📖 Features & How-To

📍Local SEO GBP Project Creation

📍 Local SEO Overview

Managing Your GBP in Search Atlas

🗺️ Local SEO Heatmaps

📖 Local Citations

🟠 Step 3: Stay Consistent: Weekly Local SEO Tasks

🌐 Step 4: Optimize Your Website for Local SEO

🕵️‍♂️ How to Find the CID Number for a Google Business Profile

📍 Step 2: Keep Your Google Business Profile Active

🗺️ OTTO: GBP Optimizations

🏆 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 Why it matters Outdated or inconsistent information across platforms weakens trust signals and hurts rankings.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.

📊 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

📍 Local Ranking Factor Matrix

📍 What Is the Local Ranking Factor Matrix? The Local Ranking Factor Matrix is an analytical workspace inside Search Atlas Local that breaks down exactly which factors influence local search rankings, how strong each factor is, and how that importance changes by industry. Instead of relying on generic "local SEO best practices," it uses correlation data from real businesses to show which ranking factors matter most, where optimization effort delivers the biggest return, how priorities shift across industries, and what happens if you improve or ignore specific factors. 🧭 Where to Find It Navigation path: Left Sidebar → Local → GBP Insights → Ranking Factor Matrix. Once opened, the feature loads inside the main workspace while keeping the global Search Atlas navigation intact. 🏗️ Layout Overview The Local Ranking Factor Matrix screen is organized into four primary layers: the Industry Selection Panel, Methodology & Data Quality information, Analysis Views (Charts, Insights, Forecasting), and Visual Exploration (Bar, Heatmap, Radar). Each layer builds on the one above it. 🚦 First-Time User Path 1. Select a single industry from the left panel to avoid noise 2. Review the top weighted ranking factors in the Bar Chart to understand what matters most 3. Switch to Insights → Quick Wins to identify high-impact, low-effort opportunities 4. Use Forecasting to simulate improvements on those same factors before taking action 🏷️ Industry Selection Panel You'll see a list of industries (for example, Professional Services, Construction & Contractors, Dental Services, Marketing & Advertising, HVAC Services, Legal Services, Wellness & Fitness, and more). Each industry shows a confidence indicator and the number of businesses analyzed. You can select one or multiple industries, and the matrix updates instantly based on your selection. 🧪 Ranking Methodology & Data Quality A methodology section explains what's measured (a set of local ranking factors across industries), how rankings are scaled (lower rank is better), and how factor weights are calculated. A companion data quality panel shows the confidence level for the selected industry and the number of businesses analyzed, so you always know how reliable a recommendation is before acting on it. 🗂️ Analysis Tabs Below the methodology and data quality sections, you'll find several tabs: Charts (a visual breakdown of ranking factor weights), Insights (actionable recommendations derived from the data), Comparison (reserved for future expansion), and Forecasting (scenario modeling to predict ranking impact). 📈 Charts View Inside Charts, you can switch between three visualization modes. Start with the Bar Chart for a fast, ordered view of what to prioritize. Use the Heatmap when comparing how factor importance changes across industries, this reveals high-impact and low-return zones so teams can allocate resources strategically. Use the Radar Chart to understand the overall optimization "shape" of an industry, useful for agencies managing multiple verticals. 💡 Insights View The Insights tab translates raw analysis into clear guidance. Quick Wins highlight high-impact, low-effort optimizations such as Google Business Profile optimization, category selection, and review quantity improvements, each showing effort level, expected impact, and why it matters for the selected industry. Strategic Priorities are cross-industry recommendations that consistently correlate with ranking success, each showing average importance weight, correlation strength, and the number of businesses analyzed. 🔮 Forecasting View Forecasting is most effective after reviewing Charts and Insights. Each ranking factor has a slider representing a potential improvement level; rankings adjust dynamically as sliders move, and each factor shows its original weight, difficulty level, and projected impact based on historical data. A Reset All button lets you start fresh. Start by adjusting only the top two or three factors from the Bar Chart rather than maxing out every slider, forecasting is about prioritization, not perfection. 🔄 Recommended End-to-End Workflow 1. Select an industry 2. Identify top-weighted factors in Charts 3. Confirm opportunities in Insights 4. Validate effort vs. impact in Forecasting 5. Translate priorities into SEO execution The Local Ranking Factor Matrix combines correlation data, industry segmentation, visual clarity, and forecasting to help you focus on what truly moves rankings, align effort with impact, and defend SEO decisions with evidence. 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.

📍 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.

🔍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.

📘 GBP — Categories, Attributes & Services

Beyond basic business info, your GBP profile signals relevance to Google through three key data layers: categories (what type of business you are), attributes (what features and amenities you offer), and services (what you specifically do). Getting these right is one of the highest-impact optimizations for your local search ranking. These elements are part of your GBP Knowledge Graph — the structured set of business data that defines how your business appears and ranks on Google. ⚙️ Accessing These Settings - Go to Local → GBP Projects → select a location → Scroll Down (if necessary) → Business Data Optimizations - Or ask Atlas Brain to view or update any of these directly 🧠 Understanding Your GBP Knowledge Graph 🧩 Your GBP profile is structured as a unified data system that includes: - Media - Name - Description - Category - Services - Attributes - Address - Service Area - Opening Date - Open hours - Special hours - Website URL - Phone number - Social URLs (Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest) - Language (Automatic Detection) - Timezone ⚠️ Ensure all information is accurate. Any mistakes could lead to negative impact or prevent desired results. 🗂️ Categories 🗂️ Manage Google Business Profile Categories Categories tell Google what type of business you are. Your primary category has the strongest impact on rankings, because it signals your main service. Additional categories help define secondary services your business also offers. Go to: Local → GBP Projects → Select location →Scroll Down → Business Assistant Pending Tasks → Add Additional Category 🗂️ View current categories 🤖 Using Atlas Brain You can ask: - “What categories does my GBP location have?” - “Show me the categories available for my location type” 🔁 Change the primary category Your primary category is the most important category on your profile. It should reflect your main business offering as accurately as possible. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain You can ask: - “Change my primary GBP category to ‘Italian Restaurant’” - “Update my main category to ‘Digital Marketing Agency’” Important: Changing the primary category will replace the one you currently have. ⚠️ Your primary category is the strongest ranking signal for your core service, so make sure the new one matches your business closely. 🖥️ Using the UI Go to: Local → GBP Projects → Select location →Scroll Down → Business Data Optimizations → Category → Edit 🗂️ Add additional categories Additional categories help Google understand other services your business provides beyond your main one. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain You can ask: - “Add ‘Catering Service’ and ‘Event Venue’ as additional categories” Adding additional categories does not change your primary category, and it does not remove your current secondary categories. 🗂️ Remove categories You can remove categories that no longer match your services or are no longer relevant to your business. 🤖 Using Atlas Brain You can ask: - “Remove ‘Fast Food Restaurant’ from my GBP categories” ⚠️ You cannot remove your primary category directly. To change it, you must replace it with a new primary category first. ✅ Best practice Choose categories based on what your business actually does, not just what you want to rank for. The closer your categories match your real services, the more accurate and effective your profile will be. 🧩 Attributes Attributes are business features that help customers understand what to expect from your location. These may include things like accessibility options, amenities, accepted payment methods, or service features. Available attributes depend on your business category. 🧩 View current attributes Using Atlas Brain You can ask: - “What attributes can I add to my GBP listing?” - “Show me which attributes my location currently has” Using the UI Go to: Local → GBP Projects → Select location → Edit Profile → Add Attributes 🧩 Add or update attributes Using Atlas Brain You can ask: - “Enable wheelchair accessibility for my location” - “Set my GBP listing to show that we have free Wi-Fi and outdoor seating” 💡 It is best to check which attributes are available first, since not every attribute is supported for every business category. 🧩 Remove attributes You can remove categories that no longer match your services or are no longer relevant to your business. Using Atlas Brain You can ask: “Remove ‘Fast Food Restaurant’ from my GBP categories” ⚠️ You cannot remove your primary category directly. To change it, you must replace it with a new primary category first. ✅ Best practice Choose categories based on what your business actually does, not just what you want to rank for. The closer your categories match your real services, the more accurate and effective your profile will be. 📋 Services Services describe the specific things your business offers. They help clarify your business scope beyond categories alone and can improve how clearly your profile matches relevant searches. 🧰 View current services Using Atlas Brain You can ask Atlas Brain to show the services currently listed for your location. Using the UI Go to: Local → GBP Projects → Select location → Edit Profile → Services 🧰 Add or update services Add services that accurately reflect what your business actually provides. Using Atlas Brain You can ask Atlas Brain to add or update service items for your location. 🧰 Remove services Remove services that are outdated, unavailable, or no longer relevant to the business. Using Atlas Brain You can ask Atlas Brain to remove specific services from your location profile. 🔗 Links & Social Profiles You can add links that connect users directly to your business across platforms and actions. These include: - Website URL - Inventory search URL - Place an order link - Texting number (SMS) - WhatsApp - Social URLs (Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest) 📍 Service Area Service Area defines the geographic area your business serves. Using the UI Go to: Local → GBP Projects → Select location → Edit Profile → Service Area 🤖 Using Atlas Brain You can ask Atlas Brain to update your service area. 📸 Media Media plays a key role in both your profile and your content strategy. When you upload images to the Media Library: - Images are analyzed automatically - Keyword-optimized descriptions are generated - Files are renamed using your selected keywords - Images can be reused for posts ⚠️ To ensure best results, make sure the images are new to your GBP profile. 📊 Optimization & Completion Your profile includes a completion score that reflects how optimized your GBP listing is. You can: - Click Pull Latest Data to sync with Google - Click Refresh Optimization Tips to update recommendations 🛠️ Business Assistant The Business Assistant highlights actions you can take to improve your profile. Examples include: - Add Attributes - Add Missing Social Media Profile - Add Additional Category - Add a Cover Image - Add minimum 50 images - Add your Business Logo - Add Opening Date - Add Phone Number - Add Services - Add a Website URL - Enable Automated Posting - Enable Automated Reviews 🤖 Automation You can automate GBP posting and review workflows from your profile. Options include: - Post frequency (OTTO optimized or custom) - Start date - Image source (AI or Media Library) - Approval settings - Review publishing - Social sharing 🔒 Data Protection Your GBP data can be secured to prevent unauthorized changes. When locked: - Your GBP information is safeguarded - Unauthorized changes are prevented - Your rankings are protected from external edits Use categories, attributes, and services to reflect the real structure of your business as accurately as possible. These fields should describe what you genuinely offer, not just what you want to rank for. The more closely your profile matches your actual business, the more useful it becomes for both Google and potential 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.

🖼️ GBP Post Images & AI Image Generation — Troubleshooting Guide

This article covers two common issues related to Google Business Profile (GBP) post images in Search Atlas: 1. AI-generated images are replacing your manually uploaded photos — controlled by a configuration setting. 2. AI image generation for GBP posts is not working at all — typically a backend issue that requires support escalation. 1️⃣ AI images are replacing my uploaded GBP photos If your scheduled GBP posts are showing AI-generated images instead of your original photos, this is usually related to the Image Source setting inside Search Atlas. Even if you manually upload images, the system may still replace them if the configuration allows AI-generated visuals. ⚠️ Common scenario You may experience this if: - You scheduled posts for multiple days (e.g., 30 days) - You uploaded your own images manually - You notice later that images have been replaced with AI-generated versions - You expected original photos to remain unchanged This can happen even when automation appears to be off, if the Image Source setting is not restricted to your media library. ✅ How to fix it Follow these steps to ensure your original images are always used: Step 1 — Open Posts Navigate to: Left Sidebar → Local → AI Automations → Posts Step 2 — Select your GBP location Choose the business you want to manage. Example: “Feel Good Inc” Step 3 — Open Automated Posting settings Click the gear icon next to Automated Posting Step 4 — Update Image Source Under Image Source, select: 👉 Select only from Media Library ❌ Do NOT use: “AI Generate all images” Step 5 — Save your changes Click: 👉 Update settings 🔄 What to expect after updating - Future scheduled posts will use only your uploaded images - AI-generated images will no longer replace your originals - Your manual uploads will remain consistent across scheduled content ⚠️ Important note If posts were already generated or scheduled before updating this setting: - They may still contain AI-generated images - You may need to review or update those posts manually 2️⃣ 🚫 AI image generation not working for GBP posts If you are trying to use AI-generated images for your GBP posts and the system is not generating images at all (e.g., images fail to appear, generation errors out, or AI data is not loading), this is a separate issue from the configuration above. What to do: 1. Record a short video or take screenshots showing the issue (the failed generation attempt, any error messages, and the affected GBP location). 2. Contact Search Atlas Support and share the recording along with your GBP project details. 3. Our specialized team will investigate and escalate as needed. These issues are typically backend-related and resolved on our side — no action is required from you beyond reporting it. ✅ Once resolved, simply retry generating AI images for your GBP posts and they should work as expected. 🧾 Summary - AI image replacement is controlled by the Image Source setting - To keep original photos, select “Select only from Media Library” - Update settings to apply changes - Review existing scheduled posts if needed - If AI image generation is not working at all, contact support with a recording so our team can investigate and escalate Keeping control over your images is key to maintaining a consistent and authentic brand presence on your Google Business Profile. Whether you want to preserve your manual uploads or rely on AI-generated visuals, both workflows should work smoothly — and if anything doesn't behave as expected, we're here to help.

📍 Heatmap Pins: Fix Misplaced Pins and Understand 20+ or Sparse Results

If your heatmap pins appear far from your real location, drag each pin to the correct spot, run a new heatmap, and delete the old ones. If a pin instead shows 20+ or a short competitor list, that almost always mirrors exactly what Google Maps returns for that keyword and coordinate. 📍 How to Move a Heatmap Pin That Landed in the Wrong Location Service Area Business profiles sometimes generate heatmap pins hundreds of miles from your actual service area (for example, 250–375 miles from Sterling, Virginia). This happens most often when the target keyword is broad or matches distant markets where Google Maps still surfaces your business. When pins sit in the wrong place, your local rankings on that grid look inaccurate. Reposition the grid to your real service area and regenerate the heatmap so your local rankings reflect where you actually serve. 1. Open the heatmap at the keyword level so you can see the individual pins. 2. Click the pin that is in the wrong location to select it. 3. Drag the pin to the exact location where you want the heatmap created (your real service area). 4. Run a new heatmap for that location. 5. After the new heatmap finishes generating, delete the heatmaps that were previously created in the wrong location. Watch a short walkthrough here: https://jam.dev/c/59baecaf-343f-4331-92ab-26181ff21aa1. Once the new heatmap finishes, your pins sit at the correct coordinates and your local ranking data reflects your true service area. 📌 What the 20+ Ranking on a Heatmap Pin Means When the Local Rank Tracker scans a heatmap grid point, it retrieves the first page of Google Maps results for your target keyword — a maximum of 20 businesses. The number on the pin is your business's rank within those results. - Your business appears in the top 20 results: the pin displays your exact rank (for example, 7 or 14). - Your business is absent from the top 20 results: the pin displays 20+, which means your business ranked beyond position 20 — effectively Not Found for that grid point. The number on the pin is always your ranking position at that location, not a count of how many competitors appear in the popup. Sparse results vs. a 20+ ranking A sparse result means Google itself returned fewer than 20 competitors for that keyword and coordinate, so the popup simply lists however many businesses Google served (for example, 2, 5, or 8). The pin still shows your ranking position — or 20+ if your business is not among those few results — while the shorter competitor list reflects Google's limited coverage at that point. 🔍 Why the Competitor Popup May Show Fewer Than 20 Businesses Each grid point scans Google Maps from a precise latitude/longitude coordinate, and Google does not always return 20 results. If Google's index has limited coverage for your keyword at that coordinate — because local supply is sparse, competition is low, or relevance signals are weak — it may return only 2, 5, or 8 businesses. When your business is not among the results Google returned at that point, the pin shows 20+. Search Atlas treats any business absent from Google's returned set as ranked beyond position 20 for that grid point, and labels the pin 20+ accordingly — whether Google returned 3 results or 20. This is the correct interpretation of Google's data, not a gap in tracking. 🧪 How to Verify Sparse Results Are Google-Side Behavior Confirm that sparse pin data matches real Google Maps output by following these steps: 1. Note the coordinates of a pin that shows a small competitor list or a 20+ ranking. 2. Use a browser location-spoofing extension (such as Location Guard for Chrome) to set your GPS position to those coordinates. 3. Open Google Maps and search for the same target keyword. 4. Compare Google's live results to the businesses shown in the heatmap pin's popup. The results will match. When Google returns only a small number of businesses for a keyword at a given location, the heatmap popup reflects exactly that — because Search Atlas reads the same data Google serves. ⚙️ What Search Atlas Can and Cannot Control Search Atlas accurately mirrors what Google Maps returns for each scanned coordinate. It cannot: - Retrieve businesses Google did not include in its results for that keyword and location. - Expand Google's pagination beyond the 20-result limit per location scan. - Override Google's local ranking order for a coordinate. Because of this, the most reliable fix for unexpected pin data is to confirm the pin is in the correct location first, then rerun the heatmap. ⚠️ Known Limitations - Heatmap sharing via iframe may load indefinitely (status: reported to engineering). - Heatmaps in Report Builder may load slowly for large datasets; if PDF downloads appear incomplete, break the report into smaller date ranges. 🎯 You now know how to drag a misplaced heatmap pin to the right spot, rerun and clean up the old heatmap, and read what a 20+ or sparse pin really means. If pins still appear in the wrong location after rerunning, contact support to confirm you are seeing post-fix data.

📋 GBP Automated Posts: Approval Status and AI Image Generation

Enable team approval and AI image generation for GBP Galactic Automated Posting, and resolve posts that show the wrong status or are missing a generated image. Manual-post image issues are called out separately in the relevant troubleshooting sections. 📋 How the Approval Workflow Works in GBP Galactic Automated Posting When Approve before posting is enabled in your Automation Settings, every automated post enters a review queue before it publishes to Google Business Profile. The post displays Awaiting Approval status until a team member reviews it. - Awaiting Approval — the post is generated and held for review. It will not publish until someone approves it. - Scheduled — the post is approved (or approval is not required) and will publish automatically at the configured time. If a post shows Scheduled when approval is enabled, see the Troubleshooting section below for the resolution. ⚙️ How to Enable "Approve Before Posting" in Automation Settings 1. Go to GBP Galactic and select the location you want to configure. 2. Open Automation Settings. 3. In the Approval section, toggle Approve before posting to On. 4. Click Save. All automated posts for that location will now appear as Awaiting Approval in the post list until a team member approves them. 🖼️ How to Enable AI Image Generation for Automated Posts GBP Galactic can attach an AI-generated image to each automated post. Configure this in Automation Settings before your next post is generated. 1. Go to GBP Galactic and select the relevant location. 2. Open Automation Settings. 3. Locate the Image Generation section. 4. Select AI Generate as the image source. 5. Enter a prompt describing the image style or subject you want generated for each automated post. 6. Click Save. The next automated post for that location will include an AI-generated image based on your prompt. You'll see the image attached when the post appears in your post list under Awaiting Approval or Scheduled. Note: This setting applies to automated posts only. If you create posts manually and AI Generate is not producing an image, see the manual post note in the Troubleshooting section below. ✅ How to Approve or Reject a Post in the GBP Galactic Approval Queue 1. Go to GBP Galactic and open the Posts list for the relevant location. 2. Filter by Awaiting Approval to see all posts pending review. 3. Click the post you want to review. 4. Select Approve to queue it for publishing, or Reject to remove it from the queue. Approved posts move to Scheduled status and publish automatically at the configured time. Rejected posts are removed from the queue and will not publish. 🛠️ Troubleshooting: Automated Post Shows "Scheduled" Instead of "Awaiting Approval" A platform bug (GBP-508) patched in May 2026 caused automated posts to display Scheduled instead of Awaiting Approval even when approval was enabled. If you observe this symptom on newly generated posts after the May 2026 release, re-apply your Automation Settings: 1. Go to GBP Galactic → Automation Settings for the affected location. 2. Confirm the Approve before posting toggle is On. 3. Make no changes and click Save. Saving without changes refreshes the configuration and corrects the status display for new posts. 4. Wait for the next automated post to generate, then check its status in the post list. The new post should display Awaiting Approval. If posts continue to show Scheduled after re-saving, contact Search Atlas Support with the affected location name and post ID. 🛠️ Troubleshooting: AI Image Not Generated for an Automated Post If an automated post is missing its AI-generated image, verify your settings and trigger a new post: 1. Go to GBP Galactic → Automation Settings for the affected location. 2. Confirm the Image Generation source is set to AI Generate and a prompt is entered. 3. Make no changes and click Save to re-apply the configuration. 4. Wait for the next automated post to generate, then open the post and confirm the image is attached in the post preview. If the image is still missing after following these steps, contact Search Atlas Support and include the location name, post details, and a screenshot of your Automation Settings page. 🛠️ Troubleshooting: "No Image selected" on Automated Posts (GBP-1190) Some automated posts previously showed No Image selected even when AI Image Generation was enabled. This intermittent issue has been resolved in production, and posts generated after the fix release should attach images correctly. - For older affected posts: re-trigger the automated post, or open the post and manually edit the image to attach one. - For new posts still showing the symptom: contact Search Atlas Support with the location name and post ID. 🛠️ Troubleshooting: "Cannot Approve Post" Error on Twitter/X Posts (GBP-1207) If approving a Twitter/X post returned a Cannot approve post error, this was caused by automation appending extra characters that pushed the post past Twitter's character limit. This issue has been resolved in production. If you still see this error, contact Search Atlas Support and include the affected post ID. 🛠️ Troubleshooting: AI Generate Shows an Empty Image on Manual Posts (GBP-1182) This article covers image generation for automated posts. If you create a post manually in GBP Galactic Posts and the Step 2 preview shows an empty placeholder when you select AI Generate, this is a separate known issue. - The fix has been released to staging — ensure you are on the latest platform version. - If the empty placeholder persists on the latest version, contact Search Atlas Support with the location name and a screenshot of the Step 2 preview. 🎯 You can now enable team approval and AI image generation for GBP Galactic Automated Posting, and resolve the most common post status and image issues. For a broader overview of GBP Galactic features and post management, visit the Search Atlas Help Center.

[UI Map] Local

Local Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local (GBP Projects) URL pattern: /gbp-galactic/gbp-projects Manage all your Google Business Profile activities seamlessly, from posts to insights, in one streamlined platform. Primary actions: - Connect GBP Account - Try new GBP Layout New - View project - Pending Tasks Count - Posts Count - Reviews Count - Explore Training Calls - Previous Page - Next Page Key UI elements: - GBP project cards (logo, business name, address, map image) - GBP Score progress bar - Average Rank metric per project - Citation Accuracy metric per project - Citations count per project - Rating metric per project - Reviews count per project card - Posts count per project card - Pending Tasks count per project card - Pagination controls (Previous Page, Page 1, Next Page) - Items per page selector (10 / page) - Search text box - Filter buttons (Pending Tasks Count, Posts Count, Reviews Count) - More Filters / Sort By control - Training calls banner Sub-pages - GBP Projects — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local (GBP Projects) (URL: /gbp-galactic/gbp-projects) — Manage all your Google Business Profile activities seamlessly, from posts to insights, in one streamlined platform. — Actions: Connect GBP Account, Try new GBP Layout New, View project, Pending Tasks Count, Posts Count, Reviews Count, Explore Training Calls (Header 'More Features' menu (apps-grid icon) → Help → Explore Training Calls), Previous Page, Next Page - Local SEO Heatmaps — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps (URL: /gbp-galactic/local-seo-heatmaps) — Allows users to search, track, and visualize local business SEO performance on an interactive Google Map heatmap, with keyword tracking and review metrics per business location. — Actions: Save, Import from Google Business Profile, Import Heatmaps, Export, View, Try new GBP Layout New, Explore Training Calls, Quotas - Overview — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Overview — Displays the GBP dashboard overview with profile completion score, performance data, pending optimization tasks, AI-generated post previews awaiting approval, heatmap keyword rankings, and a scheduling calendar. — Actions: Review suggestion, External Upload Link, Completed Tasks 6, Load More, Pull Latest Data, Refresh Optimization Tips, Toggle completed tasks section, Try new GBP Layout New, Review post - Reviews — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Overview (Reviews tab within Overview page) — Lists all customer reviews for the GBP location with their rating, review content, reply status, and options to generate a Review QR Code and filter by business or review name. — Actions: Generate Review QR Code, Feel Good Inc (business selector) - About — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Overview (About tab) — Shows a Google Maps embedded preview of the GBP listing with business address, hours, directions, and nearby information. — Actions: Directions, Save, Nearby, Send to phone, Share - Overview — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Overview (URL: /gbp-galactic/overview) — Provides a comprehensive overview of a Google Business Profile (GBP), including profile completion score, performance metrics, pending tasks, AI-generated post suggestions, heatmap rankings, reviews, and posts management for a specific business location. — Actions: Review suggestion, External Upload Link, Completed Tasks 6, Generate Review QR Code, Pull Latest Data, Refresh Optimization Tips, Try new GBP Layout New, Review post, Load More, Explore Training Calls, Close banner - Media Library — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Media Library (URL: /gbp-galactic/media-library) — A centralized photo library for managing and organizing images used in GBP posts, automations, and public upload links for a selected business location. — Actions: Share upload link, Upload, Select all (3 on this page), Pending approval, Filters, Previous Page, Next Page - My Tasks — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → My Tasks (URL: /gbp-galactic/my-tasks) — Displays a prioritized list of pending GBP optimization tasks and AI-generated content awaiting review and approval for a selected business location. — Actions: Explore Training Calls, Close banner, Quotas, Try new GBP Layout New, Deploy all changes, Select businesses, Review post, Load More, Add category, Add photo, Add media, Add logo, Add date, Add phone, Add services, Add URL - Posts — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Posts (URL: /gbp-galactic/posts) — Allows users to create, manage, filter, import, and export Google Business Profile posts across selected business locations, with visibility into post type, date, and approval status. — Actions: + Create new post, Import, Export, Previous Page, Next Page, Try new GBP Layout New, Explore Training Calls, Close banner - Reviews — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (URL: /gbp-galactic/reviews) — Manage and monitor Google Business Profile reviews across all connected business locations, with auto-respond capabilities and QR code generation for soliciting new reviews. — Actions: Generate Review QR Code, Export, Select businesses, Previous Page, Next Page, Try new GBP Layout New, Explore Training Calls, Close banner - Local Citations — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations (URL: /gbp-galactic/local-citations) — Allows users to push business data to hundreds of directories, data aggregators, GPS services, and mobile apps to build and maintain consistent local citations. — Actions: Select all and save 20% on your submission, Confirm & Continue, Complete, Incomplete, Warning, Export, Explore Training Calls - Local SERPs — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Local SERPs (URL: /gbp-galactic/local-search-results) — Allows users to preview local search engine results for any keyword and location combination, powered by SearchAtlas. — Actions: Search, Open Search Results in a New Tab, Try new GBP Layout New, Explore Training Calls, Close banner - Choose a connected Google Business Profile — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → GBP Audit (Choose a connected Google Business Profile tab) — Select a previously connected GBP account to run a new audit report against. — Actions: Generate Report - Add Manually — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → GBP Audit (Add Manually tab) — Manually search for and add a local business by name to generate an audit report without a connected GBP account. — Actions: Generate Report - GBP Audit — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → GBP Audit (URL: /gbp-galactic/gbp-audit) — Generates and manages comprehensive audit reports for Google Business Profiles, analyzing GBP core metrics, keyword performance, competitors, and ranking factors to surface actionable SEO insights. — Actions: Generate Report, View Report, Report actions, Newest first, Try new GBP Layout New - Ranking Factor Matrix — Navigation path: Left sidebar → Local → Ranking Factor Matrix (URL: /gbp-galactic/ranking-factor-matrix) — Allows users to select one or more industries to view and compare ranking factor analysis and correlation-weighted insights for local search performance. — Actions: Export Report, Explore Training Calls, Close banner, Try new GBP Layout New Auto-generated by SA UI Mapper. Last updated: 2026-09-18.

How to Use Local SEO Heatmaps in GHL

Local SEO Heatmaps let you track your Google Business Profile (GBP) rankings by keyword on a visual map. This guide walks you through accessing, configuring, and managing heatmaps via the left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps. What Local Heatmaps Show The Local SEO Heatmap dashboard displays the following columns for each business you track: - BUSINESS - Average Rank - HEATMAP KEYWORDS - Rating - Save, Import from Google Business Profile, Import Heatmaps, Export buttons Step 1: Access Local Heatmaps 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. Under LOCAL SEO TOOLS, click Local SEO Heatmaps (Local SEO Heatmaps). Step 2: Manage Your Local Business When the Local SEO Heatmap page opens, you'll see the "Manage your local business" screen with a list of businesses. - If a GBP is already connected, the business appears in the list automatically. - If no GBP is connected, use the controls at the top of the page: - Select a Search area - Choose Business Name, Place ID, or Place URL - Type in the Find a local business by business name… field - Click Save You may also use Import from Google Business Profile or Import Heatmaps. Step 3: Manage an Added Business Each business row displays a View button and a three-dot menu (…). - To delete a business: Click … then click Delete. - To open a heatmap: Click View. Step 4: Set Up a Heatmap After clicking View, you'll see the Local SEO Heatmap setup view with the business name at the top. 1. Add keywords in the Enter a keyword(s) field. 2. Click Smart Suggest for keyword suggestions. 3. Use the dropdown filters below the keyword bar: - Heatmap shape: Circle or Rectangular - Layers: 1–7 layers - Distance: e.g., 2 miles, 3 miles - Refresh cadence: Run Once, Daily, Weekly, Bi-weekly, Monthly, or Monthly with date selector - Time: e.g., 9 AM Step 5: Edit an Existing Heatmap When a business already has heatmap data, the … menu shows: - Edit heatmap - Delete Or click View to open the map directly. Step 6: Use the Local SEO Heatmaps The left side shows the score panel (donut chart and pin breakdown). The right side displays the map. Click Edit heatmap at the top to adjust settings. Hover over the date at the top to expand additional details and scan info. Interacting with Ranking Pins 1. Click any star (ranking pin) on the map to open a pop-up with competitor list and ranking information. 2. In the pop-up, click Compare to open the two-column Local SEO Showdown view—your business on the left, the competitor on the right. Delete a Heatmap 1. In the business list, click … 2. Click Delete View and Compare Results - Click the GBP name to see the heatmap. - Use the dropdown to switch between keywords.

📘 Optimizing Your Google Business Profile for Local Visibility

📋 Overview This guide helps you or your clients optimize their Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) for stronger search rankings, local presence, and conversion. Whether you're a local business owner or an agency prospecting new clients, this is a simple and powerful resource. 📑 Table of Contents Ensure Business Name, Address & Phone Number (NAP) Are Correct - Use consistent NAP info across all online listings (your site, directories, etc.) - Avoid keyword stuffing in the business name - Check for typos or outdated contact info Write a Clear Google Business Description - Include what your business offers, your unique value, and your target audience - Stay within Google's 750-character limit - Add keywords naturally to improve relevance Collect More Customer Reviews - Ask happy customers for reviews via SMS or in person - Respond to every review professionally - More reviews = higher visibility + trust Update Business Hours Seasonally - Inconsistent or outdated hours hurt user trust and can negatively affect your profile's performance - Schedule seasonal changes in advance - Add "Special Hours" for events and holidays Double-Check Your Map Pin & Location - Ensure your business pin drops exactly where your storefront is - Especially important in malls, plazas, or shared spaces Select the Right Business Categories - Primary category should match your core service (e.g., "Plumber") - Add all applicable secondary categories (e.g., "Drain Cleaning Service") - Avoid irrelevant categories Optimize Individual Practitioner Listings - Practitioners (lawyers, doctors, realtors) should have their own listings - Include their name + job title (e.g., "Dr. Sarah Jones, Chiropractor") - Ensure listings are not duplicates of the company's Add High-Quality Photos Frequently - Photos improve engagement and rankings - Add: logo, exterior, interior, team, products, services - Use real, high-resolution photos Upload Videos to Your Business Profile - Showcase services, client testimonials, or "how we work" clips - Videos up to 30 seconds are supported by Google's GBP video specs - Helps increase time on profile and click-through rates Use Google Posts for Promotions & Events - Post updates, offers, or upcoming events - Think of it like a mini social media feed - Post weekly to stay relevant Engage with Google Q&A - Seed common questions and answer them proactively - Monitor for customer-submitted questions - Keep answers short, helpful, and friendly How This Impacts Search Rankings - Every action improves Google's confidence in your listing - More signals = more visibility in local search packs - Increased engagement = better conversion 📥 Downloadable Resources - 📄 Word Version of This Guide - 📑 PDF Version of This Guide - 📢 Prospecting Ads Template 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.

📍 Local Citation Categories: Aligning with Your GBP

🗺️ Why Citation-to-GBP Category Alignment Matters Local citations are a key trust signal for Google. When your citation categories match your Google Business Profile (GBP) category, Google can confidently confirm your business type across multiple sources. Mismatches can create conflicting signals that dilute your local ranking authority — even if the difference seems minor, like home care service vs. home health care service. Google uses citation data to validate the information on your GBP. Consistent category language across directories reinforces what your GBP already tells Google, strengthening your local prominence score. 🏥 Home Care vs. Home Health Care: Which Category to Use? These two categories are not interchangeable in Google's eyes, and the distinction matters for both compliance and rankings: - Home health care service — typically implies licensed medical or clinical care (skilled nursing, physical therapy, Medicare-certified agencies). - Home care service — typically implies non-medical assistance (companionship, personal care, daily living support). If your client's GBP is set to home health care service and they are already ranking well, your citation categories should match that exact wording. This is the most important rule: your primary citation category should mirror your GBP primary category as closely as each directory allows. Using a different category on citations — even one that feels like a synonym — introduces a signal inconsistency. Over time, this can slow ranking momentum or create confusion about the business type in Google's local index. ⚖️ Consistency vs. Change: The Trade-Off Explained If your client is already ranking well, the risk calculus changes. Here is how to think about each scenario: - If citations currently say "home care service" and rankings are strong: Do not make bulk changes immediately. Abrupt category shifts across many directories can temporarily disrupt the consistent signal pattern Google has already learned. Audit first, then update gradually. - If you are building new citations from scratch: Always use home health care service to match the GBP from day one. Consistency is easiest to establish before citations exist, not after. - If a directory does not offer the exact GBP category: Choose the closest available option. Document the exception. A small number of approximate matches across minor directories will not significantly harm a strong local profile. The general principle is: protect what is working, align what is new, and fix mismatches incrementally. ✅ Best Practices for Citation Category Selection 1. Start with your GBP primary category. This is your anchor. Every major citation source (Google Maps data aggregators, Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, data aggregators like Data Axle and Neustar) should reflect this category as closely as possible. 2. Check each directory's category taxonomy. Not every directory uses Google's exact category names. Map your GBP category to the closest equivalent on each platform and document your choices. 3. Prioritise high-authority directories. Mismatches on high-authority sites (Yelp, Facebook, Apple Maps, Better Business Bureau) carry more weight than mismatches on minor niche directories. 4. Audit existing citations before making changes. If your client already has a strong ranking, run a citation audit to identify and score inconsistencies before touching anything. 5. Update gradually if correcting existing citations. Change a small batch of directories per week rather than all at once to avoid a sudden shift in your citation signal pattern. 6. Document every category decision. Keep a simple spreadsheet logging the directory name, the category used, and any deviation from the GBP category with a reason. This protects you during future audits. 🔍 How to Check Your GBP Category in Search Atlas You can verify your client's active GBP primary category directly inside Search Atlas: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local (lands on GBP Projects). 2. Find your client's project and open it. 3. Review the GBP category displayed in the project overview. This is the category your citations should align with. Use this as your reference point every time you build or audit citations for the account. ⚠️ Special Considerations for Senior Care Businesses Senior care is a competitive and regulated niche. Category accuracy has both SEO and compliance implications: - Using home health care service for a non-medical agency could attract searchers expecting clinical services, increasing bounce rates and reducing conversion quality. - Some directories flag or restrict health-related categories, so verify that your client qualifies for the category before submitting. - If your client offers both non-medical and medical services, confirm with the client which GBP category best represents their primary service before setting it as the citation standard. When in doubt, align citations with the GBP category your client has already validated and is ranking for. Changing the GBP category itself is a separate strategic decision that should be evaluated carefully and is outside the scope of citation management alone. 💬 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 Address Pin Move Alerts: Email Notifications for Suggested Edits

Search Atlas automatically emails you whenever someone attempts to move your Google Business Profile (GBP) address pin or suggests an edit to your business address — giving you a chance to review and act before any unauthorized change takes effect. ⚠️ What Triggers an Address Pin Alert Search Atlas monitors your connected GBP listings and sends an alert email when either of the following events occurs: - Address pin move: Someone submits a request to reposition the map pin associated with your business location. - Suggested address edit: A user submits a proposed change to your business address through Google's "Suggest an edit" feature on your listing. Both events trigger an immediate notification to the email address on your Search Atlas account. 📧 What the Address Pin Alert Email Contains The alert arrives in a Search Atlas-branded email. It includes the information you need to identify the affected listing and take action: - The type of change attempted (address pin move or suggested address edit) - The affected GBP business listing - A prompt to log in to Google Business Profile and review the pending suggestion Check your inbox — and your spam folder — if you expect an alert but do not see it within a few minutes of the triggering event. ✅ How to Respond to a Suggested Address Edit When you receive an alert, follow these steps to review and resolve the suggestion: 1. Open the alert email from Search Atlas. 2. Log in to your Google Business Profile dashboard. 3. Select the affected listing and locate the pending suggested edit. 4. Accept the change if it is accurate, or mark it as incorrect to have it removed. Responding promptly protects your listing from inaccurate address data that can affect local search rankings and customer navigation. ⚙️ Which Account Email Receives the Alert Alerts are sent to the email address associated with your Search Atlas account. If you manage multiple GBP locations, each connected listing is monitored independently — you will receive a separate alert for each location where a pin move or address edit is submitted. 🎯 Search Atlas address pin alerts give you real-time visibility into changes that could affect your local search presence — act on each alert promptly by reviewing the suggestion directly in Google Business Profile to keep your location data accurate and trustworthy.

🔓 Unlocking GBP Data Lock from Linkgraph API Access

📘 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.

⚠️ Understanding Orange Triangle Warnings in GBP Optimization

🔍 What the Orange Triangle Warnings Mean When you open the Business Data Optimizations section of your Google Business Profile (GBP) tool in Search Atlas, you may notice orange triangle icons next to certain fields. These icons are warnings, not errors. They flag areas of your business profile that are incomplete, outdated, or could be improved to help your profile perform better in local search. In short, an orange triangle is the tool's way of saying: "This part of your profile needs your attention." It does not mean something is broken or that your profile has been penalized. ❓ Why These Warnings Appear Search Atlas continuously compares the information on your Google Business Profile against optimization best practices. When a field falls short of those best practices, the tool marks it with an orange triangle so you can quickly spot what to fix. Common reasons an orange triangle appears include: - Missing information – A field such as business hours, website URL, or service area is empty. - Incomplete details – A section has some data but not enough to be considered fully optimized (for example, only one business category instead of relevant additional categories). - Outdated content – Information that has not been updated recently, such as posts, photos, or seasonal hours. - Underused features – Profile features that are available but not being used, such as products, services, or attributes. - Inconsistent data – Details that don't match across your profile or other listings, such as your business name, address, or phone number. 🚦 Warning Icons vs. Other Status Indicators It helps to understand how the orange triangle fits alongside the other status icons you may see: - Green check – This field is complete and optimized. No action needed. - Orange triangle – This field works but could be improved. Action recommended. - Red indicator – This field has a problem that may be limiting your profile. Action needed. Orange triangles sit in the middle: they are opportunities to strengthen your profile rather than urgent failures. 🛠️ How to Resolve an Orange Triangle Warning Follow these steps to clear a warning: 1. Go to the Business Data Optimizations section of your GBP tool. 2. Hover over or click the orange triangle icon to view the specific recommendation. The tooltip or detail panel explains what the tool is asking you to update. 3. Open the related field and add or update the requested information (for example, fill in missing hours or add a secondary category). 4. Save your changes. 5. Allow the tool a short time to re-scan your profile. Once the field meets best practices, the orange triangle is replaced by a green check. ✅ Examples of Common Fixes - Business hours warning – Add complete opening and closing times for every day, including special holiday hours. - Category warning – Add relevant secondary categories that describe your services. - Services warning – Keep in mind that Search Atlas lets you assign a category to each service for organization, but Google distinguishes between structured services (which use Google's predefined service types and help match relevant searches) and custom services (your own service names). A services warning can persist when your services are all custom-type, since custom services provide weaker query-matching signals. Where a matching structured service type exists for what you offer, use it rather than a custom name. - Description warning – Write or expand your business description so it clearly explains what you offer. - Photos warning – Upload recent, high-quality images of your business, products, or team. - Attributes warning – Select applicable attributes such as accessibility options or payment methods. 🤔 Do You Have to Fix Every Warning? You are not required to clear every orange triangle, but we strongly recommend it. Each resolved warning makes your profile more complete and trustworthy to both customers and Google. Profiles that are fully optimized tend to appear more often in local search results and give potential customers the information they need to choose your business. If a recommendation does not apply to your business (for example, a service area for a business that only serves customers on-site), it is fine to leave that field as-is. The warning simply reflects an available option, not a mandatory requirement. 🔄 Why Some Warnings Reappear Occasionally a warning may return after you have addressed it. This usually happens because: - Google has not yet synced your latest update. Changes can take time to reflect. - Content such as posts or photos has aged and is now flagged as needing a refresh. - An edit was made directly in Google Business Profile that did not match the optimization in Search Atlas. If a warning reappears, simply review the recommendation again and confirm your information is current and consistent. A small number of display issues could also previously cause a warning to show when nothing was actually missing – for example, an Attributes tip referencing "Service URLs" that appeared even when every attribute was already filled in, or a "missing landing page" recommendation for a service that already had a matching page on your website (sometimes because the page URL included a location suffix such as -san-diego). These issues have been resolved. If you see a warning that doesn't seem to correspond to anything missing, refresh the section and re-check the field; if it persists, contact support. 💬 Need More Help? If you have followed the steps above and a warning remains unclear or will not clear, please contact our support team. Include the name of the field showing the orange triangle and a screenshot of the warning so we can assist you quickly. If the optimization suggestions themselves fail to load or appear stuck while generating, refresh the Overview page and try again. A past issue that could leave suggestion tasks hanging without an error has been resolved, so if you still see this behavior, let support know so we can investigate your specific location.

📘 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.

🏢 Managing Multiple Office Locations in Brand Vault with GBP Integration Limits

Brand Vault supports one Google Business Profile (GBP) connection per Brand Vault profile. If your business has multiple offices, add the extra locations using the manual street address field, mark which location is primary, and keep your multi-location pages accurate with the steps below. ⚠️ The Brand Vault GBP integration limit Brand Vault supports one Google Business Profile connection per Brand Vault profile. If your business runs more than one office, you can link only a single GBP through the standard integration. The second location does not receive its own GBP connection slot. This is expected behavior, not an error. To record additional locations, use the manual address workaround below. 🏢 Add a second office location to Brand Vault Use the street address field to capture each location that you cannot link through GBP directly. Steps to add the second location 1. Open Brand Vault for your business. 2. Keep your existing Google Business Profile connected for your first (primary) location. 3. Find the street address field and enter the second office location's full address manually. 4. Find your primary address in Brand Vault's Address panel, click the Primary toggle (or radio button) next to the correct location, and save so the correct office is prioritized. 5. Save your changes. You now have both locations recorded in Brand Vault, with the primary location clearly flagged. Note: If you use Service Area for your business, keep your addresses in sync with your primary Google Business Profile. A recent backend fix (GBP-1396, GBP-1346) resolved an issue where Service Area Business locations were not updating after a business moved, so the system now handles these updates properly. If an address still does not update correctly, confirm the address is correct in your Google Business Profile first. 📐 Clean up multi-location Service schema on single-location pages When you serve multiple offices, Service schema can add ContactPoints for offices that are not relevant to a specific page. Listing every office on a single-location page dilutes local SEO relevance for that page, because search engines receive conflicting location signals for content that should target a single office. How to fix schema dilution 1. Open the single-location page and view its Service schema markup. 2. Audit each ContactPoint entry in the Service markup and list which office each one represents. 3. Identify ContactPoints that conflict with the page's intended location. For example, on an alimony-ny page, a Connecticut office ContactPoint conflicts with the New York intent and should be removed. 4. Remove ContactPoints for offices that do not apply to that page, keeping only the office that matches the page's location and intent. 5. Save the page and re-validate the Service schema to confirm only the relevant office remains. 6. Repeat this audit for every single-location page so each one references only its own office. Each page now points to one relevant office, which strengthens its local SEO signal. Previously, an error could occur when adding places in the Service Area module while managing Service Area locations (GBP-1396). This issue is resolved, so you can now manage Service Area locations and the related multi-location Service schema without encountering it. 🛠️ Fix meta descriptions that are not showing If a meta description you set does not appear, the cause is usually a stale browser cache rather than a missing description. Verify the live meta description - Refresh the page to clear the cached version. - Open your browser's DevTools and inspect the page source to confirm the meta description is present. Once the cache clears, your intended meta description displays correctly. 🔁 Prevent duplicate meta descriptions from Content Genius and OTTO If a page shows more than one meta description, the duplicates come from the Content Genius tool while OTTO suggests its own. Allowing both to apply causes overwrites. Choose one source - Keep the Content Genius meta descriptions. - Dismiss the OTTO meta description suggestions so they do not overwrite Content Genius. With a single source applied, each page keeps one clean, intended meta description. 🔧 Troubleshooting Brand Vault locations and addresses If your secondary location is not appearing or addresses are not updating, try the following: - Refresh the page and clear your browser cache, then check whether the manually entered address now appears. - If the GBP section gets stuck loading, reload the page and reconnect your Google Business Profile if needed. - If addresses are not syncing, check your Google Business Profile to confirm the address is correct there first, since Service Area locations sync from your primary GBP. 🎯 You now know how to record a second office location in Brand Vault using the manual address workaround, mark your primary location, and keep multi-location schema and meta descriptions accurate. Review your single-location pages next to confirm each one references only its relevant office.

📅 Understanding Automated GBP Posting Frequency Settings

🔍 Overview Search Atlas can automatically create and schedule Google Business Profile (GBP) posts on your behalf. When you enable automated posting and select the Smart SEO Optimized frequency, the system manages your posting cadence based on SEO best practices — but it is important to understand the timing so you know what to expect. ⚙️ What Is Smart SEO Optimized Frequency? Smart SEO Optimized is an automated posting frequency setting that lets Search Atlas determine the ideal number of GBP posts to generate for your business. Rather than posting at fixed daily or weekly intervals, the system balances posting consistency with content quality to support long-term local SEO performance. - Posting cadence: Under this setting, posts are created once per week. - Queue behaviour: Posts are generated and added to your queue on a rolling weekly schedule, not all at once. - Content type: Posts are optimised for your target keywords and business category automatically. 📋 Why Your Queue May Appear Empty If you have just enabled automated posting with the Smart SEO Optimized setting and your queue looks empty, this is expected behaviour. Here is why: 1. Initial setup delay: After enabling the setting, the system needs time to process your business profile data and generate the first post. Allow up to 24–48 hours for the first post to appear in your queue. 2. Weekly generation cycle: Because posts are created once per week, you will not see a backlog of posts queued in advance. A new post is added to the queue each week. 3. Profile data requirements: The system requires complete business information — including your business category, location, and target keywords — to generate posts. Incomplete profile data can delay post creation. ✅ How to Confirm Your Settings Are Active Follow these steps to verify that automated GBP posting is correctly configured: 1. Navigate to your GBP Automation settings inside Search Atlas. 2. Confirm that the Automate Posting toggle is switched on. 3. Check that the frequency is set to Smart SEO Optimized. 4. Verify that your Google Business Profile is connected and authorised under your account integrations. 5. Ensure your business profile has a category, address, and at least one target keyword saved. If all of the above are confirmed, your first post will appear in the queue within 24–48 hours, and subsequent posts will be added on a weekly basis from that point forward. 💡 Tips for Getting the Most From Automated Posting - Keep your profile complete: A fully filled-out business profile helps the system generate more relevant, targeted post content. - Review queued posts before they publish: You can edit any auto-generated post in the queue before it goes live if you want to adjust the copy or imagery. - Be patient after enabling: The first week is always the quietest — the system builds momentum over time. - Avoid toggling the setting on and off: Repeatedly disabling and re-enabling automated posting can reset the generation cycle and cause further delays. 🛠️ Troubleshooting If it has been more than 48 hours since you enabled Smart SEO Optimized posting and no post has appeared in your queue, try the following: - Disconnect and reconnect your Google Business Profile integration to refresh the authorisation. - Confirm that your GBP account has no active policy violations or suspended status on Google's side, as these can prevent post creation. - Check that your Search Atlas subscription includes GBP automation features. 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.

🛠️ Stop GBP Posts After Account Cancellation

🔍 Overview When a Search Atlas subscription is cancelled, any scheduled Google Business Profile (GBP) posting or auto-sync that was active at the time of cancellation may continue running if it was not manually turned off beforehand. This article explains what causes the issue and how to get it resolved quickly. ⚠️ Why This Happens If automated GBP posting or Data Lock was enabled on your account before cancellation, the schedule can remain active even after your plan ends. This is a known issue that our engineering team has addressed with several fixes to GBP lock logic and auto-sync behaviour. However, if your account was cancelled while posting was still live, the automation may not have stopped automatically. ✅ What You Need to Do Because your account is no longer active, you cannot log in to turn off the settings yourself. The only way to disable GBP posting, Data Lock, and Auto-Sync after cancellation is to contact our support team so an agent can make the changes directly on your account. Follow these steps to get this resolved as quickly as possible: 1. Confirm your account details. Have the email address associated with your Search Atlas account ready. If you used more than one email (for example, a personal Gmail alongside a business email), note both so the agent can locate the correct account. 2. Contact support. If you still have any access to the platform, open the support chat from within the platform. If you cannot log in at all, ask a colleague who has platform access to open a support chat on your behalf, or reach out via the contact options available at the Search Atlas website. 3. Request the following actions explicitly. Ask the agent to: disable all scheduled GBP posts, turn off Data Lock for your GBP locations, and disconnect Auto-Sync so no further updates are pushed to Google Business Profile. The support agent has the backend access required to make these changes even on a cancelled account — a human agent must action this on your behalf. 4. Verify the change. The agent will confirm once posting has been stopped. Check your GBP dashboard in Google directly to confirm no new posts appear after the agent's confirmation. 🛡️ How to Prevent This Before Cancelling If you are planning to cancel your Search Atlas subscription in the future, take these steps first to avoid unwanted posts continuing after cancellation: - Before cancelling, contact our support team and ask them to disable any active scheduled posting and turn off Data Lock and Auto-Sync for all of your connected GBP locations. - Confirm with the agent that all automation has been stopped before you proceed with cancellation. - Only proceed with cancellation once you have received confirmation that all automation is off. 💡 Notes on Multiple Accounts If your business has more than one Search Atlas account — for example, a main workspace and a secondary account under a different email — make sure to check each account separately. Scheduled posting can be active on any account that has GBP projects connected, regardless of whether that account has an active subscription. If you still need help, please contact our support team and we will be happy to assist you.

