or Owner of the GBP, then generate a fresh link. - Authorization was blocked: Check that the client is using the official link from Search Atlas and has not modified it. - The link says it was already used: Create and send a new link. Authorization links may be single-use or expire. - Search Atlas still shows disconnected: Refresh the page and verify that the authorized Google account matches the client’s GBP access. ✅ Best Practices - Send each client a newly generated link. - Do not paste the link into documents or tools that may alter its characters. - Connect one client profile at a time to avoid selecting the wrong GBP. - Ask the client to tell you which Google account and profile they authorized. 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.

📍 Configuring Service-Area Business Location Settings

🗺️ What Is a Service-Area Business? A service-area business (SAB) is any business that travels to customers rather than receiving them at a fixed location — think plumbers, cleaners, mobile pet groomers, or consultants. Google and Search Atlas both support this model, so you do not need a storefront or a publicly visible address to use location-based features. 🏠 Do You Need to Enter a Physical Address? No — a permanent, customer-facing address is not required. You have two options depending on your situation: - Hide your address: If you operate from a home office or a location you don't want to share publicly, you can enter that address for internal use only and keep it hidden from any public-facing outputs. - Skip a fixed address entirely: Define your business purely by the areas you serve, without tying it to a single street address. What matters most is accurately defining where you serve customers, not where you are based. ⚙️ How to Configure Your SAB Location Settings Follow these steps to set up or update your service-area business profile inside Search Atlas: 1. Open your project and navigate to the GBP (Google Business Profile) section from the left sidebar. 2. Locate your business profile and open the Service Area or location settings panel. 3. When prompted for an address, enter your internal or operational address if you have one. This is used for accuracy in local SEO calculations — it is not automatically displayed to end users. 4. Toggle the Hide Address option (if available for your plan) to prevent the address from appearing in any public or client-facing outputs generated by the platform. 5. In the Service Areas field, add all the cities, regions, postcodes, or geographic areas your business covers. You can add multiple locations. 6. Select your correct business type — make sure it is set to Service-Area Business so the platform applies the right SEO logic. 7. Click Save to confirm your settings. Important: If you re-open the location edit modal after saving, double-check that your business type and service areas are still populated correctly. If any fields appear blank, re-enter and save again. 📊 How Service Areas Affect Your SEO The service areas you configure directly influence how the platform generates and optimises your content: - AI-generated content will reference the cities and regions you listed, helping you rank in those target areas. - Local keyword suggestions are filtered to match your defined geography. - GBP Agent recommendations are tailored to service-area businesses, covering best practices like writing service-area-specific posts and selecting the right primary category. 💡 Best Practices for SABs - Be as specific as possible with your service areas — adding individual cities or postcodes performs better than broad region names alone. - Keep your service areas realistic. Listing areas you genuinely serve helps Google trust your profile and improves local pack visibility. - Even without a public address, fill in as many profile fields as possible (business description, categories, phone number) to strengthen your overall GBP health score. - Review your service-area settings any time you expand or reduce your coverage zone. 🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues - Business type resets after saving: This is a known issue that has been resolved. If you still see it, re-select your business type, re-add your service areas, and save again. - No address field visible: Some views only show address fields after you confirm your business type. Make sure Service-Area Business is selected first. - Service area not saving: Ensure you click the final Save or Confirm button inside the modal — closing the modal without saving will discard changes. 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.

📍 Configure Mobile or Service-Area Businesses in Vault

🗺️ Do Mobile Businesses Need a Fixed Address? No — a fixed address is not required in Vault. If your business is mobile or operates at a customer's location (such as a mobile beautician, plumber, or delivery service), you can configure your listing to reflect a service area instead of a physical address. This matches how Google Business Profile (GBP) handles service-area businesses, and Vault follows the same logic. ⚙️ Two Ways to Configure Your Business Location in Vault Depending on how your business operates, you have two options: - Service-area business (no storefront): You serve customers at their location and do not want a physical address displayed publicly. You define the geographic areas you cover instead. - Hybrid business: You have a base address (such as a workshop or depot) but also travel to customers. You can enter the address and still add service areas on top of it. If customers never visit a fixed location, use the service-area business option and leave the address hidden or omitted entirely. 🧭 How to Set Up a Service-Area Location in Vault 1. Go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects. 2. Open the relevant project by clicking View project. 3. Navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Overview → About tab. 4. In the address section, look for the option to hide your address or mark the business as a service-area business. Enable this if customers do not come to a fixed location. 5. In the Service Area field, add the cities, regions, or postal codes where you operate. You can add multiple areas to cover your full working territory. 6. Click Save to apply your changes. Once saved, your GBP listing and Vault data will reflect the service areas you entered rather than a street address, which is accurate and compliant with Google's guidelines for mobile businesses. ✅ Best Practices for Mobile and Service-Area Businesses - Be specific with service areas: Add every city or region you actively serve. Broader areas improve local visibility across your territory. - Do not enter a fake address: Adding a P.O. box or a home address you do not use publicly can violate Google's guidelines and risk your listing suspension. - Keep your business name and category accurate: Make sure your GBP category reflects your mobile or service-area nature (for example, "Mobile Car Detailing Service" rather than a generic term). - Add a phone number and website: Since there is no address for customers to visit, a reliable phone number and website become even more important for conversions. - Review your listing regularly: Use Left sidebar → Local → Overview → Overview tab to monitor task suggestions and keep your listing optimised over time. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Can I hide my address after I have already entered one? Yes. Go to the About tab in your GBP project overview, edit the address field, and enable the option to hide it from the public listing. - Will hiding my address affect my local search rankings? Not negatively, as long as your service areas are well-defined. Google ranks service-area businesses based on the regions you specify and other signals such as reviews and engagement. - Can I have multiple service areas? Yes. You can add as many cities or regions as needed to accurately represent where you work. - What if my coverage area changes seasonally? You can update your service areas at any time from the About tab. Keep this information current to avoid misleading customers. 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.

🟢 Step 1: Set Up the Essentials – Get Your Business on Google

Complete Step 1 to unlock the Local SEO Heatmap, GBP ranking email alerts (automated notifications when your Google Business Profile's local ranking moves up or down), and GBP post scheduling in Search Atlas — verify your Google Business Profile, align your NAP, and connect your listing. 📌 Verify: Claim and Verify Your Google Business Profile What to do Claim ownership of your Google Business Profile (GBP) and verify it through Google's official process. Why it matters An unverified business cannot manage its listing, respond to reviews, or control how its profile appears — and Google is less likely to rank it prominently in local results. How to do it 1. Go to google.com/business 2. Click "Manage now" 3. Sign in with your business Google account (ideally using a branded domain) 4. Search for your business: - If found → click it → look for "Own this business?" → follow the prompts - If not found → click "Add your business to Google" and enter your details 5. Choose your verification method: - 📬 Postcard by mail (typically 5–14 business days depending on your region) — the default and most common option for new listings - 📱 Phone, email, or instant verification — only available for certain business types/categories; Google has deprecated these faster options for many categories. If you don't see them offered, postcard is your fallback and that's expected 6. When you receive the code, return to your GBP dashboard and enter it Common mistakes to avoid - Assuming you're verified just because your listing appears - Using a personal Gmail account instead of a business email - Creating duplicate listings for the same physical location — if you operate multiple locations legitimately, create one verified GBP per location, each managed separately inside Search Atlas Pro Tip: Use the exact same business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across your profile and website — it helps Google trust your listing faster. Note for the Local SEO Heatmap step: When you add your business to the Local SEO Heatmap in Search Atlas, paste your Google Maps URL directly — Search Atlas automatically resolves the correct Place ID. A verified, active GBP is required for this connection to work. Manually entering a Place ID is only needed as a fallback if the URL can't be resolved. ✅ Once done, your business is eligible to appear on Google Maps and in local search results, and you're ready to move on to Step 2. 🧭 Check: Double-Check Your Business Information (NAP) What to do Confirm your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent across your website, GBP, and all online listings. Why it matters Even small mismatches — like "St." vs. "Street" — can confuse Google and reduce your local search visibility. How to do it 1. Visit your own website and copy your official NAP as listed there 2. Open your Google Business Profile dashboard → click "Info" 3. Compare fields one by one: business name, address, phone 4. Search for your business name and phone number on Google 5. Open listings on Yelp, Facebook, Bing, and Apple Maps 6. Fix any inconsistencies manually through each platform's edit tools Common mistakes to avoid - Leaving out office or suite numbers - Using a call tracking number on GBP - Using multiple name formats across platforms Pro Tip: Keep a shared spreadsheet with all your NAP listings. Search Atlas can scan for inconsistencies in one click. ✅ Once done, your NAP will build trust with Google's algorithm — and help users find you reliably across platforms. ✍️ Describe: Write a Simple, Clear Business Description Example: "At Phoenix Garden Supply, we help urban growers find the tools, soil, and support they need to grow successfully. We serve home gardeners across central Phoenix with eco-friendly solutions and hands-on advice." What to do Write a short description (2–3 sentences) on your Google Business Profile that covers: - Who you are - What you do - Where you operate - What makes you different Why it matters Your description is one of the first things customers and Google see. A clear, specific summary builds trust and supports your local SEO. How to do it 1. Open your GBP dashboard → go to "Info" 2. Scroll to "Business Description" 3. Write a natural-sounding paragraph that includes: - Your business name - Your core services - Your city or neighborhood - A short differentiator Common mistakes to avoid - Keyword stuffing - Writing vague or generic claims - Forgetting to mention your service area Pro Tip: Write like you're speaking to a real customer. If someone unfamiliar with your business can "get it" in 10 seconds, it works. ✅ Once done, your description will boost credibility, improve click-through rates, and tell Google exactly what your business offers. 🔗 Connect Your GBP to Search Atlas Once your GBP is verified, connect it to Search Atlas to activate location-based features including the Local SEO Heatmap, GBP Posts, and Authority Building. Import Your Verified GBP 1. Log in to your Search Atlas dashboard 2. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects (page: 'GBP Projects') 3. Click "Connect GBP Account" 4. Once imported, your business is available across GBP Posts, Local SEO Heatmap, and Authority Building Note: The dropdown displays the business address alongside the name, making it easy to select the correct location if you manage multiple GBPs with the same name. Retrieval error on import? If you see "Unable to retrieve business details. Please enter the correct business URL or add the business using a valid Place ID" — re-enter your Google Maps URL and the system will automatically attempt to recover the correct Place ID. If the issue persists, find your Place ID in your GBP dashboard URL and enter it manually. 🏢 Multi-Location Businesses If you manage multiple locations with the same business name, GBP ranking emails include each location's address so you can identify which GBP the notification refers to. Keep the following in mind before importing into Search Atlas: - Each location needs its own GBP listing — verified individually in Google before connecting to Search Atlas. Do not consolidate multiple physical addresses under a single profile — Google treats each location as a separate entity. - Identifying locations in Search Atlas: The dropdown displays the business address alongside the name, making it easy to select the correct location when multiple GBPs share the same name. - GBP Ranking Email — location selector: Address disambiguation in the GBP Ranking Email configuration selector is awaiting release. Until that update ships, users with identically named locations should rely on Place ID matching to confirm the correct listing is selected. ✅ What You Can Do Now With your GBP verified and connected to Search Atlas, you can immediately: - Run a Local SEO Heatmap scan to see how your business ranks across your service area - Publish and schedule GBP Posts directly from the Search Atlas dashboard - Start building citations through Authority Building Scheduling posts? If a post shows a persistent Scheduled status without publishing, refresh the dashboard. A publishing pipeline issue affecting manually scheduled posts was resolved in May 2026. 📚 Official Google Resources 📘 Claim & Verify Your Profile - Add or claim your Business Profile (Google Help) — how to claim or create a GBP on desktop - Verify your business on Google (Google Help) — covers verification via phone, email, video call, postcard - Video: "Verify your business" (YouTube, official channel) — helps visualize the verification flow 🌀 You've completed Step 1 of your Local SEO setup — your Google Business Profile is verified, your NAP is aligned, and your listing is connected to Search Atlas. Move on to Step 2: Keep Your Google Business Profile Active → to start maintaining your profile and improving local rankings. 🗺️ Navigation ➡️ Next: Step 2: Keep Your Google Business Profile Active → 🔝 Back to Series Index

