Troubleshooting: Other Issues

🚨 Step 8: What to Do if Your Google Business Profile Gets Suspended

🛑 Stop Emails from Deleted Client Accounts

🛠️ OTTO Cache Purging and Local SEO for Restaurants

🔍 Overview This article covers two common scenarios for hotel and hospitality websites managed with OTTO SEO: manually purging the edge cache for a specific page, setting up automatic Cloudflare cache purging, and understanding how cache invalidation works alongside third-party plugins like Slider Revolution. It also walks through the steps to improve Google Search visibility for a hotel restaurant outlet such as Doc's Cocktails and Coffee. ⚙️ How OTTO Edge Cache Purging Works OTTO SEO includes a built-in cache orchestration layer that manages edge CDN purging automatically when SEO changes are deployed. When OTTO updates metadata, schema, or on-page signals, it triggers a targeted cache purge using cache tags — so only the affected pages are invalidated, not your entire site cache. Key things to know: - Targeted purging: OTTO purges only the specific URLs affected by a change, using cache-tag-based purge requests to your CDN. - Self-verification probe: After a purge, OTTO runs a self-verification check to confirm the new content is being served from the edge. If the probe detects a stale response, OTTO retries the purge automatically. - Connectivity resilience: If the CDN endpoint is temporarily unreachable, OTTO queues the purge request and retries until it succeeds. Cache health status is visible inside the OTTO dashboard. ☁️ Configuring Automatic Cloudflare Cache Purging OTTO SEO integrates directly with Cloudflare to automate edge cache purging without manual intervention. To set this up: 1. Navigate to Left sidebar → OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) (URL: /seo-automation-v3). 2. Open Settings within OTTO SEO and locate the CDN / Cache Integration section. 3. Enter your Cloudflare API Token and Zone ID. Your API token must include Zone:DNS:Edit, Zone:Zone:Read, Workers Scripts:Edit, Workers Routes:Edit and Workers KV Storage:Edit permissions (the "Edit Cloudflare Workers" template plus a Zone DNS Edit row) for the relevant zone. 4. Save the settings. OTTO will now automatically purge Cloudflare cache for affected pages whenever SEO changes are deployed. Once connected, every OTTO-triggered update — such as a meta title change, schema deployment, or content optimization — will automatically send a targeted purge to Cloudflare using cache tags, ensuring visitors and search engine crawlers always see the latest version of your pages. 🔌 Cache Invalidation and Slider Revolution OTTO's cache purge layer operates at the OTTO SEO level, not at the plugin or database level. This means: - OTTO does not hook directly into Slider Revolution's database changes or internal save events. - If you update a Slider Revolution element on a page, OTTO will not automatically detect that change and trigger a purge. - To ensure the updated slider is served from the edge after a Slider Revolution change, clear the cache directly in your WordPress caching plugin and/or your CDN (for example, using Cloudflare's own cache purge tools or cache rules to purge on content updates). For pages where Slider Revolution content changes frequently, consider setting a shorter edge cache TTL in Cloudflare for those specific URLs to reduce the risk of stale content being served. 📍 How to Rank a Hotel Restaurant Outlet on Google Search Getting a hotel restaurant like Doc's Cocktails and Coffee to appear in Google Search requires a combination of on-page SEO, local SEO signals, and structured data. Use OTTO SEO alongside the following steps: 1. Create a dedicated page for the restaurant on your hotel website (e.g., /dining/docs-cocktails-and-coffee). Do not rely solely on a mention on the hotel homepage. 2. Optimise the page title and meta description via OTTO SEO to include the restaurant name, location, and key terms (e.g., "Doc's Cocktails and Coffee — [City] Hotel Restaurant"). 3. Add Restaurant schema using OTTO's schema deployment tools. Include fields such as name, address, servesCuisine, openingHours, telephone, and menu. 4. Set up or claim a Google Business Profile specifically for the restaurant outlet. Use the exact restaurant name, add photos, hours, and a link to the dedicated page. 5. Build local citations — ensure the restaurant's name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across directories like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and OpenTable. 6. Add internal links from the hotel homepage, dining overview page, and other relevant pages to the restaurant's dedicated page. 7. Publish unique content on the restaurant page: menu highlights, ambience descriptions, and guest reviews help Google understand the page's relevance. After making these changes, use OTTO SEO to deploy optimisations, and clear your website, CDN or WordPress caching-plugin cache for the restaurant page so Google can crawl the most up-to-date version immediately. 💡 Tips and Best Practices - Always clear your CDN or caching-plugin cache after significant on-page changes so search engine crawlers index the latest content. - For hotel restaurant outlets, a dedicated sub-page with full schema always outperforms a brief mention in a general dining section. - Keep your Cloudflare API token secure and rotate it periodically via the Cloudflare dashboard. 🆘 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.

🛠️ Fix GBP Deploy All Changes Internal Error

🔍 Overview Some users encountered an Internal error when clicking Deploy All Changes in the GBP section of the platform. This was caused by a data issue that triggered an error during the deploy process. The engineering team identified and resolved the root cause. ✅ Current Status: Resolved The fix has been developed, reviewed, and released. Deployments are now working as expected. No action is required on your end to receive the fix — it has been applied automatically to the platform. 🚀 What to Do Now 1. Navigate to the GBP section of the platform. 2. Open the project that was previously showing the internal error. 3. Attempt to deploy your changes again using the deploy option. 4. Verify that all changes are applied correctly. ⚙️ If the Error Still Appears In rare cases, a similar internal error can be caused by a different data issue in your specific location record. If you still see an internal error after trying again, note the following details before reaching out: - The name or ID of the GBP location where the error occurs. - The exact error message displayed on screen. - Which actions trigger the error. Having this information ready will help the team diagnose your issue faster. 💬 Contact Support 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 the GBP TOO_MANY_ENTRIES Deployment Error

🔍 What Is the TOO_MANY_ENTRIES Error? When deploying updates to your Google Business Profile (GBP) through Search Atlas, you may encounter a TOO_MANY_ENTRIES error. This error is triggered by the Google Business Profile API when a deployment request contains more individual updates than Google allows in a single request. In practical terms, this means the number of fields or attribute changes bundled into one deployment exceeds Google's per-request limit. This is a restriction enforced on Google's side, not a Search Atlas platform issue. ⚠️ Why the Waiting Period Alone May Not Work You may have tried waiting before re-deploying, only to see the same error appear. If the underlying deployment contains too many entries, re-deploying the same batch without changes may cause the error to repeat. ✅ How to Resolve the Error Because the exact batch size limit and timing thresholds enforced by Google's API can vary and are not publicly documented, the recommended approach when you encounter this error is to contact the Search Atlas support team. A support agent will be able to review your specific deployment, identify the cause, and guide you through the correct resolution steps. When reaching out, please have the following ready so the team can assist you as quickly as possible: - The name of the GBP location or project affected - The exact error message you received (including any error codes shown) - The approximate date and time the error occurred - A description of the updates you were attempting to deploy (e.g., business hours, photos, attributes) 💡 General Best Practices - Avoid deploying large numbers of changes at once. If you have many GBP updates ready, consider grouping them into smaller, separate deployments rather than sending everything in a single batch. - Prioritise high-impact updates first. If you have many changes queued, deploy the most time-sensitive updates (such as holiday hours or address changes) before lower-priority ones. - Review attribute-heavy updates carefully. Profiles with many custom attributes (services, amenities, payment options) may be more prone to hitting API limits. Consider separating attribute updates into their own deployment. 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 Google Business Profile Auto-Reply Not Working