📘 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.

📘 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.

🔍 Site Analysis Tools and Local SEO Heatmaps Explained

🗺️ Overview: Two Separate but Complementary Features Search Atlas offers two distinct tools that are often confused with one another: the Site Analysis feature for prospecting, and Local SEO Heatmaps for tracking local search visibility. This article explains what each tool does, how to access it, and how they work together. 🔍 What Is the Site Analysis Feature? The Site Analysis feature is designed to help you — or your potential clients — quickly evaluate the SEO health of any website before committing to a service engagement. It provides a high-level snapshot of key on-site and off-site metrics, making it a powerful tool for agency prospecting and client onboarding conversations. With Site Analysis, you can review data such as: - Domain authority and backlink profile - Organic keyword rankings and estimated traffic - On-page SEO signals and technical issues - Competitor comparisons at a glance To access Site Analysis, go to Left sidebar → Site Metrics (Site Explorer) (URL: /site-explorer/list). From there, enter any domain to pull a full report. You can share insights from this view directly with prospects during discovery calls or proposals. 📍 What Are Local SEO Heatmaps? Local SEO Heatmaps are a separate feature focused on geographic search visibility. They show you how a business ranks for specific keywords across different locations on a map grid — invaluable for businesses targeting customers in a defined service area. Heatmaps answer questions like: - Does this business appear in the Google local pack near its address? - How does visibility change block by block across a city? - Which areas need the most local SEO improvement? Local SEO Heatmaps are set up and managed independently from Site Analysis. They are not embedded within the Site Analysis report — you configure them as a standalone workflow, typically after a prospect becomes an active client and you have defined their target keywords and service area. ⚙️ How to Set Up a Local SEO Heatmap 1. Navigate to Local → Local SEO Heatmaps in the left sidebar. 2. Click Create New Heatmap. 3. Enter the business name, address, and the target keyword you want to track. 4. Set your grid size — this determines how wide an area the heatmap will scan around the business location. 5. Click Save. Results typically populate within a few minutes. 6. Review the color-coded grid: green indicates strong local rankings, red indicates weak or no visibility for that keyword in that location. You can create multiple heatmaps per client — one for each target keyword or service area. This lets you track progress over time as your local SEO efforts take effect. 💡 Can Prospects View Heatmaps During Site Analysis? No — Local SEO Heatmaps are not available within the Site Analysis tool. They are a separate feature and are not displayed as part of a prospect's initial site report. Here is a quick summary of how both tools fit into a typical agency workflow: - Before becoming a client: Use Site Analysis (via Site Explorer) to audit a prospect's domain, identify SEO gaps, and build a compelling proposal. - After onboarding: Set up Local SEO Heatmaps to establish a baseline for local visibility and begin tracking ranking improvements by location. This two-stage approach ensures prospects receive a meaningful overview of their SEO situation upfront, while deeper local tracking tools are activated once an active project is underway. ✅ Quick Reference Summary - Site Analysis — domain-level SEO audit, accessible at /site-explorer/list, ideal for prospecting. - Local SEO Heatmaps — geographic ranking visualisation, set up separately under Local → Local SEO Heatmaps, ideal for active local campaigns. - The two features work together across the client lifecycle but are not combined in a single view. 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.

🗺️ Proximity vs. Relevance Modeling: How Local Rankings Work

What Is Local SEO? Local SEO is a specialized search engine optimization strategy that increases business visibility in unpaid, location-based search results within a defined geographic area. Unlike traditional SEO — which targets national or global keyword markets — local SEO integrates location-based filtering directly into its ranking logic, prioritizing businesses within a specific geographic scope. The core goal of local SEO is to optimize proximity signals, relevance signals, and prominence signals so search engines rank your business for geographically modified queries. The Three Core Elements of Local Ranking Google determines local rankings by combining three factors: - Proximity — The physical distance between the searcher and the business location. - Relevance — How accurately the business profile and website content match the user's search intent. - Prominence — Authority signals derived from reviews, backlinks, citations, and overall brand strength. These three factors work together: proximity filters which businesses are geographically eligible, relevance orders those candidates by intent alignment, and prominence adjusts final ranking weight through authority scoring. What Is Proximity Modeling? Proximity modeling is the geographic filtering layer of local search. It calculates spatial eligibility before any semantic ordering begins. Search engines measure the distance between a searcher and indexed business locations, giving higher eligibility weight to businesses that are physically closer. Proximity modeling is especially significant in two scenarios: - Local Pack rankings — The map-based results (typically 3 businesses) that appear prominently in search results for location-based queries. - "Near me" and real-time mobile searches — Because a user's location changes constantly on mobile devices, proximity is a continuously recalculated, dynamic ranking signal. Limitations of Proximity Modeling Proximity alone does not determine ranking. A business that is physically closest to a searcher will not automatically rank first if its relevance and prominence scores are weak. Geographic eligibility is a necessary condition, but not a sufficient one. What Is Relevance Modeling? Relevance modeling is the ranking layer that orders geographically eligible businesses according to how well they match the user's intent. Search engines evaluate both queries and business information to calculate how closely a business matches what the user is searching for. Relevance modeling operates across several dimensions: - Query intent matching — Does the business category and service offering align with what the user is searching for? - Business profile completeness — A fully completed Google Business Profile (name, address, phone, hours, categories, services, photos) gives search engines more signals to match against user queries. - On-page content — Location-specific landing pages, service area pages, and keyword-optimized content reinforce relevance for target searches. How to Optimize for Relevance 1. Choose the most accurate primary and secondary business categories in your Google Business Profile. 2. Write detailed, keyword-rich business descriptions that reflect the services you offer and the areas you serve. 3. Create dedicated location or service-area pages on your website with locally relevant content. 4. Keep your business hours, services list, and contact information up to date. What Is Prominence Modeling? Prominence reflects how well-known and authoritative a business is, both online and offline. Search engines use prominence signals to differentiate between businesses that are similarly close and relevant. Key prominence signals include: - Review quantity and quality — Businesses with more positive, recent reviews tend to rank higher in local results. - Citations — Consistent name, address, and phone number (NAP) data across directories like Yelp, Bing Places, and industry-specific sites reinforces trust. - Backlinks — Links from authoritative, locally relevant websites signal credibility to search engines. - Overall brand presence — Media mentions, social signals, and general web authority contribute to prominence scoring. How to Optimize for Prominence 1. Actively request reviews from satisfied customers and respond to all reviews — positive and negative. 2. Audit your business citations across major directories to ensure NAP consistency everywhere your business is listed. 3. Build backlinks from local news sites, industry associations, and community organizations. 4. Monitor your Google Business Profile for suggested edits and keep all information accurate. Putting It All Together To improve your local rankings, treat proximity, relevance, and prominence as three levers that must all be pulled together. You cannot fully compensate for a weak prominence profile with a highly optimized Google Business Profile alone, nor can strong reviews overcome a business profile that is incomplete or miscategorized. A balanced approach — covering accurate location data, thorough profile completion, consistent citations, and an active review strategy — gives your business the best chance of ranking well in local search results. 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.

📡 Data Aggregator GBP Requirement and Citation Builder Alternative

🔍 Overview Data Aggregator is a Search Atlas tool that pushes your business information to major data networks, helping ensure your local listings stay accurate and consistent across the web. To use Data Aggregator, a connected Google Business Profile (GBP) is mandatory. If you do not have a GBP connected, you will see an error and will not be able to proceed with Data Aggregator. However, you can still manage local citations manually using Citation Builder as an alternative workflow. ⚠️ Why GBP Is Required for Data Aggregator Data Aggregator pulls your verified business information directly from your connected Google Business Profile. This ensures the data distributed to third-party directories and data networks is accurate and matches your authoritative business listing. Without a connected GBP, Data Aggregator has no verified source of business information to work from and cannot function. If you attempt to use Data Aggregator without a connected GBP, you will receive an error message indicating that a Google Business Profile connection is required before you can proceed. No data will be submitted until this requirement is met. 📋 What You Need to Use Data Aggregator - An active Search Atlas account with Local features enabled. - A verified Google Business Profile connected to your Search Atlas workspace. - Your GBP must be linked before accessing Data Aggregator — partial or pending connections will not unlock the tool. 🏗️ Using Citation Builder as a Manual Alternative If you do not currently have a GBP connected, Citation Builder is available as a manual alternative. Citation Builder allows you to create, manage, and track local citations across directories without requiring a GBP connection. It gives you direct control over individual citation submissions while your GBP setup is in progress or if GBP access is unavailable. To access Citation Builder, follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. Under the Local section, click Local Citations. 3. From the Local Citations page, you can manually add and manage citations for your business across supported directories. 🔄 Citation Builder vs. Data Aggregator: Key Differences - Data Aggregator — Automated bulk distribution to major data networks. Requires a connected GBP. Faster and broader reach with less manual effort. - Citation Builder — Manual citation management across directories. No GBP required. Gives you direct control over individual listings but requires more hands-on effort. Citation Builder is a practical short-term solution, but for full automation and broader data network coverage, connecting a GBP and using Data Aggregator is strongly recommended. 🚧 Limitations When GBP Access Is Unavailable Using Citation Builder without a connected GBP comes with some limitations you should be aware of: - Citations must be submitted and managed individually rather than distributed automatically in bulk. - Data Aggregator's automated network syndication is not available, which may slow the spread of accurate business data across the web. - Ongoing synchronisation between your business information and distributed listings will not occur automatically without GBP. - Some advanced Local features within Search Atlas that depend on GBP data may also be restricted or unavailable. ✅ How to Connect Your Google Business Profile When you are ready to unlock Data Aggregator and full Local functionality, connect your GBP by following these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local → GBP Projects. 2. Click Overview. 3. Follow the on-screen prompts to connect your Google Business Profile to your workspace. 4. Once your GBP is successfully connected, return to Data Aggregator to begin automated data distribution. Make sure the Google account you use has ownership or management access to the GBP you want to connect. Viewer-only access will not be sufficient to complete the connection. 💬 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.

GBP Automation Post Quota Explained

GBP Automation in Search Atlas operates on a monthly post quota system — not a per-credit deduction. Your plan includes a fixed number of automated Google Business Profile posts per billing cycle, tracked independently from Universal Credits, Hyperdrive Credits, and AI Gen Points. 📋 How the Post Quota Works Every Search Atlas plan that includes GBP Automation comes with a monthly post allowance covering all posts scheduled and published through the Automated Posting feature across your connected GBP locations. - The exact quota depends on your subscription tier — it is not a universal fixed number. - Your dashboard shows total posts allowed, posts used, and posts remaining (for example, 24 of 25 used). - GBP Automation posts are completely separate from Hyperdrive Credits, which power Cloud Stacks, Citations, and Press Releases. Using those features does not affect your post count. - The quota resets automatically at the start of your next billing cycle. 🔍 How to Check Your Remaining Post Quota 1. Log in to your Search Atlas dashboard. 2. In the left sidebar, go to Local → Posts (GBP Posts). 3. Review the quota summary displayed on that screen — it shows your total allowance, posts used, and posts remaining. 4. You can also verify your quota via the top-right avatar → Settings (Avatar Menu (👤)) or top-right avatar → Billing. ⚠️ What to Do When Your Quota Runs Out Once your monthly post quota is exhausted, GBP Automation will pause and stop publishing new posts. Scheduled posts will not go out until the quota resets at the start of your next billing cycle. If you need to continue posting before the reset, contact the Search Atlas support team via live chat to discuss your plan options. 🛠️ Known Issue: Automation Blocked Despite Available Posts A known project count mismatch can sometimes incorrectly block GBP Automation from running even when your quota still shows posts remaining. If your automation has stopped unexpectedly and the dashboard confirms posts are still available, this discrepancy may be the cause. Contact support and share a screenshot of your quota screen so the team can investigate and resolve it promptly. 💬 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 Galactic AI Image Geo-Tagging Explained

🖼️ How GBP Galactic AI Generates Images GBP Galactic AI is Search Atlas's built-in tool for creating optimised images for your Google Business Profile (GBP) posts and listings. When you generate an image using this feature, the file is produced programmatically and delivered ready for upload to your GBP listing. A common question from customers is whether these generated images automatically include geo-tagging — that is, GPS or location-based metadata embedded directly inside the image file (typically as EXIF data). 📍 Are Generated Images Automatically Geo-Tagged? No. Images generated by GBP Galactic AI are not automatically geo-tagged with location metadata embedded in the image file. The tool focuses on producing high-quality, visually relevant images for your business, but it does not write GPS coordinates or location EXIF data into the image file itself at the point of generation. This is important to understand so you can set accurate expectations around your local SEO workflow and decide whether additional steps are needed for your strategy. 💡 Why Geo-Tagging Matters for Local SEO Geo-tagging involves embedding GPS coordinates and location data into an image's EXIF metadata. Some local SEO practitioners believe this can provide a relevance signal to Google when images are uploaded to a GBP listing. While Google has not officially confirmed the weight it places on image EXIF data, geo-tagging remains a popular practice in local SEO strategies. Key points to keep in mind: - Google may or may not read or act on EXIF location data when processing GBP images. - Geo-tagging alone is unlikely to be a major ranking factor but can be part of a broader local optimisation approach. - Google's own apps and systems sometimes strip EXIF metadata when images are uploaded, so embedded data may not persist. 🛠️ How to Add Geo-Tags to Your Generated Images If your local SEO strategy includes geo-tagging, you can manually add location metadata to images after downloading them from GBP Galactic AI. Here is a straightforward workflow: 1. Generate and download your image using GBP Galactic AI inside Search Atlas. 2. Open a geo-tagging tool. Free and paid options are available online, such as GeoImgr, Jeffrey's Exif Viewer, or desktop tools like GeoSetter. 3. Enter your business's GPS coordinates. You can find these by searching your business address in Google Maps and copying the latitude and longitude from the URL. 4. Save the updated image file with the embedded location metadata. 5. Upload the geo-tagged image directly to your Google Business Profile. This process gives you full control over the location data attached to each image without affecting the quality of the original file generated by GBP Galactic AI. ✅ Best Practices for GBP Image Optimisation Beyond geo-tagging, there are several well-established practices that can strengthen the impact of your GBP images: - Use descriptive file names that include your business name, location, or relevant keywords before uploading (e.g., best-pizza-downtown-chicago.jpg). - Add alt text and captions where GBP allows, reinforcing your location and service keywords. - Upload images consistently — regular, fresh image uploads signal an active and engaged business profile to Google. - Use high-resolution images that meet Google's recommended dimensions to avoid compression artefacts. - Showcase real, relevant content such as your products, premises, team, and local surroundings to build trust with potential customers. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will Search Atlas add automatic geo-tagging to GBP Galactic AI in the future? Feature development is ongoing at Search Atlas. If automatic geo-tagging is introduced as a feature, it will be announced in the platform and in release notes. Keep an eye on platform updates for the latest capabilities. Does Google strip EXIF data when I upload images to GBP? In many cases, yes. Google processes uploaded images through its own systems and frequently removes or ignores EXIF metadata, including GPS coordinates. This is a platform-level behaviour on Google's side and is not something Search Atlas can control. Can I bulk geo-tag images before uploading through Search Atlas? Yes. You can use third-party EXIF editing tools to geo-tag images in batches, then use those files in your GBP workflow inside Search Atlas. 💬 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.

🗺️ Diagnosing Competitor Heatmap Gaps in Local SEO

🔍 Understanding the Real Question Seeing a competitor dominate your local heatmap with a similar number of reviews and the same keywords can be frustrating. The answer is rarely just "get more reviews" or "post more on GBP." Local heatmap rankings are driven by a combination of factors — and a side-by-side competitive analysis is the fastest way to pinpoint exactly where the gap exists. This article walks you through the key factors to investigate when comparing your performance against a specific competitor, so you can build a targeted action plan. 📍 Step 1: Review Your Local Heatmap Results Open your local heatmap for the target keyword and take note of the specific geographic zones where your ranking drops. Each point on the grid shows your ranking position at that location — weaker positions will show higher numbers, while stronger positions show lower numbers. Identifying where the problem is concentrated is important context for the analysis that follows. 🏆 Step 2: Identify What Your Competitor Is Doing Differently A competitor achieving strong results with a similar review count signals that the gap is not primarily about review volume. The difference is almost always found in one or more of these areas: - GBP category and attribute match: Their primary and secondary GBP categories may align more precisely with the search intent behind your shared keywords. - Review quality and recency: Recent, keyword-rich, high-rating reviews outperform older or generic reviews of the same volume. Check when their reviews were posted and whether customers naturally mention service-relevant terms. - Physical proximity and pin placement: Their verified business address may be geographically closer to the center of the search grid, giving them a proximity advantage that no amount of optimization fully overcomes. - Website authority and on-page signals: Google's local algorithm blends GBP signals with the authority of the linked website. A stronger domain or better-optimized landing page can lift heatmap positions. - Local citation consistency: More consistent and complete citations across directories can reinforce relevance for their location. - Engagement signals: Higher click-through rates, direction requests, and calls from their GBP listing all feed into ranking signals. 📊 Step 3: Run a Keyword Gap Analysis Against the Competitor Use Search Atlas's keyword gap tools to compare your domain against your competitor's domain. Enter both domains to surface keywords where your competitor ranks but you do not, or where they rank significantly higher. Prioritize any gaps that overlap with the geographic zones where your heatmap shows weaker positions — these represent your highest-leverage opportunities. 📋 Step 4: Check Citation Consistency Review your business listings across major directories and compare them to your competitor's. Inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data weakens your local relevance signals. Use Search Atlas's citation tools to audit and correct any discrepancies. 🛠️ Step 5: Build a Targeted Action Plan Once you have identified where the gaps exist, prioritize actions in this order: 1. Correct any GBP category mismatches or missing attributes. 2. Launch a review generation campaign focused on recency and natural keyword inclusion. 3. Fix citation inconsistencies surfaced in your audit. 4. Strengthen the landing page linked from your GBP listing with better on-page local signals. 5. Monitor heatmap positions weekly after each change to measure impact. 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 Higher for Local Keywords with OTTO

🗺️ What This Article Covers This guide explains how to use OTTO inside Search Atlas to improve your local keyword rankings — including high-intent searches like "Mercedes Repair Near Me". You will learn where to find the Semantic Optimization feature and how to apply it to your local SEO strategy step by step. 🔍 Understanding Local Keyword Optimization in OTTO OTTO is Search Atlas's AI-powered SEO automation engine. For local businesses, it analyzes your content, Google Business Profile (GBP) signals, and target keywords to recommend and apply on-page and semantic optimizations that improve local search visibility. Local keywords — especially "near me" and city-specific phrases — require a combination of semantic relevance, consistent business signals, and optimized content. OTTO helps you address all three from one place. ⚙️ Step 1: Access OTTO via OTTO SEO 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click OTTO SEO, then open SEO Automation. This takes you to the OTTO dashboard at /seo-automation-v3. 3. Select the project or website you want to optimize for local keywords. 4. If you have not connected your site to OTTO yet, follow the on-screen prompts to add your domain and activate OTTO for that project. 📊 Step 2: Run a Semantic Optimization Audit 1. Inside your OTTO project, locate the Semantic Optimization section. This is found within the OTTO dashboard after your site is activated — look for the Semantic tab or card in the main content area. 2. Enter your target local keyword — for example, Mercedes Repair Near Me or Mercedes Repair [City Name]. 3. Click Analyze or Run Audit. OTTO will scan your page content and compare it against top-ranking competitors for that local keyword. 4. Review the semantic recommendations that appear. These typically include missing entities, related terms, and content gaps that prevent your page from ranking locally. ✏️ Step 3: Apply OTTO's Local SEO Recommendations Once the audit is complete, OTTO surfaces prioritized recommendations. For local keyword ranking, focus on these key actions: - Add location-specific entities: OTTO will flag missing geographic terms, neighborhood names, or service area details. Add these naturally to your page content. - Optimize headings and meta data: Ensure your target keyword and city/region appear in your H1, title tag, and meta description. OTTO will highlight if these are missing. - Improve semantic coverage: Add related terms and phrases OTTO identifies — for example, terms like auto repair shop, certified technician, or same-day service strengthen topical relevance. - Deploy changes with one click: Where your site is connected via the OTTO plugin or integration, you can push approved changes directly from the dashboard without editing your CMS manually. 📍 Step 4: Strengthen Your Local Signals via the Local Section Semantic optimization works best when paired with strong local business signals. Use the GBP Projects section of Search Atlas alongside OTTO: - Go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects → Overview to review your GBP project health and spot gaps in your local presence. - Use Left sidebar → Local → Posts to publish GBP posts that include your target local keywords — this reinforces relevance signals to Google. - Visit Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations to audit and build consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) citations, which are a core local ranking factor. - Check Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews) to monitor and respond to customer reviews — review signals directly influence local pack rankings. 📈 Step 5: Track Your Local Keyword Rankings After applying OTTO's recommendations and updating your local signals: 1. Allow 3–7 days for search engines to re-crawl and re-index your updated pages. 2. Return to your OTTO project to check updated optimization scores and remaining recommendations. 3. Monitor keyword movement using the Rank Tracker in Search Atlas. Filter by local keywords to see position changes for phrases like Mercedes Repair Near Me over time. 💡 Tips for Better Local Keyword Results - Use city + service keywords (e.g., Mercedes Repair Austin) alongside near me variants — they often have more consistent search volume. - Make sure your GBP categories and services match the keywords you are targeting with OTTO. - Run a new Semantic Optimization audit each time you create a new local landing page or add a new service area. - Consistency matters — keep your business name, address, and phone number identical across your website, GBP, and all 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.

🖼️ AI Image Generation Prompts for Google Business Profile Posts

🧭 Overview When using Search Atlas to create and schedule Google Business Profile (GBP) posts, you can pair the AI-written post content with AI-generated images to create visually compelling, on-brand updates. However, the quality of the image depends almost entirely on how well your prompt is written. This article explains how AI image generation works within the GBP posting workflow and how to structure prompts that consistently produce relevant, professional results. 📍 Where GBP Posting Lives in Search Atlas To access your GBP posts, navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Posts (GBP Posts). From there, select View project on the relevant business location. Inside the project you will find your posts dashboard where you can create new posts, review pending tasks, and schedule content for publishing to Google Business Profile. 🤖 Can the AI Create an Image Based on the Content It Writes? Yes — this is a supported and recommended workflow. After the AI generates the written content for a GBP post, you can use that content as the basis for an image generation prompt. The AI does not automatically produce a matching image on its own, so you will need to write a prompt that references the key themes, tone, and subject matter from the post copy. Think of it as giving the image generator the same creative brief the AI used to write the text. This approach works well because the post content already contains the essential details: the offer, the service, the location context, and the tone. Your job is to translate those elements into visual instructions the image generator can act on. ✍️ How to Structure an Effective Image Prompt A strong image prompt for GBP posts includes five components. Combining all five consistently produces images that feel intentional and on-brand rather than generic. 1. Subject: Describe the main focus of the image. This should directly reflect the post topic. For example, if the post is about a seasonal HVAC tune-up promotion, the subject might be "a friendly HVAC technician inspecting an outdoor air conditioning unit." 2. Setting or context: Ground the image in a realistic environment that matches the business type and location. Examples include "in a residential suburban backyard," "inside a modern dental office," or "at a busy urban coffee shop counter." 3. Style or mood: Specify the visual tone you want. For most local business GBP posts, options like "bright and professional," "warm and welcoming," "clean product photography style," or "photorealistic" tend to perform best. 4. Key visual details: Add any brand-relevant specifics such as colors, props, or visual cues. For example, "wearing a blue uniform with tools visible" or "with a chalkboard menu in the background." 5. What to avoid: Optionally include exclusions to prevent unwanted elements. For example, "no text overlays," "no stock photo look," or "no cluttered backgrounds." 💡 Example Prompts Matched to GBP Post Types The following examples show how to match an image prompt to common GBP post categories: - Offer post (plumbing business): "A professional plumber fixing a kitchen sink pipe under a cabinet, realistic photo style, bright and clean lighting, blue uniform, no text overlays, no people in background." - Event post (yoga studio): "A small group yoga class in a serene, sunlit studio with wooden floors and plants, warm inviting atmosphere, photorealistic, no clutter, no text." - Update post (restaurant new menu): "A top-down flat lay of a beautifully plated pasta dish with fresh herbs on a dark wood table, professional food photography style, warm tones, shallow depth of field." - Product post (landscaping company): "A freshly landscaped front yard with trimmed hedges and colorful flowers, sunny day, realistic photo, suburban home in background, no people." ⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid - Prompts that are too vague: Phrases like "a nice image for a local business" give the AI almost no direction and produce generic results. Always specify the subject, setting, and style. - Conflicting instructions: Asking for "photorealistic" and "cartoon style" in the same prompt will produce inconsistent or blended results. Choose one visual direction. - Ignoring the post context: The image should reinforce the post message, not just look attractive. Re-read the AI-generated post copy before writing your prompt to ensure the visual subject matches the written subject. - Forgetting to exclude text overlays: AI image generators sometimes add text or logos unprompted. Including "no text, no watermarks, no overlays" in your prompt keeps images clean and Google-compliant. - Over-specifying unimportant details: Very long prompts with excessive detail can confuse the generator. Focus on the five core components and keep each instruction clear and direct. ✅ Quick-Reference Prompt Template Use this template as a starting point and fill in the bracketed sections based on your post content: "[Subject doing something relevant to the post], [setting or location context], [visual style or mood], [key brand or visual detail], no text overlays, no watermarks." Example using the template: "A veterinarian gently examining a golden retriever on an exam table, inside a clean modern veterinary clinic, bright and professional photo style, staff wearing teal scrubs, no text overlays, no watermarks." 🙋 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.

🔗 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.

📍 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.

📍 Set Up Local Competitor Tracking and Reporting

📋 Overview Search Atlas allows you to monitor how your business stacks up against local competitors — not just search engines. This guide explains how to configure competitor tracking for local SEO and build reports that surface actionable insights for your market. 🏁 Before You Begin Make sure you have the following ready before setting up local competitor tracking: - At least one active Local project set up in Search Atlas - The business names or Google Business Profile names of your local competitors - A clear idea of the geographic area and keywords you want to track 📍 Step 1: Access Your Local Projects Navigate to your local setup by going to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects. This opens your GBP Projects dashboard at /gbp-galactic/gbp-projects. Select the project that corresponds to the business location you want to track competitors for. If you have not yet created a project for this location, set one up before continuing. 🔍 Step 2: Identify the Right Local Competitors Effective local competitor tracking starts with choosing the right businesses to monitor. Follow these guidelines when selecting competitors: - Focus on geographic relevance: Choose businesses that serve the same city, neighbourhood, or service area as your client. - Match business category: Select competitors in the same primary category on Google Business Profile. - Check local rankings: Use Left sidebar → Local → Local SERPs (Local Search Engine Results Page) to run keyword searches and see which local businesses appear in the top results for your target terms. - Aim for 3–5 competitors: This gives you a focused, manageable comparison set without diluting your reporting. 🛠️ Step 3: Add Competitors to Your Report Builder Once you have identified your competitors, add them to your reporting setup: 1. Open the Report Builder from your dashboard. 2. Locate the Competitors field or section within the report configuration panel. 3. Remove any pre-populated search engine entries if your goal is local competitor comparison rather than organic search engine benchmarking. 4. Enter the business names or URLs of your chosen local competitors. Use the exact name as it appears on their Google Business Profile for the most accurate matching. 5. Save your competitor selections before moving to the next step. Important: The Report Builder distinguishes between search engine competitors (used for organic ranking comparisons) and local business competitors (used for GBP and local visibility comparisons). Make sure you are editing the correct competitor field for local reporting. 📊 Step 4: Build Meaningful Local Competitive Reports With your competitors configured, build reports that tell a clear story about your local competitive position. Include the following data points for the most actionable insights: - Local keyword rankings: Compare how you and each competitor rank for your target local search terms. Pull this data from Left sidebar → Local → Local SERPs (Local Search Engine Results Page). - Review volume and rating: Track the number of reviews and average star rating for each competitor via Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews). - Citation consistency: Use Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations to compare how well your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data is distributed versus competitors. - Post activity: Check Left sidebar → Local → Posts to see how frequently competitors publish GBP content compared to your own cadence. - Media presence: Use Left sidebar → Local → Media Library to assess photo and media activity on your profile relative to competitors. 📅 Step 5: Schedule and Share Your Competitive Reports To turn competitor data into an ongoing reporting workflow: 1. Set your report to run on a monthly or weekly cadence so you can spot trends over time. 2. Add a competitive summary section to your report that highlights wins (areas where you outperform competitors) and gaps (areas needing improvement). 3. Share reports with stakeholders using the Report Builder's export or sharing options. 💡 Best Practices for Local Competitive Reporting - Revisit your competitor list every quarter — local markets change, and new businesses may enter your client's space. - Pair competitor ranking data with your own task list from Left sidebar → Local → My Tasks to prioritise actions that close competitive gaps. - Use the Overview page (Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview) as your starting point each reporting cycle to get a high-level snapshot before diving into competitive details. - Document baseline metrics when you first set up tracking so you can show progress over time. 🆘 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.

📍 Local SEO Heatmaps: Fixing Incorrect Pin Placement for Service Area Businesses (SAB)

🤔 Why SAB heatmap pins appear in the wrong location Service Area Businesses (SABs) — like plumbers, electricians, or mobile services — do not have a fixed storefront address in their Google Business Profile. Without an exact address anchor, the heatmap system cannot automatically determine where to center the grid. 🛠️ How to fix the pin location 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → Local SEO Heatmaps 2. Open your project and find the Heatmaps view 3. Find the keyword where the pins are misplaced 4. Click the pin on the map to select it 5. Drag the pin to the correct location — the city or neighborhood center where you want the heatmap grid 6. Click Save to generate fresh results from the corrected location 🎯 Set the location at keyword level If you set a location at the project level but individual keywords still show wrong pins, you need to also set the location at the keyword level. Keyword-level settings override project-level settings for heatmap placement. 🔄 Pin moves back after a manual refresh? A previously reported issue where a corrected pin reverted to its old location after a manual refresh has been resolved. If you still see this behavior, refresh the page and re-run the heatmap so the corrected center is saved — your dragged location should now persist. ⚠️ Can't create a heatmap for your SAB? If you previously received an error when trying to generate a heatmap for a Service Area Business, this has been fixed — SAB heatmap creation is supported. If you hit a “Location not Found” error when a heatmap fails to display inside Report Builder, confirm a valid pin location has been set for the keyword and re-run the heatmap before adding it to the report. 💡 Tip: use a neighborhood center point For the most useful heatmap data, drag your pin to the geographic center of your primary service area — typically the downtown area or most densely populated zone of the city you serve.

🗺️ Managing Multiple Google Business Profile Heatmaps

🔍 Why You Are Seeing Two Heatmaps If you own or manage a single business but see two separate heatmaps inside Search Atlas, this is almost always because there are two distinct Google Business Profile (GBP) listings connected to your account. Search Atlas generates one heatmap per GBP listing, so two listings will always produce two heatmaps. This is not necessarily a problem. There are several legitimate reasons a single business owner intentionally maintains more than one GBP listing, and Search Atlas is designed to support that workflow. ✅ When Multiple GBP Listings Are Allowed by Google Google permits a single business owner to maintain multiple GBP listings in the following scenarios: - Different physical locations: Each address where customers can visit or be served in person qualifies for its own listing. - Franchise or multi-unit businesses: Each franchise unit can have its own listing, even if the same person or company owns them all. - Distinct service-area businesses (SABs): If your business serves clearly separate geographic territories and you want to track local visibility independently for each, Google allows separate SAB listings provided they meet its guidelines. - Departments within a business: For example, a car dealership's sales department and service department can each have a dedicated listing. If your situation matches any of the above, having two heatmaps in Search Atlas is expected and correct behaviour — not an error. 📍 How Each Heatmap Is Generated Every heatmap in Search Atlas is tied to one GBP project. When you add a GBP listing under Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects, the platform creates a separate project for that listing and tracks its local search visibility independently. The heatmap visualises how prominently that specific listing appears across a grid of geographic points for your chosen keywords. Because each listing competes in local search on its own merit, the two heatmaps may look very different — even if both listings represent the same brand — because they target different locations, service areas, or keyword sets. ⚙️ How to Manage Multiple GBP Projects in Search Atlas 1. Go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects to see all your GBP projects listed on the main page. 2. Select the first project to view its heatmap, ranking data, reviews, posts, and tasks. 3. Return to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects and select the second project to review its individual heatmap. 4. Use Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview within each project to compare overall visibility scores between the two listings side by side by switching projects. 5. Manage location-specific content separately: use Left sidebar → Local → Posts and Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews) within each project to keep each listing's activity consistent and up to date. Keeping both projects active and well-maintained ensures that Search Atlas accurately reflects the real-world performance of each listing. 🛠️ Optimising Each Listing Independently Because the two heatmaps reflect two separate listings, you should treat each one as its own SEO asset. Here are key practices: - Use location-specific keywords: Target keywords that reflect the actual service area or address of each listing. Avoid using identical keyword sets if the listings serve different areas. - Keep NAP data consistent: Ensure the Name, Address, and Phone number for each listing match exactly what appears on your website and local citations. Use Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations to audit citation accuracy for each project. - Post and respond to reviews separately: Activity signals matter for each listing individually. Maintain a regular posting schedule and respond to reviews under each project via Left sidebar → Local → Posts and Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews). - Upload relevant media per location: Use Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects → Media Library within each project to add photos that are specific and relevant to that listing's location or service area. ⚠️ How to Tell If the Second Listing Is Accidental Not every case of two heatmaps is intentional. You may have a duplicate listing created accidentally if: - Both listings share the exact same address and phone number. - One listing was created by a third party or by Google automatically. - You did not intentionally add the second GBP project in Search Atlas. If you suspect one of your listings is an unintended duplicate, log in to Google Business Profile Manager at business.google.com to review both listings. Google's guidelines provide a process for requesting duplicate removal or merging listings that represent the same location. Once resolved in Google, remove the corresponding project from Search Atlas under Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects to keep your heatmap data accurate. 📋 Quick Reference - Two heatmaps = two GBP projects — this is by design, not a platform bug. - Multiple listings are legitimate for multi-location, franchise, department, or separate service-area businesses. - Manage and optimise each project independently for the best local SEO results. - If the second listing is accidental, resolve it in Google Business Profile Manager first, then remove the project in 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.

📞 YP Network Citation Phone Number Correction Timeline

🔍 Overview When you update a business phone number through Search Atlas, the change must propagate to every citation directory in your network — including the YP Network. This process is not instant. Understanding the timeline and what happens behind the scenes can help you set accurate expectations and avoid confusion while the correction is in progress. ⏱️ Why Phone Number Updates Take Time Search Atlas submits citation updates to directories like YP Network on your behalf, but each directory controls its own review and publishing schedule. Once a correction is submitted, the directory must: - Receive and queue the update request - Validate the new information against their records - Publish the corrected listing on their platform This end-to-end process typically takes 4 to 12 weeks for YP Network citations, depending on the directory's current processing volume. In some cases, the old phone number may continue to appear publicly until the directory completes its internal review. 📋 What to Check in Search Atlas Before assuming a correction has not been submitted, verify that the correct phone number is saved in your business profile inside the platform: 1. In the left sidebar, navigate to Local → Overview. 2. Select View project for the relevant business (e.g., Alpha Shielding LLC). 3. Open the About tab (GBP Profile Completion) and confirm the correct phone number is displayed. 4. If the number shown is still incorrect, update it now — this ensures all future citation syncs use the right information. Once the correct number is saved in Search Atlas, the platform will include it in the next scheduled sync to citation networks, including YP Network. 🛠️ What Happens After You Save the Correct Number Search Atlas automatically queues citation updates when business information changes. Here is what the correction workflow looks like: 1. Update saved — You confirm the correct phone number in your project profile. 2. Sync submitted — Search Atlas packages the correction and sends it to all connected citation networks. 3. Directory review — YP Network and other directories review and process the incoming update. 4. Listing published — The corrected phone number goes live on the directory's website. You do not need to take any additional action after saving the correct number. The platform handles submission automatically. 📊 Expected Timeline at a Glance - Search Atlas sync submission: Within 24–48 hours of saving the correct number - YP Network processing time: 4 to 12 weeks (varies by directory) - Visible on YP Network: After the directory completes its internal review and publishes the update If the wrong number is still showing publicly after 12 weeks from the date the correct number was saved in Search Atlas, this may indicate a processing issue that requires manual follow-up. 💡 Tips to Avoid Future Citation Errors - Always update your phone number in Search Atlas before changing it anywhere else — this ensures the platform syncs the correct number to all directories simultaneously. - Double-check the number format when entering it. Use a consistent format (e.g., (541) 588-5414) to avoid formatting mismatches across directories. - After making a change, revisit your citation listings after 6 weeks to spot-check that updates are appearing correctly. 🆘 Need Further Help? If the incorrect phone number is still showing after 12 weeks, or if you need help confirming that your correction was submitted successfully, we are here to help. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📍 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.

🛠️ Meta Ads, Google Business Profile, and Plan FAQs

🔍 Overview This article answers the most common questions customers ask about Meta Ads support, managing your Google Business Profile through OTTO, AI Visibility plan requirements, AI credits, and fixing a blank screen in the Facebook Ads integration. Read through the relevant section below to resolve your issue quickly. 📣 Does Search Atlas Help Run Meta Ads? Search Atlas is an SEO and content marketing platform. It does not create, manage, or publish Meta (Facebook or Instagram) ad campaigns. Meta Ads are paid social advertising products managed directly through Meta Ads Manager on Meta's own platform. Search Atlas focuses on organic search performance, including keyword research, content optimization, link building, local SEO, and AI-driven visibility. If you are looking to improve your organic presence alongside your paid efforts, Search Atlas can support your SEO strategy. 📍 Can I Update My Google Business Profile Through OTTO? Yes — Search Atlas gives you tools to manage key aspects of your Google Business Profile (GBP) through the local SEO features in the platform. OTTO, the AI automation engine inside Search Atlas, can surface tasks and recommendations to help optimize your Google Business Profile. However, some changes — such as updating business hours or your primary business category — must still be made directly inside Google Business Profile Manager on Google's platform. If you are unsure which actions can be performed through Search Atlas versus directly in Google, contact our support team for guidance. 💡 What Plan Do I Need for AI Visibility? AI Visibility features, which help you track and improve how your brand appears in AI-generated search results (such as Google AI Overviews and other generative AI surfaces), are available on select plans. Access depends on the specific tier you are subscribed to. To check whether AI Visibility is included in your current plan, navigate to the top-right avatar → Billing → Plans & Top-ups (Add-on button) to review which features are active. If AI Visibility is not included, a plan upgrade may be required. Contact our support team for help identifying the right plan for your needs. 🤖 What Are AI Credits and How Do They Work? AI credits are used within Search Atlas to power AI-driven features such as content generation, OTTO recommendations, and other automation tasks. The number of AI credits available to you depends on your current subscription plan. If you run out of AI credits, you may need to upgrade your plan or wait for your credits to refresh according to your billing cycle. If you are unsure how many AI credits you have remaining or how to get more, review your account or plan details within the platform, or reach out to our support team for clarification. 📘 Facebook Ads Integration — Blank Screen Issue Some customers report seeing a blank screen when accessing the Facebook Ads integration. If this occurs, try refreshing the page or disconnecting and reconnecting your Facebook Ads account within the platform integrations settings. If the issue persists, contact our support team with your project name and a description of when the blank screen appears. 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.

🔍 Site Analysis vs Local SEO Heatmaps Explained

🧭 Overview Search Atlas includes two distinct features that both involve site analysis and visual reporting — but they serve very different purposes. This article clarifies what each tool does so you can point prospects to the right feature and avoid confusion. - Site Analysis — a prospect-facing tool that lets potential clients audit their own website before signing up. - Local SEO Heatmaps — a separate, geographic ranking visualization tool available inside the platform for existing clients. 🌐 What Is Site Analysis? Site Analysis is designed for prospect engagement. It allows people who are not yet Search Atlas clients to run a full audit of their website to get a snapshot of their SEO health. This is typically used by agencies or consultants to demonstrate value to potential clients before they commit to a subscription. What prospects can see in Site Analysis: - On-page SEO issues and recommendations - Technical health indicators such as broken links, page speed signals, and crawl errors - Content and metadata analysis - A high-level SEO performance summary Important: Site Analysis does not include Local SEO Heatmaps. Geographic ranking heatmaps are a separate tool and are only available to active platform users after logging in. Prospects using Site Analysis will not see heatmap reports as part of that audit. 🗺️ What Are Local SEO Heatmaps? Local SEO Heatmaps is a standalone analytics tool inside Search Atlas for existing clients. It visualizes how a business ranks across specific geographic areas for target keywords, displaying results as a color-coded grid overlaid on a map. This helps local businesses and agencies understand ranking performance neighborhood by neighborhood or city by city. Local SEO Heatmaps are: - Only accessible inside the platform by logged-in users - Not part of the Site Analysis prospect flow - Configured separately using a business location, target keywords, and a scan radius - Used for ongoing local ranking tracking, not one-time site audits 📋 Quick Comparison - Site Analysis — Who uses it: Prospects (non-clients) | Purpose: Pre-sale site audit | Includes heatmaps: No | Access: Public-facing tool - Local SEO Heatmaps — Who uses it: Active clients | Purpose: Geographic ranking visualization | Includes heatmaps: Yes | Access: Inside the platform only 🚀 How to Use Site Analysis for Prospect Engagement 1. Share your Site Analysis link or embed it on your agency website so prospects can enter their domain directly. 2. The prospect enters their website URL and runs the audit — no account or login is required on their end. 3. Results are generated instantly and display SEO health metrics the prospect can review. 4. Use the report as a conversation starter to demonstrate SEO gaps and the value of your services. ⚙️ How to Set Up Local SEO Heatmaps 1. Log in to Search Atlas and navigate to Local in the left sidebar. 2. Select the Local SEO Heatmaps option from the Local sub-navigation. 3. Enter the business name, target location, and keywords you want to track. 4. Set your scan radius and grid size to define the geographic coverage area. 5. Run the scan — results will display as a color-coded map showing ranking positions across the defined area. 6. Return to this section at any time to run updated scans and track ranking changes over time. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Can a prospect see heatmaps during a Site Analysis audit? No. Site Analysis and Local SEO Heatmaps are separate tools. Heatmaps are only available inside the platform to logged-in users. - Do I need to set up Local SEO Heatmaps separately from Site Analysis? Yes. They are independent features. Running a Site Analysis audit does not create or link to any heatmap reports. - Can I show a prospect a Local SEO Heatmap report? Yes — you can log in yourself, generate a heatmap for a prospect's business location, and share or present the results to them as part of your pitch. However, the prospect cannot generate heatmaps on their own through the Site Analysis tool. - Where does Site Analysis appear in the platform navigation? Site Analysis is a prospect-facing tool and is not accessed through the standard left sidebar. Contact our team for details on sharing or embedding your Site Analysis link. 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 Review Automation Quota Limits

🔍 What Is the GBP Review Automation Quota? Search Atlas allows you to automate review management for your Google Business Profile (GBP) locations. Each plan includes a set number of GBP profiles that can be connected to review automation. Once you reach your plan's quota, you will not be able to activate review automation for additional profiles until the limit is increased. ⚠️ Why You're Seeing a Quota Reached Error You will encounter a quota limit message when: - All available GBP profile slots on your current plan are already in use. - You are trying to add a new GBP location to review automation without available capacity. - Your account was recently downgraded, reducing the number of allowed profiles. This is not a technical error — it means your account has reached the maximum number of GBP profiles permitted under your current subscription. 🛠️ How to Resolve the Quota Limit Follow these steps to get review automation running for your new GBP profiles: 1. Audit your active profiles: Go to Left sidebar → Local → Reviews and review which GBP profiles currently have review automation enabled. If any profiles are inactive, outdated, or no longer needed, disable review automation for those locations to free up slots. 2. Reassign freed slots: Once a slot is released, return to the new GBP profile you want to activate and enable review automation from the same Reviews section (Left sidebar → Local → Reviews). 3. Upgrade your plan: If you need review automation running across all existing profiles plus new ones, upgrading your plan is the most effective long-term solution. See the section below for upgrade guidance. 🚀 Upgrade Your Plan for More GBP Slots Upgrading your Search Atlas subscription increases the number of GBP profiles you can connect to review automation. To explore your upgrade options: 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. 2. Select Billing from the dropdown menu. 3. Open the Plans & Top-ups tab (Billing) and compare the number of GBP profiles included in each tier. 4. Select the plan that covers your current and anticipated number of locations, then follow the on-screen prompts to complete the upgrade. Your new quota will be applied immediately after the upgrade is confirmed, allowing you to activate review automation for additional GBP profiles right away. 💡 Best Practices to Avoid Hitting Quota Limits - Audit regularly: Periodically review your connected GBP profiles and disable automation for any locations that are closed, merged, or inactive. - Plan ahead: If you manage multiple locations or expect to add new ones, choose a plan tier that gives you room to grow without interruption. - Monitor usage: Check your quota usage in the Reviews section (Left sidebar → Local → Reviews) before onboarding new clients or locations so you can upgrade proactively. 💬 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.

🗺️ GBP Galactic AI Images and Location Metadata

🖼️ How GBP Galactic AI Generates Images GBP Galactic AI creates original images using artificial intelligence based on your prompts and business details. These images are synthesised entirely by the AI — they are not photographs taken with a camera or GPS-enabled device. 📍 Are AI-Generated Images Geo-Tagged? No. Images generated by GBP Galactic AI do not contain embedded geo-tags or EXIF location metadata. Because the images are created by an AI model rather than captured by a physical device, there is no geographic coordinate data to record. As a result, the image files have no latitude, longitude, or any other location-based EXIF fields embedded in them when they are produced. 🔍 What Metadata Do the Images Contain? AI-generated images from GBP Galactic AI are delivered as clean image files. The metadata they carry is minimal and limited to basic file properties. Specifically: - No GPS coordinates — latitude, longitude, and altitude fields are absent. - No camera or device data — fields such as make, model, and serial number are not present because no physical camera is involved. - No timestamp from a shooting location — capture-time metadata tied to a real-world location does not apply to AI-generated images. - Standard file properties only — information such as image dimensions, colour profile, and file format may be present depending on the export format. ⚙️ Why This Matters for Google Business Profile Google can read EXIF metadata from uploaded images, including location data. Some SEO practitioners manually embed geo-tags into photo files before uploading to Google Business Profile to reinforce local relevance signals. Because GBP Galactic AI images do not include this data by default, you have full flexibility to handle metadata yourself after download. If your workflow includes adding location metadata to images before uploading them to your GBP listing, you can do so with any standard image-editing or metadata tool after downloading the generated file from Search Atlas. The absence of pre-existing metadata means there is nothing to overwrite or conflict with. ✅ Best Practices for GBP Image Uploads 1. Download your AI-generated image from the GBP Galactic AI tool in Search Atlas. 2. Optionally add geo-tag metadata using a tool such as GeoImgr, Adobe Lightroom, or a similar EXIF editor if your local SEO strategy requires embedded location data. 3. Use a descriptive filename that includes your business name or target location before uploading, as filenames are readable by Google even when EXIF data is absent. 4. Upload directly to your Google Business Profile through the GBP dashboard or via Search Atlas's publishing workflow. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will the lack of geo-tags hurt my local SEO? Not necessarily. Google uses many signals to determine local relevance, and image geo-tags are just one minor factor. Strong business information, consistent NAP data, reviews, and relevant content have a far greater impact than image metadata alone. Can Search Atlas add geo-tags to images automatically before upload? This is not a feature of the current GBP Galactic AI workflow. If embedding location metadata is part of your process, apply it manually after downloading the image. Does Google strip metadata after upload anyway? Google may process or compress images after upload, which can remove or alter EXIF data. Relying solely on embedded geo-tags as an SEO signal has limited reliability for this reason. 💬 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.

🔍 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.

