What Is a Cloud Signals Entity?
A Cloud Signals entity is a client account created on the Cloud Signals platform—a proprietary Web Presence Platform and Online Signal Generation Engine designed for digital marketing agencies. Creating an entity is the first step before you can build a media room or publish press releases for a client. Each entity represents a single business location and contains the client’s name, address, industry, social profiles, and Google Place ID.
This article is part of the Content Factory system.
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PRODUCE Record • Capture |
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PROCESS Transcribe • Edit |
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POST Publish • Link |
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PROMOTE Ads • Share |
Entities are essential to the Promote stage of the Content Factory because press releases published through Cloud Signals generate citations that boost local search rankings. Before any press release work can begin, the entity must exist. For a deeper overview of the platform, visit Cloud Signals Explained.
Where Entity Creation Fits in the Content Factory
Entity creation lives in Stage 4 – Promote. After content has been produced, processed, and posted, the Promote stage amplifies its reach through paid distribution, press releases, and citation building. Cloud Signals entities are the foundation for all press release activity. Once an entity is created, the next steps are to activate a media room and publish press releases.
Prerequisites
Before creating an entity, confirm the following: the client has an existing Google Business Profile (GBP)—this is required because Cloud Signals ties entities to verified local business listings. If the business has multiple locations, each location needs its own entity with its own GBP. You also need access to the BlitzMetrics Cloud Signals account via LastPass. If you do not have access, contact operations@blitzmetrics.com.
Information to Gather Before You Start
Collect all of the following from the client’s Google Business Profile and website before opening the entity creation form: entity name, entity industry, full business address, website URL, contact first and last name, contact email address, business telephone number, year founded, target niche, a description of what makes the entity special, social media account URLs for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn, the Google Place ID, a company logo file saved locally for upload, and the “About” section text from the client’s website. Do not edit or correct any client-provided text—use it exactly as it appears.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1 – Verify the Google Business Profile Exists
Search for the client’s business on Google Maps. Confirm that a Google Business Profile appears with the correct name, address, and phone number. If no GBP exists, you cannot proceed—inform the account manager that a GBP must be created first.
Step 2 – Find the Google Place ID
Use the Google Place ID Finder tool at developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/web-service/place-id. Search for the business by name and address to retrieve the unique Place ID string. Copy this value—you will need it for the entity form.
Step 3 – Log In to Cloud Signals
Access the BlitzMetrics Cloud Signals account using credentials shared through LastPass. Navigate to the dashboard and click on the “Entities” button in the main menu.
Step 4 – Click Add Entity
On the Entities screen, click the “Add Entity” button to open the new entity creation form.
Step 5 – Fill in the Entity Form
Enter all the information you gathered in the preparation step. Fill in every field: entity name, industry, address, website, contact details, year founded, target niche, description, social media URLs, Google Place ID, and upload the company logo. Paste the “About” section text exactly as it appears on the client’s website—do not make corrections.
Step 6 – Save the Entity
Review all fields for accuracy, then click Save. The newly created entity should appear at the top of the Entities list.
Verification Checklist
Confirm all of the following: a Google Business Profile exists for the business location, all information entered matches the client’s GBP and website exactly, the correct Google Place ID was entered, the company logo was uploaded successfully, the form saved without errors, and the entity now appears in the Entities list.
What Comes Next
After creating the entity, the next step is to activate a media room. Visit Creating Media Rooms and Press Releases on Cloud Signals to learn the three media room options: Branded Domain, Hosted Domain, and Branded Integration. The full workflow from entity creation to published press release follows four steps: create the entity, create the media room on Cloud Signals, create the media room page on the client’s website, and create and publish press releases.
Related Resources
For a high-level overview of the platform, read Cloud Signals Explained. To learn how to create and publish press releases, visit Creating Media Rooms and Press Releases on Cloud Signals. To become a contributor on another distribution platform, see How to Become a MarketScale Contributor.
Take the Next Step
Cloud Signals entity creation is part of the broader Content Factory amplification strategy. To master all stages of the pipeline, explore the Task Library or join the Content Factory Execution Program (CEP) for hands-on training.
Dennis Yu
Dennis Yu is the CEO of Local Service Spotlight, a platform that amplifies the reputations of contractors and local service businesses using the Content Factory process. He is a former search engine engineer who has spent a billion dollars on Google and Facebook ads for Nike, Quiznos, Ashley Furniture, Red Bull, State Farm, and other brands.
Dennis has achieved 25% of his goal of creating a million digital marketing jobs by partnering with universities, professional organizations, and agencies. Through Local Service Spotlight, he teaches the Dollar a Day strategy and Content Factory training to help local service businesses enhance their existing local reputation and make the phone ring.
Dennis coaches young adult agency owners serving plumbers, AC technicians, landscapers, roofers, electricians, and believes there should be a standard in measuring local marketing efforts, much like doctors and plumbers must be certified.