🔗 Connect Google Business Profile to OTTO

🧭 Overview OTTO can manage your local SEO tasks directly through your Google Business Profile (GBP). This article explains how to connect a GBP to OTTO, how to add a new GBP email address during the connection flow, and how to add additional GBP emails after the initial setup. ⚙️ Step 1: Open OTTO Settings 1. In the left sidebar, click OTTO SEO, then open SEO Automation. 2. From the Home page, click the Create OTTO Project button in the per-project actions menu, or open the existing OTTO session. 3. Inside the OTTO dashboard, go to Settings → Integrations (in your global account Settings, not inside OTTO SEO). 📌 Step 2: Connect an Existing GBP Email If your GBP email address has already been added to your Search Atlas account, follow these steps: 1. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects (GBP Projects). 2. Click the Connect GBP Account button. 3. A Google authentication window will appear. Sign in with the Google account that manages your GBP. 4. Grant the requested permissions and click Allow. 5. Once authenticated, select the correct Business Profile from the list and confirm. OTTO will now be linked to that GBP and can begin pushing local SEO recommendations. ➕ Step 3: Add a New GBP Email That Hasn't Been Registered Yet If the Google account you want to use has not been added to Search Atlas before, you need to register it first. You can do this directly inside the connection flow: 1. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects (GBP Projects) and click the Connect GBP Account button. 2. When the Google authentication window opens, sign in with the new Google account — the one that hasn't been added yet. 3. Grant the requested permissions and click Allow. 4. Search Atlas will automatically register that Google account and display the Business Profiles associated with it. 5. Select the correct Business Profile and confirm the connection. There is no separate pre-registration step required. Signing in through the Google authentication window is sufficient to add and connect a new email in one flow. 🔄 Step 4: Add an Additional GBP Email After Initial Setup If OTTO is already connected to one GBP and you want to connect a different Google account or an additional location, follow these steps: 1. Go to OTTO SEO in the left sidebar, open SEO Automation, and open the relevant OTTO session. 2. Navigate to Settings → Integrations (in your global account Settings, not inside OTTO SEO). 3. Click Connect or Add Account next to the Google Business Profile card. 4. Sign in with the additional Google account when the authentication window appears. 5. Grant permissions, then select the Business Profile you want to link to this OTTO session. Each OTTO session is tied to a single website project. If you manage multiple locations, make sure you are inside the correct project before connecting a new GBP. ⚠️ Troubleshooting: Email Domain Not Verified in Google Business Profile If the Google account you are trying to connect is not verified within Google Business Profile itself, the connection may fail or return no Business Profiles. Here is how to resolve this: - Verify your Business Profile in Google: Go to business.google.com, sign in with the affected account, and complete any pending verification steps (postcard, phone, or video). - Check account permissions: Make sure the Google account you are signing in with has Owner or Manager access to the Business Profile. Profiles where you only have limited access may not appear in the list. - Try disconnecting and reconnecting: If you previously connected the wrong account, disconnect it first inside Integrations, then reconnect using the correct Google account. - Clear browser cookies or use an incognito window: Cached Google sessions can cause the wrong account to authenticate. An incognito window ensures you sign in fresh. - Allow a few minutes after verification: Google can take a short time to propagate verification status. If your profile was just verified, wait five minutes and then retry the connection inside OTTO. 📍 Accessing Your GBP Content in Search Atlas Once your GBP is connected to OTTO, you can also manage your local presence directly through the GBP Projects section. In the left sidebar, click Local to access sub-pages including Overview, Posts, Reviews, Media Library, My Tasks, and Local Citations — all linked to your connected Business Profile. 💬 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.

🗺️ Set Up a Multi-Location Knowledge Graph

🌐 Overview If your website serves multiple physical locations — each with its own Google Business Profile (GBP) — you do not need to create a separate Knowledge Graph for every location. Search Atlas supports a single Knowledge Graph per website, with multiple locations configured inside it. This guide walks you through the correct setup. 🧭 Before You Begin Make sure you have the following ready before starting: - Your website is already added to Search Atlas. - You have at least one Google Business Profile connected to your account. - You have Editor or Admin access to the workspace. 📍 Step 1: Open Your Knowledge Graph 1. In the left sidebar, click Website Studio (URL: /website-studio). 2. Select the website you want to configure. 3. Navigate to the Knowledge Graph section for that website. If you have not created a Knowledge Graph yet, complete the initial setup before adding locations. 🪐 Step 2: Go to the GBP Galactic Section 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → GBP Galactic (GBP Projects). This is the dedicated area for managing all Google Business Profiles tied to your website. 2. Click into GBP Galactic to view any existing location entries. GBP Galactic is the single place where all your location data lives. Think of it as the multi-location hub within your one Knowledge Graph. ➕ Step 3: Add Each Location 1. Click Connect GBP Account inside Local → GBP Projects. 2. Enter or select the Google Business Profile for the first location. Repeat this step for each location — in your case, you will add up to five GBP entries. 3. For each location, fill in the relevant details such as business name, address, phone number, and service area where applicable. 4. Save each location entry before moving to the next. You can add, edit, or remove individual locations at any time without affecting the rest of your Knowledge Graph configuration. ✅ Step 4: Review and Publish 1. Once all locations are added, review each entry in the GBP Galactic section to confirm the details are accurate. 2. Check that each GBP is mapped to the correct address and contact information. 3. Publish or save your Knowledge Graph to apply the changes across your website. After publishing, Search Atlas will use the structured location data to strengthen local SEO signals for every location — all from a single, unified Knowledge Graph. ⚠️ Common Mistake to Avoid Do not create a separate Knowledge Graph instance for each location. Search Atlas is designed so that one website has one Knowledge Graph. Creating multiple Knowledge Graph instances for the same website is not necessary and can cause conflicting structured data. All location variation is handled inside the GBP Galactic section of your single Knowledge Graph. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Can I add more than five locations? Yes. The GBP Galactic section supports multiple location entries. Add as many locations as your business requires. - What if two locations share the same website URL? That is the expected scenario this setup handles. One website, multiple physical locations — all managed in one Knowledge Graph. - Will each location get its own structured data? Yes. Search Atlas generates location-specific structured data for each GBP entry you add, while keeping everything organised under one Knowledge Graph. - Can I edit a location after saving it? Yes. Return to the GBP Galactic section at any time to edit or remove a location entry. 💬 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.

🔄 Reconnect Google Business Profile to Display Reviews

🔍 Why Reviews Stop Showing If customer reviews have disappeared from your website, it usually means your Google Business Profile (GBP) connection has been interrupted. This can happen when Google refreshes its authentication tokens, when you change your Google account password, or when permissions for the Search Atlas integration are revoked. Reconnecting your account restores the data flow and brings your reviews back. 📋 Before You Start Make sure you have the following ready before reconnecting: - Access to the Google account that owns or manages your Google Business Profile. - Admin or Owner-level permissions on that Google Business Profile. - Login credentials for your Search Atlas account. 🔗 How to Reconnect Your Google Business Profile 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Local. 3. You will land on the GBP Projects page. Locate the project associated with the business profile that is no longer displaying reviews. 4. Click the project to open it, then look for a connection status indicator or a Reconnect button. If your connection has expired or been revoked, a warning banner or a disconnected status will be visible. 5. Click Reconnect (or Connect GBP Account if the profile needs to be linked from scratch). 6. A Google authentication window will open. Select the Google account that manages your Business Profile and click Allow to grant Search Atlas the required permissions. 7. Once authentication is complete, you will be returned to your project page. The connection status should now show as active. 8. In the left sidebar, click Local → Reviews to confirm that your reviews are loading correctly. ⏱️ How Long Does It Take for Reviews to Reappear? After a successful reconnection, reviews typically reload within a few minutes. If your review count is large, it may take up to 15 minutes for all data to fully populate. Refresh the Reviews page if reviews do not appear immediately after reconnecting. 🌐 Checking Reviews on Your Website Once reviews are visible inside Search Atlas under Local → Reviews, verify that they are also displaying correctly on your website. Clear your browser cache or check in a private/incognito window to make sure you are seeing the latest data. If your website uses a widget or embed code to pull in reviews from Search Atlas, ensure the embed code is still correctly placed and published on your site. 🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues - No Reconnect button visible: Try removing the existing project and re-adding your Google Business Profile by going to Local → GBP Projects and using the Connect GBP Account option. - Authentication fails or loops: Make sure you are signing in with the correct Google account — specifically the one that has Owner or Manager access to the Business Profile. - Reviews load in Search Atlas but not on the website: Double-check that your website embed code or widget is still active and has not been removed during a recent site update. - Only some reviews are showing: Google may limit the number of reviews returned by the API. This is a platform-level restriction and is not specific to Search Atlas. 💡 How to Prevent Future Disconnections To reduce the chance of your connection dropping again, keep these tips in mind: - Avoid changing the password on the Google account linked to Search Atlas without reconnecting afterward. - Do not revoke Search Atlas permissions from your Google account's security settings. - If you transfer ownership of your Google Business Profile to a different Google account, reconnect the integration using the new owner account. 🙋 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.