💡 GBP Plans With Heatmap Reports Pricing Guide

🗺️ Overview If you manage Google Business Profile (GBP) listings and need heatmap reports for your clients, it is important to understand how Search Atlas plans are structured so you can choose the most cost-effective option. This article explains which plan includes both features, how pricing works, and how to estimate your total cost for multiple clients. 📦 Which Plan Includes GBP and Heatmap Reports? Search Atlas offers several plan tiers. To access both GBP management tools and heatmap reports, you need a plan that includes the Local feature set. Not every plan tier includes heatmap reports by default, so it is important to verify the following before downgrading or switching plans: - GBP Management — available via the Local section of the platform (Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects). This includes Posts, Reviews, Local Citations, Media Library, and more. - Heatmap Reports — available via the Local section (Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps). Heatmap reports are an add-on or included feature depending on your plan tier. When evaluating a plan downgrade, confirm that your target plan explicitly includes heatmap report generation. If heatmap reports are not included in the base plan, they may be available as a paid add-on per location or per report. 🧮 How to Calculate Costs for 12 GBP Clients The total cost for managing 12 clients with GBP tools and heatmap reports depends on two factors: your base plan price and any per-location or per-report fees. Use the following framework to estimate your total monthly cost: 1. Identify your plan: Log in and go to your account billing settings to confirm your current or target plan tier and what is included. 2. Check location limits: Each plan includes a set number of GBP locations. If 12 clients exceeds your plan's location allowance, additional locations are billed at a per-location rate. 3. Check heatmap report limits: Some plans include a fixed number of heatmap reports per month. Running reports for 12 clients may require purchasing additional report credits if your plan limit is lower than 12. 4. Add up the costs: Base plan price + (extra locations × per-location fee) + (extra heatmap reports × per-report fee) = your estimated monthly total. Example calculation (illustrative only — verify current pricing in your account): - Base plan: includes 5 GBP locations and 5 heatmap reports per month - Additional 7 locations: 7 × per-location fee - Additional 7 heatmap reports: 7 × per-report fee - Total = Base plan + additional location fees + additional report fees Actual prices vary by plan and are subject to change. Always check your current pricing page or billing dashboard for the most accurate figures before making a decision. ⚙️ How to Review Your Current Plan and Add-Ons To see your current plan details, included features, and available add-ons: 1. Log in to Search Atlas. 2. Click your account name or avatar in the top-right corner. 3. Navigate to Billing or Subscription settings. 4. Review the features included in your current plan and compare them against available plan tiers. 5. Use the plan comparison view to identify which tier best covers both GBP management and heatmap reports for your number of clients. 📊 Accessing GBP and Heatmap Features Once you have confirmed your plan covers both features, here is where to find them in the platform: - GBP Management: Left sidebar → Local. From here you can access Overview, Posts, Reviews, Local Citations, Media Library, and My Tasks for each of your GBP locations. - Heatmap Reports: Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps. Select your project, then generate or schedule heatmap reports for each client location. 💬 Recommendations Before Downgrading Before confirming a plan downgrade, keep the following in mind: - Downgrading may reduce your included location count or remove heatmap report access entirely — always verify feature availability on the lower tier. - If you lose access to heatmap reports on a lower plan, you may need to purchase them as add-ons, which could result in a higher total cost than staying on your current plan. - For 12 or more clients, a mid-tier or agency plan may be more economical than a base plan plus multiple add-ons. 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 Showing Distant or Irrelevant Competitors

🧭 Overview Some customers notice that the Competitor Benchmark section of the GBP Audit lists businesses that don't make sense as competitors — either because they're geographically far away, or because they're in a completely different industry. These are two separate causes with two separate explanations below. 📍 Cause 1: Competitors in the Wrong Location This behavior is related to how the GBP Audit tool pulls and processes competitor location data during benchmarking, which can surface businesses from the wrong geographic area — most often for service-area businesses (SABs) that hide their address on Google. If your business is an SAB and competitors appear hundreds of miles away, see the dedicated article on Fixing GBP Audit Errors for Service-Area Businesses Without a Fixed Address — that article covers this specific case in full. 🏭 Cause 2: Competitors in the Wrong Industry Separately, competitors can be in the right location but the wrong industry — for example, a scientific lab-equipment supplier showing up as a competitor for a windows installer, because their product listings both mention the word "windows." Root cause (confirmed): competitor selection pulls every business appearing in the local-pack search results for your tracked keywords, but does not filter by business category or industry. A business's category is captured and displayed, but it is never used to exclude an industry mismatch — so a pure keyword-term collision (like "windows" matching both a window installer and a lab-glass "viewport window" manufacturer) can surface a completely unrelated business as a top-ranked competitor. This is a known product limitation, not an account-specific data issue — re-running the audit or fixing your GBP location will not resolve it, since the underlying selection logic doesn't check industry at all. It has been filed with our engineering team for a category filter to be added to competitor selection. ✅ What To Do Right Now 1. If the competitor is far away, follow the SAB location-matching steps in the linked article above. 2. If the competitor is nearby but a clearly different industry, this is a known category-filter gap — there is no self-serve fix today. Reach out via the live chat widget inside the platform so we can confirm it's the same issue and keep you updated as the fix ships.

🔍 Local Competitive Analysis Without GBP Access

🎯 What This Article Covers You do not need access to a competitor's or prospect's Google Business Profile (GBP) to run a meaningful local competitive analysis. Search Atlas's Site Explorer lets you research any domain's organic performance, backlink profile, and keyword rankings — all without any GBP permissions. This article walks you through how to do it effectively. 🗺️ Understanding the Location Field Default When you open Site Explorer and enter a competitor's domain, the location field defaults to USA. This is intentional — the USA database is the largest and most comprehensive starting point. However, if your client or prospect operates in a specific local market, you should update this field to match their target location for the most relevant results. - Why it matters: Keyword rankings and search volumes vary significantly by location. A competitor may rank #1 in Chicago but not appear in the top 10 nationally. - What to do: Use the location selector in Site Explorer to choose the correct country, state, or city before pulling data. 🛠️ How to Audit a Competitor or Prospect Without GBP Access Follow these steps to build a complete local competitive picture using only publicly available data inside Search Atlas. 1. Open Site Explorer: Navigate to Site Explorer from your dashboard and enter the competitor's or prospect's root domain (e.g., example.com). 2. Set the correct location: Click the location dropdown and select the country or region relevant to the business. For hyper-local analysis, narrow it to a specific state or city where available. 3. Review organic keywords: Check which local-intent keywords the site ranks for — terms like "plumber in Austin" or "best pizza near downtown" signal local SEO strength. Note ranking positions, search volumes, and keyword difficulty. 4. Analyze top pages: Identify which pages drive the most local traffic. Service area pages, location landing pages, and blog content targeting local queries are strong indicators of SEO strategy. 5. Check backlink profile: Navigate to More Features → Backlinks → Backlink Research and enter the competitor's domain. Look for local citations, directory links, and regional news mentions that reinforce their local authority. 6. Run a Link Gap Analysis: Go to More Features → Backlinks → Link Gap Analysis to compare the prospect or competitor against your client's domain. This surfaces link-building opportunities your client is missing. 7. Document findings: Compile keyword gaps, top-ranking pages, and backlink opportunities into a prospect audit report. This forms the basis of your local SEO pitch or strategy. 📊 What You Can Learn Without GBP Access Even without GBP credentials, Site Explorer gives you a clear picture of a business's local SEO health. Here is a summary of what each data point tells you: - Organic traffic estimate: Indicates how much search visibility the site has overall and locally. - Local keyword rankings: Reveals which geographic and service-based terms the site targets successfully. - Backlink sources: Shows citation quality, local partnerships, and domain authority signals. - Top-performing pages: Highlights the content types and page structures driving local conversions. - Keyword gaps: Uncovers opportunities your client can target that competitors are already winning. 💡 Tips for Accurate Local Analysis - Always change the location field away from the USA default when analyzing a business in a specific city or region. - Use exact-match location keywords (city + service) when filtering the keyword table to surface hyper-local ranking data. - Cross-reference backlink data with the Backlink Gap Analysis tool to prioritize citation and outreach opportunities for your client. - For ongoing prospect monitoring, save the competitor domains you analyze most frequently so you can revisit them quickly. 🙋 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. Additional Notes Site Explorer → Topical Dominance: Compares any two URLs head-to-head across topic clusters — no GBP, no project, no location restriction required. Step-by-step: enter client URL, open Topical Dominance tab, enter competitor URL, review topic clusters where client leads/ties/trails. Repeat for each competitor.

Adding Service-Area Businesses to Citation Builder 📍

Overview Service-area businesses (SABs) — such as plumbers, cleaners, and mobile pet groomers — operate from a home or private location and choose not to display a street address publicly. Citation Builder requires an address to create a listing, so this article explains how to handle that requirement without exposing your private address. What You Need to Know First The address field in Citation Builder is mandatory and cannot be left blank. Because Citation Builder needs a physical address to generate and submit citations, SABs must supply a placeholder address to proceed. This address is used for citation-building purposes only — it does not have to be your public-facing business address, and you can use a non-public address (such as your home address) purely to satisfy the field requirement. What You Will Need Before You Start - A placeholder street address for your business (such as a registered agent address or your private home address — whatever you are comfortable providing for internal use) - Your business name, phone number, website URL, and service categories - A list of the cities, regions, or zip codes that make up your service area Steps: Adding a Service-Area Business 1. Open Citation Builder and locate or create the business listing you want to set up. 2. Fill in your business name, phone number, and website as normal. 3. In the Address field, enter your placeholder address. This is required to proceed — use a registered agent address, a non-public business address, or your private home address. 4. Enter your service area by adding the cities, counties, states, or zip codes your business covers. 5. Complete the remaining business details — categories, business description, hours, and media — then save or submit the listing. Important Notes About Address Visibility Entering a placeholder address in Citation Builder does not automatically hide that address from every directory. Address suppression must be managed separately, typically at the directory level (for example, in your Google Business Profile you can choose to hide your address and display a service area instead). If you are concerned about a specific directory publishing your address publicly, review that directory's listing settings after submission. Next Steps Once your listing is saved, review any directory-specific options to suppress the address from public view where needed. If you are unsure how to configure address visibility for a particular directory, our support team can help you identify the right steps for that platform. 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 Service Description Sync: Deployment & Approval Timeline

🗺️ Overview When you deploy service descriptions through Search Atlas, they are submitted directly to your Google Business Profile (GBP) via the Google API. Google then reviews each submission before it becomes visible on your profile. This review step happens on Google's side and is completely normal — it does not mean the deployment failed. This article explains the full sync and approval workflow so you know exactly what to expect and how to avoid creating duplicate entries. ⏱️ How Long Does Approval Take? After Search Atlas successfully submits your service descriptions to Google, the typical approval timeline is: - Standard approval: 24–72 hours - Extended review: Up to 7 days in some cases, particularly for new profiles, recently suspended profiles, or descriptions that trigger Google's automated content filters During this window, the descriptions may not appear on your live GBP listing even though the deployment was completed successfully inside Search Atlas. ✅ How to Confirm Your Deployment Was Successful Before assuming something went wrong, verify the deployment status inside Search Atlas by navigating to your GBP project and reviewing the status shown for your service descriptions. If the status indicates the descriptions have been submitted or deployed, the submission reached Google successfully. Visibility on your live listing depends entirely on Google's approval timeline from that point forward. 🚫 Do Not Re-Add Descriptions Manually It is important that you do not re-add or re-enter the same service descriptions directly in your Google Business Profile dashboard or through Search Atlas while an existing submission is still pending. Doing so can cause: - Duplicate service entries appearing on your profile once both submissions are approved - Conflicting data between what Search Atlas manages and what was entered manually, which can disrupt future syncs - Longer review times if Google detects repeated submissions for the same service If you are unsure whether a submission is still pending, check the deployment status in your GBP project before taking any further action. 🔍 What to Check If Descriptions Are Still Missing After 7 Days If your service descriptions have not appeared on your GBP listing after 7 days, work through the following checks: - Google Business Profile status: Log in to your GBP dashboard directly and confirm your profile is verified, active, and not suspended. - Content compliance: Review your service descriptions for any content that may violate Google's guidelines, such as promotional language, URLs, or restricted terms. - Duplicate submissions: Check whether the same service descriptions were re-entered manually, as this can delay or block approval. If everything looks correct on your end and descriptions are still not appearing, the issue may require investigation by the Search Atlas team. 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.

🖼️ AI Images, Schema Markup, and GBP Local Projects

🔍 Overview This article answers two common questions that come up when working with local projects in Search Atlas: how AI-generated images are treated in schema markup, and whether you need to reconnect your Google Business Profile (GBP) when switching to a local project type. Understanding both topics will help you configure your project correctly and avoid unexpected schema output. 🤖 How AI-Generated Photos Are Handled in Schema Markup When you use Search Atlas to generate AI images for your local project, it is important to understand how those images interact with schema markup output. - AI-generated images are not automatically included in schema markup. Schema markup in Search Atlas references media that has been explicitly added to your project and confirmed as appropriate for structured data use. - Only images stored in your Media Library are eligible for schema inclusion. If you want an AI-generated photo to appear in your schema, you must first save it to your Media Library and then assign it to the relevant schema field manually. - Image schema best practices still apply. Whether an image is AI-generated or sourced elsewhere, it must meet standard schema requirements — it should be publicly accessible, accurately represent the business or content it is attached to, and comply with Google's structured data guidelines. To access your Media Library, go to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Media Library. From there you can review saved images, confirm which are active, and manage which assets feed into your schema configuration. ⚙️ Should You Reconnect GBP When Selecting a Local Project? When you create or switch to a local project in Search Atlas, you may be prompted to connect or reconnect your Google Business Profile. Here is what you need to know: - A GBP connection is required for local projects to function fully. Features such as Posts, Reviews, and Local Citations rely on an active GBP connection to sync data correctly. - You should reconnect GBP if you have recently changed the Google account associated with your business profile, revoked permissions, or if the connection shows as disconnected in your project settings. - Switching between project types (for example, moving from a standard project to a local project) does not automatically carry over your GBP connection. You will need to re-authorise the connection within the new local project to restore full functionality. - If your GBP was already connected and you have not changed any account permissions, you do not need to reconnect. The existing authorisation will remain valid. To check or manage your GBP connection, navigate to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects (GBP Projects | searchatlas.com) and open your project from the GBP Projects dashboard. Look for the connection status indicator within your project settings and follow the on-screen prompts if a reconnection is needed. 📋 Step-by-Step: Adding an AI Image to Schema 1. Generate your AI image using the Search Atlas image tools and save it when prompted. 2. Navigate to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Media Library to confirm the image has been saved. 3. Open your local project and go to the schema markup configuration section. 4. Locate the image field within the relevant schema type (for example, LocalBusiness or ImageObject). 5. Select the saved image from your Media Library and assign it to the schema field. 6. Save your schema configuration. The image will now be referenced in your structured data output. 💡 Key Reminders - AI-generated images do not appear in schema automatically — they must be manually assigned after saving to the Media Library. - Always reconnect GBP when starting a new local project or after changing Google account permissions. - Use Left sidebar → Local → Overview to get a quick status summary of your local project, including connection health and active schema settings. - Schema changes may take time to be re-crawled and reflected in Google Search results — this is normal behaviour. 🛠️ 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 Competitor Selection Explained

Overview When you run a GBP (Google Business Profile) Audit in Search Atlas, the tool automatically identifies competitors based on signals such as your business category, location, and keyword relevance. This process is designed to surface the businesses most likely competing with you in local search results. Some customers find that the auto-selected competitors do not feel relevant to their business. This article explains why that happens and what options are currently available. How Competitor Selection Works Search Atlas automatically determines which businesses appear as your GBP Audit competitors. Because Google's local algorithm weights multiple factors dynamically, the competitors selected by the audit are intended to reflect real-world search competition rather than only the businesses you might consider direct rivals. Current Limitation: Manual Competitor Selection At this time, Search Atlas does not support manually selecting, replacing, or excluding individual competitors within the GBP Audit. The competitor set is determined automatically and cannot be edited on a per-audit basis. We understand this can be frustrating, especially when: - Your business serves a niche audience not fully reflected by category alone. - Auto-selected competitors operate in an adjacent but different segment. - A listed competitor has closed or changed its business focus. What You Can Do Right Now While manual competitor replacement is not yet available, there are steps you can take to get the most value from your GBP Audit results: 1. Review the audit insights in context. Even if some competitors feel tangential, the ranking gaps and optimisation suggestions they reveal often apply broadly to your category. 2. Focus on actionable recommendations. The audit highlights missing attributes, photo gaps, review velocity, and category alignment — all improvements that help regardless of which specific competitor triggered the insight. 3. Ensure your Google Business Profile category is precise. Log in to your Google Business Profile directly in Google and confirm your primary category is as specific as possible. A more precise category may help Search Atlas surface closer competitors in future audits. 4. Submit a feature request. The ability to manually select or exclude competitors is a feature our team has logged for consideration. To register your interest and help prioritise this on the roadmap, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform, type human teammate, and let our team know you'd like manual competitor selection added to the GBP Audit. Your feedback directly informs product decisions. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📊 Understanding GBP Posting and Location Quotas

🔍 Overview Search Atlas Local uses two distinct quota types to manage your Google Business Profile (GBP) activity: GBP Posting quota and GBP Location quota. These quotas are independent of each other, and confusing one for the other is a common reason automated posting fails to activate — even after an upgrade. 📌 The Two Quota Types Explained GBP Location quota controls how many business locations (projects) you can connect and manage inside Search Atlas. Your plan determines how many GBP-connected projects you can add. GBP Posting quota controls how many of those locations are allowed to use the automated posting feature. This is a separate entitlement and is determined by your subscription plan tier — not by your location count. Upgrading your location quota does not automatically upgrade your posting quota. The two are managed independently. ⚠️ Why Automated Posting May Still Be Blocked Here is the most common scenario that causes confusion: 1. Your plan includes a GBP Posting quota that is lower than your total number of connected locations. 2. You have multiple location projects, and automated posting is already active on one or more of them — consuming your available posting slots. 3. You upgrade your GBP Location quota so you can manage more locations. 4. You try to start automated posting on a different or new project — and the system blocks it. The block occurs because your GBP Posting quota has not changed. Upgrading your location count does not change your posting entitlement. You have not exceeded your location limit, but you may have already consumed — or are hitting the ceiling of — your posting quota. 📋 Plan Posting Limitations Your plan tier caps how many locations can run automated posting simultaneously, regardless of how many location projects you have connected. This means: - Only the number of projects permitted by your GBP Posting quota can run automated posting at the same time. - Adding more locations does not increase the number of projects that can post automatically. - To run automated posting on more locations simultaneously, you must upgrade to a higher plan tier that includes a greater GBP Posting quota. ✅ How to Check Your Current Quotas To understand your current posting and location limits, review your plan details inside your Search Atlas account. Look for the distinction between your location allowance and your posting allowance — these are separate entitlements shown on your plan. If you are unsure which quota is limiting your automated posting, our support team can confirm the exact limits on your current plan and advise on upgrade options. 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 Galactic Media Library Image Cycling Behavior

🔍 Overview When you use the Media Library as the image source for GBP Galactic automated posts, the system follows a defined cycling behavior — it does not randomly repeat images. Understanding this logic helps you plan your media library to keep your Google Business Profile posts looking fresh and varied. 🔄 How Image Cycling Works GBP Galactic cycles through your Media Library images sequentially when generating automated posts. The key rules are: - 10 or more images available: The system cycles through all available images in order, ensuring no image is repeated until every other image in the library has been used at least once. - Fewer than 10 images available: Because the pool is too small to maintain a fully unique rotation, the system will begin repeating images sooner. Repetition in this scenario is expected behavior, not a bug. In short, repetition only occurs when your Media Library contains fewer than 10 images. If you want to avoid repeated images in your automated posts, keeping at least 10 images in your library is strongly recommended. 📁 How to Check or Update Your Media Library 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. Select Media Library from the sub-menu. 3. Review the images currently available in your library. 4. If you have fewer than 10 images, upload additional images to ensure full cycling without repetition. 💡 Best Practices for Automated Posting Images - Maintain at least 10 images in your Media Library at all times to guarantee a non-repeating rotation across your automated GBP posts. - Refresh your library periodically by adding new images. This keeps your Google Business Profile visually engaging for customers browsing your listing. - Use high-quality, relevant images that accurately represent your business — Google favors posts with authentic, location-specific visuals. - Remove outdated images (for example, seasonal promotions that have ended) so the cycling pool stays relevant and current. ⚙️ Where Automated Posting Settings Live To review or adjust your GBP Galactic automated posting configuration, including the image source selection: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select GBP Projects. 2. Navigate to Posts to view scheduled and published automated posts. 3. Return to Media Library at any time to add, remove, or organize your images. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Will the system always repeat images if I have fewer than 10? Yes. With a small library, the system exhausts available images quickly and must reuse them to continue posting on schedule. Adding more images resolves this. - Does the cycling order change over time? The system cycles through images in a defined sequence. Adding new images introduces them into the rotation going forward. - Can I manually control which image appears on a specific post? Automated posts use the Media Library cycling logic automatically. For full manual control over individual post images, create a post manually from the Posts section. 🆘 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 Submit Local Citations in Search Atlas

The Citations feature in Search Atlas lets you submit your business information to major aggregator networks, distributing your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data to online directories from a single workflow. 📋 What Citations Does Citations in Search Atlas is a submission workflow — not a web crawl or directory audit. When you submit, Search Atlas pushes your business data to aggregator networks including Data Axle, Neustar, YP Network, GPS Network, and Foursquare. These aggregators then distribute your information to their partner directories. Search Atlas does not scan or audit what is currently listed on third-party sites such as Yelp or Apple Maps. 🚀 How to Submit a Citation 1. In your Search Atlas dashboard, navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations. 2. Select a location. Search Atlas pulls your existing GBP data to pre-fill a submission draft — this preview step saves you from entering details manually. 3. Review and edit the draft fields: business name, address, phone number, business hours, social links, category, and description. 4. Choose the aggregator networks you want to submit to. Available networks depend on your country. 5. Review the pricing summary, then confirm and submit. ⏱️ Submission Status Explained After submitting, your citation moves through three stages: - In Progress — your submission is queued and being processed - Submitting to sites — data is actively being sent to the selected aggregators - Complete — distribution is finished Propagation to individual directory sites takes time. Do not expect changes to appear immediately across all directories. ⚠️ Important Limitations - Regional availability: Data Axle and Neustar are available for the USA and Canada only. GPS Network and Foursquare cover approximately 20 countries. Not all aggregators will appear for every location. - Category compatibility: Your GBP primary category must be accepted by the citation API. If it is not recognized, the system will flag it and suggest a compatible alternative before you submit. - Refunded rows: Your submissions list may show many entries marked Refunded. These are historical records from past submissions and are not active. 💬 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.

🏪 Purchasing Local SEO Credits in Search Atlas

🔍 What Are Local SEO Credits? Local SEO credits power your local ranking features inside Search Atlas. You use credits to track keywords across specific geographic locations, helping you monitor how your business appears in local search results. Each keyword you add to a local project consumes credits from your account balance. 🛒 How to Purchase Local SEO Credits 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click on your Avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. 3. Navigate to Billing → Plans & Top-ups. 4. Locate the Local section (with Local SERP Heatmaps and Automated Postings quotas). 5. Select the credit package that fits your needs and complete the purchase. Your credits will be available immediately after the transaction is confirmed. 📍 How to Add Keywords Using Local SEO Credits Once you have credits, you can assign keywords to a local project. Follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local (lands on GBP Projects) to see your existing projects, or create a new one. 2. Open the project you want to add keywords to. 3. Look for the Add Keywords button inside the project dashboard. 4. Enter the keywords you want to track. For each keyword, set the target location (city, region, or ZIP code) to define the local area you want to monitor. 5. Confirm your selection. Each keyword added will deduct the corresponding credits from your balance. After adding keywords, Search Atlas will begin tracking your local rankings for those terms in the specified locations. 💡 Tips for Getting the Most from Your Credits - Prioritise high-value keywords: Focus on terms your customers are most likely to search for in your service area. - Group keywords by location: If you serve multiple cities, organise keywords by location to keep reporting clear. - Check your credit balance regularly: Monitor remaining credits in your billing or account settings before adding large keyword batches. - Use Keyword Magic for ideas: Go to Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Magic to discover relevant local keywords before adding them to your project. - Monitor performance in Rank Tracker: After adding keywords, track their progress at Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker. ⚙️ Understanding Credit Usage Credits are consumed on a per keyword, per location basis. For example, tracking the same keyword across three different cities will use three credits. Keep this in mind when planning your local SEO strategy to avoid running out of credits unexpectedly. 🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues - Keywords not saving: Check that you have enough credits in your balance before adding new keywords. The platform will alert you if your balance is insufficient. - Credits not appearing after purchase: Refresh the page and check your billing section. If the issue persists, contact support using the chat widget. - Unsure how many credits you need: Calculate based on the number of keywords multiplied by the number of target locations you plan to track. 💬 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 Location Quota Is Calculated Per Site

🔍 Overview Your location quota tracks the number of unique targeting configurations active across your connected sites — not simply the number of websites you have added. This means one website can consume more than one quota slot if it is set up with multiple location or targeting combinations. 📊 How Quota Consumption Works Each time you add a site + targeting configuration pair in Search Atlas, it uses one quota slot. A targeting configuration is the combination of a site with a specific country, region, or device target set for data tracking. Here is a simple breakdown of how slots are counted: - 1 site × 1 targeting config = 1 quota slot used - 1 site × 2 targeting configs = 2 quota slots used - 2 sites × 2 targeting configs each = 4 quota slots used - 3 sites × 1 targeting config each = 3 quota slots used This is why you may see a quota count that appears higher than the number of websites in your account. 🌐 Does "Worldwide" Targeting Still Use a Quota Slot? Yes. Setting a site to Worldwide targeting still counts as one targeting configuration and consumes one quota slot. Worldwide is treated as a distinct targeting option alongside country- or region-specific settings. 💡 Worked Example: 5 Slots Used Across 3 Sites Suppose your account shows 5 out of 5 quota slots used but you only have 3 websites connected. Here is one way that can happen: - Site A — configured with Worldwide targeting + United States targeting = 2 slots - Site B — configured with Worldwide targeting + United Kingdom targeting = 2 slots - Site C — configured with Worldwide targeting only = 1 slot Total: 3 sites, 5 quota slots consumed. No additional quota purchase is needed — you simply have more targeting configurations active than you may have realised. 🔎 How to Review Your Active Targeting Configurations 1. In the left sidebar, click Keywords → Rank Tracker (Keyword Rank Tracker). 2. On the site list page, locate each connected site. 3. Check how many targeting configurations are listed under each site. 4. To view or manage rank tracking targets specifically, go to Keywords → Rank Tracker and review the location settings assigned to each site. Each active configuration you see corresponds to one quota slot. 🗑️ How to Free Up Quota Slots If you have reached your quota limit and need to add a new configuration without upgrading, you can remove an existing targeting configuration that is no longer needed. 1. Navigate to Keywords → Rank Tracker in the left sidebar. 2. Select the site whose configuration you want to remove. 3. Delete or edit the targeting configuration you no longer require. 4. Your available quota will update immediately. Note: Removing a targeting configuration will delete the associated tracking data for that site-location pair. Make sure you no longer need that data before removing it. ⬆️ When You Actually Need More Quota You only need to upgrade your quota when you genuinely want to track more unique site-and-location combinations than your current plan allows, and you do not have any existing configurations you are willing to remove. If your current configurations match your actual tracking needs, no upgrade is necessary. 🤝 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.

📅 GBP Automated Posting Frequency and Smart SEO Settings

🔍 Overview Search Atlas can automatically create and schedule Google Business Profile (GBP) posts on your behalf. Once you enable automated posting and choose a frequency, the platform generates posts based on your selected cadence. This article explains each frequency option, how the adaptive/optimized cadence option works, and what to expect in your queue. 📋 Available Posting Frequency Options When setting up automated GBP posting, you can choose from the following frequency options: - Daily — One post is created and queued every day. - Every Other Day — One post is created every two days. - Weekly — One post is created once per week. - Bi-Weekly — One post is created every two weeks. - Monthly — One post is created once per month. - An adaptive/optimized cadence option — some accounts have an automatic posting-frequency option that adjusts cadence based on business type, local competition, and SEO signals; the exact label for this option may vary, so check your Local → GBP Projects posting settings for its current name (see below for what to expect from it). ⚡ How the Adaptive Posting Option Works The adaptive/optimized frequency setting is not a fixed schedule. Instead, the platform analyzes ranking data and local SEO factors to determine how often your GBP profile needs fresh content to remain competitive. Here is what you need to know: - Posts are typically created three to four times per week under this setting, but the exact cadence can vary week to week. - The system may post more frequently during periods of increased local competition or ranking fluctuation. - During quieter competitive periods, the frequency may reduce to two posts per week to avoid over-publishing. - Because the schedule is dynamic, you will not always see posts queued up days in advance — the platform often generates and queues posts one to two days before the scheduled publish date. This means it is normal to open your queue and see only one or two upcoming posts rather than a full week's worth scheduled at once. 🗓️ What to Expect in Your Queue Regardless of which frequency you choose, keep these queue behaviors in mind: - Posts are generated on a rolling basis, not all at once. The queue will not show weeks of content in advance. - After enabling automation, allow up to 24 hours for the first post to appear in your queue. - If you enabled automation recently, the system may still be processing your business profile data before generating the first post. - Each queued post will show a scheduled publish date and time. You can edit or delete any queued post before it goes live. ✅ How to Verify Your Automated Posting Is Active Follow these steps to confirm that automated posting is turned on and configured correctly: 1. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects in the left sidebar and open the location's posting settings. 2. Select the business location you want to check. 3. Click on the Auto Posting tab. 4. Confirm the toggle is switched on (highlighted in blue or green). 5. Check that the Frequency field displays your chosen setting. 6. Navigate to Local → Posts (GBP Posts) and use the Status column to view any posts that have already been created. If the toggle is on and your frequency is set correctly but no posts appear after 24 hours, proceed to the troubleshooting section below. 🛠️ Troubleshooting an Empty Queue If automated posting is enabled but nothing has been queued after 24 hours, check the following: - GBP connection status — Go to Avatar Menu (👤) → Settings → Integrations and confirm your Google Business Profile account is connected and the status shows as Active. A disconnected account will prevent posts from being created. - Business profile completeness — The platform requires key business details (name, category, address) to generate relevant posts. Ensure your GBP profile is fully filled out. - Posting content settings — Confirm you have selected at least one post type or topic in the Auto Posting configuration. Without a content direction, the system cannot generate posts. - Subscription plan — Automated GBP posting is available on specific plans. Verify your current plan includes this feature under the top-right avatar → Billing (Plans & Top-ups tab). ✏️ Changing Your Posting Frequency You can update your frequency setting at any time: 1. Go to Local → GBP Projects in the left sidebar and select your location. 2. Click the Auto Posting tab. 3. Open the Frequency dropdown and select a new option. 4. Click Save. The new cadence applies to all future posts. Posts already queued will not be affected. 💬 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.

🕐 Understanding OTTO Automated GBP Posting Delays

🔍 Overview If you have set up automated Google Business Profile (GBP) posting through OTTO for one or more clients and no posts have appeared yet, this is often expected behavior — not necessarily an error. OTTO follows a posting schedule that means posts do not publish instantly after setup. This article explains what to expect, how to manage multiple client accounts, and how to confirm everything is configured correctly. ⏱️ Why Posts Don't Appear Immediately OTTO does not publish GBP posts the moment you activate automated posting. It runs on a scheduled cycle, so there may be a delay before the first post appears. This is normal and does not indicate a problem with your account, credits, or quota. 👥 Managing Automated Posting for Multiple Clients OTTO supports automated GBP posting for multiple client accounts. Keep the following in mind when managing several clients: - Each client has a separate schedule. Activating two clients on the same day does not guarantee they will post at the same time. - Posting frequency is configured per client. Review the posting frequency settings individually for each client account to confirm the desired cadence is selected. - First posts may appear at different times. If one client's account was activated before another, expect their first posts to appear at different points. ✅ How to Confirm Your Setup Is Correct Follow these steps to verify that automated posting is properly configured for each client account: 1. Go to OTTO SEO → All Sites (OTTO SEO Projects) and navigate to the client account you want to check. 2. Confirm that the GBP connection is active and that the client's Google Business Profile is successfully linked. 3. Review the posting frequency setting for that client and make sure it is set to your intended cadence. 4. Repeat these checks for each additional client account where you expect automated posts. If you have verified the above and posts are still not appearing after a reasonable delay, escalate the issue. When doing so, have the following ready: the client account name, the date automated posting was enabled, and any error messages or status indicators you see on the OTTO dashboard. 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 Galactic Subscription Options Explained

🔎 What Is GBP Galactic? GBP Galactic is a powerful Google Business Profile management service inside Search Atlas. It helps businesses optimize, monitor, and scale their local presence across multiple GBP listings from a single dashboard. ❌ Is GBP Galactic Available as a Standalone Plan? No. GBP Galactic is not available as a standalone subscription. It is exclusively included as part of bundled Search Atlas plans. Customers cannot purchase GBP Galactic on its own, separately from a Search Atlas subscription. 📦 Which Plans Include GBP Galactic? GBP Galactic is included in the following Search Atlas bundled offerings: - Starter Plan — Includes access to GBP Galactic alongside core SEO tools. - Growth Plan — Includes GBP Galactic with expanded limits and additional features. - Pro Plan — Includes full GBP Galactic access with the highest usage limits and priority support. If you are unsure which plan you are currently on, you can check your subscription details by navigating to Avatar (top-right) → Billing (Plans & Top-ups, Services, Invoices, Activity Log) inside the platform. 💡 Why Is GBP Galactic Bundled? GBP Galactic is designed to work alongside Search Atlas's broader suite of local SEO, content, and rank-tracking tools. Bundling ensures you get the most value by combining GBP management with keyword research, site audits, and reporting — all in one place. 🔄 How to Get Access to GBP Galactic If you do not currently have access to GBP Galactic, follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Go to Avatar (top-right) → Billing (Plans & Top-ups tab). 3. Review your current plan to confirm whether GBP Galactic is included. 4. If it is not included, click Plans & Top-ups to select a plan that includes GBP Galactic. 5. Complete the upgrade process and GBP Galactic will be available in your dashboard immediately. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Can I add GBP Galactic as an add-on to any plan? No. GBP Galactic is not available as an add-on. It is only accessible through the bundled plans listed above. - Is there a free trial for GBP Galactic? Access to GBP Galactic follows your plan's trial terms. If your plan includes a free trial, GBP Galactic will be available during that trial period. - Will GBP Galactic ever be sold separately? There are no current plans to offer GBP Galactic as a standalone product. Check the Search Atlas blog or in-platform announcements for any future updates. 🆘 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.

🛒 Buying Credits and Local Citations in Search Atlas

🔍 Overview Credits in Search Atlas power a range of actions across the platform, including building local citations. This article explains how to purchase credits and local citations, and what steps to take if you run into issues during checkout. 🗺️ What Are Local Citations? Local citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across directories, review sites, and other platforms. Building consistent citations helps improve your local search visibility. In Search Atlas, you can manage and build citations from the Local Citations section. To navigate there: Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations. 💳 How to Purchase Credits 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to Billing → Plans & Top-ups and click the Top Up button. 3. Select the number of credits you want to purchase. 4. Confirm your payment details and click Top Up. Once the transaction is complete, your credits will be added to your account immediately and will be available to use across supported features, including local citation building. 🛠️ What to Do If the Purchase Button Does Nothing If you click Top Up and nothing happens, this is usually caused by one of the following. Work through these steps before contacting support: - Browser issues: Try a different browser (Google Chrome is recommended) or open an incognito/private window to rule out extension or cache conflicts. - Pop-up or ad blockers: Disable any browser extensions that block pop-ups or scripts, as these can prevent the payment window from loading. - Cached data: Clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload the page and try again. - Slow connection: A poor internet connection can prevent the payment gateway from responding. Check your connection and retry. - Try a different device: If the issue persists, attempt the purchase on a different computer or mobile device. 📊 How to Use Credits for Local Citations 1. Go to Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations. 2. Select the business profile you want to build citations for. 3. Choose the citation packages or individual directories you want to submit to. 4. Confirm the credit cost shown on screen and complete the submission. Your available credit balance is displayed before you confirm, so you can always verify you have enough credits before proceeding. 💡 Tips to Avoid Purchase Issues - Always use an up-to-date browser version for the smoothest checkout experience. - Make sure your payment method on file is current and has sufficient funds. - Do not refresh the page while a purchase is processing, as this may interrupt the transaction. 🆘 Still Need Help? If you have tried all the steps above and the purchase button is still unresponsive, or if credits have not been added to your account after a completed payment, our team is ready to help. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📍 Hyperlocal Ranking Factors: What They Are and How They Work

What Are Hyperlocal Ranking Factors? Hyperlocal ranking factors are the signals that search engines use to evaluate and rank businesses for highly specific, location-based queries. Unlike broad local SEO, which targets city-wide visibility, hyperlocal SEO focuses on proximity and relevance at the neighborhood, street, or block level. Search systems combine proximity data, business information, and user interaction signals to determine which businesses appear in Google Maps, Local Pack listings, and localized organic results. These placements are especially important because users who perform hyperlocal searches are typically ready to take immediate action — calling, getting directions, or visiting in person. How Hyperlocal Rankings Work in Search Engines Search engines interpret local intent from a query and then filter results based on three primary dimensions: - Proximity: How physically close a business is to the searcher at the time of the query. - Relevance: How well a business's data, content, and category match the user's search intent. - Prominence: How well-known and trusted a business is based on reviews, citations, backlinks, and engagement signals. When a user searches for "coffee shop near me" or "plumber open now," the search engine uses the device's location data to surface businesses that best satisfy all three dimensions simultaneously. Core Hyperlocal Ranking Factors Understanding the individual signals that influence hyperlocal rankings helps businesses prioritize their optimization efforts. The most important factors include: 1. Proximity to the Searcher: Physical distance between the business and the user remains one of the strongest hyperlocal signals. Businesses located closest to the searcher have a natural advantage for "near me" and immediate-intent queries. 2. Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimization: A complete, accurate, and regularly updated GBP is essential. This includes correct business name, address, phone number, hours, categories, photos, and posts. Search Atlas provides tools to help manage and optimize Google Business Profiles at scale. 3. NAP Consistency Across Local Citations: NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number. Consistent NAP data across all online directories, review sites, and data aggregators signals trustworthiness to search engines. Inconsistencies can suppress local rankings. 4. Local Keyword and "Near Me" Query Relevance: Including neighborhood names, city districts, and geo-specific terms in on-page content, titles, and metadata helps search engines connect a business to specific geographic areas. 5. Reviews, Ratings, and Review Velocity: The quantity, quality, recency, and frequency of customer reviews all influence hyperlocal rankings. Businesses that actively collect and respond to reviews tend to perform better in local search results. 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 Galactic Projects Add-On and Plan Upgrades

🔍 What Are GBP Galactic Projects? GBP Galactic Projects are activations within Search Atlas that allow you to manage and optimize Google Business Profile (GBP) listings using the Galactic AI engine. Each project corresponds to one active GBP location you are working on inside the platform. The number of GBP Galactic Projects available to you depends directly on your current subscription plan. 📦 Are GBP Galactic Projects Available as Separate Add-Ons? No. At this time, GBP Galactic Projects cannot be purchased as standalone add-ons. There is no option to buy additional project slots individually or on top of your existing plan. This is intentional. GBP Galactic Projects are bundled into each plan tier to ensure customers receive a balanced set of resources across all platform features. 🚀 How to Increase Your GBP Galactic Project Limit The only way to increase the number of GBP Galactic Projects available to your account is to upgrade to a higher subscription plan. Each plan tier includes a greater allocation of GBP Galactic Projects along with increased limits across other Search Atlas features. To upgrade your plan, follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right corner and select Billing (Billing page). 3. Review the available plan options and compare GBP Galactic Project allocations. 4. Select the plan that meets your project needs and complete the upgrade process. Your new GBP Galactic Project limit will be available immediately after your plan upgrade is confirmed. 💡 Choosing the Right Plan Before upgrading, consider the following to make sure you select the most suitable plan: - Number of GBP locations: Count how many Google Business Profile listings you need to actively manage and optimize. - Growth plans: If you expect to onboard additional clients or locations soon, it may be more cost-effective to upgrade to a plan that covers your near-future needs rather than upgrading again shortly after. - Other feature limits: Each plan also adjusts limits for other tools such as keywords, backlink projects, and OTTO SEO activations. Review the full plan comparison to get the best overall value. ⚙️ Frequently Asked Questions Can I temporarily increase my GBP Galactic Projects without a full plan upgrade? No. There are no temporary add-ons, trial extensions, or short-term boosts available for GBP Galactic Projects. A plan upgrade is required to access more project slots. What happens if I reach my GBP Galactic Project limit? Once you have used all available project slots on your current plan, you will not be able to activate additional GBP locations until you upgrade your plan or deactivate an existing project to free up a slot. Will I lose data if I deactivate a GBP Galactic Project? Deactivating a project frees up a slot for a new activation, but it is recommended to review any saved data or reports associated with that project before deactivating. Contact support if you are unsure about the impact on your data. 🛠️ 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. Additional Notes To see how many GBP Galactic Project activations your current plan includes and how many you have used: Navigate to the GBP Galactic Projects section in your Search Atlas dashboard and look for the activation usage indicator there.

⭐ Local SEO Ranking Factors by Industry: What Actually Drives Google Business Profile Rankings

What Are Local SEO Ranking Factors? Local SEO ranking factors are the signals Google uses to determine which businesses appear in the local map pack (also called the local 3-pack) for a given search query. Understanding these factors helps businesses improve their visibility in local search results, which directly influences foot traffic, phone calls, and customer conversions. Google Business Profile (GBP) ranking is the process by which Google orders businesses in local search results. The position a business occupies determines how often potential customers discover it — making GBP optimization a critical part of any local SEO strategy. Note: Local SEO ranking patterns can vary by industry, competition level, and geography. The guidance below reflects general best practices observed across local SEO. If your results differ, your industry or market may have unique dynamics worth investigating further. The Three Core Pillars of Local Rankings Google's local search algorithm is generally understood to weigh three primary pillars: - Proximity: How physically close the business is to the searcher or the geographic area being searched. - Relevance: How well a business profile, website, and reviews match the intent and keywords used in a search query. - Prominence: How well-known or authoritative a business appears, based on signals like review volume, ratings, backlinks, and domain authority. Among businesses that are similarly close to a searcher, review signals and semantic relevance become key competitive differentiators. How Reviews Influence Local Rankings Reviews are one of the most significant and actionable ranking signals in local SEO. Two distinct review-related factors matter: - Review Volume: The total number of customer reviews a business has accumulated. Higher review counts are consistently associated with stronger local rankings. - Review Keyword Relevance: The degree to which the language in customer reviews matches the search terms people use to find businesses in that category. This is sometimes called semantic relevance in reviews. A practical implication: encouraging customers to write detailed, authentic reviews that naturally mention your services, location, and relevant keywords can improve local rankings — not just star ratings alone. How to Improve Your Local Rankings If you are looking to improve your local SEO performance, here are concrete steps based on established local SEO best practices: 1. Audit your Google Business Profile completeness. Ensure your business name, category, address, phone number, hours, and service descriptions are fully filled out and consistent with your website. 2. Research local keywords by industry. Identify the specific terms customers in your niche use when searching for businesses like yours, and incorporate them naturally into your GBP description and service listings. 3. Actively solicit customer reviews. Ask satisfied customers to leave detailed reviews that describe the services they received and your location. Respond to all reviews promptly and professionally. 4. Build local citations and backlinks. Ensure your business information is consistent across directories, and earn links from locally relevant websites to strengthen your prominence signals. 5. Optimize your website for local relevance. Include location-specific landing pages, structured data markup, and content that aligns with the keywords your target customers use. 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 Active Citations in Local Citations

📋 Overview Active citations pulled from your Google Business Profile report are located under the Local Citations page in Search Atlas. There is no intermediate Local SEO submenu — the path is a single step from the Local section in the left sidebar. 🗺️ How to Navigate to Local Citations 1. Open Search Atlas and look at the left sidebar. 2. Click Local in the sidebar. This expands the Local section and takes you to your GBP projects. 3. Click Local Citations directly in the expanded sidebar menu. The full navigation path is: Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations The URL will follow the pattern /gbp-galactic/local-citations (Local Citations) once you are inside the Local section. ✅ What You Will Find on the Local Citations Page Once you are on the Local Citations page, you can view and manage citation data associated with your Google Business Profile, including: - Active citations — listings that are currently live and consistent with your business information. - Citation sources and their status. - Any inconsistencies or opportunities to build additional citations. ⚠️ Common Navigation Mistake to Avoid There is no submenu called "Local SEO" inside the Local section. If you are looking for a path such as Local → Local SEO → Citations, that path does not exist in Search Atlas. Following it will prevent you from finding the feature. Always go directly to Local → Local Citations as described above. 🔍 Full Local Section Navigation Reference For reference, here are all the pages available under the Local section in the left sidebar: - Local → Overview - Local → Media Library - Local → My Tasks - Local → Posts - Local → Reviews - Local → Local Citations If you cannot see all of these options, make sure you have clicked Local in the sidebar to fully expand the section. 💬 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.

📅 Google Business Profile & Social Calendar Integration

🗺️ Overview Two common questions come up around posting and social publishing in Search Atlas: why Google Business Profile (GBP) isn't available as a channel under the Social tab, and why only one photo can be uploaded per Facebook post. This article explains what we know about how these areas currently work and what to expect going forward. 📍 Where to Manage Google Business Profile Posts Today GBP posting is not part of the Social calendar — it lives inside the Local section of Search Atlas, which is purpose-built for managing your Google Business Profile. To access GBP posting tools, navigate to Local → GBP Projects in Search Atlas. From there you can manage your connected Google Business Profile and create posts associated with it. You can also explore additional GBP management options within the Local section, such as editing your business information and managing reviews. 📲 Why GBP Is Separate from the Social Tab The Social tab is designed for traditional social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Google Business Profile operates differently — it is tied to local search, Google Maps, and your business listing rather than a social network feed. Because of this, Search Atlas manages GBP publishing through a dedicated Local workflow, giving you access to GBP-specific features alongside your posts. 🖼️ Facebook Post Photo Limit Currently, when creating a Facebook post in the Search Atlas Social calendar, only one photo can be uploaded per post. This is a known limitation of the current publishing integration. Multi-image support for Facebook posts is a frequently requested improvement. In the meantime, here are a few workarounds to consider: - Create a custom single-image graphic that combines multiple visuals before uploading. - Schedule individual posts for each image if separate posts fit your content strategy. - Use Facebook's native publishing tools for multi-photo albums when needed, then track performance separately. 🚀 What's on the Roadmap The Search Atlas team actively reviews customer feedback to prioritise new features. Requests for GBP integration within the Social calendar and multi-image Facebook post support have been noted by the team. If you would like to share your specific use case or vote for these improvements, please reach out to our support team directly. 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 and Social Calendar Explained

🗺️ Overview Many customers want to publish Google Business Profile (GBP) updates alongside their Facebook and other social media posts directly from the Social calendar. This article explains how GBP posting currently works in Search Atlas, why it lives in a separate section, and what you can expect going forward. 🔍 Where Google Business Profile Posting Lives Today Google Business Profile is not currently integrated into the Social calendar workflow. Instead, GBP post management is handled through a dedicated local SEO section of the platform, separate from your broader social media activity. To publish or schedule a Google Business Profile post, navigate to the local SEO area of Search Atlas (separate from the Social calendar) and look for the GBP or Posts management option. From there you can create, schedule, or manage your GBP updates. This keeps your local SEO activity organized in one focused workspace separate from your broader social media scheduling. 📱 How the Social Calendar Works The Social calendar is built for managing and scheduling content across traditional social media platforms. At this time, Google Business Profile is not available as a publishing channel within the Social calendar workflow. 💡 Why Are They Separate? Google Business Profile serves a different purpose than platforms like Facebook or Instagram. It is a local SEO tool that affects how your business appears in Google Search and Google Maps. Search Atlas keeps GBP management inside a dedicated local SEO section so that it sits alongside other local SEO tools, giving you a complete picture of your local presence in one place. 🚀 Will GBP Be Added to the Social Calendar? Search Atlas is actively developing the platform and customer feedback directly shapes the product roadmap. While we cannot confirm a specific release date for GBP integration within the Social calendar, this is a commonly requested feature and your interest has been noted. Here is what you can do right now: - Use the dedicated GBP posting workflow for all GBP updates. It supports scheduling so you can plan content in advance. - Check platform release notes for announcements about new integrations and feature updates. - Share your feedback through the platform — customer input helps prioritize what gets built next. ⚙️ Quick Reference: Where to Post by Platform - Google Business Profile: Use the dedicated local SEO section of Search Atlas. - Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms: Use the Social calendar workflow. 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.

🔗 Add Your GBP Link to Search Atlas Socials

🧭 Overview When adding a Google Business Profile (GBP) link under your social profiles in Search Atlas, the link must follow a specific HTTPS format. If you paste a link copied directly from your GBP dashboard or Google Maps, it may be rejected as invalid. This article explains why that happens and how to fix it. ✅ What Format Does Search Atlas Accept? Search Atlas validates social links and requires a clean, direct HTTPS URL pointing to your Google Business Profile. The accepted format looks like this: - Accepted:https://www.google.com/maps?cid=YOUR_CID_NUMBER - Accepted:https://maps.google.com/?cid=YOUR_CID_NUMBER - Accepted:https://www.google.com/maps/place/Your+Business+Name/@lat,lng,17z/data=... Links that are shortened, redirected, or copied from the GBP dashboard's sharing panel (such as g.page short links or goo.gl links) are not accepted because they do not begin with a verifiable HTTPS Google Maps URL. 🔍 How to Find Your Correct GBP Link 1. Open Google Maps in your browser (maps.google.com). 2. Search for your business by name. 3. Click on your business listing to open the info panel. 4. Look at the URL in your browser's address bar — this is your direct GBP link. 5. Copy the full URL directly from the address bar. Make sure it starts with https://. Do not use the Share button inside your GBP dashboard or Google Maps, as those links are often shortened or redirected and will fail validation. 📍 How to Add the Link in Search Atlas 1. Log in to Search Atlas and go to Local in the left sidebar. 2. Select the GBP project you want to update. 3. Navigate to Overview. 4. Locate the Socials or social profiles section within your project settings. 5. Paste your correctly formatted HTTPS Google Maps URL into the GBP link field. 6. Save your changes. If the link passes validation, it will be accepted and saved. If it is still rejected, double-check the steps in the section below. 🛠️ Troubleshooting a Rejected GBP Link If your link is still being rejected after using the address bar URL, check for these common issues: - The link starts with HTTP, not HTTPS. Search Atlas requires a secure URL. Make sure the link begins with https:// and not http://. - The link contains extra tracking parameters. Some browsers append UTM or click-tracking parameters to URLs. Remove anything after the core URL if possible. - You copied from the GBP app on mobile. Mobile share links are often shortened. Always copy from a desktop browser's address bar. - The link includes special characters or spaces. Make sure the URL is clean and contains no spaces or unsupported characters. - You used a g.page vanity URL. Even if your business has a custom short link (e.g., g.page/yourbusiness), this format is not accepted. Use the full Google Maps URL instead. 💡 Quick Reference: Accepted vs. Rejected Formats - ✅ Accepted: https://www.google.com/maps/place/BusinessName/@12.345,-98.765,17z - ❌ Rejected: https://g.page/yourbusiness - ❌ Rejected: https://goo.gl/maps/abc123 - ❌ Rejected: http://maps.google.com/... (HTTP, not HTTPS) - ❌ Rejected: A link copied from the GBP dashboard Share panel 💬 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.

