SEO SERP Tracking

Track rankings, monitor SERP changes, and analyze search result features using DataForSEO API via direct curl calls.

API Configuration

Credentials stored in ~/.config/dataforseo/auth (Base64 encoded).

# Read auth token
AUTH=$(cat ~/.config/dataforseo/auth)

Quick Reference

API Endpoints

Live SERP Check

curl -s -X POST "https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/serp/google/organic/live/advanced" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic $(cat ~/.config/dataforseo/auth)" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '[{"keyword": "TARGET_KEYWORD", "location_name": "United States", "language_code": "en", "depth": 100}]'

Domain Rank Overview

curl -s -X POST "https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/dataforseo_labs/google/domain_rank_overview/live" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic $(cat ~/.config/dataforseo/auth)" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '[{"target": "example.com", "location_name": "United States", "language_code": "en"}]'

Ranked Keywords (Site Rankings)

curl -s -X POST "https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/dataforseo_labs/google/ranked_keywords/live" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic $(cat ~/.config/dataforseo/auth)" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '[{"target": "example.com", "location_name": "United States", "language_code": "en", "limit": 100}]'

Historical SERP

curl -s -X POST "https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/dataforseo_labs/google/historical_serps/live" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic $(cat ~/.config/dataforseo/auth)" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '[{"keyword": "TARGET_KEYWORD", "location_name": "United States", "language_code": "en"}]'

SERP Competitors

curl -s -X POST "https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/dataforseo_labs/google/serp_competitors/live" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic $(cat ~/.config/dataforseo/auth)" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '[{"keywords": ["kw1", "kw2", "kw3"], "location_name": "United States", "language_code": "en"}]'

Keyword Overview

curl -s -X POST "https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/dataforseo_labs/google/keyword_overview/live" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic $(cat ~/.config/dataforseo/auth)" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '[{"keywords": ["kw1", "kw2"], "location_name": "United States", "language_code": "en"}]'

Analysis Modes

1. Domain Ranking Overview

Get complete ranking profile for a domain.

Input: domain (e.g., "example.com")
Output:
- Total ranking keywords
- Position distribution (1-3, 4-10, 11-20, 21-100)
- Estimated organic traffic
- Top ranking keywords
- SERP feature presence

Position Distribution Chart:

Position 1-3:   ############ 45 keywords
Position 4-10:  #################### 89 keywords
Position 11-20: ########## 42 keywords
Position 21-50: ######## 35 keywords
Position 51+:   #### 18 keywords

2. Live SERP Check

Get current SERP for any keyword.

Input: keyword, location (optional)
Output:
- Top 10/20/100 results
- SERP features present
- Ads above/below organic
- Related searches
- People Also Ask

SERP Feature Detection:

3. Historical SERP Analysis

Track SERP changes over time.

Input: keyword
Output:
- SERP snapshots over time
- Position changes per domain
- Feature appearance/disappearance
- Volatility assessment

Use cases:

• Track algorithm update impact
• Identify ranking trends
• Detect competitor movements
• Plan content updates

4. SERP Competitor Analysis

Find who's competing for keywords.

Input: keyword(s)
Output:
- All ranking domains
- Average position per domain
- Traffic share estimates
- Content type analysis

5. Keyword Position Check

Check specific keyword positions for your domain.

Input: domain, keywords[]
Output:
- Current position per keyword
- URL ranking for each
- SERP features captured
- Position change from last check

Ranking Metrics

Position Tiers

Traffic Estimation

DataForSEO provides estimated traffic based on:

• Search volume
• Position
• CTR model
• SERP features present

Note: These are estimates, not actual traffic data.

Output Formats

Ranking Report

# SERP Rankings: [domain]
Generated: [Date]

## Overview
- Total Keywords: X
- Estimated Monthly Traffic: X
- Average Position: X
- Keywords in Top 10: X

## Position Distribution

| Position | Keywords | % of Total |
|----------|----------|------------|
| 1-3 | X | X% |
| 4-10 | X | X% |
| 11-20 | X | X% |
| 21-50 | X | X% |
| 51+ | X | X% |

## Top Keywords

| Keyword | Position | Volume | URL |
|---------|----------|--------|-----|
| [kw1] | 3 | 5,400 | /page1 |
| [kw2] | 7 | 3,200 | /page2 |

## SERP Features Captured

| Feature | Count | Keywords |
|---------|-------|----------|
| Featured Snippet | 5 | kw1, kw2, ... |
| People Also Ask | 12 | ... |

## Opportunities

### Striking Distance (Position 11-20)
Keywords close to page 1 - prioritize optimization:
1. [keyword] - Position 12, Volume 2,400
2. [keyword] - Position 15, Volume 1,800

SERP Analysis Report

# SERP Analysis: "[keyword]"
Location: [location]
Generated: [Date]

## SERP Composition

### Above the Fold
- Ads: 4
- AI Overview: Yes
- Featured Snippet: Yes (domain.com)

### Organic Results
1. domain1.com/page - Title
2. domain2.com/page - Title
...

### SERP Features Present
- [x] AI Overview
- [x] Featured Snippet
- [x] People Also Ask (4 questions)
- [ ] Local Pack
- [x] Image Pack
- [ ] Video Carousel

## Recommendations
1. Content type to create: [based on top results]
2. Target word count: [based on analysis]
3. SERP feature to target: [based on gaps]

Comparison: DataForSEO vs GSC

Use DataForSEO when:

• Analyzing competitors
• Real-time SERP checks
• SERP feature analysis
• No GSC access

Use GSC when:

• Actual click/impression data needed
• CTR optimization
• Your own verified properties

Integration with Other Skills

• Use seo-keywords to find keywords to track
• Use seo-content to optimize underperforming pages
• Use seo-backlinks to understand ranking factors

Best Practices

Tracking Setup

1. Core keywords - 20-50 most important terms
2. Brand keywords - Brand name variations
3. Competitor keywords - Where competitors rank
4. Opportunity keywords - Striking distance terms

Monitoring Cadence