🔍GBP Audit Dashboard Overview

GBP Audit is a powerful new tool designed to help you analyze, benchmark, and improve your Google Business Profile performance. It combines performance data, local rankings, citation signals, and competitor insights into a single structured report so you can clearly understand where your business stands and what actions to take next. 🔍 What You Can Do with GBP Audit 1. Audit Any Location 2. Audit connected locations 3. Audit external businesses by searching or using a business URL 📊 Comprehensive Performance Insights Each audit includes: 1. GBP Score 2. Average Rank 3. Citations 4. Ratings & Reviews 5. Photos 6. Post counts 7. Heatmap rankings 8. Detailed insights across key performance factors 📈 Performance Matrix (Connected Locations Only) Get access to the GBP Performance Matrix for connected locations to better understand strengths, gaps, and opportunities. 🆚 Competitor Benchmarking See how your business stacks up against competitors in your area. 📝 Detailed Recommendations Receive a structured audit report with actionable recommendations to help improve visibility and performance. ⏳ Audit Processing Time An audit may take approximately 5–6 minutes to complete, as citation data is gathered in the background. We are actively improving the experience to progressively load data so you can start reviewing insights sooner. ⚙️ How to Generate a GBP Audit Report Step 1 Go to Local → GBP Audit Step 2 In Generate New Audit Report, choose one of the following: - Select from Connected GBPs - Add an external business manually by business name or Google Profile URL Step 3 If selecting connected profiles: - Go to the tab Choose a connected Google Business Profile - Select businesses Step 4 If adding manually: - Select Business name or Google Profile URL - Select Search area - Find a local business by business name Step 5 Click Generate Report Step 6 Pop-up: Success Audit report is being generated 📊 Audit Reports Dashboard 🔔 Go to Local → GBP Audit The Audit Reports section includes: - Business name - Address - Audit Date - Overall Score - Status - View Report Additional actions: - Download PDF - Re-Run Audit - Delete Report 📈 Understanding the Audit Report 🧩 Overview Displays: - OVERALL SCORE - Audit Date - Location “A broader SEO health score that combines GBP performance with local ranking signals and citation consistency.” 📊 Business Metrics “Your GBP profile has an overall score of X/100 with X photos and X reviews. Core metrics indicate improving local visibility (avg rank X), while performance metrics show X profile views and X website clicks in the last 30 days.” Includes: - GBP Score - AVG Rank - Citation Score - Rating - Reviews - Photos - Posts 📈 Performance Includes: - Profile Interactions - Search Appearance - Direction Requests - Website Clicks 🆚 Competitor Benchmark Includes: - Performance Radar Chart Table columns: - Rank - Business Name - Reviews - Photos - Posts - Rating - GBP Score - Overall Score 💡 Key Insights 1. You rank #X out of X businesses by overall score. 2. Strongest area: profile optimization at X%. 3. Top competitor X. has X reviews. 4. Your overall score is X points vs competitor average. 🔎 Keyword Rankings “Tracking X target keywords with an average rank of X and X% visibility. X keywords are improving. Top keyword: X; weakest keyword: X.” Includes: - AVG. Rank - AVG. Visibility - Improving Table fields: - Heatmap - Current Rank - Keyword - Trend - Keyword Ranking Score 🛠️ Detailed Audit Report “Profile optimization is tracked across X checklist items. Current status: X complete, X need attention, X incomplete. Priority focus areas: X, X.” 🧩 Profile Optimization - GBP Verification - Business Name - Business Address - Business Phone Number - Website URL Add UTM parameters: - Opening Date - Business Description - Business Hours - Bookings & Appointments 🖼️ Photos & Media - Logo & Cover Photo Cover photo is set. Add logo Add logo ⭐ Reviews & Reputation - Review Volume Get at least 10–25 customer reviews - Average Rating Work toward 4.5+ rating - Review Responses - Latest Review Most recent review X days ago. 📰 Posts & Updates - Post Activity - Latest Post Post at least once every 7 days ⚙️ Technical SEO - Business Categories Primary: X Additional: X - Service Areas Currently X. You can add up to 20. - Social Profile Links 🧰 Services Service descriptions recommendation. For each service, include relevant keywords, a brief overview of what the service entails, and how it benefits customers. This will not only improve local SEO but also help potential clients understand your offerings better. 🔐 Score Definitions 📌 GBP Score “Measures how well your Google Business Profile is optimized (completeness, categories, photos, reviews, etc.)” 📌 Overall Score “A broader SEO health score that combines GBP performance with local ranking signals and citation consistency.” 📤 Exporting & Actions From the report view: - Re-Run Audit - Share - Export Report - Optimize via GBP Agent GBP Audit provides a structured, data-driven way to evaluate your Google Business Profile performance. By combining core metrics, keyword visibility, competitor benchmarking, and detailed optimization recommendations, it helps you identify gaps, prioritize improvements, and improve local search visibility over time. 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.

📍 Capture Your NAP Baseline Before Data Aggregator

🧭 Overview Before you submit your business information to the Data Aggregator, it is essential to capture a NAP (Name, Address, Phone) baseline benchmark. This snapshot shows you exactly where your business is currently listed across the web and whether your NAP data is consistent. The tool you need for this is the Citation Scan, located inside GBP Audit. Important: The Citation Scan is not found on the Local Citations page. It is accessed through the Left sidebar → Local → GBP Audit (Generate New Audit Report) navigation described below. 🗺️ Where to Find the Citation Scan Follow these steps to navigate to the correct location: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. Click Local Citations. 3. Locate the business project you want to audit and open it. 4. Inside the project, open the GBP Audit tab. 5. Select the business you want to scan. 6. Click Run Audit. 7. Once the audit completes, scroll to the Citations section to view your NAP baseline results. 📋 What the Citation Scan Shows You The Citations section of the GBP Audit surfaces the following information: - Where your business is listed — directories, data aggregators, and local platforms currently showing your business. - NAP consistency — whether your Name, Address, and Phone number match across all detected listings. - Inconsistent or duplicate listings — entries where your NAP data differs from your primary source of truth. - Missing listings — major directories where your business has no presence. Reviewing this data before running the Data Aggregator ensures you submit clean, accurate information and can measure improvement after distribution. 📸 How to Capture Your Baseline Benchmark To use the Citation Scan results as a reliable before-and-after reference, complete these steps: 1. Run the Citation Scan using the navigation path above. 2. Review the Citations section and note the total number of listings found, the number of consistent NAP entries, and any flagged discrepancies. 3. Export or screenshot your audit results. Use the Export Report option available in the Local → Ranking Factor Matrix section if you need a shareable document. 4. Record the date of your scan. This becomes your baseline date for future comparison. 5. Correct any critical NAP errors in your Google Business Profile before proceeding to the Data Aggregator submission. 🚀 Running the Data Aggregator After Your Baseline Once you have your NAP baseline documented, you are ready to submit to the Data Aggregator. The aggregator distributes your accurate NAP information to major data providers, which then feed hundreds of directories and platforms. - Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone in Search Atlas exactly match what is on your Google Business Profile. - Submit only after resolving the most critical inconsistencies identified in your Citation Scan. - Plan to re-run the Citation Scan four to eight weeks after Data Aggregator submission to measure how your listing coverage and NAP consistency have improved. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Can I run the Citation Scan without a connected GBP account? You need at least one GBP project set up in Search Atlas. Go to Local (GBP Projects) and click Connect GBP Account if you have not done this yet. How long does the audit take? Most audits complete within a few minutes depending on the number of existing listings found across the web. Do I need to fix all inconsistencies before using the Data Aggregator? You do not need to fix every issue first, but resolving your primary NAP details (especially address format and phone number) will produce the best results from aggregator distribution. Where is the Local Citations page and what is it used for? The Local Citations section in the platform serves a different purpose from the Citation Scan in GBP Audit. For benchmarking your NAP before Data Aggregator submission, always use the GBP Audit → Citations workflow described in this article. 💬 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 Google Business Profile (GBP)

The Search Atlas GBP integration gives you full control over your Google Business Profile locations — directly through your AI assistant. You can connect your Google account, manage multiple locations, run audits, generate posts, respond to reviews, and push changes live to Google, all without leaving your AI tool. ⚙️ Accessing GBP in Search Atlas (UI Context) Before using any commands, you can access GBP inside Search Atlas: - Go to Local → GBP Projects - Or go to Local → GBP Projects and click Connect GBP Account 📌 This is where the connection flow is triggered in the UI. 🔗 Connecting Your Google Account Before you can manage any GBP location, you need to connect the Google account that owns or has access to those locations. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain (AI assistant) Ask your AI assistant: - "Connect my Google account to GBP" - "Show me my GBP connections" - "List all my connected Google accounts" 🔍 Discovering Available Locations Once your Google account is connected, you can discover which GBP locations are available from that account before importing them. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain Ask your AI assistant: - "What GBP locations are available from my connected Google account?" - "Show me locations I can add to Search Atlas" 📋 Listing Your Active Locations Once locations are connected, use the location list to get an overview of everything you're managing. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain Ask your AI assistant: - "List all my GBP locations" - "Show me locations with low review counts" - "Which of my locations have heatmaps set up?" 🗂️ Understanding Location Types Not all locations in Search Atlas are the same. Here's how they differ: - Type: Connected location — How it's created: Linked from your Google account; Can push changes to Google?: ✅ Yes - Type: Bulk imported — How it's created: Added via gbp_bulk_import; Can push changes to Google?: ✅ Yes (if account is connected) - Type: External audit — How it's created: Created from place_id or Google Maps URL for audit purposes only; Can push changes to Google?: ❌ No — read-only External audit locations are useful for auditing competitor profiles or prospects. They appear in your audit reports list but cannot be edited or deployed to Google. 💳 Quota: GBP Automation Locations Every location you connect and actively manage in Search Atlas counts toward your GBP Automation Locations quota. - Action: Connecting a new location — Quota impact: −1 from quota - Action: Disconnecting a location — Quota impact: +1 returned - Action: Locking a location — Quota impact: No change — still counts - Action: Creating an external audit (for audits only) — Quota impact: No change To check your current usage, ask your AI assistant: - "What's my GBP automation locations quota?" - "How many GBP location slots do I have left?" If you reach your limit, you must disconnect an existing location or upgrade your plan before adding a new one. **🧠 **GBPTroubleshooting ❓ My Google account connected but no locations are showing up Run a GBP List Available Locations search (as instructed in this article) to check if locations are discoverable but not yet imported - Verify the connected Google account actually owns or manages those GBP listings — view-only access is not sufficient - If you recently created a GBP location, allow up to 24 hours for it to appear ❓ I connected my account but get an authentication error - ⚙️ Disconnect and reconnect the Google account — OAuth tokens expire and may need to be refreshed: Option 1 — Manual (UI) Go to Settings → Integrations Locate Google Business Profile Click Disconnect on the connected account Then click Connect GBP Account and complete the Google login (OAuth flow) 🤖 Option 2 — Using Atlas Brain Ask your AI assistant: - "Disconnect my Google account from GBP" - "Connect my Google account to GBP" - Ensure the Google account has not had its GBP access revoked in Google's console: Step 1 — Open Google Business Profile Go to: https://business.google.com/ Sign in with the same Google account you connected to Search Atlas 🔍 Step 2 — Check Location Access Select your business location If you don’t see any locations: - The account may not have access to any GBP listings ✅ Step 3 — Verify Permissions Go to Business Profile settings → People and access Check your role: - Owner or Manager → Required for full access - If your role is missing or downgraded → access has been revoked 🔓 Step 4 — Restore Access (if needed) If access was removed: - Ask the business owner to re-add your Google account - Or log in with the correct account that owns/manages the location ⚠️ Important - View-only access is not sufficient for Search Atlas integration - If access is revoked in Google, Search Atlas will not be able to retrieve or manage locations ❓ A location appears in Google but not in Search Atlas - It may belong to a different Google account — check if you have multiple accounts with GBP access - Try a quick search GBP List Available Locations in Atlas Brain after connecting each account to see which one owns the location ❓ I can see the location but cannot make changes 🤖 Option 1 — Using Atlas Brain You can check and unlock the location directly through your Atlas Brain AI assistant. Ask: - "Check if my GBP location is locked" - "Unlock my GBP location" ⚙️ Option 2 — Manual (What You Can Actually Do) There is no manual toggle in Google Business Profile for “locked” status. This lock exists inside Search Atlas only, not in Google. So manually, your options are: 1. Go to Search Atlas → Local → GBP Projects 2. Open the location 3. Try to edit any field (name, hours, etc.) If editing is blocked: - The location is likely locked - You will need to use Atlas Brain to unlock it ⚠️ Important - The locked state is a Search Atlas control, not a Google setting - Google Business Profile does not have a “lock/unlock” feature - Only Atlas Brain (or internal tools) can toggle this state 🧠 When This Happens A location may be locked when: - It was intentionally locked to prevent edits - It was finalized and protected - Another user or workflow restricted changes 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.