🔍 Overview If your Google Business Profile (GBP) is connected to Search Atlas but the AI Auto-Respond feature is not replying to new reviews, this article walks you through the most common causes and how to fix them step by step. ✅ Step 1: Confirm Your GBP Is Properly Connected A broken or expired GBP connection is the most common reason auto-replies stop working. To check your connection status: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. Select Overview. 3. Locate your GBP project and check that the connection status shows as active. If you see a warning, a disconnected badge, or a prompt to reconnect, your Google account needs to be re-authorised. 4. Follow the on-screen prompts to reconnect your Google account and grant the required permissions. After reconnecting, allow up to 15 minutes for the integration to refresh before testing again. ⚙️ Step 2: Verify Auto-Respond Is Enabled Even if your GBP is connected, the Auto-Respond toggle must be switched on at the project level. To confirm this: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select Reviews. 2. Find the Auto-Respond setting at the top of the page. 3. Make sure the toggle is turned on. If it is off, enable it and save your changes. 4. Check that you have selected an AI response style or template if prompted — without this, the feature cannot generate replies. 🔄 Step 3: Check If Reviews Are Syncing Auto-replies can only be sent to reviews that have been successfully pulled into Search Atlas. If reviews are not syncing, the AI has nothing to respond to. To check review sync status: 1. Go to Local → Reviews in the left sidebar. 2. Look for your most recent Google reviews. Compare the dates shown in Search Atlas against your actual Google Business Profile to see if new reviews are missing. 3. If reviews are not up to date, try manually triggering a sync by refreshing the Reviews page or using any available Sync or Refresh button on the page. Note that Google can take up to 24 hours to surface new reviews through its API. A short delay is expected and does not always indicate an error. 🛠️ Step 4: Check for Reviews Already Responded To The Auto-Respond feature will not overwrite replies that already exist on a review — either from a previous manual response or a prior auto-reply attempt. If a review shows as responded inside Google but not inside Search Atlas, this may cause a sync mismatch. To resolve this: - Check the review inside Local → Reviews and confirm whether a response is already recorded. - If the response exists in Google but is missing in Search Atlas, reconnecting your GBP (Step 1) usually resolves the discrepancy. ⚠️ Common Reasons Auto-Replies Fail - Expired Google OAuth token: Your Google authorisation has timed out and needs to be renewed. - Insufficient Google permissions: The connected Google account may not have owner or manager access to the GBP listing. - Auto-Respond toggle turned off: The feature was disabled manually or reset after a platform update. - No AI response template selected: The feature requires a response style to be configured before it can generate replies. - Review sync delay: New reviews have not yet been pulled in from the Google API. 🚀 Quick Checklist Before Contacting Support 1. GBP connection is active with no warnings in Local → Overview. 2. Auto-Respond toggle is on in Local → Reviews. 3. An AI response style or template is selected. 4. New reviews are visible inside Local → Reviews. 5. The connected Google account has owner or manager access to the GBP listing. 6. You have waited at least 24 hours after a new review was posted. 💬 Still Need Help? If you have completed all the steps above and auto-replies are still not generating, 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 Broken GBP Notification Redirect Links

What Is This Issue? If you are using Search Atlas under a white-label agency setup, you may notice that clicking the View button inside a Google Business Profile (GBP) notification redirects you to a blank page instead of opening the review inside your Search Atlas dashboard. This is a known platform-side configuration issue affecting white-label agency accounts. It does not affect the reviews themselves — all review data is still being captured and stored correctly inside your dashboard. Why This Happens GBP review notifications are sent automatically when a new review is posted on a connected Google Business Profile location. For some white-label agency accounts, the redirect URL embedded in those notifications points to an outdated endpoint, causing the browser to display a blank screen. This is a backend configuration issue that requires a fix on the platform side. No action on your end will resolve the broken link itself. How to View Your GBP Reviews Right Now While the redirect link in the notification email is broken, you can still access all of your GBP reviews directly inside the platform: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas dashboard at dashboard.searchatlas.com. 2. In the left sidebar, navigate to Local (GBP Projects). 3. Select the relevant business location from your list of connected profiles in the Local (GBP Projects) section. 4. From there you can view, respond to, and manage all incoming reviews. No review data is lost. Everything referenced in the notification is also available inside the dashboard through the steps above. What You Should Do About the Broken Links There is no action required on your end to fix the redirect links themselves. However, there are a few things you can do in the meantime: - Ignore the View button in existing notification emails and access reviews directly via the dashboard as described above. - Bookmark your GBP Reviews page inside the dashboard for faster access when new notifications arrive. - Inform your team members or sub-users about this workaround so they are not blocked when a notification arrives. Does This Affect All Notifications? This issue specifically affects white-label agency accounts whose notification links point to an outdated domain. Standard accounts using the default Search Atlas domain are not affected. If you are unsure whether your account is impacted, check whether the View button in your GBP notification emails leads to a blank page. Escalating This Issue Because this is a backend configuration issue, it must be resolved by our support team. When reaching out, please have the following ready: - Your agency account name or workspace URL - The exact URL the broken notification link redirects to - A screenshot or description of the blank page behavior 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.