🗺️ Multi-Location GBP Strategy for Service-Area Agencies

🎯 Who This Article Is For This guide is for digital marketing agencies managing a Google Business Profile (GBP) that was originally created in one city (for example, Corona, CA) but now operates from a different location (for example, Los Angeles, CA) and plans to open additional offices in the future. It covers how to preserve the equity in your existing profile and maintain consistent Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) signals at each stage. 📌 Understanding Your Starting Point Before making any changes, map out your current situation clearly. You likely have one or more of the following: - An existing GBP with equity — This profile has reviews, ranking history, and citation authority built up over time. Its location (for example, Corona) may no longer reflect where you actually operate. - A current operating address — Your agency actively works from a different city (for example, Los Angeles) but has not yet updated the GBP to reflect this. - A planned future office — You intend to open a physical office in a new location and want to prepare your GBP and local SEO strategy in advance. The core risk in this scenario is making sudden changes that confuse Google, dilute your existing profile equity, or create conflicting NAP data across the web. ⚠️ Key Risks to Avoid - Abrupt address changes on an established profile — Changing the address of a GBP with strong equity can trigger a re-verification process and temporarily suppress rankings. - Inconsistent NAP signals — If your citations, website, and GBP all show different addresses, Google and other directories will struggle to determine your authoritative location, which harms local rankings. - Creating duplicate GBP listings — Registering multiple listings for the same business entity without a clear physical address for each violates Google's guidelines and risks suspension. - Activating OTTO before your GBP and NAP data are aligned — Ensure your profile information is accurate and consistent before enabling OTTO on a location, so that any optimisations are applied to correct, stable data. 🛠️ Step 1 — Stabilise Your Existing Profile Before Any Changes 1. Audit your current NAP data. Document the exact business name, address, and phone number on your existing GBP. Note every major citation source (Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, industry directories) where this NAP appears. 2. Decide whether to update or create. If your original GBP has significant review equity and rankings, do not create a new listing for the new city. Instead, plan a controlled migration of the existing profile to the new address once you have a verifiable physical location there. 3. Do not change the GBP address until you have a verified physical presence. Google requires a real, staffed address for verification. A P.O. box or virtual office typically does not qualify. 🛠️ Step 2 — Update NAP Consistency Across Citations 1. Update your website first. Your website's contact page, footer, and schema markup should reflect the correct current address before you update any external citations or your GBP. 2. Update citations methodically. Work through each citation source and update the address to match your GBP exactly — same abbreviations, same suite format, same phone number. Inconsistencies across even minor fields can create conflicting signals. 3. Allow time for changes to propagate. After updating citations, wait for directories to index the new data before making further changes to your GBP address. 🛠️ Step 3 — Prepare for Future Locations 1. Create a separate GBP for each new physical office. Each location must have its own distinct, verifiable address. Do not list a future office until you have a confirmed address and can complete Google's verification process. 2. Build NAP assets for the new location independently. Begin citation building for the new address only after the GBP for that location is verified, so all signals point to the same confirmed data from the start. 🛠️ Step 4 — Connect OTTO to Your Locations Because the source of truth for OTTO configuration is your GBP data, OTTO should only be connected to a location after the steps above are complete. If you need specific guidance on how to activate or configure OTTO for a particular location in your account, our support team can walk you through the process based on your current setup. To escalate efficiently, please have the following ready: - The name of the project or workspace in Search Atlas - The GBP location(s) you want to connect OTTO to - Confirmation of whether each location's NAP data is currently consistent across citations and your GBP - Any error messages or unexpected behaviour you have observed 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.

🏪 How to Purchase Local Citations in Search Atlas

🗺️ What Are Local Citations? Local Citations help your business appear consistently across online directories, maps, and data aggregators. Search Atlas lets you build and manage these listings directly from the platform using its Local Citations tool, powered by Hyperdrive credits. 🧭 How to Navigate to Local Citations 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Local. 3. From the expanded menu, click Local Citations. 🛒 How to Purchase Local Citations 1. Once you are on the Local Citations page, review the available citation packages or aggregator options displayed on screen. 2. Select the package or listing tier that matches your business needs. 3. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your selection. 4. Complete the purchase — the cost will be applied against your Hyperdrive credits balance. If your Hyperdrive credits are insufficient to complete the purchase, you will be prompted to top up your balance before proceeding. ⚡ Understanding Hyperdrive Credits Hyperdrive credits are the in-platform currency used for Local Citations and other Local tools. Here is what you need to know: - Credits are used to fund purchases — each citation package or aggregator submission draws from your available balance. - Check your balance before purchasing to confirm you have enough credits for your chosen package. - Top up at any time — if your balance is low, you can purchase additional Hyperdrive credits from within the platform. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions I can't see the Local Citations option in the sidebar. Why? The Local Citations sub-menu only appears after you click Local in the left sidebar to expand it. If it is still not visible, your current plan may not include this feature — check your plan details or contact support for assistance. 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.

🔄 Sync Google Local Business Info to Schema Markup

Overview When you enter Google Local Business information in Search Atlas, the platform is designed to push that data into your site's Local Business schema markup automatically. If the sync is not working, the issue typically involves a missing setup step, an inactive OTTO SEO connection, or incomplete business information. This article explains what the sync is intended to do and how to get help resolving it when it is not working as expected. What This Feature Is Meant to Do Search Atlas is designed to read your business details — such as business name, address, phone number, hours, and categories — from your connected Google Business Profile (GBP) and use that data to populate Local Business schema markup on your site via OTTO SEO. When the sync is working correctly, no manual copy-paste into your site's backend is required. What to Check Before Escalating If your Local Business data is not appearing in your schema markup, review the following before contacting support: - Your GBP account is connected in Search Atlas: Confirm your Google Business Profile account is linked within the platform. If it is not connected, the sync cannot run. - A GBP project exists for the correct location: Each business location typically needs its own project. Open the project and verify that business details — name, address, phone, hours, and category — are fully populated and accurate. - OTTO SEO is active on your site: OTTO must be enabled for schema deployment to occur. Confirm OTTO is active for the site in question. - A page is assigned to receive the Local Business schema: OTTO needs a target page (such as your homepage or a location page) designated for Local Business schema. If no page is assigned, the schema will not deploy. - All required business fields are completed: Missing fields such as phone number, address, or business category can prevent schema from being generated or deployed correctly. What to Have Ready When You Contact Support Because Local Business schema sync issues often require a Support team member to investigate your specific project configuration, please have the following information ready when you reach out: - The name of the GBP project or business location affected - The URL of the page where Local Business schema should appear - A description of what you see versus what you expect (for example, schema missing entirely, or schema present but showing incorrect data) - Any error messages or unexpected behaviors you have noticed in the platform If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

⚡ Automate GBP Heatmap Reports Without a Website

Overview Search Atlas lets you schedule and email automated Local SEO Heatmap reports directly from the Report Builder. If the business you are managing has no website, you can still create and automate these reports — but you must follow a specific setup path. Using a Google Business Profile (GBP) URL as a substitute for a website URL in Report Builder is not supported and will not work. This article explains the correct process. How the Heatmap Report Works for No-Website Businesses The Local SEO Heatmap tracks how a GBP listing ranks across a geographic grid. It is tied to your GBP project, not to a website. This means you do not need a website URL to generate or schedule heatmap reports. The Report Builder references your GBP project data directly. If a website URL field appears during setup, leave it blank or enter a placeholder. Do not enter your Google Business Profile URL — that field expects a standard business website domain, and entering a GBP URL will cause the setup to fail or produce no data. Step 1 — Confirm Your GBP Project Is Active Before scheduling any report, make sure your business has an active GBP project inside Search Atlas. 1. In the left sidebar, navigate to the GBP Projects section. 2. Confirm your business listing appears under your GBP projects. If it does not, create a new project and connect your Google Business Profile. 3. Once the project is active, check the Local Overview area to verify that heatmap data is already being collected. If no heatmap data appears yet, allow up to 24 hours for the initial scan to complete before proceeding. Step 2 — Open Report Builder and Create a Report 1. In the left sidebar, click Reports to go to the Report Builder. 2. Create a new report or open an existing one to edit. 3. If the setup flow asks for a website URL, leave this field blank. Do not enter a Google Business Profile URL. The report will still pull heatmap data from your connected GBP project. 4. Add the heatmap-related report module and associate it with the correct GBP project. The exact label for this module may vary — look for options referencing local rankings or heatmap data. 5. Add any additional modules you need, such as GBP performance metrics or review summaries. Step 3 — Set Up Automated Email Delivery Once your report is configured, look for scheduling or delivery settings within the report editor. The exact location of these controls may vary depending on your account view. In general: 1. Find the report delivery or scheduling settings inside the report editor. 2. Enable automated delivery and enter one or more recipient email addresses — client emails, team addresses, or both. 3. Choose a delivery frequency (for example, daily, weekly, or monthly) and set the preferred day and 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.

📍 How to Find Local Visibility Data in Search Atlas

This article explains what to use in Search Atlas when you are looking for a "Share of Local Voice" (SOLV) metric. SOLV is a term used by some third-party SEO platforms to describe how visible a business is in local search results compared to competitors. Search Atlas does not have a feature called SOLV, but the Local SEO Heatmaps tool is the closest equivalent — it shows your business's local search visibility across a geographic grid, letting you see where you rank strongly and where competitors are outranking you. 📍 Where to Find It Navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps. This opens the heatmap workspace where you can view, create, and manage local visibility snapshots for your GBP projects. 🛠️ Step-by-Step 1. In the left sidebar, click Local to expand the Local section, then select Local SEO Heatmaps. 2. To load an existing heatmap, select it from the list. To create a new one, follow the on-screen prompts to connect or select your GBP location and configure the heatmap settings. 3. Once a heatmap loads, review the color-coded grid. Each grid point represents a geographic location and shows your business's approximate local search ranking for the tracked keyword at that point. Points with strong rankings indicate good local visibility; points with weak rankings indicate areas where competitors are appearing above you. 4. To assess share-of-visibility across the map, look at the overall distribution of high-ranking grid points versus low-ranking ones. A high proportion of strong grid points across the coverage area is the functional equivalent of a high local share of voice for that keyword. 5. Repeat this process for each keyword or location you want to monitor by creating additional heatmaps. ✅ How to Confirm It Worked You will know you are reading the right data when the heatmap displays a color-coded grid overlaid on your target geographic area and each point shows a ranking number for the keyword you selected. If the grid does not appear, confirm that your GBP account is properly connected by navigating to the Local section of the sidebar and checking your project settings. 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 Automation Credit Cost Per Post

Overview Google Business Profile (GBP) Automation lets you publish posts to your GBP listing directly from Search Atlas. Each post you publish through this feature consumes credits from your account. This article explains the credit cost per GBP Automation post and how to check your credit usage. Credit Cost Per GBP Automation Post Each GBP Automation post consumes 1 credit per post published. This applies each time a post is generated and published to your Google Business Profile through the GBP Automation feature in Search Atlas. How to Check Your Credit Usage You can monitor your credit consumption directly inside Search Atlas by following these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right corner and navigate to the Billing section (tabs: Plans & Top-ups, Services, Invoices, Activity Log). 3. Go to Plans & Top-ups (Your Plan and Credits) to see a breakdown of how credits have been spent across categories, including Local. 4. If you want to confirm the per-post cost before publishing, review the credit balance shown on the GBP Automation dashboard before and after a test post. What to Have Ready If You Need Support If your credit usage does not match what you expect, please have the following information on hand before reaching out: - Your account name or the email address associated with your Search Atlas account - The date and time of any GBP Automation posts in question - The exact credit balance before and after the post was published, if available - Any error messages or unexpected deductions you have observed 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.

🗺️ Finding Local SEO Heatmap on Growth Plan

🧭 Overview The Local SEO Heatmap grid is part of the GBP Galactic suite, which lives under the Local section (which lands on GBP Projects) of your Search Atlas dashboard. It is available on the Growth plan, but it is not displayed on the main home screen — you need to navigate to the correct section using the left sidebar. 📍 How to Find the Local SEO Heatmap 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account and make sure you are on the Growth plan. 2. Look at the left sidebar on any page inside the platform. 3. Click Local in the left sidebar. This lands you on the GBP Projects page in the GBP Galactic area (URL: /gbp-galactic/gbp-projects). 4. Once inside the Local section, select or open an existing GBP Project. If you have not created a project yet, create one by clicking Add Project and following the setup prompts. 5. After opening a project, the Local SEO Heatmap grid will be visible within the project dashboard. The heatmap shows your ranking positions across a geographic grid centered on your business location. 🗂️ What Else Is Inside the Local Section Once you click Local in the left sidebar, you have access to the following sub-pages. Use these to manage every aspect of your local SEO presence: - Local → Overview — A summary of your GBP project performance, including heatmap snapshots and key metrics. - Local → Media Library — Upload and manage photos and videos for your Google Business Profile. - Local → My Tasks — A to-do list of recommended local SEO actions for your project. - Local → Posts — Create and schedule GBP posts directly from Search Atlas. - Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews) — Monitor and respond to customer reviews across your locations. - Local → Local Citations — Track and manage your business listings across directories. ⚠️ Common Reasons You Might Not See the Heatmap - No GBP Project created yet: The heatmap only appears inside a project. If you have not set one up, the Local section will prompt you to create your first project. - Wrong section open: The heatmap is not on the Home screen (/home). You must navigate to Local in the left sidebar, not the home dashboard. - Sidebar is collapsed: If you do not see sidebar labels, click the expand icon (usually an arrow or hamburger menu) at the top-left of the screen to reveal the full sidebar menu with labels. - Account not fully set up: Your GBP account must be connected during project setup for heatmap data to populate. Go to Local → Overview and check whether your Google Business Profile is linked. 🚀 Quick Navigation Reference - Left sidebar → Local — Main entry point for all local SEO tools; lands on GBP Projects (URL: /gbp-galactic/gbp-projects) - Left sidebar → Local → Overview — Heatmap snapshots and performance summary - Left sidebar → Local → My Tasks — Recommended actions for your GBP project - Left sidebar → Local → Posts — GBP post scheduling - Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews) — Review management - Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations — Directory listing management - Left sidebar → Local → Media Library — Photo and video management 💬 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.

📍 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.

🗺️ Save Heatmaps and Access Local SEO Reports

📋 Overview The Local SEO Heatmaps feature lets you visualise your Google Business Profile ranking across a geographic grid. You can save heatmap snapshots to your dashboard for quick access and track ranking changes over time. The Local SEO Report is a separate, dedicated section found through the Reports area of the platform — not inside the Local product itself. This article explains where each feature lives and how to navigate to it. 🗺️ Understanding Where Each Feature Lives Before diving into steps, it helps to know the two areas of the platform involved: - Local product — Accessed via Left sidebar → Local. This is where you run heatmap scans for your Google Business Profile locations. - Reports section — Accessed via Left sidebar → Reports. This is where your Local SEO Reports are built, stored, and accessed. It is a separate area from the Local product. 📊 How to Save a Heatmap to Your Dashboard Saving a heatmap to your dashboard is a feature within the Local product. Because the exact steps and controls available can differ depending on your account view and subscription tier, the best way to get precise guidance is to reach out to our support team with the following details ready: - The name of the GBP project (location) you are working with - The keyword and location radius used for the heatmap scan - A screenshot of the heatmap result you want to save, if possible Having this information ready will allow our team to walk you through the exact steps for your specific account setup. Tip: You can save multiple heatmaps for different keywords or locations so you can monitor ranking changes across different areas from one place. 📁 How to Access the Local SEO Report Section The Local SEO Report is not located inside the Local product sub-pages. It is built and accessed through the Reports section. Follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Reports to open the Report Builder projects list. 2. On the projects list screen, open an existing report project or create a new one. 3. Within the report project, look for the Local SEO reporting area to view or build your Local SEO report. 4. If you do not see a Local SEO reporting option, verify that your subscription tier includes access to Local SEO features, as availability may depend on your plan. 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.

🔗 Align Your Google Business Profile URL with Local Citations

🎯 Why URL Consistency Matters for Local SEO Your Google Business Profile (GBP) and your local citations (directory listings, data aggregators) work together to signal trustworthiness to search engines. When the website URL in your GBP differs from the URL submitted to data aggregators — even by a redirect — it can create NAP inconsistency (Name, Address, Phone/URL mismatches) that weakens your local search rankings. A redirect may work for a browser, but many data aggregators and citation sources store the URL exactly as submitted. If Google sees one version and aggregators store another, the mismatch undermines your local authority. 🔍 Understanding the Redirect Problem A common scenario looks like this: - Your GBP currently shows http://example.com (which redirects to https://www.example.com). - Your citation submissions use https://www.example.com (the final destination URL). Even though both URLs lead to the same page, they are treated as different values in citation databases. This creates inconsistency that can dilute your local ranking signals. ✅ Which URL Version Should You Use? Always use the canonical, final destination URL — the version a browser lands on after all redirects have resolved. To find it: 1. Open a browser in incognito mode. 2. Type your current website URL and press Enter. 3. Copy the URL shown in the address bar after the page fully loads. This is your final destination URL. Check for these details in the final URL: - Protocol: Is it http:// or https://? Always prefer https:// if your site supports it. - Prefix: Does it include www. or not? Use whichever the site resolves to. - Trailing slash: Match it exactly (e.g., https://www.example.com/ vs. https://www.example.com). Once identified, this single URL format should be used everywhere — your GBP, all citation submissions, and any other directory listings. ⚙️ How to Update Your Google Business Profile URL To update the website URL on your GBP, sign in to your Google Business Profile account and navigate to the profile you want to edit. Locate the website field within your profile's contact or business information settings and replace any redirect URL with your final destination URL. Save your changes and allow time for the update to reflect across Google's systems. 📋 How to Submit the Correct URL via Local Citations in Search Atlas Once your GBP is updated, make sure your citation submissions use the same final destination URL. When submitting or updating citations through Search Atlas, enter the exact canonical URL you identified above — not a redirect version. Consistency between your GBP and all citation sources is the key to reinforcing your local authority signals. 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.

🗺️ Multi-Location GBP Strategy with OTTO and NAP

📋 Key Concepts Before You Begin - NAP consistency: Your business Name, Address, and Phone number must match exactly across your GBP, website, and all citations. Even small differences (e.g., "St." vs. "Street") create conflicting signals. - GBP equity: An established profile with reviews and ranking history has real SEO value. Avoid merging, replacing, or re-verifying it unless absolutely necessary. - OTTO SEO: Search Atlas's AI automation layer applies on-page and local optimisations to a connected property. Each OTTO activation should correspond to one distinct, verified web property or location. 🏢 Scenario: Existing Profile + Current Office + Future Location This is the most common multi-location setup: you have an established GBP (e.g., a Corona office with strong equity), an active operating location (e.g., Los Angeles), and a planned future office. Here is how to handle each layer cleanly. 1. Keep the Corona GBP intact. Do not change its NAP, re-verify it, or merge it with another profile. Its existing reviews and ranking history are assets. Only update information on that profile if the Corona address is genuinely still valid for your business. 2. Create a separate GBP for the LA location. Use the exact legal business name, the precise LA address, and the primary phone number for that office. Do not reuse the Corona phone number or address on the LA profile. 3. Hold off on the future office until it is operational. Google and local ranking algorithms penalise profiles created for addresses where no one is actually working. Wait until the new office is open before creating its GBP. 4. Audit your citations before expanding. Use the Search Atlas Local SEO tools to identify any existing citations that mix addresses or phone numbers. Clean these up before adding a new location to prevent compounding errors. ⚙️ Configuring OTTO for Multiple Locations When setting up OTTO across multiple locations, each location should have its own project connected to its corresponding domain or location landing page. Do not point two location profiles at the same URL unless you are using location-specific subfolders (e.g., /los-angeles/) and have confirmed that your site architecture supports it. Connecting multiple locations to a single project can cause OTTO to apply conflicting local signals, undermining rankings for both profiles. 🔑 NAP Management Best Practices - Ensure the NAP on each location's GBP matches the NAP on the corresponding location page of your website exactly. - Use local schema markup on each location page to reinforce NAP signals to search engines. - Regularly audit citations using Search Atlas's Local SEO tools to catch and correct any inconsistencies introduced during expansion. 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.

🗓️ Local SEO Heatmaps: Refresh Cycles and Scheduling

📋 Overview Local SEO heatmaps in Search Atlas do not update instantly when you change the target date. Instead, they follow an automated two-week refresh cycle. Understanding this cycle helps you interpret your heatmap data correctly and set accurate expectations for when new results will appear. 🔄 How the Two-Week Refresh Cycle Works When you create or configure a Local SEO heatmap, Search Atlas schedules automated data refreshes on a fixed two-week (14-day) cadence from the date the heatmap was first generated. This cycle runs in the background without requiring any manual action. - Refresh frequency: Every 14 days from the original heatmap creation date. - Trigger: Fully automated — no manual scan or cache clear is needed. - Data shown between refreshes: The most recently completed refresh snapshot. Your heatmap will continue displaying that data until the next scheduled refresh completes. - Date selector behaviour: Changing the date range in the heatmap settings updates the reporting window for future refreshes, but it does not trigger an immediate new data pull for the current cycle. 📅 Why Your Heatmap Still Shows the Previous Date's Data If you updated your heatmap date to August 17th but the map is still displaying August 4th data, this is expected behaviour. August 4th was the date of the last completed refresh. The system will continue showing that snapshot until the next scheduled refresh — 14 days after the previous one — is complete. Changing the date setting alone does not reset or skip the refresh cycle. The new date configuration will be applied during the next automated refresh. 🔍 How to Find Your Next Scheduled Refresh 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → Local SEO Heatmaps. 2. Locate the heatmap you want to check. 3. Review the last updated timestamp displayed on the heatmap card. 4. Add 14 days to that date — that is when your next refresh is scheduled to run. For example, if your last refresh completed on August 4th, your next refresh will run on or around August 18th. Once that refresh completes, the heatmap will automatically display data aligned with your updated date settings. 📊 How to Interpret Heatmap Refresh Timing - Data is a snapshot, not live: Each heatmap represents ranking positions captured at the moment of the most recent refresh, not real-time rankings. - Gap between refreshes is normal: A 14-day gap in displayed dates does not indicate an error. It reflects the standard refresh cadence. - Date setting changes apply forward: Any configuration updates — including date range, keywords, or grid size — are queued and applied at the next scheduled refresh. - Refresh completion time varies: Depending on grid size and keyword volume, a refresh may take several hours to fully process after it is triggered. ⚙️ Managing Your Heatmap Settings To review or update your heatmap configuration before the next refresh, follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, navigate to Local → Local SEO Heatmaps. 2. Select the heatmap you want to manage. 3. Adjust your date range, keywords, or other settings as needed. 4. Click Save to confirm your changes. Your updated settings will take effect when the next automated refresh runs. You do not need to re-create the heatmap or run a manual scan. ✅ Quick Reference: Refresh Cycle Summary - Refresh cadence: Every 14 days (automated) - Manual trigger required: No - Effect of changing the date: Applied at next refresh, not immediately - Where to check last refresh: Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps → heatmap card timestamp - Next refresh estimate: Last refresh date + 14 days 💬 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.

🗺️ View Historical Heatmap Scan Radius Settings

🔍 Overview Every heatmap scan you run in Search Atlas captures a snapshot of your local search rankings at a specific point in time. Along with ranking data, each historical scan also stores the radius settings used during that scan. This article explains how to locate and review those settings for any past scan. 📍 Navigate to Your Local Heatmap 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Local. 3. Select the GBP project you want to review from your project list. 4. Open the Overview page for that project. 🗂️ Access a Historical Scan 1. On the heatmap view, locate the scan history selector — this is typically a date picker or dropdown that lists all previously completed scans for the selected keyword. 2. Click on the scan date you want to review. The heatmap will reload and display the results captured at that time. 3. Once the historical scan is loaded, look for the scan details panel or a settings summary displayed near the top of the heatmap. This section shows the configuration used for that specific scan, including the radius (measured in miles or kilometres), the grid size, and the keyword tracked. 📊 Understanding the Radius Information The radius setting defines how far from your business location the heatmap grid extended during that scan. Key things to know: - Radius is fixed per scan. The value shown reflects exactly what was set when that scan was originally run. It cannot be changed retroactively. - Different scans may have different radii. If you updated your radius settings at any point, older scans will still show the radius that was active at the time they were executed. - Use this to compare accurately. When comparing ranking performance across time, check that the radius and grid size match between scans to ensure a like-for-like comparison. 💡 Tips for Managing Scan Settings - If you need consistent historical comparisons, try to keep your radius and grid size the same across recurring scans. - Label or note any intentional changes to scan settings so you can account for them when reviewing trends. - You can create new scans with updated radius settings at any time without affecting your existing historical data. 🛠️ Troubleshooting If you do not see radius details displayed for a historical scan, try the following: - Ensure the scan has fully completed — scans still processing will not show full configuration details. - Refresh the page and re-select the historical scan from the date selector. - Confirm you are viewing a scan associated with a keyword that has run at least once successfully. 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 Galactic Project Add-On Pricing Explained

Overview Every Search Atlas plan includes a set number of GBP Galactic projects as part of your base allocation. If you need to manage more Google Business Profile locations than your plan covers, you can purchase additional projects as an add-on. Add-On Pricing for Additional GBP Galactic Projects The per-project add-on price varies depending on your subscription tier and current plan. When you contact our team to add projects, have the following ready so they can confirm the exact price and activate your add-on: - Your account email address - Your current plan name (visible in your account's subscription or billing section) - The number of additional GBP Galactic projects you need What Is Included in Each GBP Galactic Project Each project — whether included in your base plan or purchased as an add-on — gives you access to the full GBP Galactic feature set for that location. For a detailed breakdown of what is included, refer to the GBP Galactic product page or ask our team when you get in touch. How to Add a GBP Galactic Project to Your Plan To add more GBP Galactic projects to your subscription, follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Review your current plan and the number of GBP Galactic projects already included. 3. To request additional projects, use the chat widget in the platform to reach our team. A team member will confirm the add-on quantity, the applicable per-project monthly charge, and activate the new projects on your account. They will also confirm billing timing and any minimum add-on quantities that apply to your plan. Removing or Adjusting Add-On Projects If you need to reduce the number of add-on projects on your plan, contact our support team and they will advise on how and when reductions take effect. Before requesting a removal, make sure to save any data associated with the project you plan to remove. Frequently Asked Questions - Can I add just one extra project, or is there a minimum purchase? Contact our team to confirm whether a minimum quantity applies to your specific plan and the current per-project rate. - Will I be billed immediately when I add a project? Our team will confirm billing timing when they process your add-on request. - What happens to my data if I remove an add-on project? Save any data you want to retain before a project is removed from your account. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ 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.

Completely Disconnect OTTO From a GBP

Overview OTTO can be fully disconnected from a Google Business Profile (GBP) at any time. This removes all active automation and severs the link between OTTO and the business — no Deep Freeze required. Use this guide if you want to completely detach OTTO from a GBP project rather than pausing it temporarily. Deep Freeze vs. Complete Disconnection: Deep Freeze pauses OTTO activity but keeps the connection intact. Complete disconnection permanently removes OTTO from the project. This article covers complete disconnection only. Step 1 — Navigate to Your GBP Project 1. Log in to Search Atlas. 2. Navigate to your GBP projects list within the platform. 3. Locate the business you want to disconnect OTTO from and open that project. Step 2 — Disconnect OTTO From the GBP Once inside the GBP project, look for the OTTO connection or automation settings area. From there, select the option to disconnect or remove OTTO from the project. This will sever the link between OTTO and the GBP entirely. Step 3 — Confirm the Disconnection Follow any on-screen prompts to confirm the action. After the disconnection is complete, OTTO automation will be fully removed from the GBP and no further automated actions will be applied to that profile going forward. How to Verify OTTO Has Been Removed - Navigate to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation). - Check the Active and Deep Frozen tabs for the business. - Confirm that OTTO automation is no longer shown as active for that project. Important Notes - This action is not the same as Deep Freeze. Deep Freeze pauses OTTO while keeping it linked. Complete disconnection fully removes the integration — you would need to reconnect and reconfigure OTTO from scratch if you want to use it again for this business later. - If you are unable to locate the disconnection option within the project, contact support with your GBP project name and account email so a teammate can guide you through the exact steps for your configuration. 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.

⚡ GMB Automation, Authority Building, and Site Management

Overview This article covers four key workflows in Search Atlas: setting up GMB post automation, understanding how auto-posting displays, building domain authority, cleaning up blog content, and removing websites from your account. Because the specific steps for each of these workflows may vary based on your account configuration, the guidance below outlines what each feature is designed to do and what to have ready when contacting support. GMB Post Automation — Scheduling and Frequency Search Atlas automates your Google Business Profile (GMB) posting through the OTTO workflow. Key things to know: - How to enable automation: Navigate to Local → Posts (GBP Posts) in your Search Atlas account and activate it for your website. - Post content: OTTO generates post copy automatically based on your business information and target keywords. You do not need to write individual posts manually. - Scheduling display: Auto-generated GMB posts may not appear with a visible "Scheduled" label inside the platform. If you do not see one, this does not necessarily mean posts are not queued — OTTO manages the publishing cycle internally. If you are unsure whether your GMB automation is active or posts are being published correctly, contact support with your website/project name and a description of what you are seeing so the team can check the status directly. OTTO Content Generation and Template Management OTTO handles content generation for GMB posts automatically. If you need to stop a specific post type from being used, or if you want to edit content before it publishes, reach out to support with your project name and the specific post or template in question so the team can assist. Building Authority — Integrated Features Search Atlas provides several tools to build domain and local authority alongside your GMB automation, including Press Releases, Cloud Stacks, Wildfires, and Digital Outreach. These tools are accessible within your Search Atlas account. - Press Releases: Publish keyword-rich press releases to create brand signals and support new GMB campaigns or site launches. - Cloud Stacks: Create a network of web properties that link back to your site to strengthen domain trust. - Wildfires and Digital Outreach: Additional authority-building tools available in your account to support broader link-building and local SEO campaigns. If you are unsure how to access or configure any of these features for your account, contact support with your project name and the specific feature you need help with. Blog Cleanup and Website Removal If you need to clean up blog posts generated by OTTO or remove a website from your account entirely, these actions may require backend assistance depending on your account setup. When contacting support, have your project name and a description of what you need removed or cleaned up ready so the team can assist efficiently. 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 Feature Availability by Plan Type

🧭 Overview The GBP (Google Business Profile) Audit is a local SEO tool inside Search Atlas that analyzes your business listing for optimization opportunities. However, this feature is only available on paid plans. If you are on a free trial, the audit will appear stalled, unresponsive, or fail to load entirely. 🔒 Why the GBP Audit Appears Stalled or Won't Load If your GBP Audit is not loading or seems frozen, the most common reason is that your current plan does not include access to this feature. Rather than showing a clear error message, the tool may simply appear to hang or stall while attempting to load. This is expected behavior for accounts on a free trial or a plan tier that does not include GBP Audit access. Other less common reasons the audit may stall include: - A temporary sync issue with your connected Google Business Profile - A GBP project that has not been fully set up or verified - A browser cache or session issue Before troubleshooting technical causes, first confirm that your plan includes GBP Audit access. 📋 Plan Access Summary GBP Audit availability depends on your subscription tier: - Free Trial: GBP Audit is not available. The feature is gated and will not load on trial accounts. - Paid Plans: GBP Audit is included on paid plan tiers that cover this feature. Check your current subscription to confirm whether GBP Audit is part of your plan. ✅ How to Check Your Current Plan 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right and select Billing (page title: "Billing") to view your active plan. 3. If you are on a free trial or a plan that does not include GBP Audit, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan that includes this feature in order to unlock it. 🗺️ How to Access the GBP Audit After Upgrading 1. Navigate to the GBP Projects section of your Search Atlas account. 2. Select an existing GBP project or create a new one by connecting your Google Business Profile. 3. Once your project is open, the GBP Audit functionality will be available. If you do not yet have a GBP project set up, you must create and connect one before the audit can run. Make sure your Google Business Profile is verified and properly linked to your Search Atlas account. 🔄 Still Stalling After Upgrading? If you have confirmed you are on a paid plan that includes GBP Audit and the feature is still not loading, try clearing your browser cache and reloading the page. If the issue persists, please reach out to our support team with your account details and a description of what you are seeing. 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.

🛑 Stop GBP Posts From a Canceled Account

🔍 Why This Happens When you connected your Google Business Profile (GBP) to Search Atlas, you granted the platform permission to publish posts on your behalf through Google's API. Canceling your Search Atlas subscription does not automatically revoke this permission. As a result, any scheduled or automated GBP posts may continue to publish even after your account is no longer active. To fully stop Search Atlas from posting to your GBP, you need to revoke access at the Google account level. ✅ Step 1: Revoke Search Atlas Access in Google This is the most important step. Revoking access in Google cuts the connection between Search Atlas and your Business Profile. 1. Go to myaccount.google.com and sign in with the Google account connected to your GBP. 2. Navigate to the Security section. 3. Find the section for third-party apps and services that have access to your account. 4. Locate Search Atlas in the list of connected apps. 5. Select Search Atlas and remove or revoke its access permissions. Once completed, Search Atlas will no longer have any authority to read or write data to your Google Business Profile. Any pending or scheduled posts will be unable to publish. 🗑️ Step 2: Delete Any Incorrect Posts Already Published Revoking access stops future posts but does not remove content already published to your GBP. If posts containing false or outdated information are live on your profile, you will need to delete them manually. 1. Go to business.google.com and sign in. 2. Select the Business Profile that was connected to Search Atlas. 3. Navigate to the Posts section. 4. Locate any posts published by Search Atlas. 5. Use the available options on each post to delete it. Repeat this for every post you want to remove. Changes typically reflect on Google Search and Maps within a few minutes. ⚠️ Step 3: Check for Multiple Connected Google Accounts If your GBP was managed under more than one Google account, you may need to repeat Step 1 for each account. Posts will continue if any connected account still has active permissions granted to Search Atlas. To confirm which accounts are linked, review the managers and owners listed in your GBP dashboard at business.google.com and check each account's third-party app permissions. 💡 Preventing This in the Future Before canceling any SEO or marketing platform that connects to your Google account, always revoke third-party app permissions in your Google Security settings as part of your offboarding 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.

🔍 Audit Your Site for Local SEO Wins

Why Local SEO Audits Matter Ranking in local search results depends on dozens of signals — your Google Business Profile (GBP) completeness, on-site technical health, local citations, and more. Instead of guessing what's missing, Search Atlas gives you the tools to pinpoint exactly where to focus your effort. This article walks you through the key areas to audit and the actions you can take directly inside the platform. Step 1: Set Up and Review Your GBP Project Your Google Business Profile is the foundation of local SEO. Start here: 1. Navigate to the Local section from the left sidebar and open GBP Projects. 2. If you have not linked your profile yet, connect your GBP account using the option provided in that section. 3. Open your project and review the dashboard for any outstanding optimisation tasks. These typically include items such as missing business categories, incomplete hours, absent photos, and unanswered reviews. 4. Work through every pending task to improve your ranking potential. Step 2: Check Your Local SEO Heatmaps Heatmaps show you how visible your business is across a geographic grid — so you can see exactly which areas you rank well in and where you are losing ground to competitors. 1. Navigate to the Local section from the left sidebar and open Local SEO Heatmaps. 2. Set up or import your heatmap data using the options available in that section. 3. Analyse the grid. Low-score cells indicate locations where your business is not ranking in the local pack. 4. Save a baseline snapshot so you can track improvement over time. Use heatmap results to prioritise which keywords and service areas need the most attention in your content and GBP optimisation. Step 3: Manage and Generate Reviews Review quantity, recency, and response rate are confirmed local ranking factors. Use the Reviews tools to stay on top of this signal: 1. Navigate to the Local section from the left sidebar and open the Overview area, then locate the Reviews view. 2. Use the available tools in that section to collect new reviews from customers — for example, shareable links or codes you can send or print. 3. Export your review list if needed for reporting or analysis. 4. Respond to any unanswered reviews directly from this view. Step 4: Review Profile Suggestions and About Section Search Atlas analyses your GBP data and surfaces specific improvement suggestions to help you improve your completeness score: 1. Navigate to the Local section from the left sidebar and open the Overview area. 2. Review any AI-generated or platform-generated recommendations shown for your profile. 3. Act on each suggestion — common improvements include updating your business description, adding service areas, and completing your About 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.

⭐ GBP Score Updates and Optimization Guide

Understanding Your GBP Score Your GBP (Google Business Profile) score reflects how well-optimized your Google Business Profile is within Search Atlas. The score takes into account local visibility and profile quality signals, and it does not update in real time — there is a refresh delay after you make changes before the new score is reflected. If you have recently made updates to your profile or citations and are not yet seeing a change in your score, this is expected behavior. Allow some time for the refresh cycle to complete before concluding that a change had no effect. What Can Influence Your GBP Score While the exact scoring methodology is determined by Search Atlas and may evolve over time, GBP optimization generally involves factors such as: - Profile completeness (business name, address, phone, hours, categories) - Local citation consistency across directories and websites - Local ranking positions in your target service area - Review quantity and average rating - Photo and post activity on the profile If you are unsure which factors are most affecting your specific score, 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 who can help clarify what the score reflects and what steps may improve it. General Steps to Improve Your GBP Score The following are broadly recommended optimization practices you can apply directly within your Search Atlas account. - Complete your profile: Ensure all profile fields are accurately filled in, including categories, business description, attributes, services, and photos. - Audit and fix local citations: Review your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across external directories to ensure consistency with what appears on your Google Business Profile. - Review your local rankings: Use the local ranking tools available in your account to identify geographic areas where visibility is weak and prioritize optimization efforts there. - Manage reviews: Actively encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and respond to existing reviews to demonstrate engagement. Managing Multiple Locations If you manage multiple listings, score refresh and optimization practices apply to each listing individually. If you are unsure how to apply these steps across a multi-location setup in your account, the support team is available to walk you through the process via the chat widget. 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 Social Profiles: Yelp and Platform Limitations

🔍 Overview When reviewing your GBP Audit report, you may see a recommendation to add Yelp as a social profile. However, if you navigate to the social profiles section and open the dropdown menu, Yelp is not listed as an option. This is not a bug or a settings issue — it is a current platform limitation. This article explains why this happens and how to handle the recommendation. ⚠️ Why Yelp Does Not Appear in the Dropdown Search Atlas's GBP Audit report analyses your Google Business Profile data and flags any social profile links that are missing or incomplete based on what Google supports. Because Google itself supports Yelp as a valid social profile type, the audit report will surface it as a recommendation if your GBP does not already have a Yelp link attached. However, the social profiles dropdown inside Search Atlas currently includes only a defined set of supported platforms. Yelp is not yet available as a selectable option in the platform's dropdown menu. This means the audit can detect the gap, but the platform cannot yet be used to add the Yelp link directly through the dropdown interface. ✅ What You Should Do Even though you cannot add your Yelp profile through the Search Atlas interface at this time, you can still resolve the audit recommendation by adding your Yelp link directly inside Google Business Profile. Follow these steps: 1. Go to your Google Business Profile at business.google.com and sign in. 2. Select the business location you are working on. 3. Navigate to Edit profile, then open the Contact section. 4. Scroll to Social profiles and click the option to add a new social link. 5. Select Yelp from Google's dropdown and paste your full Yelp business profile URL. 6. Save your changes. Once you have added the Yelp link directly in Google Business Profile, re-run your GBP Audit in Search Atlas. The recommendation should no longer appear in your next audit report. 🗂️ Which Social Profiles Are Currently Supported in Search Atlas The social profiles dropdown in Search Atlas currently supports the most widely used platforms. While the exact list may be updated over time, commonly supported options include: - Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn - Twitter / X - YouTube - Pinterest - TikTok Yelp is not currently included in this list. If a platform you need is missing, the workaround above — adding the link directly in Google Business Profile — applies in every case. 🗺️ Where to Find GBP Audit in Search Atlas To access your GBP Audit and review social profile recommendations, use the following navigation path: 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → GBP Projects. 2. Locate your project and click View project. 3. Open the Overview → About tab to review audit suggestions and apply available changes. 4. For recommendations that cannot be actioned directly in Search Atlas (such as Yelp), use the direct Google Business Profile method described above. 🔮 Future Platform Updates The Search Atlas team regularly expands the list of supported social profiles. Yelp support may be added to the dropdown in a future release. When it becomes available, you will be able to manage your Yelp profile link directly within the platform without needing to visit Google Business Profile separately. 💬 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.

🗺️ Duplicate Google Business Profile Heatmaps Explained

🔍 Why Two Heatmaps Are Appearing If you notice two heatmaps displayed for what appears to be a single business, this is almost always caused by duplicate Google Business Profile (GBP) listings existing on Google's side — even if you only manage one profile inside Search Atlas. Google can sometimes generate or retain more than one listing for the same business. Each listing carries its own review count, rating, and local ranking data. When Search Atlas pulls GBP data, it reflects exactly what Google returns, which means two separate listings will produce two separate heatmaps. 📋 Common Reasons Duplicate Listings Exist - A previous owner or agency created a second listing that was never removed or merged. - Google auto-generated a listing from public data such as directories or map contributions. - A location migration or rebrand resulted in two active profiles for the same address. - Multiple users claimed the business under different Google accounts at different times. 🛠️ How to Identify Which Listing Is the Duplicate 1. Check the review count and rating displayed on each heatmap inside Search Atlas. The listing with fewer reviews or an older review date is typically the duplicate. 2. Open Google Search or Google Maps and search for your business name and address. If two separate map pins or knowledge panels appear, you have confirmed duplicate listings on Google's end. 3. Log in to Google Business Profile Manager (business.google.com) and review all locations linked to your account. A duplicate may be listed there as a separate, unverified, or unclaimed profile. ✅ How to Resolve the Duplicate on Google Because the duplicate exists on Google's side, the resolution must be handled directly within Google Business Profile Manager. General steps include: 1. Claim the duplicate listing in Google Business Profile Manager if it is currently unclaimed. This gives you control to manage or remove it. 2. Once claimed, follow Google's standard process to remove or merge the duplicate profile. Google reviews such requests and the timeline for completion is determined by Google's own systems. 3. If you cannot claim the duplicate because another party owns it, use the Suggest an edit option on Google Maps to flag the listing as a duplicate and request its removal. 🔄 Updating Your Heatmaps in Search Atlas After Fixing Once Google has processed the removal or merge of the duplicate listing, Search Atlas will reflect the updated GBP data on its next data refresh. If the duplicate heatmap persists after Google has confirmed the change, please reach out to our support team for assistance. 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 Location Locking: Prevent Unauthorized Google Edits

🌐 What Is GBP Location Locking? Search Atlas includes a location lock feature for Google Business Profile (GBP) listings. When enabled, this lock is designed to help prevent unauthorized external edits from being applied to your business listing, keeping your data under your control. This is a common question from customers evaluating Search Atlas before migrating their GBP management workflow, and the answer is: yes, this feature exists and is available inside the platform. 🛡️ What Does the Lock Help Prevent? Once a location is locked in Search Atlas, the feature is designed to help block unauthorized external edit suggestions from being applied to your listing. The specific scope of what the lock covers — such as which types of external edits are blocked — may depend on your account configuration and current platform capabilities. Our support team can clarify exactly what is protected for your account. 📍 How to Enable Location Locking The location lock setting is available within your GBP management area in Search Atlas. Because the exact navigation path and UI labels may vary depending on your account configuration and platform updates, we recommend the following approach: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to the GBP management section of the platform. 3. Open the settings for the specific location you want to protect. 4. Look for a location lock or edit protection option and enable it. 5. Save or confirm your change if prompted. If you are unsure where to find this setting for your account, our support team can point you to the exact location in the current version of the platform. ✏️ Can You Still Make Changes While a Location Is Locked? Yes. The lock is intended to block external edits only. You and your team can still update your business information directly through Search Atlas. If you have questions about how authorized changes interact with the lock on your specific account, our support team can confirm the details. 🔓 How to Unlock a Location If you need to remove the lock from a location, return to the same location settings area in Search Atlas where you enabled it and turn the lock off. Once disabled, external edit suggestions may be applied to your listing again. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Does locking a location affect my Google ranking? The lock controls who can edit your listing data — it does not directly influence your search ranking. - Can I lock multiple locations at once? Contact our support team to find out what bulk or multi-location options are available for your account. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🛠️ Fix SAB Citation Dummy Addresses and Refunds

🔍 What Is This Issue? When a Service Area Business (SAB) is set up in Search Atlas, the citation-building process may publish a placeholder or "dummy" street address on citation aggregators (such as data providers and directory listings). SABs by nature do not serve customers at a physical address, so any street address that appears publicly is incorrect and should be suppressed or removed. This article explains why this happens, what steps you can take, and how credits are handled if corrections are needed. ⚙️ Why Dummy Addresses Get Published Citation aggregators typically require a physical street address to create a business listing. When an SAB is submitted without a suppressed address, the system may pass through an internal or placeholder address to satisfy that requirement. This is a known limitation in how many citation networks handle SAB profiles, and Search Atlas is actively improving its SAB workflow to prevent this from occurring in future submissions. ✅ How to Identify Affected Citations 1. Log in to Search Atlas and navigate to your citation management area. 2. Review any citation-related tasks or audit flags associated with your SAB. 3. Cross-reference your live citations on the aggregator sites directly to confirm whether a dummy or internal address is displayed publicly. 🛠️ Steps to Request a Correction At this time, SAB citation address suppression corrections are handled by the Search Atlas support team. Follow these steps to get your citations corrected: 1. Gather a list of the specific citation sources where the incorrect address is published (site name and URL of the listing if available). 2. Note your business name and the incorrect address that was published, and confirm that the business is indeed an SAB with no public-facing physical address. 3. Contact the support team with the details above so the team can begin the correction process promptly. 💰 Credit Refunds for Affected Submissions If credits were used to build citations that published an incorrect dummy address for your SAB, you may be eligible to have those credits reinstated at no additional cost. Our team will review the affected submissions and, where the error is confirmed to be caused by the platform's handling of SAB profiles, the original credits will be returned to your account so you can use them for corrected submissions. To check your current credit balance and billing activity, please reach out to the support team who can assist you in reviewing your account. 🚀 What We Are Doing to Prevent This Search Atlas is actively working to improve the SAB citation workflow to ensure that dummy or placeholder addresses are not published for businesses that operate as Service Area Businesses. As these improvements are rolled out, affected customers will benefit from more accurate and compliant citation submissions going forward. 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.

💳 Local Citations Hyperdrive Credits Billing Explained

🔎 Overview When you submit a Local Citations Hyperdrive campaign, Search Atlas charges credits based on the submission package you select. Understanding how your credit balance is applied toward submission costs helps you plan ahead and avoid unexpected charges. 💡 How Credits Work for Hyperdrive Submissions Credit costs and billing logic for Local Citations Hyperdrive campaigns depend on the specific package you select and your current account plan. The exact credit amounts, deduction timing, and how existing balances are applied may vary — our support team can confirm the precise billing behavior for your account. If you have questions about a specific charge or want to understand how credits are calculated before launching a campaign, contact our team directly so they can walk you through the details that apply to your account. ⚠️ If You Were Billed Unexpectedly If you believe you were charged incorrectly or see an unexpected credit deduction related to a Hyperdrive campaign, please have the following ready when you reach out to support: - Your project or campaign name - The submission package selected - The date of the transaction - The exact credit amount deducted - A description of what you expected versus what you were charged Having these details on hand will help our team investigate and resolve the discrepancy as quickly as possible. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🖼️ Schema Markup for AI-Generated Images in Search Atlas

🧭 Overview This article covers two topics that customers have asked about: adding schema markup to AI-generated images, and configuring or reconnecting a Google Business Profile (GBP) for a local project in Search Atlas. Because the exact steps depend on your specific project setup, this article explains what to prepare so our team can assist you quickly. 🤖 Schema Markup for AI-Generated Images Search Atlas supports structured data implementation as part of its on-page and technical SEO toolset. Customers have asked about adding ImageObject schema to AI-generated images — for example, how to attribute the image correctly using fields such as creditText, copyrightNotice, and creator. Because the exact workflow for adding or editing schema markup within Search Atlas varies by project type and feature access, our support team can walk you through the correct steps for your account. When you reach out, please have the following ready: - The name of the project and the specific page(s) you want to add ImageObject schema to. - Whether you are working with a manually created schema block or an existing structured data tool inside the platform. - Any error message or validation result you have received (for example, from Google's Rich Results Test). 🔗 GBP Configuration for a Local Project Customers have also asked about connecting or reconfiguring a Google Business Profile within a local project in Search Atlas. Common scenarios include a GBP that is not loading, a disconnected profile, or questions about how to associate the correct business listing with a project. Because GBP connection steps depend on your account permissions and project configuration, our support team can guide you through the correct process. When you reach out, please have the following ready: - The name of the local project in Search Atlas. - The Google account email associated with the GBP listing. - A description of what you are seeing — for example, whether the profile appears disconnected, shows an error, or is simply not displaying data. - Your current access level on the GBP listing in Google Business Profile Manager (Owner or Manager). 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.

⏳ 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.

How to Scan Your Local Citations in Search Atlas

What Is a Citation Scan? A citation scan checks your business listings across directories and data sources to identify inconsistencies, missing entries, or errors in your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) data. How to Navigate to Local Citations Follow these steps to reach the Local Citations section: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Local. 3. From the expanded menu, click Local Citations. This takes you directly to the Local Citations page, where you can initiate new scans and review existing citation data. How to Initiate a Citation Scan Once you are on the Local Citations page, follow these steps to run a scan: 1. Confirm that the correct GBP project is selected. If you manage multiple locations, make sure the appropriate project is active before scanning. 2. Look for the option to scan citations on the page and click it to initiate the scan. 3. Wait for the scan to complete. Depending on the number of directories being checked, this may take a few moments. The page will update when results are ready. Important: If no scan has been run before for your project, the citations panel may appear empty. Running your first scan populates the data for that location. How to Review Your Citation Scan Results After the scan completes, your results will display on the Local Citations page. Here is what to look for: - Matched citations: Listings where your NAP data is consistent and accurate. - Inconsistent citations: Listings where your business name, address, or phone number does not match your primary source of truth. - Missing citations: Directories where your business has not yet been listed. Click on any individual listing to open the detail view and review the specific data found for that citation. Still Need Help? If you run into any issues initiating a scan or interpreting your results, please reach out to our support team via the chat widget and we will be happy to assist you.