🟠 Step 3: Stay Consistent: Weekly Local SEO Tasks

Set up a simple weekly habit to keep your Google Business Profile active — review your listing, post fresh content, and check what's driving local searches. 📅 Check: Review Your Google Business Profile Weekly What to do Once a week, open your Google Business Profile — directly in Google or via the Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects — and scan for anything outdated or incorrect. Why it matters Small details affect search rankings and user trust. Keeping your profile current tells Google your business is active. How to do it 1. Log in to your Google Business Profile dashboard, or open the Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects. 2. Review and update each of the following: - Business hours — set special/holiday hours in advance. In the native GBP dashboard, go to Edit profile → Hours → Add special hours and enter the date and adjusted times. In Search Atlas, update the same fields from the Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects. - Phone number - Address - Photos - Business description or services — Google enforces a hard limit of 100 services per location. Search Atlas's Services section displays your current service count so you can see at a glance how close you are to the limit, and includes a bulk-delete option to quickly remove outdated entries if you are approaching or exceeding 100. 3. Save any changes you've made. Common mistakes to avoid - Forgetting to update hours during holidays - Leaving incorrect service areas listed - Ignoring changes in product or service offerings Pro Tip Set a weekly calendar reminder to check your profile — 10 minutes is all it takes. ✅ Once done, your profile remains trustworthy, up-to-date, and favored by Google. 📝 Post: Share a Weekly Update or Offer What to do Use the Posts section in your Google Business Profile — either natively in GBP or through the Search Atlas GBP Posts feature — to publish weekly content like tips, offers, or events. Why it matters Posts signal activity and help your business appear in more types of search results. They also drive engagement. How to do it 1. In your Google Business Profile dashboard (or the Search Atlas GBP Posts module), navigate to Local → Posts and click + Create new post (GBP Posts). 2. Choose the post type: Update, Offer, or Event. 3. Add the following to your post: - An image or short video - A clear message (what, when, why) - A call to action (CTA) — such as "Call now" or "Learn more" — with the destination URL 4. Set an expiration date if the post is time-bound. 5. Tip: In Search Atlas, you can schedule posts in advance from the GBP Posts feature. The scheduling pipeline is fully operational as of May 2026 following a recent fix, so posts queued in Search Atlas will publish to Google on the date and time you select. Common mistakes to avoid - Reposting the same content repeatedly - Forgetting CTAs or links - Poor visuals or formatting Pro Tip Turn FAQs into posts. One question = one weekly post = one new search opportunity. ✅ Once done, your profile gains freshness signals and more touchpoints with local searchers. 🔍 Monitor: Check Your Insights and Learn What's Working What to do Check Google's built-in Insights tool — accessible directly in your Google Business Profile dashboard — to see what actions users take on your profile. Why it matters These signals show you what's working and where to focus next: reviews, posts, or profile updates. How to do it 1. Open your GBP dashboard (the native Google interface) and go to Performance. 2. Review the following metrics: - Search queries used to find you - How users found you (Search vs. Maps) - What actions they took (calls, directions, clicks) 3. Note patterns or drops in engagement — especially after a post or major profile update. Common mistakes to avoid - Ignoring this data completely - Only checking once a quarter - Overreacting to small weekly dips Pro Tip Track one insight metric in a simple spreadsheet every Friday. It builds awareness without overwhelm. ✅ Once done, you'll start making smarter decisions with real search data. 🌀 You've now completed Step 3 of your Local SEO setup. Your weekly routine is in place — simple, strategic, and sustainable. When you're ready, continue to Step 4: Manage Citations Across the Web. 📚 Useful Official Resources: ⭐ Collect & Respond to Reviews - Manage customer reviews (Google Help) — official steps for reading and replying to reviews - Tips to get more reviews (Google Help) — guidelines for asking without violating policy 🗺️ Navigation ➡️ Next: Step 4: Manage Citations Across the Web → 🔝 Back to: Series Index

Set Up Local Pack Tracking via Google Business Profile

What Is Local Pack Tracking? Local Pack tracking shows how your business appears in Google's Local Pack (the map-based results shown for location-specific searches). There are two separate requirements, and they do different things: - A precise location on your project (required) — the project must be scoped to a specific city, state, or ZIP, not a country-level search. Without a precise location, Google rarely returns Local Pack results at all, so nothing will show. - A linked Google Business Profile (optional) — this does NOT gate whether Local Pack data appears. It only lets the system identify which result in the Local Pack is YOUR business, so you can track your own ranking position within it. Without a linked GBP, you still see the Local Pack results, you just won't know which one is yours. Do You Need a Separate Project? You do not need to create a separate project for Local Pack tracking. It runs inside your existing project, alongside standard rank tracking. Link Your Google Business Profile (Optional) To track your own business's position inside the Local Pack, connect a Google Business Profile: from Home, use the project card actions and choose Google Business Profile (or go to Local → GBP Audit and choose a connected Google Business Profile), sign in with the Google account that manages your listing, and select the correct business location. Add Keywords to Local Pack Tracking Open the Local Pack section within your project's rank tracking area and add the keywords you want to track. You may be prompted to select a target location and language for each keyword. Allow up to 24 hours for initial results to populate. Can You Transfer or Duplicate Keywords From an Existing Project? Search Atlas does not currently offer one-click transfer or duplication of keywords between projects, or between standard rank tracking and Local Pack tracking. If you want to track the same keywords in Local Pack that you already track elsewhere, re-enter them manually in the Local Pack section. 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.

📍 Set Up GBP Automated Posting for Multiple Clients

📋 Overview Search Atlas lets you automate Google Business Profile (GBP) posts for all your clients from one place. If you have set up automated posting but no posts are appearing, the most common cause is that the configuration needs to be completed separately for each client account. This article walks you through the correct setup process and how to verify everything is working. 🔗 Step 1: Connect Each Client's GBP Account Before automated posting can work, every client's GBP account must be individually connected to Search Atlas. 1. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects in your Search Atlas dashboard. 2. Click the Connect GBP Account button and sign in with the Google account that manages your first client's GBP listing. 3. Grant the requested permissions and confirm the connection. 4. Repeat this process for every additional client. Each client requires its own separate connection — connecting one account does not cover others. Important: If a client has multiple GBP locations, each location may need to be individually authorised depending on how their Google account is structured. ⚙️ Step 2: Enable Automated Posting Per Client Automated posting settings are not global — they must be activated for each client individually. 1. Go to Local → Posts (GBP Posts) in the left sidebar. 2. Use the client selector at the top of the page to choose your first client. 3. Open the Automated Posting settings tab. 4. Toggle automated posting on for that client. 5. Configure your posting schedule — choose frequency, days, and times that suit your client's audience. 6. Select or create the post templates you want to use for this client. 7. Save your settings. 8. Switch to your next client using the client selector and repeat steps 3–7. A common mistake is setting everything up while viewing one client and assuming it applies to all. Always confirm you are in the correct client workspace before saving. 📅 Step 3: Set Up a Posting Schedule and Templates Automated posts will only publish if a valid schedule and at least one approved post template are in place. - Schedule: Set a recurring frequency (daily, weekly, or custom). If no schedule is saved, posts will not queue. - Templates: Create post templates with your chosen text, images, and call-to-action buttons. Templates must be saved and assigned to the correct client. - Post types: Select the GBP post type — What's New, Event, Offer, or Product — that matches your content strategy for that client. If you are using the same template across clients, you will still need to assign it to each client account individually. ✅ Step 4: Verify the Setup Is Working After completing the configuration for each client, confirm that posts are queued correctly. 1. Go to Local → Posts (GBP Posts) > Scheduled Posts. 2. Switch between clients using the client selector and check that upcoming posts appear in the queue for each one. 3. If a client shows no scheduled posts, return to their Automated Posting settings and confirm the toggle is on, a schedule is saved, and at least one template is assigned. 4. Check that the GBP account connection is still active under Avatar (top-right) → Settings → Integrations. Expired or revoked permissions will pause posting. 🚫 Common Reasons Posts Are Not Appearing - Automated posting was only enabled for one client — the most frequent cause. Repeat the setup for every client. - No posting schedule was saved — the toggle is on but no frequency or time was selected. - No template is assigned — the system has nothing to publish. - GBP connection expired — Google occasionally requires re-authentication. Reconnect the account under Local → GBP Projects. - GBP account permissions changed — if a client updated their Google account access, you may need to reconnect. 💡 Best Practices for Managing Multiple Clients - After onboarding a new client, complete all three steps — connect, enable, and schedule — before moving to the next client. - Create a checklist to track which clients have automated posting fully configured. - Review the Scheduled Posts queue weekly to catch any accounts that have stopped posting due to permission changes. - Use distinct post templates per client to keep their branding consistent and avoid publishing generic content. 🆘 Need More Help? If you have followed all the steps above and posts are still not appearing for one or more clients, 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.

