SERP API Setup
A SERP API lets SEO Dash fetch real Google search results programmatically. Instead of scraping Google directly (which is unreliable and against their terms of service), a SERP API handles the requests and returns structured data.
Supported Providers
SEO Dash supports two SERP API providers:
- SerpAPI - Offers 250 free searches per month for non-commercial use, which is often enough for personal dashboards. Plans scale up from there for heavier usage.
- ValueSERP - An alternative provider with competitive pricing and reliable results.
How to Set Up
- Sign up for an account with SerpAPI or ValueSERP
- Copy your API key from their dashboard
- In SEO Dash, go to Settings > SEO Data
- Paste your API key in the SERP API section and select your provider
Where It Is Used
Once configured, the SERP API powers these tools:
- Competitor SERP Analyzer - Compares your rankings against actual SERP results for your target keywords
- SERP Analysis - Fetches and analyzes the top results for any query to understand what is ranking and why
Rate Limits
Be mindful of your plan's monthly search quota. Each competitor analysis or SERP lookup counts as one or more API calls depending on how many keywords are checked.