🔧 GBP Suspension Restoration Service: Pricing, Process, and Coverage

What Is the GBP Suspension Restoration Service? If a Google Business Profile (GBP) you manage has been suspended — whether it was actively posting content through Search Atlas or not — our team offers a done-for-you restoration service to handle the reinstatement process on your behalf. Instead of navigating Google's reinstatement process yourself, the Search Atlas team takes over: submitting appeals, providing documentation, and managing all required communication with Google until the profile is restored. This service is available to all Search Atlas customers and is especially useful for agencies managing multiple GBP accounts or business owners who do not have the time or experience to handle a suspension dispute independently. Pricing and Account Tiers The done-for-you GBP restoration service is offered on a subscription basis. Pricing and tier structures depend on the number of accounts you need covered and your specific situation. Because pricing details and available tiers can vary and are subject to change, the most accurate and up-to-date rates are provided directly by the Search Atlas sales team. We recommend reaching out before enrolling so our team can confirm the plan that best fits your needs. What the Service Covers The done-for-you restoration service is a comprehensive managed service. When you enroll, the Search Atlas team handles the work needed to pursue reinstatement on your behalf. Exact scope and coverage details — including what is included for connected account features — are confirmed by the team when you initiate the service. How to Request the Service To get started with the GBP suspension restoration service, contact the Search Atlas support team directly. When you reach out, please have the following ready so our team can assist you as quickly as possible: - The name and URL of the suspended Google Business Profile - The date the suspension was noticed or received - Any communication or notices you have received from Google regarding the suspension - The number of GBP accounts you need covered, if more than one Our team will review your situation, confirm current pricing and coverage, and walk you through the enrollment 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.

🔄 GBP Category Changes: Deploy vs. Live Status

📋 Overview When you deploy a Google Business Profile (GBP) category change through Search Atlas, the platform records the change as Deployed. However, Deployed does not mean the update is immediately visible on Google. Google has its own internal review and approval process that runs independently of Search Atlas. This article explains the difference between these two states and what to expect after deploying a category change. 🔍 What "Deployed" Means in Search Atlas The Deployed status in Search Atlas confirms that the category change has been successfully submitted to Google's systems through the API. At this point, Search Atlas has completed its part of the process. What happens next is entirely controlled by Google. To review the deployment status of your GBP changes, locate the relevant GBP project within Search Atlas. The status shown reflects what Search Atlas has submitted, not what is currently live on Google Business Profile. ⏳ Google's Approval and Review Workflow After a category change is submitted, Google applies its own review process before the update goes live. This process is not instant and is not controlled by Search Atlas. Here is what typically happens: 1. Submission received: Google's systems receive the category update via the API. 2. Internal review: Google reviews the change to ensure it complies with its category policies and matches the nature of the business. 3. Propagation: Once approved, the change propagates across Google Search and Maps, which can take additional time. 4. Live on GBP: The updated category becomes visible to users on Google. The time it takes for a category change to go live on Google is determined entirely by Google's review process and is outside of Search Atlas's control. If a category change shows as Deployed in Search Atlas but is not yet visible on your Google Business Profile, this is expected behavior — it means the update is pending Google's review, not that something went wrong. ✅ How to Confirm the Change Is Pending (Not Failed) Use the following steps to verify that your category change was submitted correctly and is not in an error state: 1. Locate the relevant GBP project within Search Atlas. 2. Check that the category change shows a status of Deployed with no error flags or warning indicators. 3. Log in directly to your Google Business Profile account to monitor when the category update becomes visible on Google. If your category change does not show a Deployed status, or if you see an error indicator, this may indicate a submission issue that requires further investigation. 📞 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.

⚙️ Configure GMB Post Authorization Email Alerts

Overview If you have configured your Google Business Profile (GMB) posts to require authorization before publishing, Search Atlas can send you an email alert each time a post is queued and waiting for your approval. Setting up or adjusting this notification behavior requires a backend configuration change made by the Search Atlas support team. How GMB Post Authorization Alerts Work When post authorization is enabled on your account, GMB posts are held for approval before publishing. Email alerts notify you when a post is waiting for your review. Enabling, disabling, or troubleshooting these alerts is not currently configurable through the platform's self-serve interface — it is handled on the backend by our team. What to Do If You Are Not Receiving Alerts If you are not receiving email notification alerts for pending GMB post approvals, or if you need this feature enabled on your account, please reach out to the Search Atlas support team. To help the team process your request, have the following ready: - Your account email address — the registered email associated with your Search Atlas account. - The business location(s) affected — the name or names of the Google Business Profile locations for which you need alerts configured. - A description of the issue — whether alerts have never been received, stopped arriving, or need to be enabled for the first 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.

⚡ Local Taxi SEO Audit and Ranking Optimization

What This Article Covers If you run a taxi or transportation business and are experiencing issues with your website's local search rankings — such as unexpected ranking drops, audit errors, or optimization features not working as expected in Search Atlas — this article explains what typically requires backend investigation and how to escalate effectively. When This Requires Backend Assistance Some SEO audit and ranking issues for local taxi keywords cannot be resolved through self-serve steps alone. Issues related to website SEO audits and ranking optimization for local taxi keywords may require a backend action by the Search Atlas team to investigate and resolve. In these cases, the Search Atlas team will investigate on the backend and apply the necessary fix. You do not need to re-run audits repeatedly or attempt workarounds — escalating with the right information is the most efficient path to resolution. What to Have Ready Before You Escalate To help the team investigate and resolve your issue as quickly as possible, please have the following information ready when you reach out: - Your website URL — the exact domain you are running audits or tracking rankings for. - The specific keywords you are targeting (e.g., "taxi service [city]," "airport taxi [city]") and the target location (city, region, or ZIP code). - A description of the issue — a clear explanation of what is not working as expected with your SEO audit or local keyword rankings. - Any error messages — copy the exact text of any error shown on screen. - Timestamps — when you first noticed the issue and whether it is ongoing or intermittent. What to Expect After Escalating Once you contact the support team with the above details, a team member will review your account and the relevant backend systems. You will be updated on the cause of the issue and informed when the fix has been applied. Resolution timelines vary depending on the complexity of the backend investigation. 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.

🗺️ Replace a Suspended GBP Account and Sync Citations

🗺️ Overview If your connected Google Business Profile (GBP) account gets suspended, you can replace it with a new account in Search Atlas while keeping your existing business details intact. This article explains what to expect when replacing a suspended GBP account and how citation sync is affected. ⚙️ How GBP Account Replacement Works Search Atlas links your local project to a specific GBP account. When that account is suspended, the connection breaks and citation sync stops. Replacing the suspended account with a new one is intended to restore the connection so your data can flow correctly again. Because this process depends on your specific project configuration, the exact steps to disconnect a suspended account and connect a new one may vary. We recommend contacting our support team directly so an agent can walk you through the replacement in your account. ✅ Before You Contact Support To help our team resolve this as quickly as possible, please have the following ready: - The name of the local project linked to the suspended GBP account. - The email address associated with the suspended GBP account. - The email address associated with the new GBP account you want to connect. - Confirmation that the new GBP account has been created and verified in Google. - Confirmation that the business name, address, and phone number on the new account match the details in your Search Atlas project — even minor differences (e.g., "St" vs "Street") can affect sync. - Any error messages or timestamps related to the suspension or sync failure. 📋 What Happens to Your Citations Citations that were previously synced are generally not lost during an account replacement. However, since citation sync behavior depends on your specific setup and the details of the replacement, our support team can confirm exactly what to expect for your project once they review your account. If your business details changed when you set up the new GBP account (for example, a new address or updated phone number), make sure to inform the support agent so they can advise on how to update those details in Search Atlas to avoid any disruption to future syncing. 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 OTTO AI Review Reply Instructions for Google Business Profile

Overview OTTO AI can automatically generate and post replies to Google Business Profile reviews on your behalf. To ensure these replies match your brand voice and address customer concerns effectively, you can provide OTTO with custom AI reply instructions. This guide explains how to set them up. What Are AI Reply Instructions? AI reply instructions are custom prompts that tell OTTO how to respond to reviews. Instead of manually replying to each review, you provide OTTO with guidelines about tone, key messages, and response style. OTTO then generates contextual replies that follow your instructions automatically. For example, instead of manually typing a response to a positive review, OTTO can instantly generate a thank-you message that matches your brand voice. Before You Start You'll need the following to set up review reply automation: - A connected Google Business Profile linked to your Search Atlas account - Access to Local → Reviews in Search Atlas - A clear idea of the tone and style you want OTTO to use when replying to reviews How to Set Up OTTO AI Review Reply Instructions 1. Log in to Search Atlas and navigate to Local → Reviews (Reviews) from the left sidebar. 2. Select the site for which you want to configure review reply automation. 3. Connect your Google Business Profile if you have not already done so, following the prompts in the Reviews dashboard. 4. Locate the review reply settings for your connected Google Business Profile within Local → Reviews. This is where you can enable automated review replies and enter your custom AI instructions. 5. Enter your AI reply instructions in the available instructions field. Write these in plain language describing the tone, style, and any key points OTTO should include — for example, whether to thank customers by name, how to handle negative reviews, or whether to include a call to action. 6. Save your instructions. OTTO will apply them automatically when generating replies to new reviews on your Google Business Profile. If you are unable to locate the review reply settings within Local → Reviews, or if the Google Business Profile connection is not appearing as expected, please reach out to our support team with your project name and a description of what you see on screen so we can point you to the correct area. 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.

🔓 Remove GBP Data Lock on Local SEO

🔍 Identify Your Account If your Google Business Profile is locked due to retained API access from a previous provider, first confirm which email address is associated with your Search Atlas account. This is the email you use to log in to the platform. 🛠️ Reactivate or Access Your Account If your account is inactive, you may need to reactivate it. In the resolved case, the account info@bigthinkingagent.com was reactivated with a 7-day trial to regain access. Ensure your account is active before proceeding. 🔓 Remove the GBP Data Lock Once your account is active, the GBP data lock can be removed. A support agent confirmed the lock was present and manually removed it. To request removal, 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. ✅ Verify the Lock Is Removed After the lock is removed, Google will no longer override your business profile changes. You can now manage your Google Business Profile directly through the Local SEO section. Navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Overview to confirm your profile is editable and syncing correctly. 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 Contractor Photo Upload Fix

The contractor photo upload feature in Google Business Profile has been fully restored, ensuring a seamless end-to-end experience from upload to Media Library integration. ✨ What's New A bug affecting the contractor photo upload workflow in GBP has been resolved. The fix covers the complete pipeline: backend processing, frontend product UI, and Media Library integration now all work together without interruption. Users can upload contractor photos and expect them to be correctly stored and reflected across the platform. 🛠️ How to Use It 1. Navigate to the GBP & Local SEO section of the platform. 2. Select the business profile you want to manage. 3. Go to the Photos section and choose Contractor Photos. 4. Upload your photo using the upload prompt — the file will be processed and saved to your Media Library automatically. 5. Confirm the photo appears correctly in both the GBP profile and the Media Library. 📋 What to Expect The upload workflow now completes reliably from start to finish. Photos uploaded as part of the contractor category will be properly handled by the backend, displayed in the product UI, and synced with the Media Library. No additional steps or workarounds are required. 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 Business Hours Affect Local Map Pack Rankings

What Is Local SEO and Why Do Rankings Shift? Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a business to appear in Google's Map Pack results. Visibility in the Map Pack depends on three core factors: relevance (how well your business matches the query), distance (proximity to the searcher), and prominence (how well-known and trusted your business appears to Google). Many practitioners observe that local rankings are not fully static — visibility can shift based on the time of day, day of the week, and how a search query is phrased. Understanding these patterns helps local businesses make smarter decisions about their optimization strategy. How Business Hours May Influence Map Pack Visibility Google considers a range of signals when surfacing local results. Whether a business is open or closed at the time of a search is one factor that may play a role, since Google aims to surface results that are useful to users at that moment. The degree to which this affects ranking position can vary by query type, location, and competitive landscape. Different business types may experience different ranking patterns depending on when their customers are most likely to search. Businesses with hours that align with peak demand periods may see more consistent visibility, while those with limited or non-standard hours may see fluctuations during off-hours periods. The Role of Keyword Phrasing in Local Rankings Not all local search queries behave the same way. The structure of a search query — called keyword phrasing — changes user intent, and Google interprets different phrasings differently. Important distinctions to understand: - Word order and phrasing: Queries using the same terms but structured differently can produce different ranking outcomes. Testing multiple phrasings for your target keywords is worthwhile. - "Near me" queries: Searches including "near me" are highly demand-driven and may show different ranking behavior than city-name queries. - Branded vs. generic keywords: Searches that include your business name behave differently from generic category searches and should be tracked separately. How to Act on This If you are investigating how your business hours may be affecting your local Map Pack visibility, here are concrete steps to help you self-serve this analysis: 1. Audit your Google Business Profile hours: Log in to your Google Business Profile and confirm that your listed hours are accurate, up to date, and reflect any special or holiday hours. Inaccurate hours can negatively affect how Google presents your listing to searchers. 2. Compare rankings at different times of day: Run local ranking checks at different times — for example, during your open hours versus outside them — and on different days of the week to identify any patterns in your visibility. 3. Test keyword phrasings: Check your rankings using multiple keyword structures (e.g., "near me" vs. city-name queries, generic vs. branded terms) to understand how phrasing affects your position. 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.

📍 Understanding Local Citations and HDC Costs

📋 What Are Local Citations? Local citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across directories, aggregators, and data platforms. Building consistent citations helps improve your local search visibility and Google Business Profile authority. In Search Atlas, you can manage and submit local citations directly from Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations. 💳 How Many HDC Credits Do Citations Cost? Each citation submission uses HDC (Hyperlink Data Credits) from your account balance. Here is the current pricing breakdown: - Individual directory submissions: HDC cost varies by directory tier and domain authority. - **Data aggregator submissions:**40 HDC per aggregator (four major aggregators are available). Important: An earlier version of the Local Citations KB article incorrectly stated the aggregator cost as 30 HDC. The correct and current cost is 40 HDC per aggregator, as shown in the platform UI. Always refer to the cost displayed in the platform at the time of submission, as it reflects the most up-to-date pricing. 🗂️ What Are Data Aggregators? Data aggregators are large data providers that distribute your business information to hundreds of smaller directories automatically. Submitting to aggregators is one of the most efficient ways to build citation coverage at scale. Search Atlas supports submission to the four main US data aggregators through the Local Citations tool. Note: Aggregator submissions are currently optimised for US-based locations. If your business is located outside the US, some fields — such as state or administrative area — may be optional depending on how Google classifies your region. Support for non-US location scanning is being actively developed. 🚀 How to Submit Local Citations 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select Local Citations. 2. Select the business location you want to build citations for. 3. Choose between individual directory submissions or data aggregator submissions. 4. Review the HDC cost displayed on screen for each option before confirming. 5. Click Submit to initiate the citation build. HDC credits will be deducted from your account immediately. ✏️ Editing or Deleting Existing Citations Once a citation has been submitted, editing or deleting it depends on the directory or aggregator that received the data. Within the platform, you can review the status of submitted citations from the Local Citations dashboard. If you encounter an error when trying to edit a citation — such as an invalid field validation message — try refreshing the page and re-entering the information. This issue has been resolved in a recent platform update. If a citation cannot be edited directly, contact the individual directory to request a manual update. ⚠️ Common Questions and Issues - The HDC cost in the article differs from what I see in the UI — which is correct? Always trust the cost shown in the platform UI at the time of submission. The current aggregator cost is 40 HDC each. - My business is outside the US — can I still use Local Citations? Yes, but some fields like state or administrative area may not be required depending on your location. Fill in all fields that apply and leave optional fields blank if they are not relevant. - I cannot edit a citation and see a validation error. This bug has been fixed. If you still experience it, clear your browser cache, reload the page, and try again. - When will my citations go live? Aggregator submissions typically propagate across directories within 4–12 weeks. Individual directory submissions may appear sooner depending on the platform. 🛠️ Tips for Accurate Citations - Ensure your business name, address, and phone number are identical across all submissions — even small inconsistencies can reduce the SEO benefit. - Use a local phone number rather than a toll-free number where possible. - Double-check your NAP details before submitting, as corrections may take weeks to propagate. - Monitor submission status regularly from the Local Citations 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.

🔄 Update NAP Citations on a Cancelled Account

📌 Overview Your NAP citation profile (Name, Address, Phone) is used by Search Atlas to scan and manage your business listings across online directories. If your account has been cancelled and you need to update a detail — such as a phone number — this article explains what is possible and how to get help. 🔍 What Is a NAP Citation Profile? A NAP profile stores the core business information Search Atlas uses when running citation scans and managing local listings. It includes: - Business name - Address - Phone number Keeping this information accurate is essential for local SEO. Incorrect or outdated details — especially a phone number — can cause inconsistencies across directories and hurt your local search rankings. ⚠️ Why Cancelled Accounts Cannot Self-Serve NAP Updates When an account is cancelled, access to the platform's full feature set is restricted. This means you cannot independently edit your NAP profile through the platform's citation management tools, which require an active subscription to function. If your account is cancelled, you will not be able to: - Edit your NAP citation profile directly in the platform - Run new citation scans against updated contact details - Push corrected information to connected directories ✅ How to Get Your Phone Number Updated Even with a cancelled account, our support team can assist you. Please have the following details ready so the team can process your update quickly: - Your business name (e.g., Showcase Financing) - The new phone number you need applied to your NAP profile - Any additional location details if you manage multiple listings Our team will review your account and apply the phone number update to your NAP citation profile on your behalf. 💡 Reactivating Your Account to Manage Citations Yourself If you plan to continue managing your local citations and keeping your NAP data accurate across directories, reactivating your subscription gives you full access to the citation management tools. Once reactivated, you can update your NAP profile and run citation scans directly within the platform. From there you can: - Edit your business name, address, and phone number - Run citation scans to check directory consistency - Identify and fix NAP mismatches across the web If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🛠️ OTTO 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.

🗺️ Business Assistant Map and Address Suggestions Explained

🔍 Overview The Business Assistant inside Search Atlas automatically scans your website and Google Business Profile (GBP) data to surface improvement suggestions. Two suggestions that commonly cause confusion are "No map detected on site" and "Address format mismatch." This article explains exactly what these checks do, why they may appear even when your setup looks correct, and whether ignoring them will hurt your GBP performance. 🗺️ How Map Detection Works The Business Assistant checks for an embedded map on your website as part of its local SEO audit. There are two important limitations to understand: - Homepage only: The map detection scan checks your homepage exclusively. If your embedded map lives on a Contact page, About page, or any other sub-page, the tool will not find it and will report "No map detected on site" — even though your map is correctly embedded and functioning. - Hidden or toggled maps: Some website builders and themes allow maps to be hidden via UI controls, lazy-load settings, or conditional visibility rules. If your map is not rendered in the page source at the time of the scan, the tool will flag it as missing. If you receive this suggestion and your map is already embedded, first confirm that the map appears on your homepage. If it is on a different page, you can either add a map to the homepage or safely disregard this suggestion — it will not affect your GBP ranking. 📍 How Address Formatting Suggestions Work The Business Assistant compares the address listed on your website against the address stored in your Google Business Profile. It looks for differences in formatting, such as: - Abbreviations vs. full words (e.g., St. vs. Street) - Suite or unit number placement - Comma usage and punctuation style - State abbreviations vs. full state names These are formatting suggestions only. The tool is designed to encourage consistency across your online presence, which is a recognised best practice for local SEO. However, minor formatting differences between your website and GBP do not directly influence your GBP ranking scores inside Search Atlas. 📊 Do These Suggestions Affect Your GBP Score? This is the most important point to understand: the suggestions produced by the Business Assistant are automated recommendations, not hard ranking factors. Here is what you need to know: - Map detection flag: Having or not having a map on your homepage does not directly change your GBP score within the platform. It is a best-practice signal, not a scored metric. - Address formatting flag: Formatting differences between your website and GBP do not negatively impact your GBP performance score. Your score will not drop if you leave this suggestion unaddressed. - Real GBP ranking factors include elements such as review volume and sentiment, posting frequency, citation consistency, and profile completeness — all of which you can manage directly inside the Local section of Search Atlas. You can access your full local performance data by navigating to Left sidebar → Local → Overview (GBP Profile Completion). From there you can also manage posts, reviews, and local citations under their respective sub-pages. ✅ Recommended Actions Use the following guidance to decide how to handle each suggestion: 1. "No map detected on site" — Check whether your map is on the homepage. If yes, verify it is not hidden by a theme or lazy-load setting. If your map is on a contact or other sub-page and you prefer to keep it there, you can disregard this suggestion without any impact on your GBP score. 2. "Address format mismatch" — Review the formatting difference flagged. If your address is accurate on both your website and GBP, the suggestion is safe to ignore. If you prefer full consistency, update the formatting on your website to match GBP exactly — either approach is acceptable. 3. Focus on scored factors — Prioritise actions that directly influence your GBP performance, such as responding to reviews (Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews)), publishing regular posts (Left sidebar → Local → Posts), and building citations (Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations). 💡 Key Takeaways - Map detection only scans the homepage — maps on other pages will not be found. - Address formatting suggestions highlight inconsistencies but do not lower your GBP score. - Both suggestions are automated best-practice recommendations, not mandatory fixes. - Your GBP score is driven by engagement, completeness, and citation signals — not by these formatting checks. 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.

Setting Up Mobile Business Locations in Vault

Overview Not every business operates from a fixed storefront. If your business is mobile or serves customers at their locations, you can still add and configure it as a location in Brand Vault. Because mobile and service-area businesses do not have a single public street address, there are a few important things to keep in mind when setting one up. What to Prepare Before You Start Before adding a mobile or service-area location in Brand Vault, gather the following information: - Business name — the exact name as it appears on your Google Business Profile (if applicable). - Service area or operating region — the city, region, or ZIP codes your business serves. - Contact details — phone number, website, and any other information relevant to your business listing. - Google Business Profile (GBP) status — know whether your GBP is set up as a service-area business (no address shown publicly) or a hybrid listing. Adding a Mobile or Service-Area Location in Brand Vault 1. Navigate to Brand Vault in your Search Atlas workspace. 2. Go to the Locations section and select the option to add a new location. 3. When prompted for an address, enter your primary operating city or service region rather than a private residential address. If your GBP hides your address publicly, enter information consistent with your GBP setup. 4. Fill in all available business detail fields (business name, phone, website, service area description) as accurately as possible. 5. If a Google Business Profile connection is available, connect the GBP that corresponds to this location. After connecting, review the synced fields to confirm the location details are correct. 6. Save the location. Troubleshooting Common Issues - Address field is required but you have no fixed address: Enter your primary service city and state (e.g., Austin, TX) or the city associated with your GBP listing. Avoid entering a private home address unless you intend for it to be visible. - GBP does not sync correctly for a service-area business: Verify that your GBP is correctly configured as a service-area business in Google Business Profile Manager before connecting it in Brand Vault. Mismatches between GBP type and Vault settings can cause incomplete syncs. - Location details appear incorrect after GBP connection: Manually review and update each field in Brand Vault after connecting, as some service-area GBP fields may not auto-populate. When to Contact Support If you are unable to save a mobile location or the GBP connection fails, please have the following ready before reaching out: your business name, the service area or address you attempted to enter, the name of the GBP profile you tried to connect, and any error message displayed. 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.

📍 Adding Mobile or Service-Area Businesses in Vault

🗺️ Overview Not every business has a storefront or office that customers visit. If your business operates on-the-go — such as a plumber, landscaper, cleaning service, or food truck — you can still add a location in Brand Vault without listing a public-facing address. This article explains your options and how to set things up correctly. ❓ Do You Need a Physical Address? No, a fixed customer-facing address is not required. Brand Vault supports two types of business models: - Brick-and-mortar: A physical location customers can visit (e.g., a retail shop or clinic). - Service-area business (SAB): A business that travels to or serves customers within a defined geographic area, with no public storefront. If customers do not come to your address, you should configure your location as a service-area business. This keeps your internal or home-based address private while still allowing Brand Vault to associate your business with the correct geographic area. ⚙️ How to Configure a Mobile or Service-Area Location in Vault 1. Navigate to Brand Vault from the left sidebar. 2. Open the Locations section and select an existing location or create a new one. 3. In the address fields, enter your internal or operational address (such as a home address or business registration address). This is used for back-end accuracy only and is not published publicly. 4. Enable the Service Area Business setting (if available for your plan) to hide the physical address from any public-facing outputs generated by Brand Vault. 5. In the Service Area fields, define the cities, regions, or zip codes your business serves. This tells Search Atlas — and connected tools like Google Business Profile — where your business operates. 6. Save your changes. Note: Even if the privacy toggle is not yet visible in your account, entering your address and defining your service area is still the recommended setup. The address is used internally to anchor local SEO data correctly and is not displayed to end users in standard outputs. 🔗 Connecting to Google Business Profile If you have a Google Business Profile (GBP) set up as a service-area business, Brand Vault can sync with it. Make sure your GBP is also configured as a service-area business with the address hidden, so the two stay consistent. To connect your GBP account, go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects and select Connect GBP Account. Once connected, Brand Vault will pull your business details from the correct profile. If you manage multiple locations or service areas, each can be linked to its own GBP project for accurate, location-specific data. 💡 Best Practices for Mobile Businesses - Always enter a base address even if it is not public-facing. This anchors your local SEO signals to a real geographic point. - Be specific with your service areas. List every city or region you actively serve to maximise local search visibility. - Keep Brand Vault and GBP in sync. Any changes to your service area in GBP should be reflected in Brand Vault and vice versa. - Avoid leaving all address fields blank. An empty address may cause Brand Vault to pull data from an incorrect location or default profile. 🛠️ Troubleshooting - Brand Vault is pulling data from the wrong location: Check that the correct location is selected within Brand Vault and that it is connected to the right GBP profile. - Address is showing publicly when it should not: Confirm your GBP is set to hide the address on your Google listing, and check the service-area business toggle in Brand Vault if it is available on your plan. - Service area fields are not saving: Try refreshing the page and re-entering the details. If the issue persists, contact support via the chat widget. 💬 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.

💳 Understanding GBP and HDC Limits per Plan

💡 Overview of the Pricing Page The Search Atlas pricing page, located at /pricing, lets you compare every subscription plan side by side, including features, pricing, and usage limits. Two limits customers frequently ask about are GBP (Google Business Profile locations) and HDC units. This article explains what these terms mean and lists the exact limits included with each plan, so you always know what to expect before you subscribe or upgrade. 📖 What GBP and HDC Mean - GBP (Google Business Profile): The number of Google Business Profile locations you can connect and manage in Search Atlas. GBPs are used for local SEO work such as managing business listings, posts, and review tracking. - HDC: A plan-based resource included with Search Atlas subscriptions. Your plan level determines how many HDC units you can use. HDC is not included with the Starter plan and becomes available starting with the Growth plan. 📊 GBP and HDC Limits by Plan Every Search Atlas plan includes a set number of GBP locations and HDC units. Here are the exact limits for each plan: - Starter: 3 GBP, 0 HDC - Growth: 10 GBP, 10 HDC - Pro: 25 GBP, 30 HDC - Agency: 100 GBP, 100 HDC Limits are tied to your plan level, not your billing cycle. Switching between monthly and annual billing does not change the number of GBP locations or HDC units included. 🧭 How to View and Compare Plans To review plans and pricing at any time, follow these steps: 1. Open your browser and go to the Search Atlas /pricing page. 2. Review each plan card to compare price, features, and limits. 3. If annual billing is available for your account, toggle between monthly and annual options to see updated pricing. 4. Compare the GBP and HDC limits against the number of business locations and HDC units you need. 🚀 How to Upgrade Your Plan If you need more GBP locations or HDC units than your current plan includes, upgrading is the fastest way to increase both limits: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Go to the /pricing page. 3. Select the plan that matches the limits you need. 4. Confirm your billing details and complete the checkout process. 5. Your new plan limits are applied to your account right away. 🛠️ Choosing the Right Plan Use these quick guidelines to pick the best fit: - Starter: Best for individuals or small businesses managing a single location and basic SEO needs. - Growth: Ideal for growing businesses that need more GBP locations plus HDC access. - Pro: Suited for larger teams handling multiple locations and heavier workloads. - Agency: Designed for agencies managing many client locations at scale, with the highest GBP and HDC limits. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - What happens if I reach my GBP or HDC limit? Your current plan limits stay in place until you upgrade. Upgrading to a higher plan immediately increases your GBP and HDC allowances. - Does the Starter plan include HDC? No. Starter includes 3 GBP locations and 0 HDC units. HDC access begins with the Growth plan, which includes 10 HDC units. - Can I get more than 100 GBP or 100 HDC? The Agency plan includes 100 GBP locations and 100 HDC units. If you need more than these amounts, our team can review your options with you. - Do my limits reset each month? These limits describe what is included with your plan for the life of your subscription. They are not a monthly allowance that resets, and unused capacity does not roll over. 💬 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.

🛡️ GMB Optimization Tool Safety, Reliability & Best Practices

🔍 How the GMB Optimization Tool Works Search Atlas updates your Google Business Profile (GBP) data through Google's official Business Profile API. Every change made through the platform is processed by Google in exactly the same way as a manual update made directly inside Google Business Manager. There is no backdoor or workaround involved — the API is the same channel Google provides to all authorized software partners. This means the tool is as reliable and safe as making changes by hand, with the added benefit of consistency, speed, and audit logging across all your locations. ⚠️ Understanding Suspension Risk GBP suspensions are triggered by Google's own policy-enforcement systems, not by the tool you use to make changes. That said, certain types of edits carry higher scrutiny regardless of whether they are made manually or via API. The following factors increase suspension risk: - Changing the business name to include keywords or location modifiers (keyword stuffing) - Editing the primary category to one that does not accurately reflect the business - Updating the address to a virtual office, mailbox, or location where the business does not physically operate - Adding or removing phone numbers at high frequency in a short window - Making multiple critical-field edits simultaneously (name, address, category, phone) on a single listing - Applying bulk edits across many listings in a very short time without staggering Search Atlas does not change any of these fields without your explicit instruction. The tool applies changes you configure, so the risk profile is directly tied to the accuracy and legitimacy of the data you submit. ✅ Best Practices for Sensitive Changes For any edit that touches high-scrutiny fields, follow this workflow to reduce risk: 1. Change one critical field at a time. Avoid editing the business name, address, category, and phone number in the same update batch. 2. Stagger bulk updates. When pushing changes across many locations, spread them over 24–48 hours rather than updating all listings simultaneously. 3. Verify the information is accurate before submitting. Google's systems flag edits that contradict data from authoritative third-party sources (government registries, data aggregators). Inaccurate data increases the chance of auto-rejection or a manual review trigger. 4. Review Google's naming and representation guidelines before changing any business name or category. A change that violates policy will be rejected or may flag the listing for review. 5. Monitor each listing after a sensitive change for 48–72 hours to confirm Google has accepted the edit and the listing status remains active. 📍 Address Legitimacy at Scale For businesses managing multiple physical locations, each address must correspond to a real, staffed, and publicly accessible location during stated hours. Common pitfalls when managing locations at scale include: - Using a single suite number or shared co-working address for multiple distinct listings - Listing a warehouse or storage unit as a customer-facing location - Creating duplicate listings for the same physical address under different business names Search Atlas flags duplicate address entries within your account so you can review them before they are pushed to Google. Always ensure each location in your portfolio meets Google's eligibility standards before activating GBP optimization for that listing. 📈 Lead Integrity and Ranking Impact Optimizing your GBP profile correctly — accurate categories, complete attributes, consistent NAP (name, address, phone) data, and regular posts or photo updates — has a measurable positive effect on local pack rankings and customer actions (calls, directions, website clicks). Conversely, optimizations that violate Google's policies may produce short-term visibility gains followed by listing suppression, ranking drops, or suspension. To protect lead flow: - Keep NAP data consistent across your GBP listing, website, and major citation sources - Use only your real, primary business name — no city names, keywords, or taglines - Select the most accurate primary category, not the most competitive one - Add secondary categories only when they genuinely reflect services you provide 🤖 Hybrid vs. Full-Automation Recommendations Search Atlas supports both fully automated and hybrid (human-reviewed) workflows. The right approach depends on the sensitivity of the changes involved: - Full automation is appropriate for: routine content updates (posts, photos, offers, Q&A responses), business hours adjustments for holidays, and attribute updates that do not affect name, address, or category. - Hybrid review is recommended for: any changes to business name, primary category, address, or phone number — especially at scale. Route these through an approval step before the platform submits them to Google. To enable review queues for sensitive field types, go to Settings → GBP Automation Rules and toggle on Require Approval for Critical Fields. This ensures a team member signs off before the API call is made. 🏢 Managing Multiple Locations at Scale When your portfolio includes dozens or hundreds of locations, consistency and governance matter as much as optimization. Recommended practices include: 1. Maintain a master data source (spreadsheet or CRM) that holds the verified NAP data for every location. Sync the platform from this source to avoid drift. 2. Assign location-level ownership so regional managers can review and approve changes for their locations before they go live. 3. Use bulk audit reports in Search Atlas to identify listings with missing attributes, incomplete categories, or inconsistent hours before running optimization campaigns. 4. Set update frequency limits per location to avoid triggering Google's anomaly-detection systems from high-velocity edits. 5. Document every change using the platform's activity log so you can trace the source of any issue if a listing enters a pending or suspended state. 💬 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.

How to Migrate from BrightLocal to Search Atlas

This guide explains how to move local SEO workflows from BrightLocal to Search Atlas, including keyword tracking, GBP management, citations, and white-label reports. How do I export my local keyword and grid tracking data? Export keyword data from BrightLocal’s Local Rank Tracker and map visibility data from Local Search Grid. How do I export from the Local Rank Tracker? The Local Rank Tracker tracks a list of keywords in a specific location. 1. Log in to your BrightLocal account. If you have an existing location, go to All Locations. export from brightlocal 0 1. Click View on your business. export from brightlocal 1 1. Choose Rankings >Rank Tracker from the sidebar. export from brightlocal 4 1. Click the Actions dropdown at the top-right corner of the report. 2. Select Download CSV to export your keyword data. Alternatively, choose Download PDF for a formatted report. export from brightlocal 3 How do I export data from Local Search Grid? 1. In the BrightLocal dashboard, go to Local SEO Tools > Local Search Grid. export from brightlocal 6 1. Click View on your business (e.g., “Legacy Dental – Fort Wayne”). export from brightlocal 7 1. Go to Rankings >Local Search Grid. export from brightlocal 8 1. Open the generated report for your selected keyword. 2. Use the Select Keyword dropdown to switch between keywords if needed. export from brightlocal 9 1. Select the keyword for the report you want to generate. export from brightlocal 10 1. Click Actions > Download PDF to export the grid report. CSV export is not available for Local Search Grid reports. export from brightlocal 11 How do I set up local keyword tracking in Search Atlas? Set up your project, connect your Google Business Profile (GBP), and configure the heatmap with the keywords you exported. 1. Go to Local SEO > Connect GBP in your Search Atlas dashboard and link your verified local business. Set Up GBP Project in Search Atlas step 2 You can search for the business name exactly as it appears on your GBP, paste the Google Maps URL, or import accounts directly if you’ve already synced your GBP credentials in the main settings. 1. Click + Save to create the project. Set Up GBP Project in Search Atlas step 2 1. After the project is saved, go to Local SEO > Local SEO Heatmap. Set Up GBP Project in Search Atlas step 3 1. Enter the keywords from the CSV file you exported from BrightLocal’s Rank Tracker, and click Run Local Scan. Configure the Heatmap step 1 Choose between a circle or a rectangle to define the map area, then set the radius. We recommend using more layers or grids for a larger mile radius to increase tracking density. You can also set the refresh intervals (e.g., weekly, monthly) and choose specific times when your business is open to get the most accurate performance data. Configure the Heatmap step 2 To save your quota and avoid skewed data, click individual pins on the map to omit unnecessary ones from the scan, such as pins located in parks, lakes, or uninhabited areas. Once a scan is complete, click any pin to see your ranking position for that specific geographic point. search atlas heatmap example Use the Date Comparison feature to track your own ranking improvements over time. search atlas heatmap local seo date comparison How do I automate GBP management with GBP Galactic? Go to GBP Galactic > GBP Projects to see an overview of your project’s profile, including a GBP Score (how complete your profile is), Average Rank, Citation Score, rating, reviews, and posts. How do I automate GBP Posts? 1. From the main menu on the left, navigate to the GBP Galactic suite and click the Posts tab. gbp galactic automate gbp psots 1. Search for the GBP or use the filters to find it. gbp galactic automate GBP posts 2 1. Find the Automated Posting status indicator and click Settings to open the configuration panel. gbp galactic automate GBP posts 3 A settings window will appear where you can define the rules for the AI. You can configure the following options: gbp galactic automated posts 4 Post Frequency Set a custom schedule (e.g., 3 times per week), or let OTTO analyze your business profile and determine the optimal posting frequency. Start Date Choose the date when you want the automated posts to begin. Image Source Let GBP Galactic generate images based on your business information or use existing photos from your GB Photos. AI Writing Tips Provide instructions, brand voice guidelines, keywords, or topics for the AI to follow when it generates post content. More detail can help improve the output. Approval Process You can allow posts to publish automatically without intervention. Alternatively, select the Approve Before Posting option. Each AI-generated post will be sent to your My Tasks section for you to approve, edit, or reject before it goes live. Publish Reviews as Posts Enable this option to automatically repurpose positive customer reviews into GBP Posts. You can add a keyword filter so it only uses reviews that mention a specific term. After configuring these settings, click the Update Settings button to activate post automation for your selected business. gbp galactic automated gbp posts 5 How do I automate Q&A management? 1. Go to GBP Galactic > Q&As. gbp galactic automated q&a 1. Select the GBP from the dropdown menu. 2. Enable the Automated Posting feature and open the settings. Configure the automation rules: - Post Frequency - Start Date - AI writing tips - Approval process Click the Update Settings button to activate your custom settings. gbp galactic automated q&a 2 How do I manage and automate reviews? 1. Go to GBP Galactic > Reviews. 1. Set up automation for responding to unanswered reviews. You have two main options: - Use AI-generated replies that are context-aware. - Create static templates for different star ratings (e.g., a specific reply for all 5-star reviews and a different one for all 3-star reviews). Define the desired tone of voice, length, and language for AI-generated responses so they align with your brand. gbp galactic autorespond automated reviews 2 Click the Update button to activate your custom settings. gbp galactic autorespond reviews 3 How do I request new reviews? 1. Go to Reviews > Generate Review QR Code to request reviews. gbp galactic generate review qr code 1 The tool generates a direct link to your GBP review form and a QR code that links to the same form. gbp galactic generate review qr code 2 Print the QR code and place it on your business counter, on receipts, or in marketing materials to encourage customer feedback. How do I automate GBP tasks? 1. Go to GBP Galactic > My Tasks to manage automated GBP Galactic tasks, including adding missing social media, service descriptions, Q&As, links, categories, and more. gbp galactic my tasks You can: - Filter by type of task, such as GBP Optimization, Posts, or Questions. - Deploy all changes in 1 click. - Approve each task separately. - Ignore tasks. How do I set up local citation building? Search Atlas can submit your business data to five data aggregator networks. This is a one-time process paid for with Hyperdrive credits, not a recurring subscription. How do I submit my business data? 1. Go to Dashboard > GBP Galactic or Local SEO > Local Citations. 2. Select the desired business name from the dropdown menu. Ensure the correct Google Business Profile is linked. search atlas data aggregator citations network submissions 1. Choose the Data Aggregator Network(s) you want to submit to. The options are Data Axle, Foursquare, Neustar Localeze, Yellow Pages Network, and GPS Network. 2. Click the three dots to review the pre-filled business details and provide any additional details required. edit or submit local citation 1. Click Submit to finalize the process. The data will begin to appear on the Citation Listing screen. data aggregator step 2 What happens after submission? The process spans approximately 40–45 days, depending on the aggregators. You can update submitted details later for free if needed. A complete report with live and updated citations will be available after four weeks. How do I set up white-label reports? Search Atlas white-label settings include client-specific reports, branded dashboards, and tools for managing services and customer interactions. What should I export from BrightLocal? Log in to your BrightLocal account and download any final PDF reports you wish to keep for historical comparison before making the switch. How do I configure white-label settings in Search Atlas? 1. Go to Dashboard > Agency Whitelabel. search atlas Agency White Label 1. Click the Settings tab to configure your brand’s appearance. 2. Upload your assets: add your Agency Logo, Sign-in Logo, Sign-up Logo, and Favicon. agency hub settings Use the Customers tab to add client accounts, assign specific plans to them, and manage their access permissions. Once these settings are saved, the platform is white-labeled. Any report you share via a link or iframe will use your custom URL and feature your logo. How can I get help with Search Atlas onboarding? Where can I watch tutorial videos? Search Atlas offers step-by-step tutorials on YouTube to help you set up reports, dashboards, and automations. Can I book a 1:1 onboarding session? During your trial, you can schedule a 1:1 onboarding session directly from the dashboard. A product expert can help you customize your setup, connect integrations, and configure OTTO SEO for automation. What is included in the onboarding email campaign? When you start your free trial, you’ll receive a 7-day onboarding email sequence. Each email walks you through a core feature. Where can I find technical documentation? Access the technical docs via the Help Center for instructions on using the tools.

🗺️ How to Improve Local Rankings for Specific Keywords Using GBP Optimization

Overview High impressions with low website visits and calls is one of the most common local SEO challenges. It typically signals that your Google Business Profile (GBP) is appearing in local results but not compelling enough to drive action — or that your keyword targeting, profile completeness, and local authority signals need refinement. This article walks you through a keyword-specific local SEO strategy using Search Atlas to close that gap. Note: The exact navigation paths and panel names within Search Atlas may vary depending on your account configuration and platform version. If you cannot locate a specific tool or section mentioned below, use the in-app search or contact support for navigation assistance. Step 1: Identify the Right Keywords to Target Before optimizing your GBP, confirm which keywords are worth prioritizing. Use the Search Atlas keyword tools to find high-intent, locally relevant terms that match what your customers are actually searching for. 1. Open the keyword research tool in Search Atlas and enter your client's core service or product. 2. Filter results by local intent and look for keywords with moderate-to-high search volume and transactional or navigational intent (e.g., "emergency plumber near me," "best Italian restaurant downtown"). 3. Check how your client currently ranks for those terms locally using the rank tracking features available in Search Atlas. 4. Use competitive keyword gap analysis to uncover keyword opportunities competitors are ranking for that your client is missing. 5. Identify the top 5–10 priority keywords with the strongest local intent and business relevance. Step 2: Audit Current GBP Performance in Search Atlas Once you have your target keywords, review how the GBP is performing against them using the Local SEO tools in Search Atlas. - Navigate to the Local (GBP Projects) section from the left sidebar and open your client's GBP profile. - Review the available performance metrics, paying close attention to keyword ranking positions, keyword visibility, review rating, and review count — these are key GBP signals you can track and improve. - Use the local heatmap feature (if available in your plan) to visualize where your client ranks geographically for each target keyword. Areas with low ranking scores represent conversion opportunities. - If you encounter any unexpected behavior when adding keywords or viewing heatmap data, try refreshing the page. If the issue persists, contact our support team for assistance. Step 3: Optimize Your GBP for Target Keywords With your keyword list and performance baseline in hand, apply the following optimizations directly to the Google Business Profile. These changes influence the ranking signals you track in Search Atlas. - Business Name, Category, and Description: Ensure the primary business category precisely matches the ser 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.

🏠 Local Home Service SEO Delivery SOPs

Who This Guide Is For This article is designed for home service agencies and their clients on the Search Atlas Pro plan. It covers the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each major SEO delivery area so your team can execute local SEO campaigns confidently and consistently. Note: The specific steps, navigation paths, tool names, and timelines that apply to your account may vary. Because this SOP document was prepared in response to a direct request, your Search Atlas account team can confirm the exact current workflow for each area below. When you contact support, please have ready: your project name, the specific SEO deliverable you are working on, and any error messages or unexpected results you have encountered. Google Business Profile (GBP) Setup A fully optimised GBP is the foundation of local SEO for home service businesses. General best-practice steps include: 1. Create or claim the GBP listing and verify ownership. 2. Select the most accurate primary category for the business type (e.g. Plumber, Electrician, HVAC Contractor). 3. Add all relevant secondary categories. 4. Upload high-quality photos including team, vehicles, and completed jobs. 5. Complete every profile section: business description, services, service areas, hours, and attributes. 6. For Service Area Businesses (SABs), hide the physical address and add all service area cities or postcodes. 7. Enable messaging and set up a welcome message. 8. Connect the GBP listing to your Search Atlas project for ongoing monitoring — refer to your account team for the current steps to do this inside the platform. Local SEO Heatmaps Local SEO heatmap tools show where a business ranks across a geographic grid so you can identify ranking gaps and track progress over time. To run heatmap scans in Search Atlas, locate the heatmap feature within your project dashboard. If you are unsure where to find it or how to configure grid size and scan frequency for your service area, contact support with your project name and the keyword you want to track. - Run a baseline scan before any optimisation work begins. - Schedule recurring scans to track ranking movement over time. - If rankings appear to drop unexpectedly after profile or optimisation changes, allow some time for data to refresh before escalating — contact support if the issue persists beyond a day or two. Citation Submissions Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) citations across directories reinforce local authority. General best practices include: 1. Audit existing citations to identify duplicates or inconsistencies. 2. Standardise the business name, address format, and phone number across all sources. 3. Prioritise high-authority directories relevant to home services (such as Google, Yelp, Bing Places). 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.

🔍 Access Local SEO Heatmaps

🔍 What the Features hub link does The Features hub may link to the public Local SEO Heatmaps page at https://searchatlas.com/local-seo-heatmaps/. This page provides information about the feature and may not open the heatmap workspace directly. If the link returns a 404 or does not load, use the platform navigation instead. This avoids issues caused by an outdated public URL, redirects, or browser caching. 📍 Open Local SEO Heatmaps 1. Sign in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open Local from the left sidebar. 3. Open Overview to access your local SEO workspace and available heatmap tools. 4. Select the relevant business or Google Business Profile project. You can also manage related local SEO work from Local, including Media Library, My Tasks, Posts, Reviews, and Local Citations. ⚙️ Check your Google Business Profile connection Some heatmap features require a connected Google Business Profile. If no profile is connected, heatmap options may be unavailable or CSV import may be hidden. 1. Open Local from the left sidebar. 2. Select the relevant project. 3. Confirm that the correct Google Business Profile and business location are connected. 4. Refresh the page and check the heatmap options again. 🛠️ Troubleshoot a broken or incorrect link - Refresh the page and try the link again. - Open the link in a private or incognito browser window. - Confirm that you are signed in to the correct Search Atlas account. - Navigate through Local instead of using a saved bookmark or old Features hub link. - Check whether the issue affects one location or multiple projects. - Record the page URL, affected project, location, and any error message before reporting the issue. 🗺️ Verify map links and locations When reviewing heatmap results, use the in-app map actions where available. View on Google should open the business's actual location, and View on Map should open the exact business rather than a general Google Maps search. If either action opens the wrong location, verify the connected profile and business address first. Then refresh the project and test the action again. 📊 Related local SEO tools Local SEO Heatmaps work alongside other local tools in the Local section, including Local Citations, Reviews, Posts, and Overview. For broader visibility and authority work, use Authority from the left sidebar. Its available areas include Cloud Stacks, URL Indexer, QUEST LLM Visibility, Campaigns, Inbox, and Sent. 💬 Get help with a persistent issue If a Features hub link continues to return a 404, or a heatmap link opens the wrong page or location after these checks, include the affected URL, project name, location, screenshot, and steps to reproduce the issue. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🍽️ Organic SEO for a Restaurant Inside a Hotel

🏨 Understanding the Challenge When a restaurant operates inside a hotel property — for example, a cocktail bar or café that shares an address with the hotel — it faces a unique SEO challenge. Google needs to understand that the restaurant is a distinct business with its own identity, menu, and audience. Without the right setup, the restaurant can be overshadowed by the parent hotel in search results. This article walks you through the key steps to build organic visibility for a subsidiary restaurant using Search Atlas. 🗂️ Step 1: Set Up a Separate Google Business Profile The most important first step is ensuring the restaurant has its own Google Business Profile (GBP), separate from the hotel's profile. - Create a new GBP listing specifically for the restaurant (e.g. Doc's Cocktails and Coffee). - Use the restaurant's name — not the hotel name — as the primary business name. - Select the most accurate category, such as Cocktail Bar, Café, or Restaurant. - Enter the full address including the hotel building, suite, or floor number to distinguish it from the hotel's own listing. - Add a unique phone number and website URL for the restaurant wherever possible. - Upload a complete menu, photos, and business hours to make the profile as rich as possible. A fully optimised GBP significantly improves the restaurant's chances of appearing in local pack results independently of the hotel. 🌐 Step 2: Build or Optimise a Dedicated Web Presence Google ranks web pages, not just GBP listings. The restaurant needs its own indexable web presence to compete organically. - Dedicated landing page: If the restaurant does not have its own domain, create a dedicated page on the hotel's website (e.g. hotelwebsite.com/docs-cocktails-and-coffee). Make sure this page is indexed and not blocked by robots.txt. - Unique content: Write original copy about the restaurant — its concept, menu highlights, ambience, and location within the hotel. Avoid duplicating the hotel's homepage content. - Schema markup: Add Restaurant schema (structured data) to the restaurant's page so Google can clearly identify it as a separate entity from the hotel. - NAP consistency: Ensure the restaurant's Name, Address, and Phone number are consistent across its GBP, website, and any third-party directories. 🔍 Step 3: Conduct Keyword Research in Search Atlas Use the Keyword Research tool in Search Atlas to find the exact terms potential customers are searching for. 1. Enter seed keywords such as "cocktail bar [city]", "coffee shop in [hotel name area]", or "restaurant in [neighbourhood]". 2. Filter results by search volume and keyword difficulty to prioritise quick-win opportunities. 3. Look for long-tail phrases that reflect the restaurant's unique offering, such as "hotel bar with brunch [city]". 4. Use identified keywords to inform the restaurant's landing page headlines, meta description, and body copy. 📊 Step 4: Track Organic Performance with Site Explorer Once the restaurant's page is live and indexed, monitor its organic performance inside Search Atlas. - Open Site Metrics → Pages and enter the URL of the restaurant's dedicated page. - Review the Organic Keywords column to see which search terms the page is already ranking for. - Check Site Metrics → Position Changes (Position Changes) to understand overall ranking trends over time. - Identify keyword gaps — terms competitors rank for that the restaurant page does not — and create content to fill those gaps. 🏆 Step 5: Build Local Authority and Citations Local SEO authority is built through consistent mentions across the web. Take the following actions to strengthen the restaurant's local signals. - Submit the restaurant to key directories such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, OpenTable, and Foursquare with consistent NAP details. - Encourage guests to leave Google reviews specifically mentioning the restaurant's name to build review signals separate from the hotel. - Reach out to local food bloggers, travel sites, and neighbourhood guides to earn backlinks pointing directly to the restaurant's page. - If the hotel has a blog or news section, publish a feature article about the restaurant and link to its dedicated page. 💡 Quick Tips for Ongoing Success - Post regular GBP updates (events, seasonal menus, special hours) to keep the restaurant's profile active and engaging. - Add high-quality photos to both the GBP and the website page — visual content drives higher engagement in search results. - Monitor and respond to all customer reviews to signal to Google that the business is active and customer-focused. - Revisit your keyword strategy seasonally to capture trending searches related to holidays, events, or menu changes. 💬 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.