📘 Location Profile Management

Your GBP location profile is the foundation of your local search presence. Everything Google displays — your business name, address, phone number, hours, website, and description — comes from this profile. Keeping it accurate, complete, and optimized directly impacts how you rank in local search results. This article covers how to view, edit, and publish all core profile fields for your GBP locations. ⚙️ Accessing Location Management You can manage your GBP location profiles directly inside Search Atlas: 📌 Step 1 Go to Local → GBP Projects. 📌 Step 2 Select a location. 📌 Step 3 Choose Edit Profile to update profile fields, or use Atlas Brain to view and update any field by typing a request. 👁️ Viewing Full Location Details Before making any changes, start by reviewing the full details of your location. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain - "Show me the full details for example.com's GBP location" - "Get all info for my New York location" - "Show me the categories, services, and attributes for my GBP listing" 🖥️ Using the UI Go to Local → GBP Projects → select the location → View Profile. Your full profile includes: - Section: Basic info — What's included: Name, address, phone, website, description - Section: Hours — What's included: Regular weekly hours + special hours - Section: Status — What's included: Open / temporarily closed / permanently closed - Section: Categories — What's included: Primary + additional categories - Section: Attributes — What's included: Active attributes (amenities, features) - Section: Services — What's included: Standard and custom services - Section: Verification — What's included: Google verification state - Section: Performance — What's included: Review count, post count, pending tasks 💡 Ask Atlas Brain to include all services and attributes: "Show me the full list of services and attributes for this location" ✏️ Updating Core Business Information You can update your business details directly within Search Atlas. Editable fields include: - Business name - Address - Phone number - Website URL - Business description (up to 750 characters) ⚠️ Changes made here are saved in Search Atlas but are not automatically published to Google. You must publish them separately (see Publishing Changes below). 🤖 AI-Generated Business Description If you’re unsure what to write, you can generate an optimized business description. The system will analyze your location data and suggest a professional, keyword-rich description. This is provided as a draft and does not overwrite your existing description automatically. You should review the generated content and apply it only if it matches your business accurately. ✏️ Updating Core Business Information You can update the main business details for a location directly in Search Atlas. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain - "Update the phone number for my GBP location to +1 555 000 0000" - "Change the website URL for example.com to https://newsite.com" - "Update the business description for my New York location" 🖥️ Using the UI Go to Local → GBP Projects → select location → Edit Profile → update the relevant field → Save. Editable fields: - Field: Business name — Notes: Must match your real business name (Google enforces this) - Field: Address — Notes: Full structured address - Field: Phone — Notes: Primary contact number - Field: Website — Notes: Business website URL - Field: Business description — Notes: Up to 750 characters ⚠️ Changes saved in Search Atlas are not automatically published to Google. You must publish them separately — see Publishing Changes below. 🤖 AI-Generated Business Description Not sure what to write? Let Atlas Brain draft an optimized description for you. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain - "Generate an optimized business description for my GBP location" - "Write a new description for example.com's Google listing" Atlas Brain analyzes your location data and generates a professional, keyword-rich description. The result is returned as a draft only — it does not overwrite your current description automatically. Review it, then ask Atlas Brain to apply it if you're happy with the result. 🕐 Managing Business Hours 🕐 Regular Hours 🤖 Using Atlas Brain - "Set my business hours to Monday–Friday 9am–6pm, Saturday 10am–4pm, closed Sunday" - "Update my weekly GBP hours" 🖥️ Using the UI Go to Local → GBP Projects → select location → Edit Profile → Hours → update each day → Save. ⚠️ Important: Updating hours is a full override — you must provide all 7 days every time. Any day you omit will be set to closed. Always specify the complete weekly schedule. Example format to give Atlas Brain: Monday: 9:00–18:00 Tuesday: 9:00–18:00 Wednesday: 9:00–18:00 Thursday: 9:00–18:00 Friday: 9:00–18:00 Saturday: 10:00–16:00 Sunday: Closed You can set your weekly business hours for all days of the week. ⚠️ Important: Updating hours replaces your entire schedule. You must include all 7 days each time. Any day not specified will be set to closed. Example format: - Monday: 9:00–18:00 - Tuesday: 9:00–18:00 - Wednesday: 9:00–18:00 - Thursday: 9:00–18:00 - Friday: 9:00–18:00 - Saturday: 10:00–16:00 - Sunday: Closed 🎉 Special Hours (Holidays & Events) Special hours let you override your regular schedule for specific dates without changing your weekly hours. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain - "Add special hours for December 25th — closed all day" - "Set extended hours for Black Friday: 7am to midnight" - "Remove special hours for January 1st" Special hours only affect the specific dates you set. All other dates continue to follow your regular schedule. 🔓 Open / Closed Status 🤖 Using Atlas Brain - "Mark my GBP location as temporarily closed" - "Set my business as permanently closed" - "Reopen my location" - Status: Open — When to use: Business is operating normally - Status: Temporarily closed — When to use: Short-term closure (renovation, holiday, etc.) - Status: Permanently closed — When to use: Business has shut down You can also set a future opening date for locations that are not yet open. 🚀 Publishing Changes to Google Updates made in Search Atlas are not live until you publish them. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain - "Deploy my GBP changes to Google" - "Publish all updates for my locations" 🖥️ Using the UI Go to Local → GBP Projects → select location → My Tasks → Deploy all changes. After publishing, allow 5–15 minutes for changes to appear on Google Search and Maps. 💡 Pro Tip: Make all your edits first — name, hours, description — then publish everything in a single action. This is more efficient than publishing after each individual change. 🔒 Locking a Location Locking prevents any edits or publishing actions on a location — useful when a profile is finalized and you want to prevent accidental changes. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain - "Lock my GBP location to prevent changes" - "Unlock the location for example.com" - State: Locked — Effect: No edits or publishing actions are allowed - State: Unlocked — Effect: Full editing access is restored ⚠️ A locked location still counts toward your GBP Automation Locations quota. The lock is a Search Atlas control only — it does not exist in Google Business Profile and cannot be toggled from the Google console. 🧠 Troubleshooting ❓ Changes are not showing on Google - Confirm you published your changes after editing — edits are not auto-published - Allow 5–15 minutes after publishing for Google to update - If changes still don't appear after 1 hour, check whether the location is locked ❓ Business hours did not update correctly - Hours updates are a full override — if you omitted any days, those were set to closed - Always provide all 7 days when updating regular hours - Ask Atlas Brain: "Show me the current hours for my location" to verify the current state ❓ Location is locked and cannot be edited Option 1 — Using Atlas Brain: "Unlock my GBP location" Option 2 — Manual: Go to Local → GBP Projects → select location → look for the lock indicator → contact your account administrator if you don't have permission to unlock. ❓ Business name update was rejected by Google - Google requires names to match your actual business name — no keywords, city names, or promotional text - Revert to the exact registered business name and republish ❓ Business description was truncated - Descriptions are limited to 750 characters - Ask Atlas Brain: "How long is this description?" before applying it to confirm it's within the limit 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.

📘 Google Business Profile Integration in Search Atlas

Connect your Google Business Profile to manage your local presence and track engagement directly from Search Atlas. ⚙️ How to Connect 1. Go to Local → GBP Projects. 2. Locate Google Business Profile. 3. Click ➕ Connect GBP Account. 4. Log in to your Google account. 5. Approve permissions. 6. Select your business profile. 🎯 What You Can Do 1. Monitor local visibility. 2. Track customer engagement. 3. Manage your online presence. 4. Analyze local SEO performance. ⚠️ Common Issues 1. Business not showing — Make sure it exists in GBP. 2. Wrong account — Use the correct Google login. 3. Permissions missing — Ensure admin access. ❓ FAQ Do I need admin access? Yes, you must have access to the Business Profile. 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.

📍 Service Area Business Citation Setup With Alternate Addresses

🏠 Why This Matters for Service Area Businesses A service area business (SAB) is any business that travels to customers rather than serving them at a fixed storefront — think plumbers, cleaners, landscapers, or mobile pet groomers. Google and data aggregators both support SAB listings, but they require some address on file for verification and citation purposes, even if that address is never shown to the public. If your registered business address is a personal residence you don't want published — such as a family member's home — you have legitimate, compliant options for protecting that privacy while still building a strong local presence. ✅ Acceptable Alternate Address Types Before submitting to any data aggregator or updating your Google Business Profile, you need a consistent, verifiable address that you are authorized to use. The following address types are widely accepted: - Commercial mailbox or UPS Store mailbox: Provides a real street address (not a P.O. box format). Widely accepted by aggregators and usable for GBP verification in many markets. - Virtual office or coworking space: A physical commercial address where mail can be received. Many providers offer a registered address service specifically for this use case. - Storage unit facility with a business address: Some facilities offer a business address service. Confirm with the provider that the address can be used for business registration before using it. - Shared office or incubator space: Common for small businesses that want a legitimate commercial presence without a full lease. Important: The address you choose must be a real, physical location where you can receive mail or have a presence. Fabricated or entirely fictional addresses violate Google's guidelines and aggregator terms of service and can result in listing suspension. 🔒 How to Hide Your Address on Google Business Profile Once you have an alternate address in place and your GBP listing is verified, you can configure it as a true SAB so the address is not displayed publicly: 1. Log in to your Google Business Profile account. 2. Navigate to your profile's editing options and locate the business location or address settings. 3. Enter your alternate address for verification purposes. 4. Find the service area section and define the geographic areas you serve. 5. Remove the business address from the public-facing display — Google provides this option specifically for SABs. The address remains on file with Google but is hidden from Maps. Google will still use the address internally for ranking and relevance signals, but customers searching on Maps will see only your service area, not a street address. 📋 Submitting to Data Aggregators as an SAB Data aggregators such as Data Axle, Neustar Localeze, and Foursquar 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 GBP Profile Not Showing During Onboarding