🔍 GSC Meta Description & Local SEO Schema Warnings Explained

📋 Overview If you received an email from Google Search Console (GSC) flagging a warning related to a meta description or Local SEO schema, you are not alone. These alerts can look alarming, but in most cases they are informational warnings rather than critical errors. This article explains what these warnings mean, why they appear, and how to resolve them using Search Atlas. 🔎 What These GSC Warnings Mean Google Search Console sends warnings when it detects issues with structured data (schema markup) or on-page elements like meta descriptions on your pages. The two most common warnings related to this topic are: - Missing meta description: Google could not find a meta description tag on a page it crawled. This does not remove the page from search results, but it may affect how your listing appears in search. - Local SEO schema warning: Google found schema markup on your page (such as LocalBusiness schema) but detected a field that is incomplete, incorrectly formatted, or references an element it cannot validate. These warnings are part of Google's ongoing efforts to improve structured data quality. A warning is not the same as a manual penalty — your site remains indexed, but addressing warnings helps improve your visibility and rich result eligibility. ⚠️ Should You Be Concerned? Warnings do not cause your pages to be de-indexed or penalised. However, unresolved warnings can prevent your pages from qualifying for rich results (such as star ratings, local knowledge panels, or FAQ snippets). It is good practice to resolve them promptly. Errors, on the other hand, do block rich results and should be treated as higher priority. 🛠️ How to Fix Meta Description Warnings in Search Atlas If GSC reports a missing or duplicate meta description, you can audit and update it directly inside Search Atlas: 1. In the left sidebar, go to Content → Onpage Audit. 2. Locate the site row you want to audit and review the AUDIT, LOCATION, CONT. SCORE, and TECH. SCORE columns. 3. Click View Audit or Retry to run a fresh audit on the affected page or site. 4. Review the results for any meta description issues flagged in the report. 5. Once you have identified the page, go to Content → Content Genius to rewrite or optimise the meta description. You can use Write an article or Rework existing article to generate an improved version. 6. After updating, return to GSC and use the Validate Fix option on the affected URL to ask Google to re-crawl the page. 🏗️ How to Fix Local SEO Schema Warnings in Search Atlas If GSC reports a warning in your LocalBusiness or other schema markup, use the Search Atlas Schema Creator to review and rebuild your schema: 1. In the top navigation, go to More Features → Schema Creator. 2. Select the appropriate schema type tab. For local business issues, check the Article, FAQ Page, or other relevant tabs depending on the schema type flagged in GSC. 3. Review each field carefully. Make sure all required fields (such as business name, address, phone number, and URL) are complete and correctly formatted. 4. Click Copy Markup to copy the corrected schema code. 5. Paste the updated schema into the <head> section of your page, replacing the previous version. If you use a plugin or CMS, update it there. 6. Go back to GSC, open the Enhancements or Rich Results report, and click Validate Fix on the affected URL. ✅ Best Practices to Avoid Future Warnings - Always ensure every page has a unique, descriptive meta description between 120–160 characters. - Avoid duplicating meta descriptions across multiple pages — each page should have its own. - When adding LocalBusiness schema, fill in all recommended fields, not just the required ones. Google rewards completeness. - After deploying schema changes, test your pages using Google's Rich Results Test tool before submitting for validation. - Run regular Onpage Audits in Search Atlas to catch missing or duplicate meta tags before GSC flags them. 💬 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.

📋 Fix Business Description Word Count Rejection Errors

🔎 Overview When submitting your business description through the Data Aggregator and Network Submissions section in Local Citations, Search Atlas validates that your description falls within a strict 50–500 word count range. If your submission is rejected with a word count error, the most common cause is a miscalculation of your actual word count — not a formatting issue, character limit, or browser cache problem. This article explains exactly how word count is measured, why your count may differ from what you expect, and how to correct your description so it passes validation. 🗺️ How to Access Data Aggregator Network Submissions 1. Log in to Search Atlas. 2. In the left sidebar, click Local. 3. Select Local Citations from the sub-menu. 4. Open your target project and navigate to the Data Aggregator and Network Submissions section. 5. Locate the Business Description field to review or edit your current entry. 📏 How Word Count Validation Works Search Atlas counts words using standard whitespace-based tokenisation. Every sequence of characters separated by a space, tab, or line break is counted as one word. The rules below are the most important ones to understand: - Minimum: Your description must contain at least 50 words. - Maximum: Your description must contain no more than 500 words. - Hyphenated compounds (e.g., award-winning) are counted as one word. - Numbers and symbols (e.g., 24/7, $50) each count as one word. - Punctuation attached to a word (e.g., a trailing comma or period) does not create an extra word. - Extra blank lines or multiple consecutive spaces do not add to the word count. This means word processor tools such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or browser extensions may report a slightly different count depending on how they handle hyphens, numbers, and punctuation. Always verify your count using a plain-text method before resubmitting. ⚠️ Common Reasons Your Count May Be Wrong - Word processor inflation: Some tools count hyphenated words as two words. Search Atlas counts them as one, so your processor may show a higher number than the platform records. - Copied content with hidden characters: Text pasted from a PDF, website, or formatted document can contain invisible characters or non-breaking spaces that word processors count but the platform does not recognise as word separators. - Contractions and possessives: Words like don't or company's are always counted as a single word. - Bullet points or list formatting: If you paste bulleted text, the bullet symbols may be stripped during submission, which can reduce your word count below 50. ✅ How to Accurately Check Your Word Count 1. Copy your business description text. 2. Paste it into a plain-text editor (Notepad on Windows, TextEdit in plain-text mode on Mac, or an online word counter tool that counts by whitespace). 3. Remove any leading or trailing blank lines. 4. Count the words. Confirm the total is between 50 and 500. 5. If you are close to the boundary, add or remove a few words to create a comfortable buffer — aim for at least 55–495 words to avoid edge-case discrepancies. ✍️ How to Update Your Business Description 1. Navigate to Local → Local Citations in the left sidebar. 2. Open the relevant project and go to Data Aggregator and Network Submissions. 3. Click Edit next to the Business Description field. 4. Paste your corrected description, confirm the word count is within range, and click Save. 5. Resubmit the form. The validation error should no longer appear once your word count is compliant. 🚫 What This Error Is NOT About If you received guidance suggesting the rejection is caused by a character limit, special characters, or a browser cache issue, that guidance does not apply to this specific error. The Data Aggregator business description field uses word count validation only. Clearing your cache or removing special characters will not resolve a word count rejection. Focus solely on adjusting the number of words in your description. 💡 Writing Tips for a Compliant Description - Aim for a natural length of 100–300 words — enough to be informative without padding. - Describe your core services, location, unique value, and who you serve. - Avoid keyword stuffing or repetitive phrases used solely to inflate word count, as these can affect how your listing is received by aggregator networks. - Write in full sentences rather than fragmented bullet points to ensure an accurate and consistent word count. 🆘 Still Seeing the Rejection Error? If you have confirmed your word count is between 50 and 500 and the error persists, there may be an underlying technical issue with your submission. 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 Integration Not Showing After Client Auth