🏨 Rank a Hotel Restaurant Sub-Entity in Google

🍽️ What Is a Hotel Restaurant Sub-Entity? A sub-entity is a business that operates inside another business — for example, a restaurant, bar, or café located within a hotel. Google treats these as separate entities eligible for their own local search presence. If your hotel contains a restaurant like Doc's Cocktails and Coffee, it can and should rank independently in Google Search alongside the main hotel listing. 📋 Does the Restaurant Need Its Own Google Business Profile? Yes. To rank in Google Search and Google Maps, the restaurant needs its own Google Business Profile (GBP) separate from the hotel's profile. A single shared profile will not allow the restaurant to appear for food- and drink-related searches on its own. Creating a dedicated profile gives Google the signals it needs to surface the restaurant for relevant queries. 🛠️ How to Create a GBP for a Hotel Restaurant 1. Go to Google Business Profile Manager at business.google.com and sign in with the account that manages the hotel's profile. 2. Add a new profile by clicking Add business and entering the restaurant's name exactly as it appears on signage and menus (e.g., Doc's Cocktails and Coffee). 3. Choose the correct primary category — for example, Restaurant, Cocktail Bar, or Coffee Shop — that best describes what the restaurant offers. 4. Enter the address using the hotel's street address. Google allows multiple listings at the same address when the businesses are distinct. Add a suite or unit identifier if applicable (e.g., Suite 101 or Ground Floor). 5. Set the same phone number or a direct line for the restaurant if one exists. A unique number helps Google distinguish the two entities. 6. Verify the listing by following Google's verification steps. Options typically include postcard, phone, email, or video verification depending on the business type. ⚙️ How to Optimise the Restaurant's GBP for Rankings - Complete every section — name, address, phone, website, hours, and description. Incomplete profiles rank lower. - Add secondary categories that reflect all relevant offerings, such as Bar or Brunch Restaurant, to capture more search queries. - Upload high-quality photos of the interior, food, drinks, and menu. Profiles with photos receive significantly more clicks. - Add your full menu using Google's built-in menu feature. This helps the listing appear for dish- and drink-specific searches. - Collect and respond to reviews regularly. Review volume and recency are strong local ranking signals. - Post updates such as specials, events, or seasonal menus using the GBP Posts feature to keep the profile active. - Ensure NAP consistency — the restaurant's Name, Address, and Phone number must be identical across the hotel website, GBP, and any directory listings. 🔍 Using Search Atlas to Track and Improve Rankings Once the restaurant's GBP is live and verified, use Search Atlas to monitor and improve its local search performance: - Keyword research: Navigate to Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Magic to discover high-intent local queries such as "cocktail bar inside hotel [city]" or "hotel restaurant near me." Target these in the GBP description and on the restaurant's website page. - Rank tracking: Navigate to Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker to monitor how the restaurant's GBP listing performs for its target keywords over time. - Competitor gap analysis: Navigate to Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Gap to identify keywords that competing local restaurants rank for but the hotel restaurant does not — then close those gaps through content and profile optimisation. ⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid - Do not use the hotel's GBP for the restaurant. Merging both into one profile confuses Google and reduces visibility for both entities. - Do not keyword-stuff the business name (e.g., "Doc's Cocktails and Coffee – Best Bar in Vegas"). Google may suspend profiles that violate its name guidelines. - Do not leave the profile unverified. Unverified profiles are unlikely to rank and can be edited by anyone. - Do not ignore duplicate listings. If a duplicate GBP already exists for the restaurant, claim and merge it rather than creating a third profile. 💡 Quick-Reference Checklist 1. Create a separate GBP for the restaurant. 2. Use the hotel's address with a distinguishing unit or floor identifier. 3. Select the most accurate primary and secondary categories. 4. Complete all profile fields including menu, hours, and photos. 5. Verify the listing through Google's verification process. 6. Maintain consistent NAP across all online mentions. 7. Track rankings and find keyword opportunities inside 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.

📍 Edit Live Citations and Submit Non-OTTO Citations

📋 Overview Search Atlas lets you manage business citations in two ways: editing citations that are already live across directories, and submitting new citations for businesses that are not connected to an OTTO project. Both workflows run through the Local > Local Citations section and use BrightLocal for distribution and sync. ✏️ How to Edit Live Citations If a citation is already live and you need to update details such as your business name, address, phone number, or website, follow these steps: 1. Go to Local in the left sidebar and select Local Citations. 2. Find the citation listing you want to update. Use the search or filter options to locate the correct business or directory entry. 3. Click Edit next to the citation you want to change. 4. Update the fields you need to change — for example, NAP details (Name, Address, Phone), website URL, business hours, or category. 5. Click Confirm & Continue to push the updated information. Once submitted, the update is sent to BrightLocal, which syncs the corrected data across the relevant directories. Propagation time varies by directory but typically takes a few days. You can monitor the sync status from the Local Citations dashboard. Important: Editing a live citation does not consume additional Hyperdrive Credits if you are only updating existing information. Credit usage applies when new citation submissions are made. 🏢 Submitting Citations for Non-OTTO Projects You do not need an active OTTO project to submit citations. Citations can be submitted for any business by entering the details manually. This is useful when managing clients or locations that are not yet connected to OTTO SEO, or that you prefer to manage separately. 1. Go to Local in the left sidebar and select Local Citations. 2. Click Confirm & Continue (or the equivalent button displayed in your account). 3. When prompted to link a project, choose the option to enter business details manually instead of selecting an OTTO project. 4. Fill in the business information form with the following details: - Business name - Address (or service area, if applicable) - Phone number - Website URL - Business category - Business description 5. Review the details carefully, then click Confirm & Continue. The submission is processed through BrightLocal and distributed to the selected directories. You will be able to track the status of each citation from the Local Citations dashboard, even for businesses not linked to an OTTO project. 💳 Hyperdrive Credits and Citation Submissions Each new citation submission requires Hyperdrive Credits. Before submitting, make sure your account has enough credits to cover the number of directories selected. You can check your current credit balance in Billing → Plans & Top-ups, opened from the top-right Avatar Menu (👤). - Credits are consumed at the point of submission, not when citations go live. - Editing an existing live citation does not require additional credits. - If you run out of credits mid-submission, the process will pause until credits are topped up. 🚫 Avoiding Duplicate Citations Submitting citations for a business that already has existing listings in the same directories can create duplicates, which can harm local SEO performance. To prevent this: - Run a citation audit before submitting new citations for any business, including non-OTTO projects. This identifies existing listings across directories. - If duplicates already exist, use the suppress or update options available in the Local Citations dashboard rather than submitting brand-new entries. - Confirm the business NAP details are consistent across all entries before submitting to avoid conflicting data. 🔄 Tracking Citation Status After submitting or editing citations, you can monitor progress directly in the Local Citations dashboard. Each listing displays its current status — such as Submitting, Quality assurance, On hold, Live checks, Completed, or Refunded — so you always know where things stand. Status updates are pulled from BrightLocal and refresh periodically. 🆘 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.

📍 Submitting Citations for Service Area Businesses

🏢 What Is a Service Area Business (SAB)? A Service Area Business (SAB) is a business that travels to customers rather than serving them at a fixed storefront — think plumbers, landscapers, or mobile dog groomers. On Google Business Profile, SABs hide their physical address from the public and instead list the geographic areas they serve. Because citations rely on consistent business information (Name, Address, Phone — or NAP data), SABs present a unique challenge: the address field is either hidden or absent, yet most citation directories still require location data. ✅ Can SABs Submit Citations? Yes — citations can and should be submitted for SAB listings. Citations help establish local authority and trust signals for your business, even without a publicly displayed address. However, you must use a real, consistent address rather than descriptive text in the address fields. Search Atlas's citation submission form currently requires a physical address to validate and submit your citation request. Typing text such as "This is a Service Area Business" into the address fields will trigger a validation error (for example, "Please enter a valid ZIP / postcode") because those fields expect real location data. ⚠️ Why the Form Shows Validation Errors When the SAB toggle is set to Yes, the form still requires valid address fields to route your citation to the correct directories. Entering service area names (such as "Ocala, FL, USA") or placeholder text in the Address Line 1, City, State, or ZIP fields will cause the form to reject the submission. This is a known UI limitation. The form does not yet auto-hide or mark address fields as optional when SAB mode is enabled. 📝 How to Submit Citations for an SAB Listing Follow these steps to successfully submit citations for a Service Area Business: 1. Use your real business address — even if it is hidden from your public GBP listing, most citation directories accept a private business address (such as a home office or registered business address). This address will not necessarily be displayed publicly on every directory. 2. If you do not have a fixed business address, use the address of your primary service area — for example, the city, state, and ZIP code of the main area you serve. This must be a real, valid address format (a real ZIP code for that city). 3. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects in the left sidebar, then open your SAB project. 4. Locate the Citations section and begin the submission form. 5. In the address fields, enter the address chosen in Step 1 or Step 2. Do not enter service area names or descriptive text in these fields. 6. Complete all remaining required fields (business name, phone number, website) and submit. Consistency is critical. Whichever address you choose, use the exact same format across all citation submissions for that listing. Inconsistent NAP data can harm your local rankings. 📊 What to Expect from Citation Scoring for SABs SAB listings that do not have latitude/longitude coordinates attached to their GBP profile may see limited data in the Citation Score, Competitor Benchmark, and Keyword Rankings sections of the GBP Audit. This is a known issue currently being addressed by the Search Atlas engineering team. Despite these display gaps, your submitted citations are still being processed and will count toward your listing's authority. Citation score data for SABs will improve as this is resolved in an upcoming update. 💡 Best Practices for SAB Citations - Submit citations using one consistent address per SAB listing — do not mix addresses across submissions for the same business. - Prioritize high-authority directories such as Google, Bing, Apple Maps, and Yelp before expanding to niche directories. - If you manage multiple SAB listings (for example, two service-area businesses for different brands or regions), treat each listing independently with its own consistent address. - Avoid entering service area city lists or placeholder text in any address field — this will always trigger a validation error. 💬 Need Further Assistance? 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.

📊 Change GBP Audit Competitor Benchmarks

📌 What the competitor benchmark does GBP Audit compares your Google Business Profile with selected local competitors. These businesses influence benchmark scores and help show where your profile may need improvement. 🔍 Why the competitors may be incorrect Competitor suggestions can include businesses that are not the right fit for your scope of work, service area, or industry. This may happen when businesses rank for similar local searches but do not offer the same services. ⚙️ How to change the benchmark Competitors in a GBP Audit can be updated directly from the audit section of your project. Follow these steps to remove out-of-scope businesses and benchmark against the right ones. 1. Open the project that contains the GBP Audit. 2. Go to the GBP Audit section and open the competitor list used for the benchmark. 3. Remove every business that is outside your scope of work, service area, or industry. 4. Add the competitors you actually want to compare against by entering their business name or their Google Business Profile listing. 5. Save the updated competitor list. 6. Rerun the audit so the benchmark scores recalculate against the new competitor set. After saving your changes, always rerun or refresh the audit before reviewing scores — the updated competitor list applies to audits generated after the change. ✅ Choosing relevant competitors - Offer similar products or services. - Serve the same local area. - Target similar customers. - Have a comparable business category. - Compete for the same Google local searches. Avoid selecting businesses that only appear nearby but do not provide comparable services or compete for the same customers. 🔄 When changes appear After updating competitors, refresh or rerun the audit before reviewing scores. Previously generated reports and PDF exports may continue to show the earlier benchmark until a new audit is completed. 💬 Need help updating competitors? If a specific business cannot be added or removed from your competitor list, have your project name, the GBP Audit you are working in, and the exact competitor names you want added or removed ready so our team can update the benchmark for you. 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 Score Updates and Citations Visibility Explained

🔍 Overview If you have applied improvements using the GBP Playbook but your score has not changed yet, or if the Citations section cannot find your Google Business Profile even though it appears synced, you are not alone. Both situations have straightforward explanations and simple fixes covered in this article. ⏱️ Why Your GBP Score Has Not Updated Yet Your GBP score is not recalculated in real time. Search Atlas runs a nightly batch process that re-evaluates all connected Google Business Profiles and updates their scores once every 24 hours. This means: - Changes you make to your profile — such as updating your business description, adding photos, or responding to reviews — will not be reflected in your score immediately. - The score displayed during the day represents the state of your profile as of the most recent nightly recalculation. - After the nightly cycle completes, your new score will appear automatically. No manual refresh is required. What to do: After making improvements through the GBP Playbook, allow up to 24 hours for your score to reflect those changes. If your score has not updated after a full 24-hour period, continue reading or contact support using the instructions at the bottom of this article. 📋 Why Citations Cannot Find Your Google Business Profile The Citations section in Search Atlas has a specific connection requirement that is separate from the general GBP sync used elsewhere in the platform. This is the most common reason customers see the message that their profile cannot be found in Citations, even though it appears connected in other areas. Search Atlas supports two ways to connect a Google Business Profile: - Standalone mode: The profile is connected directly and independently through the GBP integration flow. This is the connection type the Citations section recognises. - Alternative connection paths: Some profiles are synced as part of a broader workflow — for example, through a client account setup or a bundled integration — rather than as a standalone GBP connection. Citations does not recognise profiles connected this way. If your profile was connected through an alternative path, the Citations section will behave as though no profile is linked, even though your data is accessible elsewhere in the platform. 🔧 How to Fix the Citations Connection To make your Google Business Profile visible in the Citations section, you need to connect it in standalone mode. Follow these steps: 1. Go to Settings in your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects. 3. Check whether your profile is listed as a standalone connection. If it was added through a different flow, it may appear under a client workspace or bundled account rather than as its own entry. 4. Use the Connect GBP Account option (on the GBP Projects page) to add your Google Business Profile directly as a standalone connection. You will be prompted to sign in with the Google account that manages the profile. 5. Once the standalone connection is confirmed, return to the Citations section. Your profile should now be detectable. If you manage multiple locations, each location must be connected individually in standalone mode for Citations to recognise it. ✅ Quick Checklist Before Contacting Support - Have you waited at least 24 hours since making your GBP Playbook improvements? - Is your Google Business Profile connected in standalone mode under Integrations? - Are you signed in to Search Atlas with the account that has owner or manager access to the Google Business Profile? - If you manage multiple locations, have you connected the specific location you are trying to use in Citations? 💬 Still Need Help? If you have followed all the steps above and your GBP score is still not updating after 24 hours, or Citations still cannot detect your profile, our team is ready to investigate. 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.

📞 Fix Incorrect Phone Numbers on Local Citations

📋 Overview If your local citations — such as those on the YP Network or other directories — are displaying the wrong phone number, this guide explains why it happens and how to get it corrected. Acting quickly is important, as inconsistent contact information across directories can negatively affect your local SEO rankings and mislead potential customers. 🔍 Why the Wrong Phone Number Appears Incorrect phone numbers on citations are usually caused by one of the following: - Auto-prefill from the wrong GBP listing: When a citation order is created, the system may pull contact details from the first connected Google Business Profile (GBP) account. If multiple GBP listings are connected, the wrong phone number can be submitted silently during setup. - Outdated business information: If your phone number was recently changed in your GBP but the citation was built before that update, the old number may still be live on directory sites. - Manual entry error: A phone number may have been typed incorrectly when the citation campaign was originally configured. ⚙️ Step 1 — Verify Your GBP Phone Number Is Correct Before requesting a correction, confirm that the right phone number is saved in your connected GBP account. 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → Overview. 2. Click the About tab. 3. Review the phone number displayed for your business. 4. If it is incorrect, update it and click Save. Keeping your GBP information accurate ensures that any future citations are built with the correct details. 🛠️ Step 2 — Check Your Active Citation Campaigns Next, review the citation campaign that contains the incorrect listing. 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → GBP Projects. 2. Locate the relevant project and click View project. 3. Navigate to the Local Citations section within the project. 4. Identify the citation network (for example, YP Network) showing the wrong phone number. 5. Note the phone number that was submitted so you can confirm what needs to be changed. ✏️ Step 3 — Request a Correction for the Citation Citation listings on third-party directories like YP Network are managed and syndicated externally. You cannot edit them directly inside Search Atlas. To get the phone number corrected, you will need to submit a correction request through our support team. Here is what to prepare before reaching out: - The name of the citation network displaying the wrong number (for example, YP Network) - The incorrect phone number currently showing - The correct phone number that should be displayed - The business name and GBP project it belongs to If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. ⏱️ What to Expect After Submitting a Correction Once a correction request is submitted, our team will coordinate the update with the relevant directory network. Timelines vary depending on the directory: - Most directories: Updates are reflected within 2–6 weeks. - YP Network and similar aggregators: May take up to 8 weeks to fully propagate across all syndicated partners. You do not need to take any further action while the update is in progress. Our team will notify you once the correction has been confirmed. 🚫 How to Prevent This in the Future To avoid incorrect information being submitted on future citation campaigns: - Verify your primary GBP listing before ordering: Always confirm that the GBP account with the correct business details is set as your primary connection before starting a new citation campaign. - Double-check contact details during campaign setup: Review the phone number in the citation order wizard before submitting, especially if you manage multiple business locations. - Keep your GBP profile updated: Any time your phone number changes, update it in Local → Overview → About immediately to keep future citations accurate.

🏢 Managing Multiple GBP Locations in Brand Vault

Overview If you manage several physical locations under one brand, Brand Vault supports a multi-location setup so that each location can be linked to its own Google Business Profile (GBP). This article explains what that setup covers and how to get assistance configuring it. How Multi-Location Setup Works in Brand Vault Brand Vault is designed to accommodate multiple locations under a single brand, with each location connected to its own GBP. This means you manage location-specific information and GBP connections from within one brand profile rather than creating entirely separate profiles for each location. Location-specific analytics also populate once each GBP connection is active. Getting Your Multi-Location Setup Configured Because the exact steps for adding locations and linking each one to its own GBP depend on your specific account configuration, we recommend reaching out to our team directly so they can walk you through the correct workflow for your setup. Before contacting support, please have the following ready so we can assist you as quickly as possible: - The name of the Brand Vault profile you want to configure. - The number of locations you need to add and each location's name or address. - The Google account(s) associated with each GBP listing you intend to link. - Any error messages you have encountered, including the exact wording and the location entry it appeared on. Tips and Common Issues - Each location must be linked to a separate GBP listing — you cannot attach the same GBP to more than one location entry. - Make sure the Google account you use to authenticate has Manager or Owner access to the GBP listing you want to link in Google Business Profile Manager. - If a GBP listing is not appearing as expected, verify that the correct Google account is being used, as access level determines which listings are available. - Note the exact error message and affected location name if you run into any issues during the linking process — this will help our team resolve it quickly. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

Understanding Map Detection and Address Suggestions in Business Assistant

What This Article Covers Search Atlas Business Assistant audits your website for local SEO signals, including embedded maps and address formatting. Customers sometimes see warnings about a missing map or an address mismatch even when a Google Map appears to be present on the site and address information looks correct. This article explains why those flags appear and what you can do if you believe a flag has been raised in error. Map Detection Flags Business Assistant scans your site for map-related signals as part of its local SEO audit. If the tool flags your map as not detected, it may not mean your map is actually missing — it may mean the audit was unable to confirm its presence during the scan. If you believe your map is correctly embedded but the flag persists, this is worth escalating so the team can investigate how your specific setup is being read by the audit. Address Mismatch Flags Business Assistant compares the address information found on your site against the address in your connected Google Business Profile. A mismatch flag can appear even when the address is functionally correct. If you are seeing an address mismatch warning and you believe your site address and GBP address are consistent, this may be worth reviewing with the support team to confirm whether action is needed on your end. Impact on Your GBP Score Map detection and address formatting are among the signals Business Assistant evaluates as part of your local audit. If you are uncertain how a specific flag is affecting your score or whether it requires action, the support team can review your account and advise you directly. What to Do Next If you are seeing a map detection or address mismatch flag and are unsure whether it reflects a real issue or requires any changes on your site, please reach out for assistance. When you do, have the following ready: your project or site name, the specific flag or warning message you are seeing, and the URL of the page where your map or address information is located. 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.

📍 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.

🗺️ Smarter Heat Map Quota Warnings in GBP

Search Atlas now gives you clearer visibility into your heat map quota, helping you understand your usage before you hit the limit. ✨ What's New Previously, it may not have been clear how heat map quota works or where you stood relative to your plan's limit. Search Atlas has improved how heat map quota is explained within the platform, so you can better understand your usage and plan accordingly before requesting a refresh. 🛠️ How to Use It 1. Navigate to your heat map features within the platform. 2. Before refreshing a heat map, review any quota-related information shown to understand your current usage. 3. If you are close to or at your plan's quota limit, review your usage or upgrade your plan before proceeding. 4. Once quota is available, refresh your heat maps as usual to get the latest local ranking data. 📋 What to Expect Quota limits are determined by your current subscription plan. With improved quota explanations now in place, you should have a clearer picture of your available heat map refreshes at any 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.

📞 Fix an Incorrect Phone Number on Business Citations

🔍 Overview If your business citations are displaying the wrong phone number on directories like Yellowpages, Superpages, or Dexknows, there are a few common causes. This article explains how to identify the source of the error, submit a correction, and understand how long updates take to appear. ⚠️ Why the Wrong Phone Number May Have Been Submitted The most common reason an incorrect phone number appears on citations is that the wrong number was prefilled during the citation order. This can happen in two ways: - Auto-prefill from a connected GBP listing: When creating a citation campaign, the order wizard may automatically pull contact details — including the phone number — from your first connected Google Business Profile listing. If that listing has an outdated or incorrect number, the wrong number gets submitted to directories. - Non-US number formatting: If your business uses a non-US phone number, the platform may have reformatted it as a US number with a +1 country code, causing an incorrect number to be submitted. Always double-check the phone number shown in the order wizard before submitting a new citation campaign. 🛠️ How to Check and Correct Your Citation Phone Number 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select Local Citations. 2. Locate the citation campaign associated with your business listing. 3. Review the phone number currently on file for the campaign. Compare it against the correct number for your business. 4. If the number is wrong, update it in your Brand Vault or campaign settings to reflect the correct phone number. 5. Submit a correction request for the affected directories. Our system will push the updated information to each directory in the campaign. If you are unable to edit the citation due to a platform error, this may be a known issue. Please contact support using the instructions at the bottom of this article. ⏳ How Long Do Corrections Take? After a correction is submitted, updates to third-party directories typically take 2 to 6 weeks to appear publicly. This timeline varies by directory and is outside Search Atlas's direct control. Key things to know: - Some directories update quickly; others have manual review processes that add time. - Submitting the correction through Search Atlas does not guarantee an immediate change on the directory's public listing page. - If a directory has not updated after 6 weeks, contact support so our team can investigate whether the directory is reachable and the correction was successfully processed. ✅ How to Prevent This Issue in the Future - Verify prefilled details before submitting: When starting a new citation campaign, always review the contact phone number in the order wizard — do not assume it has been pulled correctly from your GBP listing. - Keep your GBP listing up to date: Since citation campaigns may pull data from your connected Google Business Profile, make sure the phone number on that listing is always accurate. - Check your Brand Vault: Ensure the phone number stored in your Brand Vault matches your current business number, especially if you use a non-US format. 💬 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.

🔴 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.

📊 Understanding GBP Audit Competitor Benchmark Limitations

📋 Overview The GBP (Google Business Profile) Audit inside Search Atlas automatically selects competitor businesses to benchmark your profile against. Some customers have noticed that the competitors chosen do not always match their expected scope of work — for example, businesses from unrelated industries or incorrect service areas may appear in the benchmark. This article explains how competitor selection currently works, why mismatches can occur, and what you can do in the meantime. 🔍 How Competitor Benchmarks Are Selected When Search Atlas runs a GBP Audit, it automatically identifies nearby businesses to use as competitor benchmarks. However, the current system does not yet apply a category filter, which means businesses outside your industry can sometimes be included in the benchmark comparison. This is a known limitation the team is actively working to resolve. ⚠️ Why You May See Incorrect Competitors There are a few reasons why the auto-selected competitors may not reflect the right scope for your business: - No industry/category filter: The competitor selection algorithm currently pulls nearby businesses without filtering by business category, so unrelated businesses may appear. - Location radius overlap: Businesses that share a geographic area with your GBP listing are included even if they serve a different market. - Manual adjustment not yet available: At this time, there is no option within the platform to manually add or remove individual competitors from the benchmark. 🚀 What Is Being Done to Fix This Search Atlas is actively developing improvements to address this limitation. Updates to competitor category filtering and manual competitor management are in progress. The manual competitor management interface will be announced when it becomes available. 🛠️ What You Can Do Right Now While full customisation is not yet available, here are the recommended steps to manage this limitation: 1. Review the competitors currently shown in your GBP Audit benchmark and note any that appear to be from unrelated industries or service areas. 2. Consider using those benchmark results only for the data points that are still relevant to your business category (e.g., review counts, response rates) and disregarding comparisons where the competitor is clearly out of scope. 3. Re-run the GBP Audit periodically, as improvements to competitor selection are being rolled out — the benchmark may become more accurate over time as updates are released. 4. If the incorrect competitor selection is significantly impacting your audit results or client reporting, escalate to the support team with your project name, the specific GBP location affected, and a description of the mismatched competitors you are seeing so the team can investigate and flag your case for the engineering team. 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.

⏸️ Pausing Your Trial During a GBP Suspension

🔍 Overview If your Google Business Profile (GBP) has been suspended, you may not be able to connect it to Search Atlas or use the Local features effectively. This article explains your options so you do not pay for — or lose — trial time while you work to reinstate your GBP. ⚠️ What Happens When Your GBP Is Suspended A suspended Google Business Profile means Google has temporarily or permanently restricted your listing. While suspended, you will not be able to: - Connect your GBP to a Search Atlas Local project - Sync reviews, posts, or media through the platform - Use Local features such as Left sidebar → Local → Overview, Left sidebar → Local → Posts, or Left sidebar → Local → Reviews Your Search Atlas trial continues running regardless of your GBP status, so it is important to act quickly if you want to preserve your trial days. 📋 Your Options During a GBP Suspension Search Atlas does not automatically pause trials due to a GBP suspension, but you have the following options: 1. Request a trial extension. If your GBP suspension is preventing you from fully evaluating the platform, our team can review your situation and may be able to extend your trial period. Contact us through the chat widget (see below). 2. Explore other Search Atlas features. While you wait for your GBP to be reinstated, your trial gives you access to tools beyond Local. For example, you can use Keywords → Keyword Magic to research keywords, Keywords → Rank Tracker to monitor rankings, or Keywords → Keyword Gap to analyse competitor opportunities. 3. Connect your GBP once reinstated. As soon as Google lifts the suspension, navigate to Left sidebar → Local (GBP Projects) and create or reconnect your GBP project to pick up where you left off. 🛠️ How to Connect Your GBP After Reinstatement Once Google has reinstated your Business Profile, follow these steps to connect it to Search Atlas: 1. Log in to Search Atlas and go to Left sidebar → Local (GBP Projects). 2. Click Add Project or select an existing project. 3. Follow the on-screen prompts to link your reinstated Google Business Profile. 4. Once connected, your Local dashboard — including Overview, Reviews, Posts, and Media Library — will begin populating with your data. 💡 Tips for Resolving a GBP Suspension While Search Atlas cannot intervene directly with Google on your behalf, here are general steps that often help: - Review Google's Business Profile guidelines to identify any policy violations. - Submit a reinstatement request through the Google Business Profile Help Center. - Ensure your business name, address, phone number, and category are accurate and consistent. - Avoid making frequent edits to your profile while the suspension is under review. 💬 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.

🔍 GBP Changes That Trigger Re-Verification Explained

🔍 Overview If you recently edited your Google Business Profile (GBP) and are now seeing a 'changes couldn't be deployed' error or a 'not visible to customers' status, your listing has likely entered a re-verification process. This is a normal Google behaviour triggered by specific types of edits — not a sign that something is broken on your end. ⚠️ Which Edits Trigger Re-Verification Not all profile changes require Google to re-verify your listing. Edits to certain core business details — such as your business categories — commonly trigger a re-verification review. Other routine updates may not trigger re-verification, but Google's behaviour can vary depending on your account history and listing type. 🚫 What the Error Messages Mean During the re-verification window, you may see one or both of the following status messages in your GBP dashboard: - 'Changes couldn't be deployed' — Google has paused the publishing of your recent edits while the review is in progress. The changes are saved but not yet live. - 'Not visible to customers' — Your listing may be temporarily suppressed or show reduced visibility in Google Search and Maps until the review is complete. These messages are expected and do not indicate a permanent problem with your listing. 📅 How Long Does Re-Verification Take Google's re-verification review period can vary. During this time, your listing remains in a pending state. Once the review is complete, your changes will be published automatically and your listing will return to full visibility without any action required from you. ✅ How to Check Your Verification Status To confirm your listing is in re-verification and monitor its progress, sign in to business.google.com with the Google account linked to your GBP and select the affected business listing. Look for any status banner or notification within the profile dashboard indicating that the listing is under review or pending verification. Google may also send an email to your account with next steps if any action is required on your part. 🛑 What Not to Do During the Review Period Avoid making additional edits to the fields that triggered the re-verification while the review is in progress. Repeated changes during an active review can restart or extend the process. Wait for Google to complete the review before making further updates to sensitive profile fields. 📞 Need Help Escalating to Google? If your listing remains in a pending or suppressed state for an extended period and you believe the review should have concluded, you can contact Google Business Profile support directly through business.google.com to request a status update. When reaching out, have your business name, listing URL, and the date you made the triggering edit ready to provide. 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 Score Optimization and Ranking Drop Fixes

🗺️ Overview Your Google Business Profile (GBP) score and local rankings do not always move in a straight line. Rankings can dip after you make updates, and pushing a score from 94 to 100 requires targeting specific remaining gaps. This article explains why these fluctuations happen and the exact steps you can take inside Search Atlas to close the gap. ⚙️ How to Exclude URLs from OTTO Scans If OTTO is surfacing recommendations for pages you do not want optimized — such as thank-you pages, login pages, or staging URLs — you can exclude them before or after a scan runs. 1. Go to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) in the left sidebar (URL: /seo-automation-v3). 2. Open the project that contains the URLs you want to exclude. 3. Click the Autopilot / Smart Crawl card at the top of the project overview to open the OTTO SEO Settings modal. 4. Under URL Exclusion conditions, click + Add condition, set it to Exclude all URLs that Contains (or Start With) the text you want OTTO to skip, and click Update Settings. 5. Re-run the scan so OTTO recalculates recommendations without those URLs. Excluding irrelevant URLs keeps your recommendations focused and prevents OTTO from deploying changes to pages that should remain untouched. 📉 Why GBP Rankings Drop After You Make Updates A temporary ranking drop after optimizing your GBP is normal and does not mean something went wrong. Here is why it happens: - Google re-indexing lag: When you update your business name, categories, hours, or description, Google temporarily re-evaluates your listing. Rankings can slip for 1–3 weeks during this window. - Category changes reset relevance signals: Switching or adding primary and secondary categories triggers a fresh relevance calculation. Your listing may rank lower for previous terms while Google maps it to the new categories. - Photo and post activity spikes then normalizes: A sudden increase in activity (uploading many photos at once, publishing multiple posts) can cause a short-term fluctuation as Google processes the new signals. - Competitor activity: Rankings are relative. If nearby competitors also optimized their profiles or gained reviews in the same period, your position can shift even if your absolute score improved. - Citation inconsistencies being corrected: When you fix NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data across directories, there is a propagation delay of 2–6 weeks before the corrected data is trusted by Google. In most cases, rankings stabilize and improve within 4–8 weeks of consistent optimization work. Do not revert changes during this window. 💯 Why Your GBP Score Is Stuck Below 100 A score between 94 and 99 means almost everything is in place, but a small number of high-impact items remain incomplete. The most common blockers at this stage are: - Missing or inconsistent business attributes: Attributes like accessibility features, payment methods, and amenities that are relevant to your category but left blank. - Incomplete service or product listings: Individual services without descriptions or prices reduce completeness signals. - Insufficient Q&A content: Google rewards profiles that proactively populate the Questions & Answers section with relevant, keyword-rich answers. - Low review response rate: Responding to fewer than 90% of reviews — both positive and negative — holds scores back at this stage. - No recent geo-tagged photos: Google values fresh, location-verified images. Profiles that have not added photos in the past 30 days often plateau. - Primary category mismatch: If your primary category does not precisely match your core service, overall scoring and relevance both suffer. 🚀 Step-by-Step: Push Your GBP Score to 100 Use Search Atlas's Local tools to work through each factor systematically. 1. Review your current score gaps: Go to Local → Overview in the left sidebar. Your GBP score card highlights the specific incomplete sections. Start with any item flagged as incomplete or low. 2. Complete all attributes: Inside your GBP project, expand the Attributes section and fill in every field relevant to your category. Even optional attributes contribute to completeness. 3. Add geo-tagged photos regularly: Go to Local → Media Library. Upload fresh images taken at your business location. Aim for at least 3–5 new photos per month. Geo-tagged images from your actual address carry stronger local signals. 4. Build and fix local citations: Go to Local → Local Citations. Search Atlas will show you missing directories and any existing listings with inconsistent NAP data. Correct inconsistencies and submit to missing high-authority directories. Allow 4–6 weeks for corrections to propagate. 5. Publish regular GBP posts: Go to Local → Posts. Publish at least one post per week that includes your target keywords, a call to action, and a local reference. Consistent posting tells Google your listing is actively managed. 6. Respond to all reviews: Go to Local → Reviews. Filter for unanswered reviews and respond to every one — positive and negative. Aim for a 100% response rate. Personalize responses rather than using copy-paste templates. 7. Check open tasks: Go to Local → My Tasks. This view consolidates all pending optimization actions Search Atlas has identified for your profile. Complete every open task before assuming your profile is fully optimized. 📅 Realistic Timeline for Score and Ranking Recovery - Week 1–2: Complete all in-profile changes (attributes, services, photos, posts). Rankings may dip slightly. - Week 2–4: Submit or correct citations. Begin consistent weekly posting and review responses. - Week 4–6: Citation data starts propagating. Rankings begin stabilizing. - Week 6–8: Score should reach 100 if all tasks are complete. Ranking recovery and improvement typically peak in this window. - Ongoing: Monthly fresh photos, weekly posts, and prompt review responses maintain and build on gains. 🔑 Key Takeaways - A temporary ranking drop after GBP changes is expected and usually resolves within 4–8 weeks. - Scores stuck at 94–99 almost always have a small number of specific gaps — use Local → My Tasks and Local → Overview to identify them. - Consistent ongoing activity (posts, photos, review responses) matters as much as one-time fixes. - Citation corrections take 4–6 weeks to fully propagate — do not revert them early if rankings dip. 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 Correct Business Hours on Local Citations

📍 Where to Manage Citation Hours Local citation details, including business hours, are managed inside your Google Business Profile (GBP) project in Search Atlas. Before you begin, make sure the location with the incorrect hours is connected to the platform. 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select GBP Projects. 2. If your Google Business Profile is not connected yet, click Connect GBP Account and follow the sign-in steps. 3. Select the location you need to fix, for example Jake's Auto. 4. Open the Local Citations section for that location. ✏️ Updating Business Hours on a Citation Each citation displays the business details submitted to that directory. To correct the hours: 1. In the Local Citations section, find the listing showing the wrong hours. 2. Click Edit on that citation. 3. Set the correct opening and closing time for each day of the week. 4. Mark any day the business is closed. 5. Double-check the times, especially AM and PM, then save your changes. Your edits are saved as pending tasks. They are not sent to the directories until you deploy them. 🚀 Deploying Your Hour Changes To push your corrected hours live across citation directories: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select My Tasks. 2. Review the pending changes and confirm the hours look right. 3. Click Deploy all changes. Directories typically take a few days to display updated hours. Recheck the listings after about a week. 💡 Tips for Keeping Hours Accurate - Fix hours at the source first. If your citations pull details from Google Business Profile, update the hours on the GBP listing so new citations stay consistent. - Keep hours identical everywhere. Mismatched hours between Google and citation directories can hurt local rankings. - Plan for holidays. Update special holiday hours ahead of time and reset them afterward. - Watch AM and PM. Most citation forms use a 12-hour clock, so confirm you did not swap morning and evening times. 🔧 Troubleshooting Common Issues - Hours will not save: A previous bug that prevented hour ranges from saving correctly has been fixed. Refresh the page and enter the times again. - The Active Citations section is blank: Refresh the page and confirm your GBP account is still connected under GBP Projects. - Old hours still showing: Confirm you clicked Deploy all changes in My Tasks, then allow a few days for directories to update. - Citation will not open for editing: A previous editing error has been resolved. If it happens again, refresh the page and retry. - Data looks outdated after reconnecting a Google account: Refresh the page so the latest profile data loads. 💬 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.

🗺️ Heatmap Showing Wrong Results for Mental Health Keywords

🔍 What Is Happening? When you run a Local SEO Heatmap search for certain mental health keywords — such as Borderline Personality Disorder — the heatmap may return unrelated business types (for example, banks or financial institutions) instead of mental health clinics. This can occur even when other similar keywords like Psychotherapy or Anxiety Therapy return accurate, relevant results in the same region. This is a known issue caused by how Google interprets certain clinical or diagnostic terms as queries. The heatmap tool relies on Google's local search data, and Google sometimes misclassifies highly specific or diagnostic health terms — returning results based on ambiguous query intent rather than the expected business category. ⚙️ Why This Happens The root cause involves two related factors: - Google query interpretation: Specific clinical terms like Borderline Personality Disorder are not always treated by Google as local business searches. Google may interpret them as informational queries and return unrelated or fallback results. - Local Pack eligibility: If Google does not associate a keyword with a local business category, the Local Pack (which the heatmap visualises) may not populate with the expected business type — or may populate with unrelated categories entirely. This behaviour originates at the Google data level and is not a configuration error within Search Atlas. Our engineering team is aware of edge cases like this and continues to monitor heatmap data accuracy. ✅ Steps to Work Around This Issue 1. Test with broader or more common keywords first. Terms like Therapist Near Me, Psychotherapy, Mental Health Counseling, or Anxiety Therapy are more reliably interpreted by Google as local service searches and will return more accurate heatmap results. 2. Use condition-adjacent keywords instead of diagnostic terms. Rather than searching for the diagnosis itself, try keywords that describe the service — for example, BPD Therapy or Dialectical Behavior Therapy — which are more likely to surface relevant local providers. 3. Report persistent inaccuracies to our team. If you continue to see unexpected results for a keyword that you believe should return local business results, please contact our support team with the specific keyword, your target location, and a description of the results you are seeing so our team can investigate further. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🌍 Correct Domain Geographic Mapping

🌍 Why geographic mapping matters Search Atlas uses a domain’s geographic mapping to support location-based analysis, rankings, visibility data, and other regional results. If a domain is mapped to the wrong country, reports may reflect the wrong market. 🔍 Check the current mapping 1. Open the relevant domain or workspace in Search Atlas. 2. Review the country, market, or location shown for the domain. 3. Confirm that the selected country matches the business’s target market. For example, choose Australia instead of the United States when the domain targets Australia. ⚙️ Correct the domain mapping 1. Open the domain’s settings or configuration area. 2. Look for a field labelled Country, Market, Location, or Geographic mapping. 3. Select the correct country and save the change. 4. Refresh the page, then confirm that the updated country is displayed. Some accounts show these controls under a project, while others place them directly in the domain or workspace settings. If you do not see a Projects menu or a country dropdown, do not create a duplicate domain or project. The setting may be managed at a different account level. 🧭 If no country option is available First, confirm that you have access to edit the domain or workspace. Then check the domain’s configuration, setup, or business profile screens rather than only the main project view. Also verify that you are working in the correct workspace and that the domain is not being displayed through a read-only report. If the mapping still cannot be changed, provide the domain, the correct target country, the current mapping, and a screenshot of the available settings. This information helps the team update the correct record without creating duplicates. ✅ After changing the mapping - Confirm the correct country appears wherever the domain is used. - Review newly generated location-based reports for the correct market. - Allow time for existing reports or cached data to refresh. - Do not delete and recreate the domain unless instructed, as this can affect historical data and connected settings. 💬 Get 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.

📍 Citation Stuck in Submitted Status

📋 What “Submitted” means A citation marked Submitted has been sent to the directory or publisher, but the listing has not yet reached a final status in Search Atlas. Some directories take time to review, publish, or return confirmation. In some cases, a citation may already be live even though the platform still displays Submitted. 🔎 Check your citation campaign 1. Open the relevant business project and citation campaign in Search Atlas. 2. Review the affected directory rows and their latest status. 3. Search the directory directly using the business name, address, and phone number to see whether the listing is live. Allow time for directory processing before treating a Submitted citation as unsuccessful. If the same status remains for an unusually long period, the display may not have received the directory’s final response. ⚙️ What to do when it stays stuck Confirm that the business information in the campaign is accurate and consistent. Do not create duplicate listings while a submission is processing, as this can cause conflicts or duplicate records. If a citation has remained Submitted for more than several weeks, record the business name, campaign, affected directories, submission date, and any live listing URLs. This information helps our team investigate whether the citation is published, still processing, or eligible for correction. 💳 Credit refunds and reviews Credits are reviewed based on the citation’s actual outcome and campaign records. A Submitted status alone does not automatically mean a credit is refundable, especially if the citation was successfully sent or is already live. When a citation appears stuck for an extended period and cannot be confirmed as completed, our team can review the submission and determine whether a credit adjustment is appropriate. Refunds or credit returns are not guaranteed until that review is complete. 💬 Get help with a stuck citation Include the business name, the affected directories, the campaign date, and your requested credit review. 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.

📘 Automated Google Business Profile posts don’t publish immediately

If you set up automated Google Business Profile (GBP) posts and don’t see anything published right away, this is expected behavior. This article explains why posts may not appear the same day you configure them and when they will start publishing. ⚙️ Case Context A user configured automated GBP posts to start publishing the same day, but did not see any posts published or awaiting approval. After reviewing the setup, the team identified the reason and confirmed the expected system behavior. 🧩 What Was Happening The user had enabled Approve before posting. This option requires posts to be approved before they go live. Even if there are no visible posts awaiting approval, the system does not publish on the same day the settings are changed. 🧭 How Automated GBP Posting Works When automated GBP posts are set up or updated, the system saves the new settings. Automated posting does not start the same day the settings are changed, the posting cycle begins the following day. Even if your start date is set to today, posts will not be generated or published until the next day. ✅ Approve Before Posting Enabled If Approve before posting is turned on, posts must be approved before going live. It is normal not to see any posts awaiting approval on the same day, approval requests will appear once the system starts the posting cycle. ⏱️ What to Expect If you set up or changed automated posts today, the system will start tomorrow. No action is required, just allow time for the cycle to begin. ❓ FAQs Why don’t I see automated posts immediately after setting them up? Automated GBP posts do not publish on the same day the settings are changed. Do automated posts start the next day? Yes. Posting usually begins the day after the configuration is saved. Is this expected behavior? Yes. This is normal system behavior for automated GBP posts. If your automated GBP posts were set up today, everything is working as expected. Posts will begin publishing the following day. 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 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.

🛑 Stop Unwanted GBP Social Automation

🛑 Why posts may still publish Posts can continue publishing after you stop creating new content if automation is still enabled, posts are waiting for approval, or previously scheduled content remains queued. Linked Google Business Profile (GBP) accounts may also publish content created before the automation was paused. ⏸️ Pause upcoming content 1. In the left sidebar, open Social → All Projects. 2. Find the project connected to the affected GBP account and select View. 3. Turn off any active automation, scheduling, or publishing setting available in the project. 4. Review the project’s scheduled content and remove posts you do not want published. 📋 Check pending approvals Open Social → Pending Approvals. Review the list and reject or delete any GBP posts that should not be published. Removing content from the calendar alone may not cancel posts already awaiting approval or publication. 📅 Review the calendar Open Social → Calendar View and check future dates for posts assigned to the affected project. Cancel or delete unwanted scheduled posts, then refresh the page to confirm they are gone. 🔗 Check the linked account Return to Social → All Projects and open the affected project. Confirm that the correct GBP account is connected and that no other project is linked to the same location. If you no longer want Search Atlas to publish to that account, disconnect it from the project after removing queued content. ✅ Confirm publishing has stopped - Refresh Pending Approvals and Calendar View. - Confirm that no active automation remains in the project. - Check the GBP profile after the next scheduled publishing window. - Review other projects if the same GBP location is connected more than once. 🛠️ If posts continue Do not approve or recreate the affected content. Capture the project name, GBP location, post text, and approximate publication time. If available, also note whether the post appeared in Pending Approvals or Calendar View. 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.

🔗 Linking Landing Pages to GBP Services

🗺️ Overview Search Atlas does not automatically publish or insert landing pages directly into your Google Business Profile (GBP) Services section. Instead, the integration works in two complementary ways: your GBP service data helps inform and populate landing pages built in Website Studio, and the Landing Page Missing for Service alert helps you identify gaps in your local SEO coverage. Understanding this distinction will help you get the most out of both tools. ⚙️ How GBP Data Powers Website Studio When you connect your Google Business Profile to Search Atlas, your GBP Services data is pulled into the platform and used as a foundation for generating landing pages in Website Studio. Here is what that means in practice: - Each service listed in your GBP (for example, Roof Repair or Emergency Plumbing) can be used as the basis for a dedicated landing page. - Service names, descriptions, and categories from GBP pre-populate relevant fields in the page builder, saving you time and keeping your content consistent. - Google Reviews from your GBP can also be auto-embedded into generated pages using the GBP Review Widget, adding social proof automatically. This connection makes it faster to build location- and service-specific pages that align with what Google already knows about your business. 🚨 What Does 'Landing Page Missing for Service' Mean? The Landing Page Missing for Service alert appears in Search Atlas when a service exists in your GBP but does not yet have a corresponding landing page built in Website Studio. It is a gap-detection feature, not a publishing tool. Its purpose is to: - Highlight missed opportunities — If a service is listed in GBP but has no dedicated landing page, you may be missing organic traffic for that keyword. - Guide your content strategy — The alert acts as a to-do list, showing you exactly which services still need pages created. - Improve local SEO coverage — Dedicated landing pages for each service help search engines understand the full scope of what your business offers. The alert does not insert a page into GBP, modify your GBP Services section, or publish anything to Google on your behalf. 📋 How to Link a Landing Page to a GBP Service Follow these steps to resolve a Landing Page Missing for Service alert and connect a page to a GBP service: 1. Go to Website Studio in the Search Atlas left-hand navigation. 2. Click Create New Page and select the relevant service from your connected GBP as the page topic, or enter the service name manually. 3. Build and publish the landing page. Once published, Search Atlas associates the page with that service and the alert is resolved. 4. Copy the published page URL from Website Studio. 5. Log in to your Google Business Profile dashboard at business.google.com. 6. Navigate to Edit Profile → Services, find the relevant service, and paste your landing page URL into the service description or use it in a GBP Post to drive traffic to the page. This manual step in GBP is currently required because Google does not provide an API endpoint that allows third-party tools to directly edit the URL field within the Services section. 💡 Best Practices - Create one landing page per GBP service — This maximises your ranking potential for each service keyword. - Keep service names consistent — Match the landing page title to the exact service name in GBP for stronger relevance signals. - Use the GBP Review Widget — Enable auto-embedded reviews on your landing pages to build trust and improve conversions. - Check the Missing Page alerts regularly — Resolve them promptly as you add new services to your GBP. - Promote pages via GBP Posts — Sharing your landing page URLs as GBP Posts increases visibility and drives clicks from your Business Profile. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Will Search Atlas ever publish pages directly to GBP Services? Google's current API does not support writing URLs directly into the GBP Services section from third-party platforms. If this changes, Search Atlas will update the integration accordingly. Why does the alert disappear after I build a page? Once Website Studio detects a published page associated with a GBP service, it marks that service as covered and removes the alert from your dashboard. Can I connect a page I built outside of Website Studio? Currently, the alert resolution is triggered by pages created and published within Website Studio. Externally built pages will not automatically clear the alert. 🙋 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.

🗺️ Choosing a Plan for Multi-Location GBP Management

🏢 Who This Article Is For This article is for businesses that operate multiple physical locations, each with its own Google Business Profile (GBP), but host all location landing pages under a single website domain. A typical example is a franchise or service-area business with 10, 34, or even 100+ GBP listings all pointing to location-specific pages on one site. 🤔 Why Multi-Location GBP Setups Need Special Consideration Managing many GBP listings on a single website creates unique SEO challenges that a basic plan may not fully support: - Each GBP location needs its own local rank tracking. Rankings vary by city, ZIP code, and proximity to each storefront — one aggregate report is not enough. - Each landing page requires location-specific on-page optimisation. Duplicate or thin content across location pages can hurt rankings. - Citation and NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency must be maintained per location. Errors at scale compound quickly. - Reporting needs to reflect performance per location, not just the root domain. ✅ Recommended Plan: PRO For a setup like one website with 34 GBP locations, the PRO plan is the recommended starting point. Here is what makes it the right fit: - Local Rank Tracker with grid-level precision: Track keyword rankings on a geo-grid map for each individual location. You can create separate tracking projects per GBP so you see exactly how each listing performs in its local area. - Multiple projects and location profiles: PRO allows you to set up individual projects for each location, keeping data clean and segmented even though they all live on one domain. - Location-specific SEO content tools: Use the Content Genius and on-page tools to optimise each landing page independently, targeting the right local keywords for that specific city or neighbourhood. - GBP management features: Schedule posts, manage Q&A, update business hours, and monitor reviews across all your GBP listings from a single dashboard. - Scalability: PRO is designed to grow with you. If your location count increases beyond 34, you can expand tracking and project limits without switching platforms. 📐 How to Structure Your Setup on PRO 1. Create one project per GBP location. Even though all locations share one domain, use the location address or city name to name each project clearly (e.g., "Brand — Austin TX" or "Brand — Miami FL"). 2. Set the target URL to the specific landing page for that location (e.g., yoursite.com/locations/austin) rather than the root domain. 3. Configure the Local Rank Tracker grid centred on each location's physical address so ranking data reflects the actual service area. 4. Add the primary local keywords per location (e.g., "plumber in Austin" vs. "plumber in Miami") to keep keyword sets relevant and separate. 5. Connect each GBP listing through the GBP integration so posting, review monitoring, and insights are all accessible in one place. 📊 What You Can Monitor Across All 34 Locations Once set up, the PRO plan gives you visibility into the metrics that matter most for local SEO at scale: - Local pack rankings and visibility scores per location - GBP impression, click, and direction request trends - On-page SEO health for each location landing page - Review volume and average rating per GBP - Keyword ranking changes over time, broken down by location 💡 Tips for Keeping a Single-Domain, Multi-Location Site Healthy - Avoid duplicate content. Each location page should have unique body copy, localised headings, and location-specific schema markup (LocalBusiness schema with the correct address per page). - Use consistent NAP data. Make sure the Name, Address, and Phone number on each landing page exactly matches the corresponding GBP listing. - Build local citations per location. Use the Search Atlas site explorer and link tools to identify citation opportunities specific to each city. - Monitor GBP suspensions individually. With 34 listings, the risk of one being flagged is higher. The GBP dashboard in Search Atlas will surface issues so you can act quickly. 🔄 When to Consider Upgrading Beyond PRO If your location count grows significantly (typically beyond 50–75 active GBP projects with full rank tracking), or if you manage locations on behalf of multiple clients, the ENTERPRISE plan offers higher project limits, white-label reporting, and dedicated onboarding support. Reach out through the chat widget to get a tailored recommendation as your needs evolve. 💬 Need Help Getting Set Up? 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.