🔍 Overview During Search Atlas onboarding, you may reach the step where you need to connect your Google Business Profile (GBP) — only to find that your profile does not appear in the list. This article explains the most common reasons this happens and walks you through how to fix it. ✅ Before You Begin Make sure you have the following ready before troubleshooting: - Access to the Google account that owns or manages your Google Business Profile - Your Search Atlas account credentials - A stable internet connection ⚠️ Common Reasons Your GBP Profile Does Not Appear There are several reasons why your profile may not show up during onboarding: - Wrong Google account connected: Search Atlas can only detect GBP profiles linked to the Google account you authorized during onboarding. If you have multiple Google accounts, you may have authenticated the wrong one. - Insufficient permissions: You must be listed as an Owner or Manager on the GBP profile. Profiles where you only have a pending invitation will not appear. - Profile not yet verified: Unverified Google Business Profiles are not returned by the Google API and will not appear in Search Atlas. - GBP account not connected to Google Search Console or Google Ads: In some cases, profiles that have never been accessed through the Google Business dashboard may not be fully active in the API. - Cache or session issue: Switching usernames or accounts mid-session — for example, during a support conversation — can cause the authorization token to become mismatched, preventing profiles from loading correctly. 🛠️ How to Fix the Issue 1. Sign out and reconnect your Google account. Go to Account Menu (avatar) → Settings → Integrations and disconnect the currently linked Google account. Then reconnect using the Google account that is the verified Owner or Manager of your GBP profile. 2. Confirm your GBP role. Open business.google.com and verify that your Google account appears as an Owner or Manager for the profile you expect to see. If your access is pending, accept the invitation first. 3. Check your profile's verification status. In the Google Business dashboard, confirm your profile shows as Verified. If it is not verified, complete Google's verification process before returning to Search Atlas onboarding. 4. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload Search Atlas and restart the onboarding flow. This resolves most session-related mismatches, including those caused by switching usernames mid-session. 5. Try a different browser or an incognito window. This rules out browser extensions or stored sessions interfering with the Google OAuth flow. 6. Restart the onboarding connection. Navigate to Left sidebar → GBP Projects (URL: /gbp-galactic/gbp-projects) and look for the option to add or reconnect a GBP project. Follow the prompts to re-authorize your Google account. 📋 If You Switched Usernames During a Support Session Changing your Search Atlas username while a support chat thread is active can cause your session token to reset. If this happened to you, follow these steps: 1. Log out of Search Atlas completely. 2. Clear your browser cache and cookies. 3. Log back in using your updated username and password. 4. Navigate to Left sidebar → GBP Projects and attempt to reconnect your GBP profile. Note that your previous chat thread may no longer be accessible after a username change. You can start a new support conversation at any time using the chat widget in the platform. 🗺️ Navigating to Your GBP Projects Once your profile is successfully connected, you can manage all your Google Business Profile activity from the GBP Projects section of Search Atlas: - Left sidebar → Local → Overview (GBP Profile Completion) — Summary of your GBP performance - Left sidebar → Local → Posts — Create and schedule GBP posts - Left sidebar → Local → Reviews — Monitor and respond to reviews - Left sidebar → Local → Media Library — Upload and manage photos - Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations — Track and manage local directory listings - Left sidebar → Local → My Tasks — View outstanding local SEO tasks 💬 Still Need Help? If your GBP profile still does not appear after following all the steps above, 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.

📘 How to Connect Your Google Business Profile (GBP) in Search Atlas

📍 Overview In this guide, you'll learn how to connect your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) to your Search Atlas account using the GBP Projects area of your dashboard. This setup allows you to manage your local presence and leverage Google listings from inside your dashboard. We've also included a workaround for a known Google bug affecting some Workspace accounts. Watch the original video walkthrough (this video demonstrates the previous App Channels-based connection flow; follow the updated steps below for the current GBP Projects workflow). ✅ What You'll Need - A verified Google Business Profile - Admin access to your Search Atlas account - A Google account with the correct permissions (Workspace or Gmail) 🔗 How to Connect Your GBP Listing 1. Log in to Search Atlas and go to the account where you want the listing connected. 2. Open the Local → GBP Projects section from your dashboard (left sidebar). 3. Start a new connection and sign in with your Google credentials when prompted. 4. If you have access to multiple profiles, make sure to choose the correct business listing. 5. Approve the requested permissions to let Search Atlas manage your Google Business Profile. 🐞 Google Workspace Bug – Temporary Fix Some users on Google Workspace accounts experience an error during authentication. If you're affected: - Try using a personal Gmail account with manager access on your GBP listing. - Or switch to an incognito window and repeat the connection steps. We're actively monitoring updates from Google on a permanent fix. 💡 Pro Tip After connecting, be sure to refresh your GBP data regularly from inside Search Atlas to sync your latest posts and reviews. 💬 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.

📍 Finding the Right Google Business Profile URL

🔍 Why Your Google Business Profile URL May Be Rejected Search Atlas requires a specific type of Google Business Profile (GBP) URL to connect your listing. Standard URLs copied from Google Search or Google Maps are often rejected because they do not contain the unique Customer ID (CID) that Search Atlas needs to identify and link your business profile. This article explains what a valid GBP URL looks like and how to find your CID. ✅ What a Valid GBP URL Looks Like Search Atlas accepts GBP URLs in the following format: - CID-based URL:https://www.google.com/maps?cid=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The CID is a long numeric identifier that is unique to your Google Business Profile listing. URLs from Google Search results, the Google Business dashboard, or standard Maps links usually do not include this CID and will fail validation. 🗺️ How to Find Your Business CID 1. Open Google Maps in your browser (maps.google.com). 2. Search for your business by name and location (for example, Pier 36 Seafood). 3. Click on the correct business listing in the search results to open its info panel. 4. Look at your browser's address bar. If you see a URL containing cid= followed by a long number, copy that full URL. 5. If the address bar does not show a CID, try searching for your business from a different browser or device, as the CID parameter may appear more reliably outside of a logged-in Google account session. Once you have the CID, construct your URL like this: https://www.google.com/maps?cid=YOUR_CID_HERE and use that in Search Atlas. 🚫 URL Formats That Will Not Work The following URL types are commonly tried but will be rejected by Search Atlas: - Google Search result URLs (e.g., https://www.google.com/search?q=pier+36+seafood) - Google Business Profile dashboard URLs (e.g., https://business.google.com/...) - Short Google Maps URLs (e.g., https://maps.app.goo.gl/...) - Standard Google Maps share links that include coordinates but no CID 🛠️ Adding Your GBP URL in Search Atlas Once you have your CID-based URL (e.g., https://www.google.com/maps?cid=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX), paste it into the GBP URL field within Search Atlas when prompted during your project setup or profile connection flow. If you are unsure whether your URL is valid or are having trouble locating your CID, our support team can help verify and guide you through the process. 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.

📍 Google My Business Ranking Timeline & Realistic Expectations

🗺️ Overview Getting your Google Business Profile (GBP) into the local top-3 — known as the Local Pack — takes consistent effort and realistic timelines. This article walks you through exactly what happens at each stage after you start using Search Atlas for local SEO, so you know what to do and what to expect every step of the way. 📋 Day 1–7: Complete Your GBP Optimization Checklist The first week is all about building a strong foundation. Incomplete or inconsistent profiles are one of the biggest reasons businesses stall in local rankings. In Search Atlas, navigate to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview to access your GBP project dashboard. Complete every item on this checklist before moving forward: - Business name, address, and phone number (NAP): Make sure these match exactly across your website and all directories. - Primary and secondary categories: Choose the most specific category that describes your core service. - Business description: Write a clear 250–750 character description that naturally includes your primary keyword and city. - Photos: Upload at least 10 high-quality images — exterior, interior, team, and products or services. Add more via Left sidebar → Local → Media Library. - Hours of operation: Set accurate regular and holiday hours. - Services and products: List every service with a short description and price range where applicable. - Website URL and booking link: Confirm both resolve correctly. - Q&A section: Seed three to five common questions with helpful answers. A fully optimized profile signals to Google that your business is active and trustworthy — this alone can produce early ranking movement. 📈 Week 2–4: Watch for Early Ranking Movement Once your profile is complete, Google begins re-evaluating your relevance and prominence. During this period you should focus on three activities: 1. Publish your first GBP posts. Go to Left sidebar → Local → Posts and publish at least two posts per week. Use updates, offers, or event posts that mention your service and location naturally. 2. Request reviews actively. Navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews) to monitor and respond to every review within 24 hours. A steady inflow of new reviews is one of Google's strongest local ranking signals. 3. Build local citations. Go to Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations and submit your NAP details to the top directories in your niche and city. Consistency across citations reinforces Google's trust in your listing. It is normal to see small ranking fluctuations during weeks 2–4. Positions may move up or down by several spots as Google processes the changes you have made. This is expected behavior, not a problem. 🎯 Day 60–90: Realistic Top-3 Placement Window For most businesses in moderately competitive markets, the 60–90 day window is when sustained top-3 placement becomes achievable — provided the foundation work from weeks 1–4 has been done consistently. By this point you should have: - A fully optimized and regularly updated GBP profile. - A minimum of 10–15 new reviews with consistent responses. - Two GBP posts published per week without gaps. - Local citations live across 30 or more directories. - At least one location-specific landing page on your website with matching NAP and relevant keywords. To track your progress, use Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker to monitor your target local keywords over time. You can also use Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Magic to discover additional local keyword opportunities and Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Gap to see what terms competitors rank for that you do not. ⚖️ Competition-Dependent Factors That Affect Your Timeline No two markets are identical. Your timeline to top-3 may be shorter or longer depending on these factors: - Number of established competitors: A city with dozens of long-standing businesses in your category will take longer to crack than a smaller town with few competitors. - Competitor review velocity: If top competitors are generating 20 reviews a month, you need a comparable or faster pace to close the gap. - Domain authority of linked website: A stronger website with local backlinks accelerates GBP rankings because Google treats the website and profile as connected signals. - Physical proximity to searchers: Google still factors in the distance between a searcher and your registered business address. A city-center address typically outperforms a suburban one, all else being equal. - Category competitiveness: Legal, medical, home services, and hospitality categories are highly contested in most markets and often require 90–180 days for sustained top-3 results. ✅ Daily and Weekly Action Items to Maintain Momentum Ranking in the Local Pack is not a one-time task — it requires ongoing activity. Use this recurring schedule: - Daily: Check Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews) and respond to any new reviews. Monitor and complete any outstanding items under Left sidebar → Local → My Tasks. - Twice per week: Publish a new GBP post via Left sidebar → Local → Posts. - Weekly: Add new photos to Left sidebar → Local → Media Library and push them to your profile. - Monthly: Review your local keyword rankings in Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker, update your services list if anything has changed, and submit new citation opportunities via Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations. 💬 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.

🍽️ Rank Your Restaurant Listing in Google Search

🎯 Who This Guide Is For This article is for restaurant owners and marketers who want to improve their organic visibility in Google Search. It covers standalone restaurants as well as dining concepts operating inside hotels, co-working spaces, or other venues — where ranking can be more competitive due to shared locations and brand identity. 📋 Step 1: Optimise Your Google Business Profile Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the foundation of local organic ranking. Follow these steps to get it in the best shape possible: 1. Claim and verify your listing. Go to Google Business Profile and ensure the listing is claimed under the restaurant's own name, separate from any parent venue or hotel it operates inside. Each distinct dining concept should have its own dedicated profile. 2. Choose the most accurate primary category. Select a category that precisely matches your restaurant type (e.g., "Cocktail Bar," "Coffee Shop," or "Restaurant"). This is one of the strongest ranking signals Google uses. 3. Add secondary categories. Use additional categories to capture related searches, such as "Breakfast Restaurant" or "Bar & Grill." 4. Complete every profile field. Fill in your hours, phone number, website URL, menu link, attributes (outdoor seating, takeaway, etc.), and a detailed business description using natural, keyword-rich language. 5. Upload high-quality photos regularly. Google rewards active profiles. Add photos of your food, interior, exterior, and team on a consistent basis. 🔑 Step 2: Target the Right Local SEO Keywords Ranking organically requires targeting keywords your potential customers are actually searching for. Build a strong keyword foundation by focusing on terms with clear local intent: - Research phrases that combine your cuisine type or concept with your city or neighbourhood (e.g., "cocktail bar downtown Nashville" or "coffee shop inside hotel Memphis"). - Prioritise keywords that reflect how local customers search, such as "[cuisine type] restaurant near [neighbourhood]" or "best [dish or drink] in [city]." - Use Search Atlas to research, track, and monitor the local keywords most relevant to your business and location. - Monitor your keyword rankings over time so you can identify progress and spot gaps where competitors may be outranking you. 🗺️ Step 3: Identify and Close Local Ranking Gaps Understanding where you rank across different parts of your city helps you prioritise your optimisation efforts. Consider the following: - Look at which geographic areas around your venue show weaker rankings for your target keywords — these are your ranking gaps. - Increase your relevance signals for underperforming areas by building localised content, earning reviews that mention specific neighbourhoods, and strengthening your citation consistency across local directories. 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.