🔍 Overview When you send a client an authorization link to connect their Google account, it can sometimes appear as though nothing happened — their Google Business Profile (GBP) does not show up in your Integrations tab even after they confirm they've completed the login. This article explains the most common reasons this occurs and walks you through how to fix it. ⚙️ How the GBP Authorization Flow Works When you initiate a GBP integration for a client, Search Atlas generates a unique authorization link. Your client must: 1. Open the link in a browser where they are logged into the correct Google account — the one that owns or manages their GBP listing. 2. Grant the requested permissions on the Google consent screen. 3. Reach the confirmation page, which indicates the authorization was successful. Only after all three steps are completed will the connected account appear in your Integrations tab. If any step is skipped or completed incorrectly, the integration will not register. ⚠️ Common Reasons the Integration Does Not Appear - Wrong Google account used: The client was logged into a personal Gmail account instead of the Google account that manages their GBP. The authorization must be completed from the account that has Owner or Manager access to the listing. - Permissions not fully granted: The client clicked through the consent screen without accepting all requested permissions. Google requires full permission approval for the integration to activate. - Link opened while already logged into a different account: If the client's browser had a different Google account active, the authorization may have been granted to the wrong account. - Link expired or was reused: Authorization links are time-sensitive. If the client waited too long or tried to use the link more than once, it may no longer be valid. - Browser or cookie issue: Cached sessions or browser extensions can interfere with the Google consent flow, causing it to fail silently. 🛠️ Step-by-Step Troubleshooting 1. Confirm the correct Google account: Ask your client to verify which Google account manages their GBP. They can check this by visiting business.google.com and confirming they are logged in with the right account before clicking the authorization link. 2. Generate a new authorization link: Go to your Integrations tab in Search Atlas and revoke or remove the pending connection if one exists, then generate a fresh authorization link to send to your client. 3. Ask the client to use an Incognito or private window: This clears any cached Google sessions and ensures the browser is using only the account they actively log into during the process. 4. Walk through the consent screen together: If possible, have the client share their screen or confirm step by step that they clicked Allow (not Skip or Cancel) on every permission prompt. 5. Refresh your Integrations tab: After the client confirms completion, wait up to two minutes and then do a full page refresh. Newly authorized accounts can take a short moment to propagate. 6. Check for multiple Google accounts: If the client manages several Google accounts, make sure they are not switching between accounts mid-flow. The entire process should be completed within a single account session. ✅ How to Confirm the Integration Is Active Once the authorization is completed correctly, the connected Google account will appear in your Integrations tab with a green status indicator. You will then be able to select the associated GBP listing and attach it to the relevant project. If the account appears but no GBP listing is shown, the Google account used may not have access to any verified listings — confirm with your client that their listing is active and linked to that account. 💡 Tips to Prevent This Issue in the Future - Include clear instructions with the authorization link — let clients know they must use the specific Google account tied to their GBP, not their personal Gmail. - Recommend clients complete the authorization on a desktop browser in an Incognito window for the most reliable experience. - Follow up with clients promptly after sending the link, as links can expire if left unused. 🙋 Still Need Help? If you have followed all the steps above and the integration is still not appearing, 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.

No Business Showing in Tool Selector

If no business appears in a tool's selector dropdown within Search Atlas, it means a business has not yet been created inside that specific tool. Each Search Atlas module maintains its own independent business list — businesses must be added per tool before they appear for selection. 📋 Why This Happens This is expected behavior, not a bug. Search Atlas tools — including GBP Manager (Local → GBP Projects), Local SEO Heatmaps, PPC, and Brand Vault — each manage their own list of businesses or locations independently. A business configured in one tool does not automatically carry over to another. Every tool requires its own setup before the selector will populate. ✅ How to Add a Business to a Tool Follow these steps to make a business appear in the selector: 1. Open the tool where the selector is empty — for example, Local SEO Heatmaps, PPC, or Brand Vault. 2. Look for the Connect GBP Account button (Local → GBP Projects). This is typically displayed in the tool's main view or within its settings area. 3. Complete all required fields for your business or location and save the entry. 4. Return to the selector dropdown — your newly added business will now be available for selection. ⚠️ Common Scenarios - Using multiple tools: A business added in one tool (for example, GBP Manager at Local → GBP Projects (GBP Projects)) does not appear in other tools (for example, Local SEO Heatmaps or PPC). You must add the business separately in each tool you want to use it with. - Recently added to a workspace: If you were just invited to a workspace, you may not see businesses created by other team members. This depends on your permission level — contact your workspace admin to verify your access rights. - Incomplete business setup: If you began creating a business but did not complete all required fields, it may not appear in the selector. Return to the tool's business or location settings and confirm the entry is fully saved. - Brand Vault — business has no products configured: Brand Vault intentionally excludes businesses that have no products added to them. If a business does not appear in the Brand Vault selector, verify that at least one product has been configured for that business first. - PPC tool — business not visible in a long list: The PPC Business Selection Dropdown includes a search input to help you locate a specific business quickly when managing many accounts. If the business is not immediately visible in the dropdown, try typing its name into the search field. 💬 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.

📘 How to Find Your GMB Place ID

📍 Overview If you're using Search Atlas's Signal Genesys-powered PR and local signal tools and have a Service Area Business (SAB) or a Google Business Profile with a hidden address, you'll need your GMB Place ID to fully activate location-based features. This guide walks you through how to retrieve your Place ID using Google's official tool, even if your business address is hidden. 🎬 Step-by-Step Video Tutorial Watch the tutorial on YouTube for a walkthrough of exactly where to go, what to click, and how to copy the Place ID you need. 📋 What You'll Need - A Google Business Profile (SAB or not) - Your business name and city - Access to Google's Place ID Finder Tool 🔎 How to Find Your Place ID 1. Go to Google's Place ID Finder 2. Enter your business name and city in the search bar 3. Click on your business when it appears 4. Copy the Place ID shown in the info window 5. Paste it into the Place ID field in Local → Local SEO Heatmaps (Import from Google Business Profile) Tip: Even if your address is hidden, your listing will still appear in search results if it's verified. ❓ FAQs - Do I need a Place ID if I don't use local SEO features? No, it's only required for location-based citation publishing and schema integrations. - My business didn't show up in the Place ID Finder, what should I do? Make sure your Google Business Profile is verified. Try entering different keyword variations (for example, business name plus postal code). 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 Find the CID Number for a Google Business Profile

Each Google Business Profile (GBP) has a unique CID (Customer ID) — the identifier you need to activate OTTO, connect automations, and unlock local SEO insights in Search Atlas. Choose the method below that fits your listing type; if one fails, try the next. 🗺️ Method 1: Find the CID via Google Maps Source Code Best for: Standard storefronts and physical location listings. 1. Go to Google Maps and search for your business name. 2. Click the correct listing to open its panel. 3. In the browser address bar, replace https:// with view-source: and press Enter. 4. When the raw source loads, press Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on Mac) and search for ludocid. 5. Find a string like: ludocid\u003d18208190227674681406#lrd 6. The number between ludocid\u003d and #lrd is your CID — for example: 18208190227674681406. ⚠️ Chrome users: Newer versions of Chrome may block the view-source: method for Google Maps URLs, returning a blank page. Switch to Method 2 or Method 3 if this happens. 🏘️ Method 2: Find the CID for Service Area Businesses (SABs) SABs hide their address on Maps, so the source-code method often fails. Use hex extraction instead: 1. Search for your business in Google Maps and click the listing to open the full panel. 2. Check the URL in the address bar — it contains two strings starting with 0x. 3. Copy the second 0x… string — it holds your CID in hexadecimal format. 4. Remove the 0x prefix. For example: e060d065957c4103 5. Paste that value into a Hex-to-Decimal converter. 6. The resulting decimal number is your CID. 💡 Tip: If you see only one 0x string in the URL, click the business name inside the listing panel to expand the full detail view — the second string will then appear. ⚡ Method 3: Use a CID Converter Tool If both manual methods fail, a dedicated converter tool extracts your CID automatically — no source code or hex conversion required. 1. Open your business listing in Google Maps and copy the full URL from the address bar. 2. Paste it into the Pleper CID Converter. 3. Your CID appears instantly. ✅ This method works for both standard listings and SABs, and is mobile-friendly. 📍 Where to Enter Your CID in Search Atlas Once you have your CID, here's where to use it in Search Atlas: - OTTO Activation: Go to Local → GBP Projects and click the Connect GBP Account button to paste your CID and link your profile. - GBP Management: Under Left sidebar → Local (GBP Projects), use the CID to enable review monitoring, post scheduling, and listing audits. - Client Projects: Add the CID to a client project to pull live GBP performance data into your reports. ⚠️ If Search Atlas rejects the CID, confirm you've copied the full numeric string only — no trailing text like #lrd and no extra spaces. ❓ Troubleshooting Common CID Questions The view-source method shows a blank page This is a known limitation in newer versions of Chrome. Use Method 2 (hex extraction) or Method 3 (converter tool) instead. I can't find two 0x strings in the Maps URL Make sure you've clicked the listing — not just the map pin. The full URL with both 0x strings only appears after the listing panel fully loads. Copy the URL directly from the address bar. Search Atlas won't accept my CID The CID must be a plain numeric string of 18–20 digits. Remove any trailing characters like #lrd and check for hidden spaces. If the issue continues, reach out via the in-app chat. Does the CID change when I update my GBP? No. The CID is a permanent identifier assigned when your listing is created. It stays the same regardless of changes to your business name, address, or category. I manage multiple locations — does each have its own CID? Yes. Every Google Business Profile has its own unique CID. Retrieve it separately for each location you want to connect in Search Atlas. Can I find my CID on a mobile device? The view-source method is not available on mobile browsers. Use Method 3 — copy your Google Maps listing URL on your phone and paste it into the Pleper CID Converter from any mobile browser. 🎯 With your CID confirmed, you're ready to activate OTTO, configure GBP Management, and fully connect your Google Business Profile inside Search Atlas. Reach out via the in-app chat if you need a hand.