🗺️ Local Competitive Analysis in Site Explorer Without GBP

🎯 Who This Article Is For This guide is for SEOs and agency users who need to run a local competitive analysis or prospect audit but do not have access to a Google Business Profile (GBP) for the site they want to analyze. You do not need a GBP, an active GBP Projects entry, or any special location settings to follow this workflow. 🧠 Understanding the Right Tool for This Job Search Atlas has several tools that touch on local SEO, so it helps to know which one fits your situation: - GBP Projects (left sidebar → GBP Projects): Manages GBP projects, posts, reviews, citations, and media for locations you own or manage. Requires GBP access. - Local SERPs: Simulates search results from a specific geographic location. Useful for rank tracking, but still tied to a project or keyword set. - Site Explorer → Topical Dominance: Compares any two URLs head-to-head across topic clusters — no GBP, no project, no location restriction required. This is the correct tool when you cannot access a competitor's or prospect's GBP. If the location field in Site Explorer defaults to USA and you are analyzing a local business, Topical Dominance still gives you meaningful competitive insight because it evaluates organic topical authority, not a location-locked data set. 🔍 How to Use Topical Dominance for Local Competitive Analysis 1. From the left sidebar, navigate to Site Metrics (Site Explorer). 2. Enter the client or prospect URL in the primary search field and run the report. 3. Inside the report, locate and click the Topical Dominance tab. 4. In the comparison field, enter a competitor URL you want to benchmark against. 5. Review the topic clusters where your client leads, is tied, or is outranked by the competitor. 6. Repeat step 4 for each additional competitor to build a full competitive picture. Because Topical Dominance works at the URL level, it does not require either site to have a verified GBP or an active GBP Projects entry in Search Atlas. The comparison is based entirely on indexed content and organic keyword data. 📊 What You Can Learn From This Analysis Topical Dominance surfaces competitive gaps and strengths across content categories. For local businesses, focus on these signals: - Topic clusters the competitor dominates: These are content areas where your client has the greatest opportunity to publish or improve. - Topic clusters your client already leads: Reinforce these with internal linking and fresh content to protect the advantage. - Clusters where both sites are weak: Early-mover opportunities — producing authoritative content here can establish dominance before competitors act. - Service and location-specific topics: Even without geo-filtering, local businesses naturally rank for city- or region-specific queries. Topical Dominance will surface these clusters if the content exists. 🏢 Auditing Prospects Without GBP Access Agencies frequently need to audit a prospect's website before winning the account — meaning there is no GBP access yet. Topical Dominance is purpose-built for this scenario: 1. Enter the prospect's URL in Site Explorer. 2. Identify 2–3 of their strongest local competitors by searching for their primary service keywords and noting who ranks consistently. 3. Run a Topical Dominance comparison against each competitor URL. 4. Export or screenshot the results to include in your pitch deck or audit report. This workflow gives you a data-backed content gap analysis you can present to the prospect without ever needing their login credentials or GBP access. ⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid - Using Local SERPs as a substitute: Local SERPs simulate geographic search results but are not designed for URL-to-URL content authority comparison. They work alongside Topical Dominance, not instead of it. - Assuming USA default limits the analysis: The location default in Site Explorer affects keyword volume display, not the topical comparison itself. The competitive gaps identified in Topical Dominance are valid regardless of the default location setting. - Skipping multiple competitor comparisons: Running the analysis against only one competitor gives an incomplete picture. Compare against at least two or three local rivals to identify consistent patterns. 💬 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.

📧 GMB Email Alerts and Guest Post Reassignment Explained

📋 Overview This article covers two common questions: why you may not be receiving email alerts for Google Business Profile (GMB) post authorizations, and what happens to your guest post submission after a publisher rejects it inside Link Laboratory. 📬 Why You Are Not Receiving GMB Post Authorization Email Alerts Search Atlas sends automated email alerts for certain ranking and activity events — but GMB post authorization alerts are not currently part of the standard email notification set. Here is what you need to know: - Rank-change alerts are supported for Google Search Console (GSC) data and fire when a meaningful rank shift is detected for tracked keywords. - Local SEO heatmap alerts are triggered when a position gain greater than 0 is recorded — even a gain as small as +0.1 will generate an email notification. - GMB post authorization alerts are a separate workflow. If you are not seeing these emails, it is most likely because this specific alert type is not yet active for your account configuration, or the notification did not meet the threshold required to trigger. To stay on top of GMB post activity, we recommend checking your Google Business Profile dashboard directly and monitoring your Local SEO heatmap inside Search Atlas regularly for position changes. 🔍 How to Check Your Email Notification Settings While granular GMB alert controls are managed by the Search Atlas team, you can confirm your account email and team setup by following these steps: 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. 2. Go to Settings → Email Settings from the dropdown menu. 3. Confirm that your email address is correctly listed on the Email Settings page. 4. If your email address is incorrect or missing, update it and click Save Changes. Having the correct email on file ensures you receive all platform notifications without delay. 🔄 What Happens When a Publisher Rejects Your Guest Post When you submit a guest post through Link Laboratory and the publisher rejects it, Search Atlas does not leave your placement stranded. Here is how the automatic reassignment process works: - After a publisher rejects your submission, a 72-hour Pending Action window opens on your placement. - During this window, the daily auto-assigner runs automatically and reassigns your rejected placement to a new, eligible publisher within the Link Laboratory network. - The reassignment targets publishers that match the original placement criteria — niche relevance, domain authority, and your campaign goals. - A spam-rescue and placement detector runs in parallel to ensure the reassigned placement avoids low-quality or flagged publisher sites before the new assignment is confirmed. You do not need to manually resubmit your guest post. The reassignment happens in the background within the 72-hour window. 📊 How to Track Your Placement Status To monitor where your guest post stands after a rejection, follow these steps: 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. 2. Go to Authority and select Link Building Exchange. 3. Click Go to Link Laboratory. 4. Locate your submission and check its current status. Once reassignment is complete, the status will update to reflect the new publisher assignment. If the 72-hour window passes and your placement has not been reassigned, or if you see an unexpected status, reach out to our support team for a manual review. 💡 Tips to Reduce Rejections Going Forward - Review publisher guidelines carefully before submitting. Each publisher in Link Laboratory lists its content requirements, niche focus, and formatting preferences. - Submit original, well-structured content that matches the publisher's audience. Generic or overly promotional articles are the most common rejection reason. - Check your anchor text and target URL to ensure they comply with the publisher's link policy before submission. - Use the placement detector insights to understand which publisher types are the best fit for your domain and campaign objectives. 🆘 Still Need Help? If you are not receiving expected email alerts after confirming your account details, or if your rejected guest post has not been reassigned after 72 hours, we are here to help. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

☁️ Fix Cloud Stack GBP Selection and Chat Widget

🔍 Overview Two common frustrations when working in Cloud Stacks are: the project setup pulling in the wrong Google Business Profile (GBP), and the live chat widget overlapping navigation elements. This article walks you through both fixes so you can build your Cloud Stacks accurately and navigate the platform without interruption. 🗺️ How to Navigate to Cloud Stacks To access Cloud Stacks, follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Authority. 3. From the expanded menu, select Cloud Stacks. 📍 Selecting the Correct Google Business Profile When creating a new Cloud Stack, Search Atlas automatically suggests a GBP based on your project settings. If the wrong profile appears, it is usually because the GBP linked to your project needs to be updated before you start the Cloud Stack setup. Follow these steps to make sure the correct GBP is selected: 1. Before creating a Cloud Stack, confirm which GBP you want to use by checking your project settings. 2. On the Cloud Stacks page, click New Cloud Stack. 3. In the setup form, locate the Google Business Profile field. 4. Click the dropdown and review the list of available profiles. If multiple profiles are connected to your account, make sure you choose the one that matches the business you are optimising. 5. If the correct GBP does not appear in the dropdown, it may not be connected to your Search Atlas account yet. Connect it first through your account settings, then return to Cloud Stacks to complete setup. 6. Once the correct profile is selected, continue filling in the remaining Cloud Stack details and click Save or Create. Tip: Double-check the business name, address, and phone number shown in the preview before finalising. This confirms you have selected the right profile. 💬 Managing the Chat Widget Position The live chat widget sits in the bottom-right corner of the platform by default. In some views — particularly when working inside Cloud Stacks or browsing the left sidebar — the widget can overlap buttons or navigation links. Here is how to work around this: - Minimise the widget: Click the chat icon to open the widget, then click the minimise or close button (×) at the top of the chat window. This collapses it to a small icon that takes up less space. - Scroll past the widget: If the widget covers a button at the bottom of the page, try scrolling the page content up slightly so the button clears the widget area. - Use keyboard navigation: Press Tab to move focus through interactive elements on the page, which can help you reach buttons that are visually overlapped by the widget. - Zoom out your browser: Reducing your browser zoom level (for example, from 100% to 90%) can give you enough extra space so the widget no longer covers navigation controls. Note: The widget position is fixed by the platform and cannot be permanently moved or disabled, as it is the primary support channel. Minimising it when not in use is the most reliable way to keep your workspace clear. ⚠️ Common Issues and Quick Fixes - GBP dropdown shows no profiles: Your Google account may not be connected. Go to your account settings and authorise the Google Business Profile integration, then retry. - Wrong GBP keeps defaulting: Check whether another user on your team has set a default project GBP. Update the project-level GBP setting first, then create the Cloud Stack. - Chat widget covers the Create button: Minimise the widget or use browser zoom-out (Ctrl/Cmd + minus key) to push the button above the widget overlap zone. - Cloud Stack saves with wrong GBP: Delete the Cloud Stack, correct the GBP connection in settings, and rebuild. Changes to the GBP field cannot be made after a Cloud Stack is saved. 🆘 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 This field may auto-populate based on your most recently used project. / If the wrong profile keeps appearing, it usually means a different GBP is set as the default, or the wrong project was selected during setup.

📍 Find and Run Local Citation Scans in Search Atlas

📋 Overview Local citation scanning helps you verify that your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across directories and data aggregators. This article explains where to find the citation tools in Search Atlas, how to run a scan, and what to do if the option is not available for your location or business type. 🗺️ Where to Find Citation Scanning The citation tools live inside the Local section of Search Atlas, under Local Citations — not a standalone menu item. Some customers expect to see a dedicated Scan Citations button in the top navigation or sidebar, but it is accessed through your GBP location profile instead. Follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select Local Citations. 2. From the Local Citations dashboard, click Import from Google Business Profile if you have not yet connected a location. This pulls your GBP data — including your NAP details — into Search Atlas. 3. Once a location is imported, open that location's profile. You will see the citation scan option within the location view, allowing you to initiate a scan against major directories and aggregators. If you previously saw a Scan citations button described in documentation or a support conversation but cannot find it in the current UI, this is likely because the entry point has moved into the per-location workflow described above. The functionality is the same — it is simply launched from within the location record rather than from a top-level menu. 🔄 How GBP Citation Sync Works When you import a location from Google Business Profile, Search Atlas uses your verified NAP data as the baseline for citation checking. The tool then compares that baseline against listings across data aggregators and popular directories, calculating a Citation Score that reflects how consistent and complete your listings are. - Credit cost: Syncing citations with individual aggregators costs 40 credits per aggregator. Review your available credits before running a sync across multiple aggregators. - Citation Score: After the scan completes, your Citation Score updates automatically to reflect any new matches or inconsistencies found. - Re-scanning: You can re-run scans after making corrections to track improvement over time. ⚠️ When the Citation Scan Option Is Unavailable There are two known situations where the citation scan option may not appear or may not be usable: - Unsupported country: Citation scanning is currently only available for locations in supported countries. If your GBP location is in an unsupported region, you will see an eligibility message when selecting that location in the citation workflow. Support for additional countries is planned for future releases. - Address-less or e-commerce businesses: Citation scanning relies on a physical NAP (name, address, phone number) to match listings across directories. If your business does not have a public address — for example, a service-area-only or online-only business — the scan cannot run because there is no address to match against. A website-based alternative for address-less businesses is not yet available but is being evaluated. If neither of these situations applies to your business and the option is still missing, try refreshing your browser or clearing your cache, then navigate back to Local → Local Citations and open your location record again. ✅ Step-by-Step: Running Your First Citation Scan 1. Go to Local → Local Citations in the left sidebar. 2. Click Import from Google Business Profile and follow the prompts to connect and import your location. 3. Select the imported location to open its detail view. 4. Locate the citations section within the location profile and click to initiate a scan. 5. Review the list of aggregators, confirm the credit cost (40 credits per aggregator), and start the sync. 6. Once the scan completes, review your Citation Score and any flagged inconsistencies in the results panel. 💬 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.

📍 Distribute Your Listing to Online Directories

🗂️ Overview Search Atlas automatically distributes your business listing to a curated network of online directories through the Local SEO tool. Once your details are set up, the platform handles syndication for you — no manual submissions or updates required. 🚀 How to Set Up Listing Distribution 1. Navigate to Left Sidebar → Local SEO → Listings. 2. Enter your complete business details, including business name, address, phone number, and operating hours. 3. Save your information. Search Atlas will begin syncing your listing to its network of citation sources, including major data aggregators and local directories. 4. Return to your Listings dashboard at any time to monitor the distribution status of your listing. 📋 Viewing Your Citation Submissions You can see exactly which directories your listing has been submitted to directly inside the platform: - Go to Left Sidebar → Local → (GBP project) → Local Citations. - This view shows a full breakdown of every directory your listing has been sent to, along with its current submission status. ℹ️ What You Should Know - High-authority focus: The distribution network targets the citation sources that have the greatest impact on local search rankings, not every directory on the internet. - Selective coverage: Not all online directories are included — Search Atlas curates its network around the listings that matter most for local SEO performance. - Automatic syncing: Once your business details are saved, distribution happens automatically. There is no need to manually push updates to individual 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.

🗺️ GBP Galactic Projects: Limits and Plan Upgrades

🔍 Overview GBP Galactic Projects is a feature inside Search Atlas that lets you manage and optimize Google Business Profile locations at scale. Each active project counts toward your plan's GBP Galactic Project activation limit. This article explains how those limits work and what your options are if you need more activations. 📦 What Is a GBP Galactic Project Activation? When you connect and activate a Google Business Profile location inside the GBP Galactic Projects tool, it uses one activation slot from your plan's allotted limit. The number of activation slots available to you depends entirely on the plan you are currently subscribed to. 🚫 Can I Add Extra GBP Activations as a Separate Add-On? No. GBP Galactic Project activations cannot be purchased as standalone add-ons or supplementary packages. There is no separate add-on, à la carte option, or volume discount tier available for GBP Galactic Project activations outside of your core plan. Any information suggesting otherwise is incorrect. The only way to increase the number of GBP Galactic Project activations available to your account is to upgrade to a higher-tier Search Atlas plan that includes a greater activation limit. ⬆️ How to Upgrade Your Plan 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your Avatar Menu (👤) or account name in the top-right corner. 3. Select Billing from the dropdown menu, then open Plans & Top-ups. 4. Review the available plans and locate one that includes the number of GBP Galactic Project activations you need. 5. Click Change Plan and follow the on-screen steps to complete the change. Your new activation limit will be applied to your account as soon as the upgrade is confirmed. 📋 Checking Your Current Activation Limit To see how many GBP Galactic Project activations your current plan includes and how many you have used: 1. Navigate to the GBP Galactic Projects section in your Search Atlas dashboard. 2. Look for the usage indicator or activation counter displayed at the top of the page. 3. This counter shows your used activations versus your total plan allowance. If you have reached your limit, no additional locations can be activated until you upgrade your plan. 💡 Tips Before You Upgrade - Audit your active projects first. If some activated locations are no longer needed, deactivating them will free up slots without requiring a plan change. - Compare plan limits carefully. When reviewing upgrade options, confirm the exact number of GBP Galactic Project activations included in each plan so you choose the right tier for your needs. - Consider future growth. If you manage locations for multiple clients or expect your portfolio to grow, selecting a plan with headroom can save you from needing to upgrade again in the near term. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions Can I purchase a temporary increase in activations for a short-term campaign? No. Temporary or short-term activation boosts are not available as separate purchases. A plan upgrade is the only path to more activations. Will my existing activated projects be affected if I do not upgrade? Projects already activated will remain active. You simply will not be able to add new activations until you either upgrade your plan or deactivate an existing project to free up a slot. What happens to my activations if I downgrade my plan? If you downgrade to a plan with a lower activation limit and your current number of active projects exceeds that limit, some projects may be deactivated automatically. Review the downgrade terms carefully before proceeding. 🆘 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.

⭐ How to Publish Your Google Review Replies

This article explains why replies you write to Google reviews may require a manual publish step before they go live on your Google Business Profile. This is by design — the platform holds your draft reply so you can approve it before it is sent publicly. What to Expect When you write a reply to a Google review, it is saved as a draft and will not be published automatically. You need to complete a manual publish step to send the reply to your Google Business Profile. This approval step ensures you can review your response before it appears publicly. How to Publish Your Reply 1. Navigate to Local → Reviews in the left-hand sidebar of the platform. 2. Find the review you have responded to. Your reply will appear below the review with an Awaiting or pending status indicator. 3. Click the Publish button that appears alongside your drafted reply to submit it to Google. 4. A confirmation prompt may appear — confirm the action to complete the publish step. Once you click Publish, the platform will submit your response directly to your Google Business Profile. After Publishing Once you confirm the publish action, your reply will be submitted to Google. You can verify that it has gone live by checking your Google Business Profile directly. Keep in mind that Google may take a short time to display the reply publicly. If your reply does not appear after some time, contact our team for assistance. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔍 Understanding GBP Data Mismatch Flags

📍 What a mismatch flag means A Business Address or Phone Number mismatch means the information found in your Google Business Profile differs from the business details stored in Search Atlas or on other online directories. This is a consistency warning, not proof that your profile is suspended or invalid. Common causes include an old phone number, formatting differences, a recently changed address, missing suite information, or a location listed with different regional details. For example, spacing or punctuation may vary, but the scan can still require review. ✅ Check your business details 1. Open Left sidebar → Local → Overview and review the business name, address, phone number, website, and business category. 2. Compare these details with the Google Business Profile connected to your project. 3. Use one consistent version of your public business information, including suite numbers, postal codes, country codes, and phone formatting. 4. Save any corrections, then allow time for connected profiles and directories to update. 🔎 How citation scans work A citation is a business listing on a directory or platform such as Google, Bing, Apple, or Yelp. A citation scan compares your saved business details with listings it can locate across supported sources. A result such as no match does not always mean the listing does not exist. The scan may be unable to identify it because of a different name, address format, phone number, missing regional field, duplicate listing, access limitation, or temporary scan issue. Search results can also change after a recent update. Review citation results in Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations. Check the listing URL and compare every field rather than relying only on the summary status. ⏳ Pending tasks and updates Tasks may remain pending while Search Atlas processes a scan, prepares an update, or waits for a directory to accept and publish changes. Directory updates are not always immediate, so a corrected task may continue showing its previous status temporarily. Check tasks in Left sidebar → Local → My Tasks. Do not repeatedly submit the same correction while an existing task is processing. Recheck the citation after the task completes and the directory has had time to refresh. 📱 Social profile setup Social setup is separate from address and phone mismatch checks. Social profiles can strengthen your online presence, but creating or connecting one does not automatically correct Google Business Profile or citation data. Keep your business name, website, phone number, and location consistent on each social profile. Use Left sidebar → Local → Overview for business information and Left sidebar → Local → Media Library for available business media. 🛠️ When to review the scan again - After changing your Google Business Profile details. - After correcting a directory listing. - When a scan reports a missing state or administrative area for a location where that field is not provided by Google. - When a listing is visible publicly but the scan still reports no match. If a result remains incorrect after the details match and the scan has completed, record the business name, location, affected source, listing URL, and scan status before requesting 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.

🛑 Stop Automated GBP Posts and Updates

📌 What This Article Covers When an account or location is deactivated, automated features may continue pushing content to your Google Business Profile (GBP). This article walks you through three steps to fully stop that activity: disable scheduled GBP posts, turn off Data Lock, and disconnect Auto-Sync. Completing all three steps ensures Search Atlas no longer publishes posts or sends updates to your locations. ⏸️ Step 1: Disable Scheduled GBP Posts 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select GBP Projects. 2. Find the project that contains your locations and click View project. 3. Open the Posts section and go to Post Automation or Scheduled Posts. 4. Toggle post automation off for the project, or turn it off for each individual location. 5. Review the list of scheduled posts and delete or pause anything you no longer want published. Important: When you disable post automation, posts that were created by automation move to Pending Approval and will not publish. However, posts you scheduled manually remain on the schedule, so you must delete or pause them yourself to prevent them from going live. 🔓 Step 2: Turn Off Data Lock Data Lock keeps selected GBP fields matched to the values stored in Search Atlas. Turning it off releases those fields so Search Atlas stops enforcing them on your locations. 1. Inside your GBP project, open the location you want to update. 2. Go to the Data Lock settings for that location. 3. Toggle Data Lock off for each locked field, or turn it off for the entire location. 4. Save your changes. Repeat these steps for every location in the project where you want Data Lock removed. 🔌 Step 3: Disconnect Auto-Sync Auto-Sync pushes updates such as business hours, categories, and services from Search Atlas to your Google Business Profile. Disconnecting it stops all future pushes to Google. 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local and select GBP Projects. 2. Open the project, then go to the Auto-Sync settings. 3. Toggle Auto-Sync off, or select Disconnect to remove the connection for the location or account. 4. Confirm the disconnection when prompted. If you are deactivating the account entirely and no longer need any Search Atlas features, you can also disconnect the connected GBP account from the project connection settings. ✅ Step 4: Confirm Everything Is Stopped After completing the steps above, verify the following: - Post automation shows as off and no scheduled posts remain active. - Data Lock is disabled on all locations in the project. - Auto-Sync shows as disconnected and no sync jobs are queued. - No new posts or profile updates appear on your Google Business Profile. 💡 Notes for Deactivated Accounts - When an account is deactivated, its GBP projects are deactivated automatically, but features you configured beforehand, such as scheduled posts, may still attempt to run. Completing the steps above guarantees nothing publishes. - Deleting a location inside Search Atlas does not remove posts already published to Google. Remove those directly in Google Business Profile if needed. - Changes may take a few minutes to apply across all locations in the 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.

🗺️ GBP Posts Bulk Generation Scroll Fix

Scrolling within the bulk post generation modal in GBP & Local SEO now works as expected, so you can review and manage large batches of posts without the interface freezing or cutting off content. ✨ What's New When generating many posts at once using the bulk generation modal, the scroll within that modal was previously getting trapped or clipped — making it difficult or impossible to see all your posts and take action on them. This has been resolved. The modal now scrolls freely, keeping the full list of generated posts accessible no matter how many you create in a single session. 🛠️ How to Use It 1. In the left sidebar, navigate to Local (GBP Projects). 2. Select a connected location and open the Posts section. 3. Use the bulk generation option to create multiple posts at once. 4. Scroll through the modal freely to review all generated posts before publishing. 📋 What to Expect This fix applies to the bulk post generation modal and only affects locations that are connected to a Google Business Profile. If you are not yet connected, you will need to link a GBP location before bulk post generation becomes available. No changes were made to the post creation workflow itself — only the scroll behavior within the modal has been corrected. 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 Google Review Replies Show 'Awaiting' Status

This article explains why your Google review replies display an "Awaiting" status after you write them. Replies can become stuck in a manual approval queue and not go live on your Google Business Profile without further action from our support team. 🛠️ What the 'Awaiting' Status Means When a review reply shows Awaiting status, it means the reply has been drafted but has not yet been published to your Google Business Profile. This can happen because replies are held in a manual approval queue before going live. There is currently no confirmed self-serve setting within the platform to bypass the manual approval queue or force an immediate publish. If your replies are stuck in Awaiting status and are not progressing, this requires assistance from our support team, who can investigate the queue and take the necessary steps to get your replies published. ✅ What to Have Ready When You Contact Support - The name of the GBP project or business location affected - The specific review(s) whose replies are showing Awaiting status - How long the reply has been in Awaiting status - Any error messages or unusual behavior you have noticed Having these details ready will help our team investigate and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

Managing Your GBP Automated Posting Quota

📋 Overview Google Business Profile (GBP) Automated Posting in Search Atlas is governed by a monthly quota that determines how many posts can be published automatically across your connected locations. This article explains how quotas work, why your quota may appear lower than expected, and how changes to your quota affect your bill. 🔢 How the Posting Quota Works Your GBP Automated Posting quota is tied directly to your current subscription plan. Each plan includes a set number of automated posts per billing cycle. Here is what you need to know: - Quota resets monthly at the start of each new billing cycle. - Plan limits cap the maximum quota available. Your quota cannot exceed the maximum allowed by your current plan tier. ⚙️ Why Your Quota May Be Lower Than Expected If your quota appears to be set to a number lower than what you requested or what your plan should allow, there are a few common reasons: - Manual quota adjustments made by the support team may not always align exactly with the requested value, especially when changes are processed during an active billing cycle. - Plan limits — Your quota cannot exceed the maximum allowed by your current plan tier, regardless of any adjustment request. - Discrepancies between expected and applied quota values — If you believe your quota was set incorrectly, gather your account or project name, the billing cycle in question, and the quota value you expected versus what was applied, then contact our support team for a review. 💳 How Quota Changes Affect Your Bill Reducing your GBP Automated Posting quota does not automatically lower your monthly bill unless the quota change is tied to a plan downgrade. Here is how it works: 1. Quota adjustments within the same plan — Changing your quota between values that fall within your current plan tier will not change your billing amount. Your subscription price is determined by your plan, not by the exact quota number you use. 2. Plan downgrades — To reduce your bill, you need to move to a lower plan tier. A quota reduction alone does not constitute a plan change and will not result in a lower charge. 3. Billing disputes related to quota — If you believe you have been charged incorrectly due to a quota discrepancy, please have the following ready before contacting support: your account or project name, the billing cycle in question, the quota value you expected versus what was applied, and any relevant screenshots or correspondence. 📞 Before You Escalate To help our team resolve your quota or billing dispute as quickly as possible, please have the following information ready: - Your account or project name - The billing cycle or date range in question - The quota value you expected versus what was applied to your account - Any relevant screenshots, confirmation emails, or previous support correspondence Having these details on hand will allow our team to investigate and resolve your case efficiently. 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.

🛠️ Update GBP Hours and Citations

📌 Understand where hours are managed Google Business Profile (GBP) hours and external local citation hours are separate records. Updating hours in Search Atlas may update your connected GBP data or prepare citation changes, but it does not guarantee that every directory has changed. Each citation publisher controls its own listing. Some publishers accept updates automatically, while others require verification, account access, or manual approval. 🔍 Update your Google Business Profile 1. Sign in to the Google account that owns or manages the business profile. 2. Open the business profile in Google Search or Google Maps. 3. Select the option to edit your business information and update regular hours. 4. Update special hours separately for holidays, temporary closures, or unusual opening times. 5. Save the changes and allow Google time to review and publish them. If the profile is locked, suspended, unverified, or managed by another account, manual edits may not apply. Confirm that you are using the correct owner or manager account and resolve any Google verification prompts before trying again. ⚙️ Update hours in Search Atlas 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → GBP Projects. 2. Open the relevant project with View project. 3. Review the business information and hours shown for the location. 4. Save the updated hours, including any special or holiday hours when available. Use Local → Overview to review location data and refresh information when that option is available. Search Atlas may show the saved or imported value before Google or citation publishers finish processing it. 📚 Update external local citations For citation-specific corrections, update the listing on the directory where the incorrect information appears. Search for the business using its exact name, address, and phone number, then claim or verify the listing if required. Edit the regular and special hours, save the change, and follow the directory’s approval process. Keep the business name, address, phone number, website, and hours consistent across GBP and all major directories. Do not create a second listing when an existing listing can be claimed or corrected. ⏳ Check changes and prevent conflicts - Allow time for Google and individual directories to review and publish changes. - Refresh the location data in Search Atlas before checking the results again. - Check the directory directly, because Search Atlas may display the last scanned value. - Confirm that no duplicate listing, old business profile, or third-party data provider is overwriting the hours. - Use one consistent schedule, including the correct format for split hours and holiday closures. ✅ When to escalate the issue Gather the business name, location, incorrect directory URL, expected hours, and a screenshot of the saved change. This information helps identify whether the issue is a Google restriction, a locked listing, a directory approval delay, or a data conflict. 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 Competitor Benchmark Customization

🔍 Overview The GBP Audit tool inside Search Atlas benchmarks your Google Business Profile against nearby competitors to score your profile's performance. Currently, the competitors used in this benchmark are selected automatically based on your business location and category data. You cannot manually add or remove competitors from this benchmark at this time. This article explains how the current benchmark works, the known limitations, and what improvements are on the way. ⚙️ How the Competitor Benchmark Works When you run a GBP Audit, Search Atlas automatically identifies competitor businesses to use as your benchmark. Here is what happens behind the scenes: 1. The system detects your business category and geographic area from your connected Google Business Profile. 2. It pulls nearby businesses that match your category to use as benchmark comparisons. 3. Your profile is then scored against those competitors across various performance metrics. This process is fully automated and does not currently allow manual input for which businesses are included. ⚠️ Known Limitation: Competitors May Not Match Your Scope We know that some customers are seeing competitors in their benchmark that do not feel relevant — for example, businesses from a different industry or outside the intended service area. This is a known limitation of the current automated selection process. The ability to manually choose, add, or remove specific competitors is not yet available. Our team is aware of this gap and is working to improve the competitor selection experience in a future update. 🚀 What's Coming: Manual Competitor Selection Our team is working to give you greater control over which businesses appear in your GBP Audit benchmark. Once improvements are released, you may be able to: - Review the competitors currently included in your benchmark. - Remove any businesses that are not relevant to your scope of work. - Add specific competitors you want to benchmark against. We will update our Knowledge Base as soon as this feature is available. 🛠️ What You Can Do Right Now While manual customization is not yet available, here are a few steps you can take to get the most accurate audit results: - Verify your GBP category: Make sure your Google Business Profile has the correct primary and secondary categories set. The audit pulls competitors based on these categories, so accuracy here directly improves benchmark relevance. - Check your service area: Confirm that your Google Business Profile service area settings accurately reflect the geographic region you operate in, so the system can identify the most relevant local competitors. - Note any irrelevant competitors: If you notice businesses in your benchmark that seem unrelated to your industry or location, make a note of them. When manual competitor management becomes available, you will be able to remove them at that 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.

🗺️ GBP Profile Locks and Completeness Score Explained

🧭 Overview If your Google Business Profile (GBP) shows a locked status or your profile completeness score appears stuck at 90%, you are not alone. Both situations are expected behaviors in Search Atlas and do not indicate an error with your account or your Google listing. This article explains exactly what is happening and what you need to do. 🔒 Why Is My GBP Profile Locked? Search Atlas applies a temporary lock to your GBP location after certain sync or update events. This lock is a safeguard that prevents conflicting changes from being pushed to Google while a previous update is still being processed. Common reasons a lock may be triggered include a recent update or edit submitted to your GBP location, a pending change still being reviewed by Google, or a profile sync that has not yet completed. The lock is applied automatically by the system and is not something you triggered by mistake. It is a protective mechanism to keep your Google listing accurate and consistent. ⏱️ When Does the Lock Auto-Resolve? In the vast majority of cases, the lock resolves automatically without any action needed from you. You do not need to contact support or take any steps to remove the lock — the system releases it automatically once the underlying process finishes. To check whether your location is still locked, navigate to your Local section within Search Atlas and look for the lock indicator next to your location. If the lock icon is no longer displayed, the lock has been released and your profile is editable again. ✅ What to Do While Your Profile Is Locked During a lock period, avoid submitting new edits to the locked location. Attempting to push updates while the lock is active may result in those changes being queued or discarded. You can continue to view existing GBP data and performance metrics within the Local section of the platform while you wait for the lock to clear. 📊 Why Is My Profile Completeness Stuck at 90%? A completeness score of 90% is the expected result for most Google Business Profiles in Search Atlas. The score does not reach 100% because certain fields tracked by the completeness scoring system — such as social media fields like TikTok — are not supported or editable within GBP itself. Since those fields cannot be populated through Google Business Profile, the score reflects the maximum achievable completeness given what GBP actually allows. This means a score of 90% is not a bug or an error. Your profile is considered complete for all practical purposes. No further action is required on your part to improve the score beyond this point. 🛠️ When to Escalate If your profile lock has persisted for an extended period and you believe it should have cleared, or if your completeness score appears to be stuck at an unexpected value that is not explained above, you can reach out for assistance. When escalating, please have the following ready: 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.

🗺️ Remove Unwanted Pins from Local SEO Heatmaps

Why Pins Appear in Unwanted Locations When you run a Local SEO Heatmap, Search Atlas automatically places ranking pins across a grid centred on your chosen location. Depending on your grid size and centre point, some pins may land on lakes, parks, highways, or other areas that are not relevant to your business. These pins are not errors — they simply reflect how the grid overlays your map. The good news is that you can eliminate them by adjusting three grid settings: grid size, centre point, and radius. What Not to Do You cannot click individual pins to turn them red or exclude them from data collection. There is no per-pin toggle or colour-coding control in the heatmap. Any instructions suggesting otherwise are incorrect. The only supported method for removing unwanted pins is to reshape or reposition the grid itself, as described below. How to Adjust Your Heatmap Grid Settings Follow these steps to reconfigure your heatmap and remove pins from irrelevant areas: 1. Navigate to your Local SEO Heatmap project within the platform. 2. Open the heatmap you want to edit and locate the grid configuration settings. 3. Apply one or more of the three adjustments below based on where the unwanted pins are appearing. The Three Adjustments That Remove Unwanted Pins - Shrink the grid size: Reducing the number of grid points lowers the total number of pins generated. Use a smaller grid when your target service area is compact and only a few surrounding pins are landing in irrelevant zones. - Move the centre point: The grid radiates outward from your centre point. If pins are consistently falling into a lake or off-target area on one side, shift the centre point away from that area and toward the heart of your actual service zone. - Reduce the radius: The radius controls how far the grid extends from the centre point. A smaller radius pulls all pins closer to your centre, which is the most effective fix when irrelevant pins appear around the outer edges of the heatmap. Tips for Choosing the Right Adjustment - If unwanted pins are scattered across the entire heatmap, start by reducing the radius. This has the broadest effect and often resolves the issue in one step. - If unwanted pins are concentrated on one side (for example, a coastline or river to the west), move the centre point eastward so the grid shifts away from that boundary. - If your service area is small and dense, use a smaller grid size combined with a tighter radius to keep all pins within relevant streets and neighbourhoods. - You can combine all three adjustments. Preview the updated grid before saving to confirm that pins now fall only within your intended service area. If you are unsure which setting to start with, try reducing the radius first, then preview the result before making additional 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.

🍽️ 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.

Fix Google Business Profile Post Rejections Fast

🔍 Why One Listing Rejects Posts While Another Does Not Google reviews every post individually against its content policies. Even if you use the same process across multiple listings, differences in wording, images, categories, or listing status can cause a post to be rejected on one listing but approved on another. The rejection is tied to the content of the post and the state of that specific listing, not your account or workflow. ⚠️ Most Common Reasons GBP Posts Are Rejected Review the list below and match it to your rejected post to identify the likely cause. - Prohibited content: Posts must not include phone numbers, URLs (outside the designated call-to-action button), pricing claims that may be misleading, or references to competing businesses. - Restricted categories: Businesses in regulated industries such as alcohol, firearms, healthcare, or financial services face stricter content rules. A post accepted on a general retail listing may be blocked on a regulated-category listing. - Low-quality or policy-violating images: Images with excessive overlaid text, stock photos with watermarks, or images that contain nudity, violence, or shocking content will cause rejection. - Keyword stuffing or spammy language: Repeating keywords unnaturally or using excessive capitalisation (e.g. "BEST PRICE BEST SERVICE BEST DEAL") triggers spam filters. - Ineligible post type for the business category: Offer posts and Event posts have additional requirements. Offers must include a valid start and end date. Events must have a title and date range. Missing these fields causes rejection. - Suspended or unverified listing: Posts cannot be published to a listing that is suspended, pending re-verification, or flagged for a policy review. The listing itself must be in good standing. - Duplicate content: Posting identical or near-identical content across multiple listings in a short window can trigger a duplication flag on one or more of those listings. - External link destination issues: If your call-to-action URL leads to a broken page, a page that redirects to an app store, or a page with restricted content, Google may reject the post. ✅ How to Fix a Rejected GBP Post Because GBP post rejections are enforced by Google's own content policies, the fix must be made on the post content itself. Follow these steps: 1. Identify which of the common rejection reasons above applies to your post by reviewing the post's wording, images, dates, and the status of the listing it targets. 2. Revise the post to remove or correct the policy violation — for example, remove prohibited content, replace a non-compliant image, add missing date fields for Offer or Event posts, or rewrite spammy language. 3. Resubmit the corrected post and monitor its status. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

⏱️ Why Your GBP Score Updates Slowly

What Is the GBP Score? The GBP (Google Business Profile) score in Search Atlas is a composite metric that measures how complete, accurate, and optimised your Google Business Profile is. It takes into account dozens of profile fields and signals, so changes you make do not always reflect instantly in the score. Why Does the Score Take Time to Update? There are two separate layers of delay to be aware of: - Google's processing time: After you save a change inside Google Business Profile, Google needs to review and publish that update. Depending on the type of edit, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several days. Until Google confirms the change is live, Search Atlas cannot factor it into the score. - Search Atlas sync cycle: Search Atlas pulls fresh data from your Google Business Profile on a scheduled basis. Once Google has processed your edit, Search Atlas will pick it up during the next sync. Score recalculations occur after the updated data has been retrieved from Google's side. This means the total time between making an edit and seeing your score move can range from a few hours to a few days, depending on the type of change and Google's review speed. Which Changes Carry the Most Weight? Not all profile edits affect the score equally. Search Atlas weights changes based on how significantly they influence local search relevance and profile completeness. High-impact edits tend to move the score more noticeably than minor tweaks. Higher-impact changes (typically produce a more visible score shift): - Adding or updating your primary and secondary business categories - Writing or substantially rewriting your business description - Adding or refreshing photos and videos (especially the cover photo and logo) - Completing previously empty core fields: address, phone number, and website URL - Setting accurate and complete opening hours, including special hours Lower-impact changes (smaller or more gradual score movement): - Adding or updating attributes (e.g. accessibility features, payment methods) - Responding to customer reviews - Publishing new Google Posts - Minor edits to existing text that was already populated - Small photo additions when a strong photo set already exists What to Do If Your Score Still Has Not Updated 1. Confirm the change is actually live on your Google Business Profile by viewing your profile directly in Google Maps or Search — not just inside Search Atlas. 2. Allow sufficient time for Google to process the edit and for Search Atlas to complete its next data sync before expecting the score to reflect the change. 3. Check that the field you edited is one that Search Atlas tracks as part of the score calculation — not all optional fields carry equal weight. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔍 Understanding GBP Service Landing Pages

📘 What the recommendation means A GBP service landing page recommendation identifies a website page that can better explain one of your services. The page gives customers and search engines useful details about the service, location, benefits, and how to take the next step. This recommendation is separate from the Services section in your Google Business Profile (GBP). It does not mean Google can place a website landing page directly inside that section. 🌐 Where the landing page is published When you choose to create the recommended page, Search Atlas opens the page creation workflow in Website Studio with the service and Brand Vault context available. You can review, edit, and publish the page to your connected website. 1. Open OTTO SEO from the left sidebar. 2. Select All Sites and choose the relevant site. 3. Review the GBP recommendation for the service. 4. Choose the page creation option to open Website Studio. 5. Review the content, make any changes, and publish it to your website. The page is published on your website, not inserted into the GBP Services section. 📍 How the page supports your GBP After publication, the landing page can support your local presence by giving customers a relevant destination for that service. Depending on your GBP setup and available Google features, you may be able to add the website URL to appropriate service, post, update, or profile content manually. Google controls which fields and links are available in a Business Profile. Search Atlas cannot force a landing page into a GBP section that does not support direct page placement. 🧭 Why this section appears The recommendation exists to connect your GBP services with useful, service-specific website content. A service name in GBP and a dedicated page on your website serve different purposes: - GBP Services: Lists the services your business offers within your profile. - Service landing page: Provides detailed information on your website and can target relevant local searches. A recommendation may appear even when a page cannot be added directly to the Services section because the page still strengthens the website content supporting that service. ✅ Before publishing - Confirm the service is actually offered. - Check that the page uses the correct business name, location, and contact details. - Review the content for accuracy and brand consistency. - Avoid creating duplicate pages for services that already have suitable landing pages. Search Atlas uses service matching to help identify existing pages and reduce unnecessary recommendations. Review each suggestion before creating a new page. 💬 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.

🖼️ GBP Media Upload File Validation Fix

A bug affecting media uploads in the GHL Local GBP integration has been resolved. Previously, the Galactic Media upload tool lacked file type and format validation, allowing unsupported files to be submitted without any warning. ✨ What's New The Galactic Media upload feature within GHL Local GBP now enforces file type and format validation. Users attempting to upload an unsupported file type will receive immediate feedback, preventing invalid uploads before they are processed. 🛠️ How to Use It 1. In the left sidebar, navigate to Local → Media Library (Media Library). 2. Select a file to upload. If the file type or format is not supported, a validation error will appear before the upload is submitted. 3. Choose a supported file type and re-upload to complete the process successfully. 📋 What to Expect Only files meeting the required type and format criteria will be accepted by the Galactic Media uploader. Unsupported files will be blocked at the point of selection, reducing errors and ensuring cleaner media submissions within the GHL Local GBP workflow. 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.

Update Phone Number NAP Across GBP, Citations, and OTTO

🔍 Why NAP Consistency Matters NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number — the three core pieces of business information that search engines use to verify your local presence. When your phone number differs across your Google Business Profile (GBP), local citations, and OTTO SEO settings, it can confuse search engines and hurt your local rankings. This article explains what to do when your phone number is not propagating consistently across GBP, Citations, and OTTO SEO in Search Atlas. ⚠️ What Is NAP Propagation? When you update your phone number in one place — such as your Google Business Profile — that change needs to be reflected everywhere your business information appears: local directory citations and your OTTO SEO project. If these are out of sync, it can negatively affect your local SEO rankings. Propagation is not always instant and may take time to reflect across all connected systems. ✅ Recommended Order to Update Your Phone Number To ensure your new phone number propagates correctly and consistently, follow this sequence: 1. Update your Google Business Profile (GBP) first. Log in to your Google Business Profile and update the phone number there. GBP is the authoritative source that Search Atlas syncs from, so this must be done before making any changes in Search Atlas. 2. Update your Citations in Search Atlas. Navigate to the Local Citations section in Search Atlas and update the phone number for the affected business location. This ensures your directory listings reflect the new number. 3. Update your OTTO SEO project. Go to your OTTO SEO project settings and confirm or update the phone number there so it matches your GBP and Citations entries. 4. Allow time for propagation. Changes may not be instant. Wait 24–72 hours for the updated number to propagate across connected systems and local directories. 5. Verify consistency. After the propagation window, check all three areas — GBP, Citations, and OTTO SEO — to confirm the phone number is consistent. 📋 If the Number Is Still Not Updating If after following the steps above your phone number is still inconsistent across GBP, Citations, or OTTO SEO, please have the following ready before reaching out to our support team: - The exact business location or project name affected - The old phone number and the new phone number you need reflected - Which specific area is still showing the incorrect number (GBP sync, Citations list, OTTO SEO project, or all three) - Any steps you have already taken to update the number and when you took them 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 Review Automation Quotas and OTTO Billing Explained

Overview Two closely related questions come up frequently for agencies and businesses managing multiple locations in Search Atlas: how GBP (Google Business Profile) automated review response credits are counted across many locations, and why the number of billed OTTO sites may not match the number of active sites you see in your account. This article explains what to expect and what information to have ready when escalating either issue to our support team. GBP Review Automation Quotas GBP review automation quotas govern how automated review responses are allocated across your connected locations. Because the specifics of how credits are counted, shared, and reset can vary depending on your plan and account configuration, the exact mechanics are not the same for every account. If you are seeing unexpected quota usage or believe your quota is not being counted correctly, this requires investigation by our support team. When escalating, please have the following ready: - The names or URLs of the affected GBP locations so the team can identify which locations are involved. - The approximate date you noticed the discrepancy to help narrow down when the issue began. - A description of what you expected versus what you are seeing (for example, which locations you believe should or should not be consuming quota). - Your current plan or any custom pricing arrangement if you are aware of it, as quota limits differ by plan. OTTO Site Billing Discrepancies It is not uncommon to see a difference between the number of OTTO sites shown in your account and the number reflected on your bill. The relationship between active sites and billed sites depends on your specific plan and contracted terms, and cannot be determined from account views alone. If you believe you are being billed for more OTTO sites than you should be, or if the number does not match what you expect, please escalate to our support team with the following information ready: - Your account name and the email address on the account. - The number of OTTO sites you see as active in your account and the number you are being billed for. - The relevant invoice date or billing period where the discrepancy appears. - Any custom or negotiated pricing terms you are aware of, as contracted plans may have fixed site allowances that differ from what is visible in the account dashboard. Our team will review your account configuration and billing records to identify the source of the discrepancy and correct it if needed. 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.

🗺️ Local Heatmap Grid Radius and Ranking Discrepancies Explained

🔍 Overview The Local SEO Heatmap tool in Search Atlas scans a grid of points around your business location and records how your listing ranks at each point for a given keyword. Two common questions from customers are: why do scores differ between back-to-back runs? and why does capitalisation (e.g. "car repair" vs "Car Repair") produce different results? This article explains what to expect and how to get the most consistent results from your scans. ⚙️ How the Heatmap Grid and Radius Work When you configure a heatmap scan you choose two settings: a radius (how far from your pinned location to scan) and a grid size (how many points to plot across that radius). These two values together determine how the scan area is laid out. - Radius — the distance from your business address to the outer edge of the scan area. - Grid size — the number of grid points plotted across the scan area (for example, a 7 × 7 grid covers 49 points). If you notice that your grid appears to be scanning a wider or different area than you configured, this may be related to how your radius and grid settings are stored. If you suspect a configuration discrepancy, please contact our support team with your project name and scan details so we can investigate. 📊 Why Scores Differ Between Back-to-Back Runs Some variation between runs is normal. Common reasons include: - Live Google data — the heatmap queries Google's local search results in real time. Google continuously updates rankings, so two scans run close together can return slightly different positions. - Keyword capitalisation — search terms such as "car repair" and "Car Repair" may return different results. Always use the same capitalisation convention across all your scans to ensure consistent comparisons. - Pinned location differences — if your scans have used different pin locations over time, scores from those runs are not directly comparable. Verify your pinned base address is consistent before comparing historical results. ✅ Best Practices to Get Consistent Results - Always use the same keyword capitalisation across all scans for a given campaign. - Verify your pinned location has not changed between scans before comparing results. - Use the same radius and grid size settings across scans you intend to compare. - If results look unexpectedly different between runs, note the exact scan settings, timestamps, and keyword used, and reach out to our team for review. 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 Customize the Display Name on Your GBP Client Connection Page

📋 Overview When you share a Google Business Profile (GBP) connection page with a client, Search Atlas displays a name next to your agency logo on that page. By default, this name is pulled from your personal account information. If you want clients to see your business or agency name instead of your personal name, you can update this in your account settings. 🔍 Why This Matters The GBP client connection page is often one of the first touchpoints a client has with your agency's branded experience. Showing a professional business name instead of a personal name helps you: - Reinforce your agency brand when requesting GBP access from clients - Maintain a consistent, professional appearance throughout the client onboarding process - Avoid confusion when clients see an unfamiliar personal name on the connection page ⚙️ How to Change the Display Name To update the name shown on your GBP client connection page, navigate to your account or profile settings within Search Atlas and look for the field that controls the name displayed to clients. Update that field with your preferred agency or business name and save your changes. If you are having trouble locating the correct setting, the exact navigation path may vary depending on your account type or plan. In that case, our support team can confirm the exact location and assist you in making the update. ✅ Verifying the Change After the update is saved, it is a good practice to confirm the change looks correct before sending the connection link to a client: - Copy your GBP client connection link from the top-right Avatar Menu (👤) → Settings → Integrations → Share links → Individual links, and copy the Google Business Profile link from the modal. - Open the link in a private or incognito browser window to simulate the client view. - Confirm that your business name is displayed next to the logo as expected. 💡 Tips and Best Practices - Use your official agency or company name exactly as you want clients to see it — avoid abbreviations unless they are part of your recognized brand. - If you manage multiple brands or sub-agencies, check whether your plan supports white-label or multi-brand settings for more granular control. - Keep your logo and display name consistent across all client-facing pages for a polished, professional impression. 🆘 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.