📊 Step 6: Monitor Your Local SEO Performance

Track your local search performance across Google Business Profile, Google Search Console, third-party review platforms, and Search Atlas — so every optimization decision is backed by real data. 📋 Track: Use Google Business Profile Insights (Google Business Profile — external tool) What to do Review your GBP performance data weekly to see how people find and interact with your business. Why it matters These insights show what's driving results — and where to improve. How to do it 1. Open your Google Business Profile dashboard. 2. Click Performance. 3. Focus on: - 🔍 Search terms people used to find you - 🗺️ Where views came from: Google Search vs. Maps - 🎯 Actions users took: calls, directions, website clicks 4. Compare trends week over week. Common mistakes to avoid - ❌ Only checking once a quarter - ❌ Ignoring drop-offs in views or calls - ❌ Getting stuck on vanity metrics (like impressions alone) Pro Tip Check insights weekly — especially after publishing a new post or updating your business info. This helps you see the impact in real time. ✅ Once done, you'll have visibility into what's working and where to focus next. 📈 Evaluate: Measure Organic Traffic with Search Console (Google Search Console — external tool) What to do Review your local keyword traffic and page performance in Google Search Console. Why it matters You'll understand which pages attract searchers and how they find you organically. How to do it 1. Log into Google Search Console. 2. Click Search Results. 3. Apply a filter: Queries containing [your city] or other local terms. 4. Review: - Which pages get traffic - Which search terms are performing - Mobile vs. desktop visibility Common mistakes to avoid - ❌ Not filtering for local queries - ❌ Only checking top-level metrics - ❌ Overlooking underperforming service pages Pro Tip If your local pages aren't getting traffic, adjust page titles to include your city and service (e.g., "Plumber in Denver"). This complements what you learned in Step 4 about optimizing your pages for local queries — now you're measuring the impact. ✅ Once done, you'll know how well your site supports local visibility. 🔔 Listen: Monitor Mentions and Reviews Around the Web (external third-party platforms) What to do Track when people mention your business or leave reviews outside of Google. Why it matters These signals influence your reputation — and can open new SEO or PR opportunities. How to do it 1. Set up Google Alerts for your business name + city. 2. Check your profiles on platforms like Yelp, Facebook, and Apple Maps. 3. Respond to reviews and questions promptly and professionally. 4. Pursue mentions on other sites — and, where possible, a link back to your site. Common mistakes to avoid - ❌ Ignoring third-party platforms - ❌ Responding late to negative reviews - ❌ Letting outdated info stay visible Pro Tip Block 15 minutes every Friday to scan review platforms. Quick responses to reviews — especially negative ones — can boost trust and prevent lost customers. ✅ Once done, you'll stay ahead of problems and strengthen your local reputation. 🔎 Audit: Use Search Atlas's GBP Audit and GBP Overview (Search Atlas — native tool) What to do Use Search Atlas's built-in GBP Audit and GBP Overview dashboards to benchmark your profile against competitors and surface optimization opportunities directly inside the platform. Why it matters These native tools complement external data from GBP Insights and Search Console by giving you an audit score, competitor benchmarks, and prioritized recommendations — all in one place. How to do it 1. Log into Search Atlas. 2. In the left sidebar, go to Local (GBP Projects) and open GBP Overview to see a snapshot of your profile health, recent activity, and key performance indicators. 3. Navigate to GBP Audit to view your overall audit score and detailed recommendations. 4. Review the Competitor Benchmark table to compare your profile against local competitors. 5. Work through the top recommendations surfaced by the audit. Common mistakes to avoid - ❌ Relying only on Google's native tools and missing competitor context - ❌ Skipping the audit recommendations - ❌ Not re-running the audit after making profile updates Pro Tip Run the GBP Audit monthly — and again after any major profile update — to track score improvements and stay ahead of competitors. ✅ Once done, you'll have a clear picture of your GBP health and how you stack up against local competitors. 🌀 You've completed Step 6 of your Local SEO setup. With monitoring in place, you can make smarter decisions based on real data — and grow your local presence with confidence. 📚 Useful Resources 📊 Monitor Performance - Check & view your Business Profile Performance (Google Help) — steps to access and understand GBP Insights 🗺️ Navigation ➡️ Next: Step 7: Improve Your Rankings Over Time 🔝 Back to: Series Index

📘 Start Here: Your Local SEO Ranking Guide

Welcome! This is your complete guide to Local SEO: Step-by-Step Ranking—a guided article series within the Search Atlas Help Center that walks you through claiming your Google Business Profile, improving local search visibility, and building a strong SEO foundation for your business. Each article breaks down a key step in the process, guiding you through everything you need to show up and compete in local search results. ⚠️ Known Issues – Updated May 28, 2026 A few active bugs affect workflows referenced in this series. Fixes are in progress; this callout will be removed once they ship. - Rank Tracker – GBP location search (KE-1249): When creating a new Rank Tracker project, GBP location search may appear to return no results due to a system error (not a data issue). - Local SEO Heatmaps – Add Business (GBP-1261): Adding a business on the Local SEO Heatmaps page is currently unavailable; both Place ID and GBP import methods return an HTTP 400 error. - Classic Report Builder – Local SEO reports (RB-1273, fix queued for deployment): The Classic Report Builder may hang when loading Local SEO reports — relevant if you're following Step 6 (Monitor Your Local SEO Performance). Workaround: reload the report URL directly instead of navigating to it within the builder. Local SEO labels may also display as generic "Local SEO ##" rather than the actual location names. If you hit any of these, please contact Search Atlas support for the latest status. 🧩 Articles in this series 1. Step 1: Set Up the Essentials – Get Your Business on Google 2. Step 2: Keep Your Google Business Profile Active 3. Step 3: Stay Consistent: Weekly Local SEO Tasks 4. Step 4: Optimize Your Website for Local SEO 5.Step 5: Build Local Authority Over Time 6. Step 6: Monitor Your Local SEO Performance 7. Step 7: Boost Your Local Rankings with Strategic Actions You can follow each step in order—or jump directly to the topic that fits your current needs. 🔜 Ready? Start with Step 1: Set Up the Essentials → ⚠️ Having issues with your listing? If your Google Business Profile has been suspended or disappeared from Maps, follow our guide to recover a suspended Google Business Profile → 📚 Useful Official Resources (Applies to All Steps) - Google Business Profile Help – Google Support Official support hub for setting up, verifying, and managing your Business Profile on Google. - Guidelines for representing your business on Google – Google Support Official policies on how to list your business correctly—critical for staying compliant and avoiding penalties or removals.

📍 Skip Local SEO Onboarding and Connect Your Google Business Profile Later

If you do not have a Google Business Profile or simply do not need Local SEO features right away, you can skip that part of the onboarding process and come back to it later. This article explains how to proceed through onboarding without selecting a business, and how to connect your Google Business Profile when you are ready. To continue onboarding without selecting a local business, follow these steps: - When prompted to select a business during onboarding, click I Don't Need Local SEO. - Continue through the remaining onboarding steps as normal until you have finished the setup process. - Once onboarding is complete, navigate to Settings > Google Integrations and connect your Google Business Profile from there. After your Google Business Profile is successfully connected, your business will automatically appear in the Local SEO module, giving you full access to all of its features. If you run into any trouble connecting your Google Business Profile or cannot find the Google Integrations setting, please use the in-app chat widget to chat with a human teammate who can assist you.

🌐 Step 4: Optimize Your Website for Local SEO

Align your website's business information, add local keywords to key pages, and implement schema markup — three changes that give Google the signals it needs to rank your site in local results and map listings. 🏠 Align: Match Your Website Info with Your Google Business Profile What to do Make sure your website's business information matches your Google Business Profile exactly. Why it matters Google compares your site and profile for consistency. Mismatches can lower your credibility and ranking. How to do it 1. Check your website footer and Contact page — these are the most common NAP locations. Treat the footer version as your canonical format. 2. Copy your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) exactly as shown in the footer, then ensure all other instances on your site match it exactly. 3. Go to your Google Business Profile → click Info. 4. Compare and fix any differences (e.g., "Street" vs. "St.", suite numbers). 5. Use the same format everywhere. Common mistakes to avoid - Using different business names or abbreviations - Missing suite numbers - Inconsistent punctuation (e.g., commas, hyphens) Pro Tip Use your website footer to display your NAP consistently across all pages. 💡 Search Atlas Tip: Use the Local Citations feature in Search Atlas to audit and manage your NAP citations across directories from one place — keeping your business information consistent everywhere Google looks. ✅ Once done, Google sees your business as trustworthy and consistent. 📍 Boost: Add Your City and Services to Key Pages What to do Make sure your homepage and service pages mention your city and primary services clearly. Note: Service pages are individual pages dedicated to a single service you offer (e.g., /plumbing-repair, /ac-installation). If you don't have separate service pages yet, start with your homepage and plan to create one page per core service. Why it matters Google uses this content to understand your local relevance. Without it, your site may not appear for local queries. How to do it 1. Open your homepage and service pages in a browser. 2. Check for: - City name in titles and meta descriptions - Service keywords (e.g., "plumbing", "HVAC") in headlines and copy 3. If missing, add them naturally: - Headline: "Trusted HVAC Experts in Glendale" - Paragraph: "We provide emergency plumbing in Glendale and nearby areas." 4. Repeat for every core page on your site. Common mistakes to avoid - Mentioning too many cities at once - Stuffing keywords unnaturally - Only listing your city in the footer, not in the page content Pro Tip Each service page should answer: What do you do? Where do you do it? ✅ Once done, your pages will rank better for local intent queries. 🧭 Connect: Add Local Schema to Your Website What to do Help Google understand your business better by adding local schema — just make sure you or your developer apply it correctly. Why it matters Schema helps search engines recognize key business information directly from your site, which can improve your visibility in search results. How to do it - If you use WordPress, SEO plugins like Yoast or Rank Math let you add local schema without writing code. - If you have a developer, ask them to add structured data using LocalBusiness schema. - Include your business name, address, phone number, and business type. Common mistakes to avoid - Leaving out your address or phone number - Adding schema to the wrong part of your site - Forgetting to update it after changes to your business information Pro Tip You only need to set this up once — but always review it if you move, rebrand, or change services. ✅ Once done, your website will support your local SEO and help Google categorize you more accurately. 🌀 You've completed Step 4 of your Local SEO setup. Your website is now aligned with local ranking signals and working in sync with your Google Business Profile — head to Step 5: Build Local Authority Over Time to keep building momentum. 📚 Useful Official Resources - How to improve your local ranking on Google (Google Help) — covers local ranking basics across Google Business Profile and your website 🗺️ Navigation ➡️ Next: Step 5: Build Local Authority Over Time 🔝 Back to: Series Index

