What is the DataForSEO SERP Step?
The DataForSEO SERP step is a data-fetching workflow step that pulls live Google search results for a keyword. It returns the top organic results, People Also Ask questions, featured snippets, and related searches — all formatted as structured data that subsequent LLM steps can use to optimize content.
This is ideal for content optimization workflows where you want to:
- Analyze what's currently ranking for your target keyword
- Identify content gaps by comparing your article to top results
- Incorporate People Also Ask questions as headings or FAQ sections
- Match search intent based on what Google is actually ranking
- Pull related searches to improve semantic keyword coverage
Typical Workflow:
- Scraper step — scrape the existing article URL to get current content
- DataForSEO SERP step — fetch what's ranking for the target keyword
- LLM step — rewrite/optimize the content using both the scraped article and SERP data
Prerequisites
- A DataForSEO account — Get API credentials
- Add your DataForSEO login (email) and password in Settings → API Keys
Cost: The SERP API costs approximately $0.002 per keyword lookup. This is charged by DataForSEO
directly to your account — the cost is tracked and shown in your job logs.
Configuration
Add a DataForSEO step to your workflow by selecting DataForSEO (SERP Data) from the provider dropdown.
Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Search Query |
The keyword to search Google for. Defaults to {{keyword}} (the job's keyword).
You can customize this to refine the query, e.g. best {{keyword}} for small business.
|
| Location | The country to search from. Defaults to United States. Determines the Google regional index used. |
| Language | The search language. Only valid languages for the selected location are shown. |
| Results Depth | Number of organic results to fetch (1–100). Default: 10. Higher values cost more. |
| People Also Ask | Include PAA questions from the SERP. Great for generating FAQ sections or H2/H3 headings. |
| Featured Snippet | Include the featured snippet (position zero) if one exists for the query. |
| Related Searches | Include Google's related search suggestions. Useful for expanding semantic keyword coverage. |
Output Format
The step outputs structured markdown that LLM steps can easily parse. The output includes:
{`## SERP Results for "best project management tools"
### Featured Snippet
**10 Best Project Management Tools in 2026**
URL: https://example.com/best-pm-tools
> Compare the top project management tools...
### Top Organic Results
1. **Best PM Tools 2026** (example.com)
URL: https://example.com/best-pm-tools
> Compare the top project management tools...
2. **Project Management Software** (another.com)
URL: https://another.com/pm-software
> Find the right PM software for your team...
### People Also Ask
- What is the best project management tool?
- How do I choose project management software?
- Is Monday.com better than Asana?
### Related Searches
- project management software free
- project management tools for small teams
- best pm tools comparison 2026`}
Example Workflows
Content Optimization (Rewrite Existing Article)
- Web Scraper — scrape the URL of your existing article
- DataForSEO SERP — fetch current SERP data for the target keyword
- LLM (e.g. Claude) — "Rewrite the article from Step 1, optimizing it based on the SERP data from Step 2. Incorporate PAA questions as sections, match the search intent of top-ranking results, and add related keywords naturally."
SERP-Informed New Content
- DataForSEO SERP — fetch what's ranking for the keyword
- LLM with Web Search — "Write a comprehensive article about {{keyword}}. Use the SERP data to ensure you cover topics that top-ranking pages address. Include a FAQ section based on the People Also Ask questions."
API Usage
You can configure a DataForSEO SERP step via the External API:
{`{
"workflowAgents": [
{
"id": "step-1",
"order": 0,
"provider": "dataforseo",
"model": "",
"prompt": "",
"enabled": true,
"dataforseoConfig": {
"keyword": "{{keyword}}",
"locationCode": 2840,
"languageCode": "en",
"depth": 10,
"includePaa": true,
"includeFeaturedSnippet": true,
"includeRelatedSearches": true
}
},
{
"id": "step-2",
"order": 1,
"provider": "anthropic",
"model": "claude-sonnet-4-5-20250514",
"prompt": "Write a comprehensive article about {{keyword}}...",
"enabled": true
}
]
}`}