📍 Understanding Heatmap Pin Movement on Service Area Businesses

🗺️ Overview If you have set a heatmap pin for a Service Area Business (SAB) and noticed it has moved from where you originally placed it, this article explains what is known about this behavior and what steps you can take to address it. 🏢 What Is a Service Area Business (SAB)? A Service Area Business is a business that serves customers at their locations rather than at a fixed storefront — for example, a plumber, cleaning service, or mobile dog groomer. In Google Business Profile, SABs do not have a publicly visible address. Instead, Google defines a service area boundary based on the regions the business has set in their profile. 📌 Why Does the Pin Move? Pin movement on SAB heatmaps is a known behavior. The platform may reposition a heatmap pin when it is placed in a location that does not align with the business's Google-defined service area. Because the source of this behavior involves how the platform interprets Google's service area data, the exact rules governing when and how repositioning occurs are not fully documented in publicly available resources. ✅ What to Do When You Experience Pin Movement Because the specifics of this behavior are not fully documented, the most reliable next step is to contact our support team with the details of your situation. When escalating, please have the following ready so our team can investigate efficiently: - Your project name and the specific heatmap affected - The location where you originally placed the pin and where it moved to - Whether a scan had been run before or after the pin moved - Your Google Business Profile service area settings — specifically the regions or boundaries you have configured in GBP - Any screenshots showing the pin's original and current position This information will allow our team to identify whether the repositioning is expected platform behavior or an issue that requires a fix on your account. 🔒 Pin Locking After a Scan There is some indication that pin position behavior may change in relation to scan activity. However, the precise conditions under which any locking or stabilization occurs are not confirmed in available documentation. If you believe your pin is not behaving as expected after a scan, please reach out with the details listed above so our team can review your specific case. 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.

📍 Update Locked GBP Addresses

🔒 Why the address is locked Search Atlas may show an address field as locked with a message telling you to update it through the main Google Business Profile (GBP). This usually means Google controls the field for that listing. It is not a Search Atlas project or location lock, so unlocking settings in Search Atlas will not resolve it. Google may restrict address edits for service-area businesses, verified listings, recently changed listings, or profiles that require additional review. Some businesses also hide their street address and display only a service area. ✅ Update the address in Google 1. Sign in to the Google account that manages the business profile. 2. Open the business’s main GBP profile in Google Search or Google Maps. 3. Select Edit profile, then open the Location or Address section. 4. Enter the correct business address and save the changes. 5. Complete any verification or review steps Google requests. Google may review the change before publishing it. The address can remain unchanged or temporarily disappear while the review is in progress. 🏢 Check service-area settings If the business visits customers instead of serving them at a public location, Google may require it to be set up as a service-area business. In that case, remove the public street address when appropriate and add the areas served instead. Do not display a residential or private address unless customers can visit that location during business hours. 🔄 Sync the update with Search Atlas 1. Wait for Google to approve and publish the change. 2. Open Local from the left sidebar, then go to Local → Overview. 3. Review the business location and refresh or sync the profile if that option is available. 4. Confirm that the updated address appears in the connected GBP data. If Google has not approved the change, Search Atlas cannot override the restriction or publish the address on Google’s behalf. ⚠️ When to use Search Atlas lock guidance Use Search Atlas lock troubleshooting only when the message refers to a project, location, permissions, or an internal Search Atlas setting. If the message specifically says to add or edit the address through the main GBP profile, follow Google’s process instead. 💬 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.

🔄 Reconnecting Your GBP Account and Citation Sync

Overview If your original Google Business Profile (GBP) was suspended and you created a new one with the same business details, you may need to reconnect it inside Search Atlas. This article explains what to expect when reconnecting a GBP account and how citation sync behaves after reconnection. What Happens to Citations After Reconnection? When you reconnect a new GBP account in Search Atlas — even if the business name, address, and phone number are identical to the suspended profile — citations do not sync automatically. A new citation sync will need to be triggered manually after the new GBP is connected. This means any citations previously associated with the old (suspended) GBP connection will not carry over automatically. You will need to re-run the citation sync process once the new account is connected. How to Reconnect Your GBP Account and Re-Sync Citations To reconnect your GBP and restore citation sync, follow these general steps: 1. In your Search Atlas account, locate the settings or connection area for your GBP project and connect your new GBP account by signing in with the Google account that manages the new profile, then confirm the correct business location. 2. Once the new GBP is connected, manually trigger a new citation sync for your project — this will not happen automatically. 3. Review the results and address any inconsistencies or missing listings identified during the sync. Tip: Make sure your business name, address, and phone number in the new GBP exactly match what is listed in your citations. Even small differences can cause mismatches during the sync. Important Things to Know - Citations do not sync automatically. After connecting a new GBP, you must manually trigger a citation sync — it will not happen on its own. - Business details must match. For the citation sync to work accurately, ensure your name, address, and phone number are consistent across your GBP and all citation sources. - Contact support if you are unsure. If you cannot locate the GBP reconnection option or the citation sync trigger in your account, reach out to our support team and have your project name and the Google account email associated with the new GBP ready so we can assist you quickly. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔍 Understanding GBP Citation Visibility

📌 What “Complete” means A citation marked Complete means the submission was processed successfully at the time it ran. It does not guarantee that the listing will remain visible forever in the Search Atlas account or on the publisher’s website. ⏳ Why older citations may disappear Completed citations can become unavailable in the account after an extended period, including submissions that are more than 12 months old. Publisher directories may also update, merge, remove, or change listings independently of Search Atlas. This means an older campaign can show as complete while its citation details are no longer available in the current account view. A missing citation does not automatically mean the original submission failed. 🔎 How to check a citation 1. Open the relevant project in Search Atlas. 2. Go to the GBP or Citations area. 3. Search for the campaign or citation using its name, business details, or campaign ID. 4. Review the current status and any available publisher or listing URL. 5. Open the publisher URL, if available, to confirm whether the listing is still live. 🛠️ What to do when it is not visible - Confirm that you are viewing the correct project, location, and account. - Check whether the citation is older than 12 months. - Search the publisher directly using the business name, address, and phone number. - Allow for publisher changes, indexing delays, or listing removals. - If the citation is important and no longer exists, consider submitting it again through a current citation campaign. ✅ Important expectations Citation delivery is not a permanent guarantee. Publisher websites control their own directories, and listings can be edited or removed after a submission is completed. Search Atlas may also limit the visibility of older campaign records as the platform is updated. Do not create duplicate submissions immediately if a citation is still processing or recently completed. First verify the campaign status and publisher listing to avoid unnecessary duplicates. 💬 Need help checking a citation? 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.

⚡ Add Custom Services in GBP Galactic Without a Service Type ID

Overview GBP Galactic supports adding services that are unique to your business, even when no predefined Service Type ID matches your offering. If you cannot find a matching Service Type ID for a service you want to list, you may be able to create a custom service by leaving the Service Type ID field blank rather than selecting a predefined option. When to Use This Approach Consider this workflow when: - Your service does not match any available Service Type ID option - Your business offers a specialized or niche service not covered by predefined categories - You need to list a service under a name specific to your brand How to Add a Custom Service Without a Service Type ID The core principle confirmed for this workflow is: do not select or enter a Service Type ID when adding your custom service. Leave that field empty. Enter your custom service name and any other relevant details in the remaining fields, then save your entry. The system should accept the submission without requiring a Service Type ID value. Because the exact field names, button labels, and navigation paths within GBP Galactic may vary depending on your account configuration or recent platform updates, we recommend exploring Avatar (top-right) → Billing → Services to locate the relevant form. If you are unsure where to find it or the form does not behave as described, our support team can walk you through the exact steps for your account. If You Run Into Issues If the system does not allow you to save a service without a Service Type ID, or if you are not sure whether your custom service was successfully created, please reach out so a teammate can review your specific setup and confirm the correct steps. When contacting support, please have the following ready: - The name of the business profile and location you are working with - The custom service name you are trying to add - Any error message you see, including the exact wording 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.

🔍 Find Any Profile in GBP Galactic Dropdown

Overview When creating a post or managing content in GBP Galactic, you select the target profile from a dropdown menu. If a profile does not appear in the dropdown, it does not necessarily mean the profile is missing — it may not be visible due to how the dropdown loads connected profiles. How to Navigate to GBP Galactic Posts 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. Under the Local section, click Posts. 3. Click the button to create a new post. The profile selection dropdown will appear. What to Do When a Profile Is Not Visible in the Dropdown If you open the profile selection dropdown and cannot find the profile you need, try the following steps before assuming the profile is missing: 1. Open the profile selection dropdown inside the Posts creation screen (Local → Posts). 2. Scroll through the full visible list of profiles in the dropdown to make sure the profile is not present but out of view. 3. If the profile still does not appear, verify that the Google Business Profile account for that location is connected to your Search Atlas workspace. 4. Ensure you are logged in to the correct Search Atlas workspace that owns the profile. 5. If the profile is confirmed connected but still does not appear in the dropdown, contact our support team with the profile name and your workspace details so the team can investigate and resolve the visibility issue on your account. If the Profile Still Does Not Appear If you have completed the steps above and the profile remains missing from the dropdown, this may require a backend check on your account. When reaching out, please have the following ready: - The exact name of the profile that is not visible (for example, Villa Leonidas) - The name of your Search Atlas workspace - The Google Business Profile account the location is connected to - Any screenshot showing the dropdown without the expected 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.

🗺️ Link Heatmaps to GBP After Duplicate Consolidation

🔍 Overview When a Google Business Profile (GBP) account contains duplicate listings, Search Atlas may link your Local SEO Heatmap grids to the wrong location ID. After you resolve the duplicate on Google's side — through a CID (Customer ID) consolidation — the heatmap may need to be re-associated with the correct GBP location. This article explains what that process involves and how to request assistance from the Search Atlas team. ⚠️ What Is CID Consolidation and Why Does It Affect Heatmaps? Google assigns a unique CID to every GBP listing. If your account had two listings for the same business location, Google may have consolidated them into a single authoritative CID. Once that happens, the location ID that Search Atlas previously used to track your heatmap grids may no longer match the active GBP listing. As a result, your heatmaps can appear disconnected, fail to refresh, or stop receiving new ranking data. 🛠️ How to Request a Heatmap Re-link Re-linking a heatmap to the correct GBP location after duplicate consolidation requires assistance from the Search Atlas team. To help us process your request as efficiently as possible, please have the following information ready before reaching out: - Confirmation that the duplicate is fully resolved in Google — Log in to your Google Business Profile account and verify that only one listing exists for the location. The consolidation must be complete before the team can re-link your heatmap. - Your Search Atlas project or account name — so the team can locate your heatmap records. - Details about the affected heatmap — including the business name and location associated with the heatmap that is no longer updating correctly. - The correct, active GBP listing details — such as the business name, address, and any identifiers visible in your GBP account for the consolidated listing. 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.

🔔 Manage GMB Alerts and Guest Post Reassignment

📋 Overview This article covers two common tasks: configuring alerts for Google Business Profile (GBP) posts that require your authorization, and requesting a new placement when a guest post is rejected. Both of these involve backend actions handled by our support team. This article explains what to expect and what information to have ready when you reach out. 🔔 Google Business Profile Post Notifications Search Atlas can notify you when a GBP post is awaiting your approval before it goes live. These alerts help you act quickly and keep your publishing schedule on track. What triggers a notification? You will receive an alert when a GBP post is queued and requires your authorization before publishing. Important notes about notification setup: - Notification channel configuration is handled on the backend by our support team. - If you are not receiving alerts, or need to change how or where you are notified, a support agent can update your settings on your behalf. What to have ready when escalating: - Your account email address. - A description of the notification issue (for example, not receiving alerts at all, or receiving them on the wrong channel). - The name or identifier of the GBP post involved, if applicable. 🔗 Requesting a New Guest Post Placement If your guest post submission was rejected by a publisher, our support team can assist you in getting it reassigned to a new placement. This is a backend action that requires an agent to process on your behalf. What to have ready when escalating: - Your account email address. - Details about the rejected guest post (such as the order or placement reference). - Any relevant context about the rejection, including when it occurred. 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.

🔧 Customize Your GBP Connection Page Display Name

Overview When you share a Google Business Profile (GBP) connection link with a client, they see a branded connection page. By default, this page may display your personal account name. You can request to have this changed to your agency or business name so clients see a professional, on-brand experience when granting access. What You Need to Know GBP connection page display name customization is a supported configuration in Search Atlas. However, the exact steps to update this setting depend on your specific account setup and may require assistance from our support team to locate the correct option or apply the change on your behalf. How to Get Your Display Name Updated 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Explore your account or workspace settings area to see if a display name or business name field is available for your plan. 3. If you cannot locate the setting, or if the field appears unavailable, contact our support team using the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 4. When reaching out, have the following ready: - The business or agency name you want displayed on the connection page. - Your Search Atlas account email or workspace name. - A sample GBP connection link, if you have already generated one. Our team will confirm where the setting lives for your account type and help you apply the correct name so your clients see your business name on the connection page. 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.

📍 Ordering Apple Business Connect Listings via Local Citations

🍎 What Is Apple Business Connect? Apple Business Connect is Apple's free tool for managing how your business appears in Apple Maps, Siri, Wallet, and other Apple apps. A listing (called a place card) can show your name, address, phone number, hours, website, photos, and more. For local businesses, such as a remodeling company serving a specific city, a correct Apple listing helps nearby customers find you on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. ❓ Can Search Atlas Create an Apple Business Connect Listing? Yes. You can request an Apple Business Connect listing through the Local Citations feature. Local Citations helps you build consistent business listings across directories and platforms so your name, address, and phone number (NAP) match everywhere online. Availability can depend on your plan and on whether Apple already has a listing for your location. If you do not see Apple Business Connect as an option, use the chat steps at the end of this article and we will check your account. 🧾 What You Need Before Ordering Gather the details below first. Accurate information speeds up approval and avoids rejections. - Exact business name as it appears on your signage and website - Full street address (or service area if you do not serve customers at your location) - Main phone number that is answered by your business - Website URL that matches your business name and location - Primary business category (for example, remodeling contractor) - Business hours, including any holiday hours - Logo and photos, if you want them on your listing Make sure this information matches your Google Business Profile and website. Inconsistent details are the most common reason listings are delayed or flagged. 🛠️ How to Order Through Local Citations 1. Log in to the Search Atlas platform and open the Local Citations tool. 2. Select the business or location you want to create the listing for. If it is not set up yet, add it first. 3. Review the business details on file and correct anything that is outdated. 4. Choose Apple Business Connect from the list of available directories or platforms. 5. Submit your order and confirm the details. 6. Track the status from the same Local Citations area of your account. If you manage several locations, place a separate order for each one. Each location needs its own unique address and details. ⏱️ What Happens After You Order Apple reviews every new or updated listing, so it will not go live immediately. Here is what usually happens: - Your order is submitted with the business details you confirmed. - Apple checks the information and may ask for verification, such as a phone call, a document, or confirmation that you are authorized to represent the business. - Once approved, the listing can appear in Apple Maps and other Apple services. Updates may take some time to show up. Review times are controlled by Apple, so they can vary. Check the order status in Local Citations before reaching out. 🔑 Can I Access the Listing Natively Afterward? Yes. Apple Business Connect is built so that business owners can manage their own listings. After your listing is created, you can claim it with your own Apple Account at Apple Business Connect and manage it directly. Here is the general process: 1. Go to the Apple Business Connect website and sign in with your Apple Account. We recommend using a business-owned Apple Account rather than a personal one. 2. Search for your business name and address. 3. Select your listing and choose to claim it. 4. Complete Apple's verification, which may include a phone call, a document upload, or domain confirmation. 5. Once verified, you can edit hours, photos, links, and other details directly in Apple Business Connect. Owning the listing in your own Apple Account means you keep control even if you change vendors or tools later. Apple also lets you add other people as team members or delegates, so a colleague or agency can help without sharing your login. Note: Ownership and access depend on how the listing is created and verified. If a listing is already claimed, Apple may ask you to request access from the existing owner or go through additional verification. If you are unsure who the listing is registered to, ask our team to confirm the details for your order. 💡 Tips for a Smooth Approval - Use your real business name only. Avoid adding keywords or city names that are not part of your legal or signage name. - Use a local phone number that someone can answer, since Apple may call to verify. - Make sure your website clearly shows the same name, address, and phone number. - Check Apple Maps first to see whether a listing for your business already exists. If one does, claiming it is usually better than creating a duplicate. - Keep your information the same across all your directories. 🔧 Common Issues and Fixes - The order is taking a long time: Apple reviews each submission, so some delay is normal. Check that your details are accurate and that you responded to any verification request. - A listing already exists: Claim it in Apple Business Connect instead of creating a new one, to avoid duplicates. - Verification failed: Check that your phone number, address, and website match your public information, then try again. - I cannot find the Apple option in Local Citations: It may not be included in your current plan or for your location. Contact our team to confirm. - The listing shows the wrong information: Once you have claimed the listing, you can edit it directly in Apple Business Connect. You can also update your details in Search Atlas so future submissions stay consistent. 💬 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. Please include your business name and the location you are ordering for, so we can check your order and listing status quickly.

📍 How to Run and Read a GBP Audit

📍 What Is a GBP Audit? A GBP Audit checks your Google Business Profile (GBP) and highlights what is complete, what is missing, and what could be improved. A strong profile helps your business appear in local search results and Google Maps, and helps customers trust what they see. The audit looks at areas such as business information, categories, descriptions, photos, reviews, and other profile details that can affect local visibility. ✅ Before You Start Check these items first. They prevent most audit problems: - You have an active Search Atlas account and are logged in. - Your Google Business Profile is verified in Google. - You know the exact business name and location you want to audit. - The Google account you use has access to the profile (owner or manager). 🚀 How to Run a GBP Audit 1. Log in to the Search Atlas platform. 2. Open the Google Business Profile tools from the main navigation. 3. Connect your Google account if prompted, and approve the requested permissions. 4. Select the business location you want to review. 5. Start the audit and wait for it to finish. Larger profiles may take a little longer. 6. Review the results on screen once they appear. Menu names can change as we improve the platform. If you cannot find the tool, use the platform search or the chat widget (see the last section). 📊 How to Read Your Results Your results are designed to show you what to fix first. Look for: - Completed items: parts of your profile that are set up well. - Missing or incomplete items: fields that are empty or could be stronger, such as a description, hours, or photos. - Recommendations: suggested actions to improve your profile. Start with the simplest fixes, like accurate business details, then move on to larger improvements like new photos or review management. 🛠️ Common Fixes After an Audit - Business information: make sure your name, address, phone number, and website match what customers see everywhere else. - Categories: choose a primary category that best describes your main service, then add relevant secondary ones. - Description: write a clear, natural summary of what you offer and where you operate. - Photos: add recent, high-quality images of your location, team, products, or work. - Reviews: reply to reviews, especially recent ones, and ask happy customers to leave feedback. - Hours and services: keep opening hours, holiday hours, and service lists current. Make profile changes in your Google Business Profile. Then run the audit again to confirm they were picked up. 🔄 If Your Audit Does Not Load or Looks Wrong Try these steps in order: 1. Refresh the page and run the audit again. 2. Check your Google connection. Disconnect and reconnect your Google account if the profile does not appear. 3. Confirm access. The connected Google account must have owner or manager rights to the profile. 4. Verify the profile. Unverified or suspended profiles may return limited or no data. 5. Allow time for updates. Changes made in Google can take a while to show in the audit. 6. Try another browser or a private window to rule out extensions or cached data. ❓ Why Might My Results Differ From What I See on Google? - Recent edits may not have been picked up yet. - Google may be showing pending changes that are still under review. - You may be auditing a different location or a duplicate listing. - Search results can vary by device, location, and time. If the details still do not match after you re-run the audit, note which items differ. This helps our team look into it faster. 💬 Getting Help From a Human Teammate If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. To get the quickest resolution, include these details in your first message: - The business name and location you are auditing. - What you expected to happen and what actually happened. - Any error message you saw, or a description of it. - The steps you already tried from this article. Tip: chats can close automatically after a period of inactivity. If yours closed before your question was resolved, just open the chat widget again, type human teammate, and briefly restate your issue. Staying in the chat window while you wait helps keep the conversation open.

📍 How the Citations Module Distributes Your Business Data

📍 What the Citations Module Does The Citations module in Search Atlas submits your business information — name, address, phone number, website, and other details — to major data aggregators and directory networks. These aggregators then distribute your data to the directories, apps, maps, and search platforms that pull information from them. This is the standard way the local search industry distributes business data at scale. 🌐 Why You May Not See Hundreds of Live Listings When the Citations module describes pushing your data to hundreds of sites at once, it refers to the reach of the distribution network — not a guaranteed number of live, indexed listings for every business. The final number of citations you see depends on factors outside our direct control: - Aggregator acceptance: Each data aggregator and directory reviews submissions against its own criteria before publishing. - Directory discretion: Individual sites in the network decide independently whether to list a business. Some only list businesses in certain categories, regions, or countries. - Existing listings: If your business already has listings on many sites, the network updates them rather than creating duplicates, so your net-new count may look smaller. - Data accuracy: Inconsistent or incomplete business details can cause some directories to reject the submission. - Processing time: Aggregators and directories update on their own schedules. Distribution can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to fully propagate. ⏱️ What to Expect After Submitting Here is a typical timeline for citation distribution: 1. Days 1–7: Your data is submitted to the aggregators and initial directories. A small number of listings may go live quickly. 2. Weeks 2–6: Aggregators syndicate your data across their partner networks. New listings continue to appear during this period. 3. Weeks 6–12: Slower directories and niche sites pick up the data. Some listings may take the full 12 weeks to appear. Because of this rollout, checking your live citation count in the first week will not reflect the final result. 🛠️ How to Improve Your Citation Results To get the most from the Citations module, follow these best practices: - Make sure your business name, address, and phone number are accurate and match your Google Business Profile exactly. - Fill in every available field, including website URL, categories, business hours, and description. Complete profiles are accepted by more directories. - Use a physical address rather than a PO box, as many directories reject PO boxes. - Allow the full distribution window before evaluating results. - Connect and verify your Google Business Profile under Local → GBP Projects so your local data stays consistent across platforms. 📊 How to Check Your Citations You can review your citation status inside your project dashboard in the Citations section. Keep in mind that the dashboard reflects confirmed submissions and detected live listings. Third-party directories may take additional time to be crawled and reported, so the visible count can lag behind actual placements. 💡 Why a Lower Count Can Still Deliver Value Citation quality matters more than raw volume. Listings on major aggregators, core directories, and relevant niche sites carry the most weight for local rankings. A smaller set of accurate, consistent citations on authoritative platforms typically outperforms a large number of low-quality listings. The Citations module prioritizes these high-impact sources first. 💬 Still Have Questions? If your citation count has not changed after the full 12-week distribution window, or if you believe your submission encountered an error, we are happy to review your account. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

🔗 How to Add Google Business Profile to Knowledge Graph

📋 Overview This article covers how to add a Google Business Profile to the Knowledge Graph in Search Atlas. Our support team can walk you through exactly where to find the relevant field for your account. 🚀 How to Get This Set Up Because the exact location of the Google Business Profile field may vary depending on your account configuration, we recommend reaching out to our team directly so we can guide you to the right place without any confusion. When you contact support, please have the following ready so we can help you as quickly as possible: - Your brand entity name (if applicable) - The full public Google Business Profile URL you want to add - A brief description of where in the platform you have already looked If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

🛠️ Editing a Citation Submission Business Name

📌 Quick Answer Once a Citation Builder submission is in progress, its business details are usually locked, because they have already been queued or sent to citation sources. This means the business name typically can't be changed from your dashboard. Our team can review your campaign and tell you whether it can be corrected or needs to be resubmitted. Please don't create a duplicate submission on your own. Doing so may result in a second charge. Contact our team first so they can check your options. 🔍 Why Business Names Get Locked Citation Builder distributes your business information to many directories and data sources. To keep your listings accurate and consistent, the details are fixed once distribution begins. Changing a name midway could leave some listings with the old name and others with the new one. Inconsistent listings can hurt your local search performance. 🧰 What You Can Do Your best path depends on how far along the submission is. The team can check the following for you: - Correction on the existing submission: if the submission hasn't progressed far, the team may be able to update the business name directly. - Cancel and resubmit: if the name can't be edited, the team can advise on how to resubmit with the correct details. - Billing review: if a resubmission is needed, ask the team how billing will be handled so you know what to expect before you proceed. 📝 How to Request a Correction 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. Share your campaign ID (you can find it in your Citation Builder campaign). 4. Give the exact business name you want, spelled and capitalized the way it should appear. For example: Home Plus Air and Heat. 5. State that all other details (address, phone number, website, categories) should stay unchanged. 6. If a resubmission is needed, ask how to do it without being charged a second time. Including these details in your first message helps the team respond faster, with less back and forth. 💡 Tips to Avoid This Issue - Review the business name, address and phone number carefully on the final step before you submit. - Use the exact name shown on your website, Google Business Profile and signage. - Keep punctuation, abbreviations and spelling consistent, such as "and" versus "&". - If you are unsure which version of the name to use, check with our team before submitting. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Can I edit the business name myself after submitting? In most cases, no. Business details are locked once the submission is in progress. - Will I be charged again if I resubmit? Don't resubmit before checking with our team. They can review your campaign and explain how billing applies in your situation. - Will changing the name affect my other details? No. When you ask for a correction, tell the team that everything else should remain unchanged. - How long does a correction take? It depends on the submission's progress. The team can give you an estimate once they review your campaign. 💬 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

Check Local Citation Order Progress

📋 Check your citation order status Use these steps whenever you want to check the progress of a local citation order placed through Search Atlas. 1. Confirm the order details. Have your project name, order date, citation package, and any target deadline ready before checking. 2. Open the relevant project. Navigate to the local citations or GBP section of the platform and locate the project associated with your citation order. 3. Review available order information. Check the project and service records for the current order status, submitted items, completed citations, pending work, or any requests for additional information from your side. 4. Check account activity. If the order status is not immediately visible in the project view, look in your account's billing or activity section for entries related to the citation order or service. 5. Note the latest update. Record the status, the date of the most recent update, what has been completed, and any stated reason for a delay. 6. Set accurate expectations. Citation delivery can vary by directory, review requirements, data accuracy, and publishing delays. An order may complete in stages rather than all at once. The latest platform update is the source of truth — the absence of a visible change on a directory does not mean work has stopped. 🔎 Common order statuses explained - Pending: The order has been placed but work has not yet started, or no progress update has been recorded yet. - In progress: Citation work is actively being completed or reviewed. - Completed: The order work has finished. Some directories may still take additional time to publish or display the changes. - Action required: Information or approval is needed from you before work can continue — check for any messages or prompts in the platform. ⏱️ What to do if your order appears delayed 1. Confirm the original order date and which citation package was purchased. 2. Check whether the order shows a recent progress update in the platform. 3. Look for any action-required message or a prompt requesting missing business information. 4. Compare the current status with any estimated timeline shown in your account. 5. If the order has no recent update, appears stuck, or has exceeded the stated timeline, contact the support team with the details below so the issue can be escalated for review. 💬 Contact the support team When reaching out, have the following ready: your project name, order date, citation package, current status shown in the platform, date of the last update, and your deadline. This allows the team to investigate quickly without back-and-forth. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

🔔 Manage GBP Pending Task Alerts

🔍 Why you receive pending task alerts A pending task alert means a GBP item is waiting for an action before it can be published. This can include a post that requires approval, a failed or disconnected GBP connection, or an item created before your publishing preference changed. Changing a project to publish without approval does not always remove tasks that were already placed in the approval queue. Those existing tasks may continue to generate alerts until they are published, canceled, or removed. ⚙️ Check publishing and approval settings 1. Open Social from the left sidebar. 2. Select All Projects and open the relevant project. 3. Review the project’s publishing or approval setting. 4. Confirm that publishing without approval is selected, then save the change if prompted. Apply this setting before creating new posts. New posts should follow the updated workflow, while older pending items may need separate action. 📋 Clear existing pending tasks 1. Go to Social → Pending Approvals. 2. Find the GBP post or task linked to the alert. 3. Choose the available action, such as approve, publish, cancel, or delete. 4. Return to the project and confirm that no older tasks remain in the queue. If the task is not listed there, open Social → All Projects, select the project, and review its posts or calendar. You can also open More Features → Social → Calendar to locate scheduled items. 🔕 About disabling alerts Alerts are tied to pending work that needs attention. Publishing without approval prevents approval from being required for new eligible posts, but it may not disable alerts for tasks already pending or for connection and publishing errors. To reduce alerts, clear the existing queue, confirm the approval setting, and resolve any GBP connection issues. If your platform view includes notification controls, review them in the relevant project or notification settings. Some task alerts may remain enabled so important publishing problems are not missed. ✅ If posts still stay pending - Confirm the GBP account is connected under Local → GBP Projects. - Check that the project is using the correct GBP location. - Verify the post meets GBP content requirements and contains no unsupported details. - Refresh the project and check both Pending Approvals and the calendar. - Check whether the post was created before approval-free publishing was enabled. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

📍 Manage Google Business Profile Address Changes

📍 Understanding address changes Search Atlas does not change your Google Business Profile address without an action, setting, or connected workflow that permits the update. Address changes may also come directly from Google, another user with profile access, or a connected service. If an address changed unexpectedly, first confirm the change in your Google Business Profile and review who has access to the profile. Check whether a location, business detail, or scheduled task was recently updated in Search Atlas. 🔎 Review your Search Atlas activity 1. Open Local from the left sidebar. 2. Review Local → Overview for the affected business location. 3. Check Local → My Tasks for recent or scheduled work related to business information. 4. Compare the current address with your approved business details and Google Business Profile settings. Search Atlas navigation and available actions can vary by account, subscription, and connected integrations. If you cannot identify the source of the change, avoid making repeated edits until the update is reviewed. 🛑 Prevent unwanted updates - Confirm that only trusted users and services have access to your Google Business Profile. - Review connected integrations and any tasks that can update business information. - Keep one approved address document or record for comparison. - Document the original address, changed address, date, and any related task or activity. 💳 Requesting a refund Refund eligibility depends on the product, subscription, service activity, and account terms. A refund is not automatic when a profile address changes. To request a review, provide the affected business location, the date of the change, the service or subscription involved, and why you believe a refund is appropriate. Include screenshots or activity details when available. Our team can investigate the change, confirm whether Search Atlas was involved, and explain the available resolution. Submitting a request does not guarantee approval. 💬 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 instantly connected with a member of our team.

🏥 Update Clinic Name in Aggregators

🔍 Why the clinic name may be locked Search Atlas may lock the clinic name after aggregator submissions begin to help keep your listings consistent. Changing the name while submissions are in progress can create duplicate listings, mismatched records, or failed updates. ✏️ Check the clinic name first 1. Open the relevant project in Search Atlas. 2. Review the clinic or business information connected to the aggregator submissions. 3. Confirm that the name matches the clinic’s official public name and branding. 4. Check spelling, punctuation, location details, and any legal or trading-name differences. 🔓 Request an update to a locked name If the clinic name field is locked, do not create a second submission or change the name in only one location. The update may require the existing submission to be unlocked or reviewed first. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. ✅ Information to include To help the team review the request quickly, provide the project name, current clinic name, desired clinic name, clinic location, and the reason for the change. If the name has legally changed, include the effective date and confirm the name shown on the clinic’s website or other official business profiles. 📌 After the name is updated - Allow time for the new name to process across aggregator networks. - Do not submit the same clinic again unless instructed. - Review the listings after processing to confirm the name is consistent. - Report any duplicate or incorrect listings through the chat widget.

Unlock a Google Business Profile So You Can Disconnect It

Why disconnecting is blocked If Search Atlas tells you to disable the lock before you can disconnect a Google Business Profile, the project-level lock is on for that location. The lock stops automated syncs and edits from changing your live profile, and it also blocks disconnecting while it is on. Where the lock control is 1. Open your GBP / Local SEO Overview for the location. 2. Look in the top-right area, just to the right of the Heatmap / Keyword table. 3. Find the card labeled GBP Data Locked, with "Protected" underneath it. It shows a green toggle switch with a padlock icon. 4. Click the green toggle to switch it to Unlocked / Off. There is no separate lock icon to hunt for. The control is that toggle. After you unlock it With the toggle off, the protection is disabled and you can disconnect the Google Business Profile or edit it. Turn the toggle back on when you want the protection again. If you do not see the toggle Click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of the platform to start a live chat with a member of our team, and tell them which location you are trying to disconnect.

Check the Status of Your GBP Local SEO Jobs

How do I check whether my Local SEO Heatmap scans are running? 1. Open your GBP Projects in Search Atlas. 2. Go to LOCAL SEO TOOLS → Local SEO Heatmaps. 3. Open the project or heatmap and review the scan status and scan history. A scan that shows as pending is not necessarily stuck — scans process in order and may take time. If a scan has not progressed for an extended period, contact us via live chat with the project name and the scan date. How do I check my GBP posting jobs? 1. Open GBP Galactic → Posts. 2. Select the Google Business Profile you want to check. 3. Review the Automated Posting status and settings. If your account requires approval before publishing, pending posts appear under My Tasks and must be approved there before they go out. A job looks stuck or failed Note the project name, the job type, and the date it started, then contact us via live chat. Please do not re-trigger the same job repeatedly — that can create duplicate work.

⚙️ Apply AI Review Reply Prompts to Many Locations

🔍 Overview If you manage many Google Business Profile (GBP) locations, such as 34, you probably want the same AI review auto-response prompts on every one. Setting them up location by location can feel slow, especially when each star rating (1 to 5 stars) has its own custom prompt. This article explains how to approach a multi-location setup, how to cut down the manual work, and what to do if you want help applying the same prompts everywhere. ❓ The Common Question Customers with many locations often ask: Can I bulk upload or apply my custom review prompts to all locations at once, or do I need to open each GBP and update every star-rating prompt individually? Review auto-response prompts are stored at the location level. That means each location holds its own set of prompts. Depending on your account and the current version of the platform, you may see an option to apply or copy settings across several locations. If you do not see one, the steps below keep the manual process fast and consistent. 📝 Step 1: Prepare Your Prompts Before You Start Preparation saves the most time. Before opening any location, write your final prompts in one document so you can copy and paste them. - Create one prompt for each star rating (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 stars). - Keep the tone consistent with your brand, such as friendly, professional or concise. - Avoid location-specific details like a city name or manager name, unless you plan to edit them per location. - Use general wording so the same prompt works for every location. - Save the document somewhere you can reach quickly while you work. 🔎 Step 2: Check for a Multi-Location Option Before you start the manual process, look for a faster option in your account. 1. Log in to the platform and open the GBP section. 2. Open the review management or review auto-response settings. 3. Look for options such as selecting multiple locations, applying settings to all locations, or copying settings from one location to others. 4. If you find one, set up your prompts on one location first, then use that option to apply them to the rest. Menu names can change as the platform is updated. If you cannot find a multi-location option, move on to Step 3 or contact our team (see the last section). 🛠️ Step 3: Update Each Location Efficiently If you need to update locations one at a time, this workflow keeps things quick and reduces mistakes. 1. Open the first location and go to its review auto-response settings. 2. Paste your prepared prompt into each star-rating field (1 to 5 stars). 3. Save your changes and confirm the save went through. 4. Move to the next location and repeat. 5. Keep a simple checklist of all 34 locations and tick each one off as you finish. Tip: Work in batches, for example 10 locations at a time, so you can take breaks and avoid missing one. ✅ Step 4: Test and Verify After you update your locations, confirm everything works as expected. - Spot-check several locations to make sure all five star-rating prompts are saved. - Review the first few AI-generated replies on new reviews to confirm the tone is right. - If a reply does not sound right, adjust the prompt wording and test again. - Check that auto-response is turned on for every location you updated. 💡 Best Practices for Multi-Location Accounts - Keep one master copy. Store your approved prompts in a single document so future changes are easy to roll out. - Use a different tone by rating. For example, thank customers warmly on 5-star reviews and show empathy on 1-star reviews. - Invite offline resolution on low ratings. Encourage unhappy customers to reach you directly rather than discussing details in a public reply. - Avoid sensitive details. Prompts should never ask the AI to share private customer information. - Review regularly. Revisit your prompts every few months to keep them fresh and accurate. ⚠️ Common Issues and Fixes - Some locations still use old prompts. Reopen those locations and confirm your changes were saved. - Replies are not being posted. Check that auto-response is enabled and that the GBP connection is active for that location. - A location is missing from the list. Make sure it is connected to your account and that you have permission to manage it in Google. - Replies sound too generic. Add more specific guidance to the prompt, such as tone, length and what to mention. 💬 Need Help Applying Prompts to All Locations? If you have many locations and want help applying the same prompts across your account, our team can check what is available for your setup and guide you through it. Please include how many locations you manage and the prompts you want to use. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

🔓 Disable GBP Data Locked to Disconnect Profile

🔍 Overview If you try to disconnect a Google Business Profile (GBP) and see a message saying you must first disable the lock, you are running into the GBP Data Locked toggle. It is a safeguard that prevents a profile from being disconnected by accident. This article explains what the toggle does, how to find it, and how to disconnect your profile once it is off. 🔒 What Is the GBP Data Locked Toggle? GBP Data Locked is a protection setting on a connected profile. While it is on, the connection between Search Atlas and your Google Business Profile is protected, so the profile cannot be disconnected until you turn the setting off. - It is a toggle switch with a text label, not a padlock icon. This is why many people cannot spot it at first. - It exists to protect your profile data from accidental changes or removal. - Turning it off is a deliberate step that confirms you really want to make changes to the connection. 🧭 How to Find the Toggle Because the toggle is labeled with text rather than an icon, look for the words GBP Data Locked instead of a lock symbol. To find it: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Open the Google Business Profile (GBP) section of the platform. 3. Select the profile you want to disconnect. 4. Look through the profile's settings or details area for a switch labeled GBP Data Locked. If the profile is locked, the switch will appear in the on position. 🔓 How to Disable GBP Data Locked and Disconnect Your Profile 1. Open the profile you want to disconnect, as described above. 2. Find the GBP Data Locked toggle. 3. Click the toggle to switch it off. Confirm the change if the platform asks you to. 4. Wait a moment for the setting to save, then refresh the page if the status does not update. 5. Click the Disconnect option for that profile. 6. Confirm the disconnection when prompted. Once the profile is disconnected, it should no longer appear as an active connection in your account. ❓ What Happens After You Disconnect? - Search Atlas stops managing and syncing that profile. - Your actual Google Business Profile is not deleted. It still exists in your Google account. - You can reconnect the profile later by linking your Google account again. If you plan to reconnect the same profile later, make sure you can still sign in to the Google account that manages it. 🛠️ Troubleshooting If you still cannot disconnect your profile, try these checks: - You cannot see the toggle: Make sure you have selected the individual profile and are not viewing a general list. Refresh the page or try a different browser window. - The toggle will not switch off: Check that you are logged in as the account owner or a user with permission to manage connections. Team members with limited access may not be able to change this setting. - The Disconnect option is still unavailable: Wait a few seconds after turning the toggle off, then refresh the page and try again. - An error message appears: Take a screenshot of it. It will help our team resolve the issue faster. - The wrong profile is selected: If you manage several locations, confirm you have opened the correct one before making changes. 💡 Quick Tips - Look for the words GBP Data Locked, not a padlock icon. - Always disable the toggle first, then disconnect. - Double-check the profile name before confirming, especially if you manage multiple locations. - Disconnecting does not delete your Google 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 instantly connected with a member of our team.

📍 Google Business Profile Posts: Common Questions Answered

Google Business Profile (GBP) posts are short updates, offers, and event announcements that appear on your business listing in Google Search and Maps. This article covers the questions we hear most often about GBP posts, so you can fix common issues quickly and know what to share if you need help from our team. 📍 What Are Google Business Profile Posts? GBP posts let you share news directly on your listing. They help customers see what is new and give them a reason to contact or visit you. The most common post types are: - Update: general news, tips, or announcements. - Offer: a promotion or discount with a start and end date. - Event: something happening on a specific date or over a date range. 🔗 Before You Post: Check Your Connection Most posting problems start with the account connection. Before you troubleshoot anything else, confirm the following: - Your Google Business Profile is connected to your Search Atlas account. - The Google account you connected has Owner or Manager access to the profile. - The profile is verified in Google and is not suspended. - You selected the correct location if you manage more than one profile. If the connection has expired, reconnect your Google account from the integrations or settings area of your Search Atlas project and try again. ✍️ How to Create and Schedule a Post 1. Open your project in Search Atlas and go to the Google Business Profile tools. 2. Select the location you want to post to. 3. Choose the post type: Update, Offer, or Event. 4. Write your text. Keep it short, clear, and focused on one message. 5. Add a clear, high-quality image. 6. Add a call-to-action button if you want one, such as Learn more or Call now, and a link to a relevant page. 7. Choose to publish now or schedule it for a later date and time. 8. Review your post and confirm. Menu names can vary slightly depending on your plan and the current version of the platform. ⏱️ Why Is My Post Not Showing? A post that does not appear right away is usually not a sign that something is broken. Here are the most common reasons: - Google is reviewing it. Google may review posts before they go live. This can take from a few minutes to a couple of days. - It was declined. Posts that break Google's content policies can be rejected. Check your profile for a notice from Google. - It is scheduled for later. Check the date and time zone you selected. - It expired. Offer and Event posts are removed from view after their end date. - The connection needs attention. An expired or disconnected Google account can stop posts from publishing. - Search results are cached. Your post may be live but not yet visible in search. Try viewing your profile while logged in as the owner, or check again later. ✅ Tips for Posts That Get Approved - Use original, relevant images rather than heavy text overlays. - Write in plain language and avoid all-caps or excessive punctuation. - Make sure any offer details, dates, and terms are accurate. - Link only to pages that are relevant to the post and work properly. - Avoid misleading claims and content Google restricts, such as regulated or prohibited products and services. - Post regularly. A steady schedule works better than a burst of posts followed by silence. 🛠️ Quick Troubleshooting Checklist 1. Confirm your Google account is still connected and has Owner or Manager access. 2. Check that the correct location is selected. 3. Look at the post status to see whether it is scheduled, pending, published, or failed. 4. Review the post text and image against the tips above, then edit and resubmit if needed. 5. Wait a short time, since Google review and display delays are normal, then check again. 6. If the issue continues, gather the details listed in the next section. 💬 Still Need Help? What to Include If you have a GBP post question that is not covered here, our team is ready to help. To get an answer faster, include as many of these details as you can in your first message: - The business name and location the post relates to. - What you were trying to do, such as create, schedule, edit, or delete a post. - The post type and the date it was created or scheduled. - The status you see in Search Atlas and in Google. - Any error message, plus a screenshot if possible. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

🎥 Why You Can't Upload Videos to the Local SEO Media Library

📌 Overview If you try to upload a video to the Media Library in Search Atlas Local SEO and the upload fails or the file isn't accepted, this is expected. Video uploads are not currently supported in the Local SEO Media Library. The library is designed for image files that you can use with your local listings and related Local SEO content. This article explains what to expect and what you can do instead. ❓ Why Can't I Upload a Video? The Media Library accepts image files only. When you select a video file (for example, MP4, MOV, or AVI), the platform can't process it, so the upload is blocked or doesn't complete. This is a current feature limitation, not an error with your account, browser, or internet connection. - It is not caused by your file size or internet speed. - It is not a permissions issue with your account or plan. - Clearing your cache or switching browsers will not change the result. 🖼️ What You Can Upload Use the Media Library for image files, such as: - Business photos (storefront, interior, team, products) - Logos and branding images - Service or project photos If an image upload fails, check that the file is a standard image format and is not corrupted. Try re-exporting it and uploading it again. 🛠️ Workarounds for Video Content If your goal is to showcase video content for a local business, consider these options: 1. Upload the video directly to the platform where it will be displayed. For example, Google Business Profile allows video uploads directly in the profile. Check Google's current guidelines for supported length, file size, and resolution, since these can change. 2. Host the video on a video platform such as YouTube or Vimeo, and link to it from your website or other content. 3. Use a still image in the Media Library. Export a high-quality frame or thumbnail from your video and upload it as an image. 4. Convert a short clip to an image, if appropriate. A screenshot of a key moment can work well as a visual for your listing content. ✅ Quick Troubleshooting Checklist - Confirm the file you are uploading is an image and not a video. - Check the file extension. Video extensions such as .mp4, .mov, and .avi will not upload. - Try a different image to rule out a problem with a specific file. - Refresh the page and retry the upload if an image upload stalls. 💬 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

🎨 Improved Light Theme in GBP Sidebar

We fixed a display issue in the Google Business Profile sidebar so that it now looks right when you use the light theme. Menu items and the sidebar background now match the rest of the platform, making navigation easier to read. ✨ What's New Previously, if you used the light theme while working in Google Business Profile, parts of the sidebar could appear with styling meant for the dark theme. This could make menu items harder to read or cause the sidebar to look out of place next to the rest of the page. The sidebar now applies the correct light theme styling in the following areas: - Menu items: Text, icons, and highlights now use light theme colors so they are clear and easy to read. - Sidebar background: The overall sidebar container now matches the light theme, so it blends in with the rest of the page. 🛠️ How to Use It You don't need to change any settings. If you use the light theme, the improvement is already in place. To check it out: 1. Open the Google Business Profile section of the platform. 2. Make sure your platform is set to the light theme. 3. Look at the sidebar menu. The items and background should display in consistent light theme colors. 📋 What to Expect - This update only affects how the sidebar looks. Your Google Business Profile data and features work the same as before. - If you use the dark theme, you won't notice any change. - If the sidebar still looks incorrect after the update, try refreshing the page to load the latest version. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.

📝 Fixing Paragraph Spacing in Automated GBP Posts

📌 Overview When a blog post is automatically shared to your Google Business Profile (GBP), you may notice that the sentences look run together, with no blank space between paragraphs. This article explains why that happens and what you can do to keep your posts easy to read. 🔎 Why Paragraph Spacing Gets Lost Your blog and your Google Business Profile handle text differently. Understanding the difference helps explain what you see. - Blogs use formatting code. Paragraph spacing on a blog page comes from formatting behind the scenes, not from blank lines in the text itself. - GBP posts are plain text. Google Business Profile posts do not support headings, bold text, or other blog-style formatting. Only the text and simple line breaks carry over. - Posts are shortened. GBP posts have a character limit, so the blog content is usually condensed into a short summary. During this step, paragraph breaks can be merged into one block of text. - Google controls the display. How the final post looks on Google Search and Maps is decided by Google, and it can vary by device. ✅ Tips for Better Readability While you can't control every detail of how Google displays a post, these habits improve how the text reads once it reaches your profile. - Keep the opening short. The first few sentences of your blog are the most likely to be used in the GBP post, so make them clear and complete on their own. - Use short paragraphs. One or two sentences per paragraph keeps the text readable even if spacing is reduced. - Start with the key message. Put your main point and any call to action near the top of the post. - Avoid relying on formatting. Do not depend on bold text, bullet lists, or headings to make the post understandable, since they will not show in GBP. - Write clean sentences. Each sentence should end with proper punctuation so it still reads well if two lines appear close together. 🛠️ How to Check and Adjust Your Post 1. Open your Google Business Profile and find the post that was published automatically. 2. Check whether the paragraphs appear run together on the live post. 3. If you are able to edit the post, add blank lines between paragraphs by pressing Enter twice at the end of each one, then save the change. 4. Review the updated post on both desktop and mobile to confirm it looks the way you want. 5. For future posts, shorten the opening paragraphs of your blog so the summary that is shared reads clearly. ⚠️ Good to Know - Changes you make directly to a post in Google Business Profile apply only to that post. They do not change your original blog article. - Editing your blog after it has been shared will not always update the existing GBP post. - If a post looks different on different devices, this is usually due to how Google displays text, not an error with your content. 💬 Still Seeing Run-Together Text? If paragraph spacing is still not showing the way you expect, our team can review the specific post with you and let you know your options. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team. To help us resolve it faster, mention which blog post and which Google Business Profile location is affected.

💡 GBP Review Automation Quotas and OTTO Billing Explained

💡 GBP Review Auto-Reply Costs and Multi-Project Reporting

📌 Overview Two questions come up often from customers who manage Google Business Profile (GBP) locations: how much it costs to auto-reply to a Google review, and whether several GBP projects can be combined into one report. This article explains how to find your cost per reply in credits and dollars, and how to compare results across projects. 💳 How Credits Apply to Review Auto-Replies When auto-reply is turned on for a GBP project, each review the platform responds to can use credits from your account balance. The exact number of credits per reply depends on your plan and on how the feature is configured, so it is best to confirm it for your own account rather than rely on a general figure. To see what you are being charged: 1. Open the GBP project where auto-reply is enabled. 2. Open the review auto-reply settings and look for any credit usage note shown next to the feature. 3. Open your account billing or credit usage area and review the activity log after a few replies have been sent. 4. Compare your credit balance before and after a reply to see how many credits it used. Tip: Test with a single new review. The change in your balance after one reply is your exact credits per reply. 💵 Converting Credits Into Real-World Dollars Credits are included in your subscription, so the dollar value depends on your plan. You can work out an estimate with this formula: 1. Cost per credit = your plan price divided by the number of credits included per billing period. 2. Cost per reply = credits used per reply multiplied by your cost per credit. 3. Monthly cost = cost per reply multiplied by the number of reviews you expect to receive. For example, with made-up numbers for illustration only: if a plan costs $100 and includes 1,000 credits, each credit is worth $0.10. If one reply used 2 credits, it would cost about $0.20, and 50 replies in a month would cost about $10. Replace these with the values from your own plan and usage log. If you buy extra credits as a top-up, use the price of that top-up pack instead of your plan price to get the cost per credit. 🧮 Ways to Keep Auto-Reply Costs Predictable - Estimate your volume: Check how many new reviews each location usually receives per month. - Enable it where it matters: Turn auto-reply on only for locations with frequent reviews if you want to limit credit use. - Monitor your balance: Check credit usage after the first week to confirm it matches your estimate. - Review manually when needed: For sensitive or negative reviews, you may prefer to write the response yourself. 📊 Reporting Across Multiple GBP Projects Each GBP project tracks its own data, including keyword rankings and GBP score. Because of this, results are normally viewed project by project. Do not assume a single combined report with an average keyword rank and average GBP score is available on every plan. Ask our team to confirm what is available for your account (see below). In the meantime, you can build a combined view yourself: 1. Open each GBP project and note its average keyword rank and GBP score for the same date range. 2. Export or download each project's report if the option is available, or copy the figures into a spreadsheet. 3. List one project per row, with columns for average rank and GBP score. 4. Calculate the average of each column to get your overall figures. For a more accurate result, consider a weighted average. For example, if one location tracks 50 keywords and another tracks 10, weighting by keyword count prevents the smaller project from skewing the overall rank. ✅ Best Practices for Multi-Location Reporting - Use the same date range for every project. - Track a consistent set of keyword types across locations so the averages are comparable. - Save your spreadsheet as a template and update it monthly. - Record your credit usage alongside performance so you can see the cost of auto-replies against results. 🛟 Need Help? If you want to confirm the exact credits your plan uses per auto-reply, or ask whether a combined multi-project report is available for your account, our team can check for you. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.