🏆 Step 7: Boost Your Local Rankings with Strategic Actions

After reading this, you'll know how to maintain consistent listings, publish local content, and fix underperforming pages — giving you a repeatable system for improving your local search rankings over time. ♻️ Repeat: Maintain Consistency Across All Listings What to do Every 3 months, double-check your listings and website to confirm everything is aligned and accurate. Why it matters Outdated or inconsistent information across platforms weakens trust signals and hurts rankings. How to do it 1. Create a calendar reminder to review your listings every 3 months. 2. Check your Google Business Profile, website, Yelp, Facebook, Apple Business Connect, and Bing Places for Business. Alternatively, Search Atlas's Local Citations tool surfaces all these platforms in one place for centralized review. 3. Confirm your NAP (name, address, phone), hours, services, and links match across every platform. 4. Fix any discrepancies immediately. Note: When importing your Google Business Profile into the Local SEO Heatmap using a Google Maps URL, Place ID errors are now automatically recovered. If you previously saw an "Unable to retrieve business details" error, retry the import — it should now work without manual intervention. Common mistakes to avoid - ❌ Forgetting to update hours after holidays or location changes - ❌ Letting team members update platforms without coordination - ❌ Assuming your info syncs automatically Pro Tip Use Search Atlas's Local Citations tool as your in-platform hub for auditing and managing listing consistency — the recently refreshed UI includes an improved business dropdown, citations table, kebab menu, and search bar to make audits faster. A spreadsheet or free tracking tool also works for documenting where your info appears. Bonus Pro Tip Use the exact same business name format across every listing — even punctuation or abbreviations can affect Google's trust signals. ✅ Once done, you'll reinforce Google's confidence in your business. 📝 Expand: Add Local Content Regularly What to do Add new content to your site that reflects your city, services, and current activity. Why it matters Fresh content signals to Google that your business is active, and local signals help match you to searches in your area. How to do it 1. Add a blog or updates section if your website platform supports it (Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, etc.). 2. Post locally relevant content such as: - "What to know about plumbing in Denver winters" - "Top 5 reasons to visit our nail salon in Miami this spring" 3. Update your homepage or service pages with seasonal offers or new services. Common mistakes to avoid - ❌ Posting irrelevant or generic content - ❌ Keyword stuffing with city names - ❌ Forgetting to update timestamps or remove outdated promotions Pro Tip Repurpose email newsletters or promotions as blog content with light editing to save time. Multi-location Tip If you operate in multiple cities or service areas, Keyword Research now supports selecting multiple geo-targets to return combined keyword volume across locations. Use this to prioritize which locations to create content for first based on real, aggregated demand. ✅ Once done, your site will feel active, relevant, and locally optimized. 🎯 Improve: Focus on Pages That Aren't Performing What to do Identify pages on your site that get little or no traffic — then optimize them to better match local search intent. Why it matters Low-performing pages dilute your site's overall SEO. Fixing them improves site quality and search impact. How to do it 1. Go to Google Search Console → Pages. 2. Sort by low click-through rate or impressions. 3. Check whether title tags include your city and service. 4. Refresh content with clear headlines, FAQs, or images. 5. Track changes after publishing. Common mistakes to avoid - ❌ Deleting underperforming pages too quickly - ❌ Adding duplicate content - ❌ Over-optimizing with too many local terms Pro Tip Pages that answer local questions ("How much does AC repair cost in Miami?") often recover fastest. 🎉 You've completed the entire Local SEO Setup Series! You now have a clear, step-by-step system to keep your business visible, trusted, and competitive in local search. 🧭 Return to any step at any time, or revisit this series whenever your business expands or changes. 📚 Useful Resources Local SEO Video Overview (Community-Recommended Resource) - 25 Tips for Ranking Your Google Business Profile in 2025 (YouTube) Unofficial but high-quality walkthrough of current best practices for improving your local search rankings. Aligned with Step 7 strategy. Additional Official Resources - Google Business Profile Help Center The primary reference for everything you need to know about setting up, verifying, and managing your Google Business Profile. - How Google Determines Local Ranking Google's official guide explaining the three ranking factors — relevance, distance, and prominence — that determine which profiles appear in local results. 🔝 Back to: Series Index 🌀 You've now built a repeatable local SEO maintenance system — keep your listings consistent, your content fresh, and your underperforming pages improved. Return to the Series Index to revisit any earlier step as your business grows.

📱 Social: Overview

Social is Search Atlas's all-in-one social media scheduler — it lets you plan, organize, and automate your social content, and gives you a single view of every social project's posting schedule and status. How do I see all my social projects? The All Projects view lists every project as a card, showing its posting frequency, how many accounts are connected, and a breakdown of Total Posts, Pending Approval, Published, Scheduled, and Draft posts. Use the search bar to find a specific project quickly. How do I create a new project? Click Create Project to set one up, then connect the social accounts you want to post to. How do I manage posts that need approval or are coming up? Use the sub-navigation to switch between All Projects, Pending Approvals — which shows a badge with the count of posts waiting for review — and Calendar View, which lays out scheduled posts by date. If you run into an issue with a connected account or a post that won't schedule, our support team is available via live chat in the bottom-right corner of the platform.

📍 Step 2: Keep Your Google Business Profile Active

After completing this step, your Google Business Profile will be visually active, review-ready, and optimized for local search visibility. 📸 Add High-Quality Photos to Your Profile What to do Upload clear, real photos of your business, location, team, or services. Why it matters Photos improve engagement, build trust, and signal activity to Google. Profiles with recent, high-quality images tend to rank better in local search. How to do it 1. Open your Google Business Profile dashboard. 2. Go to the Photos section. 3. Upload the following types of images: - Storefront or exterior shot (include signage if possible) - Interior view showing ambiance or layout - Your team in action or in uniform - Services or finished results (e.g., repairs, meals, installations) 4. Name each file using keywords and your city — for example, hvac-truck-chicago.jpg or salon-exterior-miami.jpg. Common mistakes to avoid - Using stock photos or generic graphics - Uploading blurry or outdated images - Forgetting to update photos after renovations or rebranding 💡 Pro Tip Geolocated file names like storefront-newyork.jpg give Google extra location context — a free, easy optimization step. ✅ Your profile will look more trustworthy and visually active to new customers. ⭐ Collect and Respond to Customer Reviews What to do Ask satisfied customers to leave a review, and respond to all feedback — especially in the early stage. Why it matters Reviews are a major local ranking factor and influence customer decisions. Active review management signals that you are trustworthy and responsive. How to do it 1. In your GBP dashboard, click Get more reviews. 2. Copy your review link. 3. Share the link via: - Your email signature - A post-service text message - A printed card or receipt 4. Respond to every review within 24–48 hours: - Positive: thank them by name and mention a specific detail - Negative: stay calm, brief, and professional Example reply (positive): "Thanks so much, Ashley! We're glad the Saturday AC repair got you back up and running." Example reply (negative): "We're sorry to hear that, Jon. We've messaged you to make it right." Common mistakes to avoid - Asking for reviews in bulk or offering rewards - Ignoring or deleting negative reviews - Posting fake reviews 💡 Pro Tip Make review requests part of your post-service follow-up routine. A quick message right after service significantly increases response rates. ✅ Your GBP will gain trust signals and Google will see your business as more locally relevant. 🛠️ Complete the Services Section What to do Use the Services section to list exactly what your business offers, in customer-friendly language. Why it matters Google uses this content to match your profile with relevant searches. It also helps customers immediately understand if you offer what they need. How to do it 1. In your GBP dashboard, click Edit services. 2. Add each service separately using natural, customer-facing phrases. 3. Optionally, add a short description for each service. 4. Save your updates. Example: - Service: Drain Cleaning - Description: "Unclog kitchen, bathroom, or outdoor drains quickly and affordably." Common mistakes to avoid - Using internal terms customers wouldn't search for (e.g., "Tier 2 Assessment") - Leaving the section blank or outdated - Keyword stuffing 💡 Pro Tip Check the words customers use in emails, chats, or reviews — then add services using exactly those phrases. ✅ Your profile will match more search queries and convert more views into clicks. 📚 Useful Official Resources 📷 Photos & Visuals - Manage photos or videos for your Business Profile (Google Help) — best practice guidelines and upload instructions - Tips for business-specific photos on your Business Profile (Google Help) — advice on which types of images perform best 🗺️ Navigation - ➡️ Next: Step 3: Weekly Local SEO Tasks → - 🔝 Back to: Series Index 🌀 You've completed Step 2 — your Google Business Profile is now active, trusted, and optimized for local engagement. Continue to Step 3: Weekly Local SEO Tasks to build on this foundation.

📍 Local SEO & GBP Galactic Training

🌟 Introduction This session covers how to set up and optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP) inside SearchAtlas. You’ll learn how to integrate GBP with your dashboard, run local SEO heatmaps, automate posts, Q&As, and review replies, and manage citations effectively. Real-world examples include how chiropractic centers and barbershops used SearchAtlas to improve rankings across local map packs. 📝 Agenda 1️⃣ GBP Setup & Integrations – Connect Google Business Profiles to SearchAtlas. 2️⃣ GBP Galactic Dashboard – Review metrics (citations, reviews, rankings, posts, tasks). 3️⃣ GBP Data Lock – Prevent unauthorized edits on your GBP. 4️⃣ Local SEO Heatmaps – Track keyword visibility across geographic areas. 5️⃣ SERP Competitor Analysis – Compare performance against local competitors. 6️⃣ Automated GBP Posts – Use AI to schedule posts with optimized images and text. 7️⃣ Automated Q&As – Create and configure FAQ-style questions and answers. 8️⃣ Automated Review Replies – Set rules for AI-driven customer review responses. 9️⃣ Local Citations – Submit NAP data to citation networks with Hyperdrive credits. 🔟 Final Q&A – Best practices and setup tips. 💡 Key Takeaways - 🔗 Easy integrations – Share links with clients to integrate GBP securely. - 🛡️ GBP Data Lock – Prevent edits from Google users with high trust scores. - 🗺️ Local SEO Heatmaps – Visualize rankings by keyword across grids (rectangle or circle). - 📊 Quota transparency – Each heatmap scan shows how many credits will be used. - 📝 AI-powered posting – Generate posts with custom prompts, keywords, and images. - ❓ Automated Q&As – Add FAQs directly into your GBP for customer clarity. - 💬 AI review replies – Automate responses with tone, length, and compliance settings. - 📒 Local Citations – Submit your business to directories (U.S. or international) using Hyperdrive credits. 👉 Watch the full training video to see live demos and Q&A.