🗺️ Fix Duplicate GBP Entries in Rank Tracker

🔍 Overview If you notice two entries for the same Google Business Profile (GBP) location inside Search Atlas Rank Tracker — for example, two listings named Michelle and Marcella — this guide explains why this happens and how to clean it up. Duplicate GBP entries can also cause report data to appear under the wrong company, so resolving them ensures your reporting stays accurate. 🤔 Why Duplicate GBP Entries Appear Duplicate GBP entries in Rank Tracker are usually caused by one of the following: - The same location was added more than once — either manually and via a Google Business Profile import, or added twice across different projects. - Multiple workspaces or projects share the same GBP location — if a location is connected to more than one project, it can appear separately in each context. - A previous GBP connection was not fully removed — disconnecting a profile without deleting the associated tracking entry leaves a ghost record behind. - The GBP account contains duplicate verified listings — Search Atlas reflects what exists in your Google account, so duplicate listings on Google's side will show up here too. 📊 Why Reports Show Data for the Wrong Company When two entries exist for the same GBP location, Search Atlas may pull ranking data into both entries independently. Because each entry can be associated with a different project or client workspace, keyword rankings and local map pack data can appear under the wrong company name on exported or scheduled reports. This is a data-source mismatch — the tracking entry and the report template are pointing to different project contexts. 🛠️ How to Find and Remove Duplicate Entries 1. In the left sidebar, click Keywords, then select Rank Tracker (Keyword Rank Tracker). 2. Review the list of tracked locations. Look for any GBP entries that share the same business name or address. 3. Click into each duplicate entry and note which project it is associated with and what keywords are being tracked. 4. Decide which entry is the correct one — typically the entry attached to the right client project with the most complete keyword list. 5. Select the duplicate entry you want to remove, open its settings, and delete or disconnect it from the project. 6. Confirm the remaining entry is linked to the correct project and that its report data source matches the intended client workspace. ✅ How to Verify Reports Are Using the Correct Data Source After removing the duplicate, check any affected reports to confirm they are pulling data from the correct GBP entry: - Open the report and review the data source or connected profile field in the report settings. - If the report was built against the deleted duplicate, reassign it to the correct remaining GBP entry. - Run a preview or refresh the report to confirm rankings and local data now reflect the right business. 🚫 How to Prevent This from Happening Again - Add each GBP location only once per project. Avoid importing a location that has already been added manually. - Audit your Google Business Profile account for duplicate verified listings before connecting them to Search Atlas. Merge or remove duplicates on Google's side first. - When removing a GBP connection, always delete the associated Rank Tracker entry at the same time to avoid ghost records. - Use clear, consistent project naming so it is easy to spot when the same location has been added to more than one project. 💬 Still 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. Additional Notes Duplicate profiles created during heatmap setup: re-adding a business when configuring a heatmap instead of selecting the existing saved profile creates a second entry. Fix: remove the newer duplicate, then re-attach the heatmap to the original saved GBP profile by selecting it from saved locations rather than adding it anew.

⏳ Request a Free Trial Extension for GBP Delays

🔍 Overview If your Google Business Profile (GBP) took several days to connect after signing up, you may have lost usable time from your free trial through no fault of your own. Search Atlas can extend your trial to compensate for verified connection delays. This article explains what qualifies and how to request an extension. ✅ Does Your Situation Qualify? You may be eligible for a free trial extension if: - You signed up for a free trial and attempted to connect your GBP account promptly. - The connection took longer than expected — for example, several days — due to a platform-side delay. - The delay meaningfully reduced the time you had to explore and use the product. Extensions are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis by the Billing and Accounts team. 📋 How to Request Your Extension 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Explain your situation clearly. Include: - The date you signed up for your free trial. - The date you first attempted to connect your GBP account. - How many days the connection took to complete. 4. Wait for confirmation. The agent will escalate your request to the Billing and Accounts team. Once approved, you will receive a confirmation message with your new trial end date. ⏱️ What to Expect Once your request is submitted, the support team will escalate it to the specialized Billing and Accounts team for review. If approved, your free trial end date will be updated to reflect the time lost during the connection delay, and you will be notified of your new expiry date directly in the chat. 💡 Tips While You Wait for GBP to Connect If your GBP is still connecting or you are in the middle of a delay, you can still explore other parts of the platform during your trial. For example: - Review your Authority tools in the left sidebar, including Campaigns, URL Indexer, and Cloud Stacks. - Explore Website Studio to familiarise yourself with landing page and local website features. - Check any available onboarding resources to plan your strategy ahead of time. This way, once your GBP is connected, you can hit the ground running. 🛠️ Still Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔧 Fix TOO_MANY_ENTRIES Google Business Profile Errors

What Is the TOO_MANY_ENTRIES Error? When deploying updates to your Google Business Profile (GBP) through Search Atlas, you may see a TOO_MANY_ENTRIES error. This error means Google's API rejected one or more of your updates. Because the specific causes and resolution steps for this error depend on your account configuration and the exact deployment that triggered it, our support team will need to investigate directly. This article explains what to expect and how to prepare for escalation so we can resolve it as quickly as possible. What to Do When You See This Error If you encounter a TOO_MANY_ENTRIES error during a GBP deployment in Search Atlas, please collect the following information before reaching out to our team: - The name of the GBP project where the error occurred. - The exact error message as it appears on screen (a screenshot is helpful). - The date and time the error first appeared. - A description of what you were attempting to deploy when the error occurred (for example, which fields or locations you were updating). - Whether the error appeared immediately or after a delay. - Whether you have attempted the deployment more than once and whether the error is consistent. What Happens Next Once you contact our support team with the above details, a teammate will review your deployment configuration and work with you to identify the cause of the error and the correct resolution path. Our team has visibility into deployment logs and API response data that can pinpoint exactly what triggered the rejection. 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 Import and Ranking Visibility Troubleshooting

