How do I connect BrightLocal Anywhere to Claude?

Before you begin: Ensure you have your BrightLocal API key ready and that your BrightLocal account has BrightLocal Anywhere access enabled. If you don’t have an API key yet, contact BrightLocal support to obtain one.

To connect BrightLocal Anywhere to Claude, you will require a Pro or Teams account.

Here’s how to connect BrightLocal to Claude:

Open Claude settings

1. If you’re using Claude Desktop app: Launch it. Click on your profile menu and go to “Settings.”
   
   If you’re using Claude’s web interface: Log in and find the Connectors section.
    
2. Ensure you have a paid account that supports connectors (Claude Pro, Team, or Enterprise).

Navigate to connectors

1. In Settings, find “Connectors” or “Integrations.” Claude will list any existing connectors and have an option to add a new one.
    
2. Click “Add Custom Connector.”

Enter BrightLocal details

1. You will be prompted for:
   • Name: Enter “BrightLocal” (or any name you prefer).
   • URL: Enter the BrightLocal Anywhere server URL https://mcp.brightlocal.com/mcp?api-key=YOUR_API_KEY.
      
2. Save or Add the connector.
    
3. Claude will now attempt to establish the connection. It will prompt an authorization process.

Authorize BrightLocal in Claude

1. A browser window or in-app window will open for authentication. Log in to BrightLoca.
    
2. Provide your API key or approve the OAuth consent for Claude to access BrightLocal, as required.
    
3. Once authorized, the connector should appear in Claude’s connector list as active or connected.

Use the BrightLocal connector in Claude

1. Now, open a new Claude chat or conversation. You may need to  enable a toggle to use connectors.
    
2. Try asking Claude something that requires BrightLocal data, e.g., “Using BrightLocal data, what’s my latest Google ranking performance?” If properly set up, Claude will fetch that info via the connector and answer.

In Claude Desktop, you may need to explicitly call a tool with a prefix. Check Claude’s documentation: for example, with some connectors you can type something like @BrightLocal in the prompt to invoke it. However, many times Claude will intelligently pick up that it should use the connector.

Verify and iterate

1. If you don’t get an answer or Claude says it doesn’t have that information, ensure that the connector is enabled. In Claude’s interface, connected tools might be listed under the input box; make sure BrightLocal is toggled on.
   
   You can also click on “Connections” to verify that the BrightLocal Anywhere is connected and enabled.
    
2. Once verified, you can ask a range of questions. Claude is known for handling larger contexts well, so you could ask something like: “Pull my BrightLocal citation report and summarize any inconsistencies found.”

Troubleshooting Claude setup

1. An incorrect URL or API key will cause failures; double-check your configuration.
    
2. Claude’s interface might require a restart if the connector was added but not showing; try closing and reopening Claude Desktop.
    
3. Ensure your BrightLocal account’s API key has BrightLocal Anywhere access. If you’re unsure, please contact support.
    
4. Claude may occasionally time out if the query is complex. Start with a simple query to test the connection, like “How many new reviews did I get last week?” to ensure that works.
    
5. If you run into issues, Claude’s support documentation on custom connectors may provide additional guidance.