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Google Search
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Google Search

Search results across the web

What Google Search is for

Google Search returns the search results page as structured data. It answers, at scale, the question every SEO and content team asks manually: who actually ranks for this, and what are they saying?

Doing that by hand means running a query, scrolling, copying titles and URLs, and repeating for every keyword. Twenty keywords is an afternoon. This turns it into one run.

It suits competitive research, content gap analysis, and link prospecting — anywhere the ranked list itself is the dataset you need.

How it works

Supply queries and choose how many results per page and how many pages deep to go. The result count is pages multiplied by results per page, which is worth remembering when estimating a run.

Each result returns as a structured row: position, title, URL, and snippet. Position is the important field, because rank order is the competitive information.

Running the same query set periodically turns a snapshot into a trend. Comparing two runs a month apart shows who gained and who slipped.

Because output is structured, it feeds directly into whatever analysis you already do — a spreadsheet, a rank tracker, or an AI summarisation pass over the snippets.

What each result contains

FieldTypeDescription
positionnumberRank on the results page — the core competitive signal.
titlestringResult title as displayed.
urlurlDestination URL.
displayedUrlstringURL as shown in the result.
descriptionstring | nullSnippet text, useful for gap analysis.
searchQuerystringThe query that produced the row, for grouping multi-query runs.

What you get

  • Pull the top search results for any query — organic listings with title, URL, and snippet.
  • Use for competitive research, content gap analysis, or building link prospect lists.
  • Automate the SERP research your team does manually today.

Example use case

An SEO consultant pulls the top fifty results for twenty target keywords in a single run, then analyses which domains recur across them. The result is a ranked competitor list and a link-prospect shortlist, without opening a browser.

When to choose this source

Use this when the ranked results themselves are the data — competitive analysis, content planning, link prospecting. For business listings by location, Google Maps is the right source. For social conversation about a topic, use Reddit or Twitter.

Limitations worth knowing

Results vary by location and personalisation. Treat any single run as one representative view rather than a definitive universal ranking.

The result count is pages multiplied by results per page, so a run can be larger than expected. Estimate before launching a multi-keyword sweep.

Only organic results are returned. Ads, featured snippets, and other result-page features are not part of the dataset.

This is a snapshot. Rankings move continuously, so tracking change requires repeated runs rather than one collection.

Credit cost

10

credits per result

Only charged for results returned. Failed runs are fully refunded.

Plan availability

All plans

Including Scout ($10/mo)

Start using Google SearchSee pricing

Frequently asked questions

How many results can I get per query?
You set results per page and how many pages to collect, and the total is the product of the two. Keep that multiplication in mind when sizing a multi-keyword run.
Are rankings the same as what I see?
Not exactly. Google personalises by location and history, so your own browser view differs. This gives a consistent baseline, which is more useful for comparison over time than your logged-in view.
Can I track rankings over time?
Yes, by running the same queries on a schedule and comparing. Position is returned as a structured field specifically so this is straightforward.
Does it include ads or featured snippets?
No — organic results only.