🔍 Overview There are two common issues users encounter with Google Business Profiles (GBPs) in Search Atlas: being unable to import a GBP from Google Business Manager, and rankings not displaying after a GBP has been added. Both issues have specific root causes and clear fixes — this article walks you through each one. 📋 Prerequisites for Importing a GBP Before you can import a GBP from your Google Business Manager account into Search Atlas, the following conditions must be met: - Owner or Manager access level: You must have Owner or Manager permission on the GBP inside Google Business Manager. Viewer-level access is not sufficient to authorise the import. Check your access level directly in your Google Business Manager account before attempting to import. - The correct Google account is connected: Search Atlas syncs GBPs from the Google account that was used during OAuth authorisation. If your GBP lives under a different Google account, the profile will not appear in the import list. Reconnect Search Atlas using the Google account that owns or manages the GBP. - The profile is verified and active: Suspended, unverified, or duplicate profiles in Google Business Manager cannot be imported. Confirm the profile status is Published inside Google Business Manager before attempting the import. - Sync has completed: After connecting or reconnecting your Google account, allow up to a few minutes for Search Atlas to sync available profiles. Refresh the page before concluding that a profile is missing. To import a GBP, go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects (GBP Projects) (URL: /gbp-galactic/gbp-projects) and follow the on-screen import flow. 📍 Why Rankings May Not Display for an Added GBP Adding a GBP to Search Atlas does not automatically produce ranking data. Rankings are generated only when specific conditions are satisfied. Below are the most common reasons rankings show as NR (Not Ranked) or do not appear at all. 🗂️ Understanding the NR Status NR (Not Ranked) means Search Atlas ran a keyword search in the defined area and your GBP did not appear in the local results for that grid point. This is a valid data result — it is not an error. It confirms the profile exists but is not ranking for that keyword at that location. NR is different from missing data, which indicates the ranking scan has not yet run or is still in progress. 📡 Service Area Configuration Is Required Rankings are generated based on a geographic grid mapped to your GBP's service area or physical location. If your service area is not configured correctly, the ranking grid cannot be placed accurately and results will be incomplete or missing entirely. - If your GBP is a Service Area Business (SAB) — meaning it has no visible address — you must define the service area inside Google Business Manager. Search Atlas uses this data to determine where to run ranking scans. Without it, no grid can be generated. - If your GBP has a physical address, confirm the address is accurate and fully verified in Google Business Manager. An incorrect address will misplace the ranking grid. 🔑 Keyword-to-Heatmap Mapping Rankings only display when at least one keyword has been assigned to the GBP and linked to a heatmap scan. Simply adding a GBP does not trigger ranking data — you must configure keywords for that profile. 1. Navigate to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects (GBP Projects) and open the relevant GBP project. 2. Confirm that keywords have been added to the project. 3. Verify that a heatmap scan has been created and uses those keywords. 4. Check whether the scan has completed. Scans may take several minutes depending on grid size and keyword volume. If a heatmap scan has not been created yet, create one inside the GBP project and allow it to complete before expecting ranking data to populate. ✅ Ranking Visibility Troubleshooting Checklist Work through this checklist in order if rankings are not displaying for your GBP: 1. Confirm the GBP is active and verified in Google Business Manager — suspended or unverified profiles produce no ranking data. 2. Check your access level — ensure you have Owner or Manager permissions on the profile in Google Business Manager. 3. Verify the service area or physical address is set correctly inside Google Business Manager so the ranking grid can be placed accurately. 4. Confirm keywords have been added to the GBP project inside Search Atlas. 5. Confirm a heatmap scan has been created using those keywords and that the scan status shows as completed. 6. Review NR results — if you see NR rather than no data, the scan ran successfully but the profile is not ranking at those grid points. This is expected behaviour for competitive keywords or new profiles. 7. Refresh the page after completing scans. Data sometimes requires a manual refresh to display. 8. Reconnect your Google account if imported profiles are missing — go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects (GBP Projects), disconnect the account, and reconnect using the correct Google login. 💬 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.

🔧 Fix GBP 'Not Found' Error After Domain Transfer

What This Error Means After transferring a domain from an agency into OTTO, you may see a 'not found' or 'error not found' message when opening your Google Business Profile (GBP) Audit. This error prevents your location data from loading and is not related to the heatmap — it affects the GBP Audit section itself. This is a known backend issue that occurs after certain domain transfers to OTTO and cannot be resolved by browser-side actions alone. The steps below will help you confirm the scope of the problem, attempt the available self-serve actions, and — if the issue persists — provide our team with the information needed to fix it on the backend quickly. Step 1: Attempt a GBP Reconnection 1. In the left sidebar, navigate to Local (GBP Projects). 2. Locate the affected GBP location and disconnect it from your OTTO account by removing the GBP connection for that location. 3. Reconnect the same GBP location by re-authorising your Google account and selecting the correct business listing. This re-establishes the link between OTTO and your GBP location data and resolves the error in many cases. 4. Reload the GBP Audit and check whether the 'not found' error has cleared. If the data now loads correctly, no further action is needed. Step 2: If the Error Persists, Collect These Details If reconnecting the GBP location does not clear the error, the disconnect is at the backend level and requires our team to re-link the record directly. Before reaching out, gather the following so the fix can be applied as quickly as possible: 1. Check whether the error affects all GBP locations or only specific ones by navigating to each location within your GBP Audit. Note which locations are affected — this tells our team whether the issue is account-wide or tied to a specific location record. 2. Note the exact error message text displayed on screen (for example, 'not found' or 'error not found'). 3. Take a screenshot or record a short screen video showing the error. This allows our team to confirm the exact behaviour and prioritise the backend fix. 4. Note the domain name that was transferred and, if known, the agency account it was transferred from. Our team uses this to locate the affected record in the backend and re-link the GBP location data correctly. 5. Contact our support team through the platform and share the information collected above so the backend fix can be applied to your account without delay. What Our Team Will Do Once you reach out with the details above, our support team will investigate the affected account on the backend and re-link the GBP location data that became disconnected during the domain transfer. This fix is applied directly to your account — there is no action required from you after you submit the information. Most cases are resolved in the same support session once the affected domain and location are identified. If you need further assistance, reach out to our support team through the platform and a member of our team will be happy to help.

🗺️ Get the Correct Google Maps Embed Code

🔍 Overview If you need to embed a Google Map for your business location, you must use the official iframe code generated directly from Google Maps. A common mistake is using a shortened URL or the address link from your browser — these will not work as embed code. This article walks you through getting the correct format step by step. 📋 What the Correct Embed Code Looks Like The correct Google Maps embed code is an iframe element. It will always follow this structure: <iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=..." width="600" height="450" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade">``</iframe> - It starts with <iframe — not a plain URL or a short link. - The src attribute begins with https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb= - It ends with a closing ></iframe> tag. If your code does not match this pattern, it is likely incorrect and will not render on the page. 🗂️ How to Get the Embed Code from Google Maps 1. Open Google Maps at maps.google.com in your browser. 2. Search for your business name or address in the search bar. 3. Click on your business listing to open its information panel. 4. Look for the option to share or embed the map — Google Maps provides a way to generate an iframe embed code from within the sharing options. 5. Select the embed option (not the plain link option) to generate the full iframe code. 6. Copy the complete iframe code that is displayed. You now have the correct iframe code ready to paste wherever it is needed. ✅ How to Verify the Code Is Correct Before using the code, do a quick check: - Confirm the code starts with <iframe. - Confirm the src value contains maps/embed?pb=. - Confirm the code ends with </iframe>. - Do not use a plain share link — that is a share URL, not an embed code. - Do not copy the URL from your browser address bar while viewing the map. 📍 Alternative: Get the Embed Code via Google Business Profile If you manage your listing through Google Business Profile (GBP), you can also obtain the correct iframe embed code for your business location. The recommended approach is to search for your business directly on maps.google.com (as described above) and use the embed flow to generate the iframe code. This ensures you get the properly formatted code regardless of which Google product you use to manage your listing. If you are unsure whether your code is formatted correctly, compare it against the iframe structure shown in the section above before pasting it into Search Atlas. 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.

🔄 Why Service Descriptions Revert on Google Business Profile

🧩 The Root Cause: Two Separate Steps, One Common Mistake When you edit a service description inside Search Atlas using the MCP (Managed Content Pipeline) workflow, that change is saved to Search Atlas only. It does not automatically appear on your Google Business Profile. If you stop at the save step, Google's background sync will eventually re-read the live state of your GBP and overwrite your Search Atlas draft with the older version still published on Google. This is the mechanism behind the reversion you are seeing—it is not a bug, and toggling Data Lock or waiting will not resolve it. 📋 How the MCP Workflow Actually Works The MCP workflow has three distinct stages, and all three must be completed for a change to survive Google's background sync: 1. MCP Save — Your edited service description is stored inside Search Atlas as a draft. Google has not received anything yet. 2. UI Deployment — You explicitly push the draft from Search Atlas to Google Business Profile using the Deploy action in the platform interface. This is the step most users miss. 3. Google Acceptance and Sync Lock — Google receives and accepts the update. Once the change is live on GBP, Search Atlas background sync reads that accepted state and preserves it going forward. Skipping Step 2 means the change never reaches Google. The next background sync then pulls the old live GBP content back into Search Atlas, making it appear as though your edit was erased. 🔍 Why Google Background Sync Causes Overwriting Search Atlas runs periodic background syncs with Google Business Profile to keep location data consistent. During each sync, the platform reads the current live state of your GBP listing. If your service description has not been deployed to Google yet, the live GBP state still contains the old text. The sync then writes that old text back into Search Atlas, overwriting your undeployed draft. This is expected behavior designed to prevent stale or conflicting data—but it requires that your changes reach Google before the next sync cycle runs. ✅ The Correct Workflow: Step-by-Step 1. Open the relevant location in Search Atlas and navigate to the Services section. 2. Edit your service description and click Save in the MCP editor. Your draft is now stored in Search Atlas. 3. Do not close the panel. Locate the Deploy button and click it to push the change to your Google Business Profile. This step is mandatory. 4. Wait for the deployment confirmation. Search Atlas will display a success status once Google has accepted the update. 5. After Google acceptance, background sync will read the new live GBP state and preserve your description on both platforms. ⚠️ Common Mistakes That Trigger Reversion - Saving without deploying: Clicking Save in the MCP editor is not the same as deploying. Both actions are required. - Deploying and immediately closing: If you close before the deployment confirmation appears, the push may not have completed. Always wait for the success status. - Expecting Data Lock to substitute for deployment: Data Lock prevents incoming sync from overwriting a field only after a successful deployment has been confirmed. It does not protect an undeployed draft. - Making multiple edits across sessions: Each new MCP save session creates a new draft. If earlier drafts were never deployed, the sync cycle may have already overwritten them before your latest session. 🛡️ How Data Lock Fits Into This Workflow Data Lock is a useful tool, but it works after deployment, not instead of it. Once you have successfully deployed a service description and Google has accepted it, enabling Data Lock on that field tells Search Atlas to hold that value and prevent future syncs from overwriting it with changes made directly on GBP. If you enable Data Lock on an undeployed draft, the protection applies to a value that Google has never received, which will not prevent reversion. 🚀 Quick Reference: MCP Save vs. UI Deploy - MCP Save: Stores your edit in Search Atlas. Google is not notified. Draft is vulnerable to sync overwrite. - UI Deploy: Sends your edit to Google Business Profile. Required for the change to become live. Sync will then preserve the accepted value. Always complete both steps in sequence. A saved draft that has not been deployed will not survive the next background sync cycle. 💬 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.

🏠 Agency Local SEO SOPs and Training Resources

🎯 Overview If you run an agency delivering local SEO services — especially for home service clients — you may need access to SOPs, training materials, or platform guides to help your team operate efficiently. Requests of this type are handled directly by the Search Atlas support team, as the materials and resources available to your account depend on your plan, onboarding status, and account configuration on the backend. 📋 Why This Requires Backend Assistance SOP and training resource requests are not fully self-serve. The support team needs to review your account to determine which onboarding sessions, guided materials, or internal resources are available to you, and to connect you with the right materials for your specific use case. There is no single public-facing resource library that covers all agency workflows, so the team handles these requests individually. 📬 How to Escalate This Request Effectively To get a fast and accurate response when contacting support about SOPs or training resources for local SEO delivery, please have the following ready: - Your account email address so support can locate your account and plan details. - A description of your agency's use case — for example, the types of clients you manage (e.g. home service businesses) and the services you are delivering on their behalf. - Specific topics or workflows you need guidance on — for example, local ranking, citation management, GBP optimisation, reporting, or any other area where you need a structured process. - Your current onboarding status — whether you have already completed an onboarding session or are requesting one for the first time. Providing these details upfront allows the support team to match you with the correct materials and, if applicable, schedule a training session or connect you with the appropriate internal resource. ⚠️ What to Expect The support team will review your account and use case, then share the relevant resources, playbooks, or onboarding session options applicable to your plan. Response times may vary depending on queue volume, but the team will follow up as quickly as possible once your request is 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.

🔧 Fix Phone Number Timestamp Not Updating After Submission

🔍 Overview After submitting a phone number update, you may notice that the Last Submitted On timestamp does not reflect the new submission date. In some cases, the change may appear to complete successfully but the timestamp remains unchanged, or the update does not fully process. This is a backend issue that our team will need to investigate and resolve on your behalf. ⚠️ Why This Happens The timestamp not refreshing after a phone number submission is a backend-side issue. The exact cause requires investigation by our support team, as it is not something that can be diagnosed or corrected from the platform interface alone. 🛠️ What to Do Because this is a backend issue, there are no self-serve steps that will reliably resolve it. Please reach out to our support team so we can investigate and correct the problem on your account. To help us resolve this as quickly as possible, please have the following ready when you contact us: - The project name or workspace where the phone number update was submitted - The phone number you attempted to submit or update - The date and approximate time of the submission attempt - A description of what you observed — for example, whether the timestamp remained unchanged or the update appeared to succeed but was not saved ✅ What a Successful Update Looks Like Once our team has resolved the issue on the backend, a successful phone number update will be reflected by an updated Last Submitted On date that matches the date the change was applied. 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 Deploy ATTRIBUTE_INVALID_ENUM_VALUE Error

🔍 Overview When you attempt to deploy all changes to your Google Business Profile (GBP) inside Search Atlas, you may see a Deployment Failed — ATTRIBUTE_INVALID_ENUM_VALUE error. The deploy does not complete, and refreshing or clearing your browser cache does not resolve the issue. This error is caused by a deprecated attribute value stored against your GBP location — specifically, Google's Business Profile API no longer accepts certain attribute values (for example, attributes/preferred_messaging_service set to facebook_messenger). Because Google rejects this value at the API level, all deploys for the affected location are blocked until the value is removed or corrected on the backend. ⚠️ What Causes This Error - One or more GBP attributes linked to your location contain a value that Google's API has deprecated and no longer accepts. - This is a backend data issue — it cannot be fixed by refreshing the page, clearing your browser cache, or using a different browser. - The problem affects the entire location, so all pending changes are blocked until the invalid attribute is resolved. ✅ What You Should Do 1. Confirm the error message. Make a note of the exact error text you see (e.g., Deployment Failed — ATTRIBUTE_INVALID_ENUM_VALUE) and the GBP location name it affects. 2. Check your GBP attributes in Google Business Profile directly. Log in to your Google Business Profile account at business.google.com and navigate to the affected location. Look for any messaging or communication-related attributes (such as a preferred messaging service). If you see Facebook Messenger or another deprecated messaging option listed, remove it and save the change. This may clear the deprecated value on Google's side and unblock your deploy. 3. Retry the deploy in Search Atlas. After removing any suspect attributes in Google Business Profile, return to Search Atlas and attempt to deploy your changes again. Wait a few minutes before retrying to allow Google's API to reflect the update. 4. If the deploy still fails, contact the Search Atlas support team using the chat widget (see below). Share the name of the affected GBP location and a screenshot or copy of the error message. Our engineering team will identify and remove the deprecated attribute value from the backend, which will unblock your deploys. 📊 What Happens After You Report It Once you reach out, our team will investigate the specific attribute causing the conflict on your location's profile. The fix involves removing or replacing the deprecated value on the backend — no action is required from you on the Google side beyond the steps above. After the fix is applied, your deploys will resume normally. If you need further help, please reach out to our support team via the chat widget in Search Atlas.

🚨 Recover a Suspended Google Business Profile

Identify the suspension reason, collect the required documents, and submit Google's reinstatement form to get your Google Business Profile back online. 🔎 Confirm: Understand Why Your Profile Was Suspended What to do Check your Google Business Profile for the suspension alert and identify the reason. Why it matters Understanding the cause helps you respond with the right evidence and avoid repeating the issue. How to do it 1. Log into your Google Business Profile. 2. Look for the red "Suspended" banner at the top. 3. Click Learn more to view possible violations. 4. Review Google's guidelines for reinstatement eligibility. Common mistakes to avoid - Assuming it's a bug without checking the guidelines - Changing your business info before understanding the issue - Submitting an appeal without proper documentation Pro tip: Take a screenshot of the suspension message for reference — it may help when communicating with Google. ✅ Once done, you'll know what Google flagged and whether you're eligible to appeal. 🧾 Collect: Prepare the Required Documentation What to do Gather official documents that verify your business and location. Why it matters Google requires strong proof to confirm your business is legitimate and operating at the listed address. How to do it 1. Match your Google Business Profile info exactly to your website and documents. 2. Prepare the following items: - 📷 Storefront photo with signage (required) - 📹 Video walkthrough of storefront — show signage and address (required) - 🧾 Utility bill (required) - 🛡️ Business insurance (required) - 🪪 Business license or IRS/tax document - 💳 Business card (optional but helpful) 3. Rename each file clearly (e.g., utility-bill-mainstreet.jpg). Common mistakes to avoid - Submitting blurry or incomplete images - Using outdated or mismatched business information - Leaving out required items Pro tip: In your video, show the documents you're submitting — it builds trust with Google reviewers. ✅ Once done, you'll have a complete and clear verification package ready to submit. 📤 Submit: File a Reinstatement Request What to do Submit your case using Google's official reinstatement form. Why it matters This is the only accepted way to resolve a suspension directly with Google. How to do it 1. Visit the Google Reinstatement Form. 2. Fill out your business details exactly as listed in your Google Business Profile. 3. Upload your documents and include a brief message, for example: "I'm the owner of [Business Name] at [Address]. I've attached storefront images, utility bills, and insurance documents. Thank you for your review." Common mistakes to avoid - Skipping required fields or writing vague answers - Using a defensive or confrontational tone in your message - Omitting key documentation Pro tip: Start your timer as soon as the appeal screen appears — you only have 60 minutes to upload your documents. ✅ Once submitted, Google typically responds within 3–7 business days. 📚 Useful Official Resources - Fix suspended or disabled Business Profiles – Google Help The official guide explaining why profiles get suspended or disabled, and how to meet Google's requirements and improve eligibility for reinstatement. - Appeal a suspended or disabled Google Business Profile – Google Help The official Google Business Profile appeal tool and form for submitting your case and required documentation. 🌀 You now know how to confirm the cause of a suspension, prepare a solid documentation package, and file a reinstatement request with Google. For additional context, review Google's official Fix suspended or disabled Business Profiles guide.

🛠️ GBP Place Action Links: Resolving a Timeout Save Error

Saving a Place Action Link in GBP Galactic Overview previously failed with a timeout error that prevented the link from being stored. This issue is resolved — if you still encounter the error, follow the steps below. ⚠️ What the Timeout Error Looks Like When you enter a URL in the Place Action Links modal on the GBP Galactic Overview page and click Save, an error modal appears and the link is not saved. The underlying cause is an HTTP 524 status — a Cloudflare gateway timeout indicating the save API did not respond before the connection expired. ✅ Fix Status: Issue Resolved The Search Atlas engineering team identified and resolved the root cause of this 524 timeout on the Place Action Links save endpoint. The fix is deployed — the save action now completes successfully for the vast majority of customers. 🛠️ Steps to Try If the Error Still Appears If you still see a save failure when adding or editing a Place Action Link, follow these steps in order: 1. Dismiss the error modal. 2. Wait approximately 30 seconds, then do a hard refresh of the GBP Galactic Overview page (Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows, Cmd+Shift+R on Mac). 3. Re-open the Place Action Links modal, re-enter your URL, and click Save. 4. If the error appears again after two retries, contact Search Atlas support and include a screenshot of the error modal along with the URL you are trying to save. Once the save completes without error, your Place Action Link is stored and the modal will close successfully. 🌀 This timeout error is resolved for most customers — if it persists on your account, a hard page refresh and retry typically clears it, or contact Search Atlas support for direct investigation.