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Now publishingSERP & SEO field notes
Practical experiments and engineering notes from the team that builds the products — the SERP API, rank tracking, CTR testing, and real website traffic. We publish what we test, with the numbers and methods attached.
Latest posts
Guides, benchmarks & tool comparisons.
Long-form breakdowns of SERP APIs, traffic tools, and CTR services — plus the engineering behind the platform.
Bing Search API alternatives: what developers and AI agents use now
Microsoft retired the Bing Search APIs on August 11, 2025. Compare its replacement, Grounding with Bing, with other search APIs for apps and AI agents.
What Is Google AI Mode? How It Differs From AI Overviews
Google AI Mode is a chat-style search you open on purpose. AI Overviews are short AI answers Google adds to normal results. How they differ and why it matters.
Google Custom Search API is shutting down: what to use instead before 2027
Google's Custom Search JSON API is closed to new customers and ends January 1, 2027. See who is affected, what Google suggests, and how to move your code.
Google Search MCP Server: Give Claude, Cursor or Any AI Agent Live Google Results (Python Tutorial)
Build a Google search MCP server in Python that gives Claude Desktop, Cursor or any MCP client live Google results, AI Overviews and People Also Ask as JSON.
Google Search Console API: what it gives you, its limits, and a Python example
The Google Search Console API is free and returns clicks, impressions, CTR and position by query. See its limits, setup steps and a working Python script.
Google search parameters: the URL list with examples, and which still work
Google search parameters are the codes after the ? in a search URL. See what q, hl, gl, uule, tbs, udm, start and num do, with examples and tested status.
How to Calculate Click-Through Rate (CTR): Formula, Examples and a Free Calculator
The click-through rate formula is clicks divided by impressions, times 100. See worked examples, use the free CTR calculator, and avoid the common mistakes.
'Our Systems Have Detected Unusual Traffic From Your Computer Network': What It Means and How to Fix It
Google shows 'unusual traffic from your computer network' when searches from your IP look automated. Learn the five causes and how to make the message stop.
How to Calculate SEO Share of Voice: The Formula, a Real Example and a Spreadsheet Method
SEO share of voice is your share of the clicks for a set of keywords. Get the formula, a worked example from five real Google pages, and a spreadsheet method.
How to Cluster Keywords by SERP Overlap (Spreadsheet Method and Python Code)
Keyword clustering groups keywords that share Google results, so one page can target them all. Learn the spreadsheet method and a short Python script.
How to Find All Pages on a Website: 5 Methods, From Quick to Complete
Find every page on a website with the sitemap, a site: search, Search Console, a crawler, and the Wayback Machine. Real examples and the limits of each one.
How to Track AI Overviews: See When Google Shows One and Whether It Cites You
An AI Overview tracker shows when Google puts an AI answer on your keywords and which pages it cites. Free checks, Search Console, tools, and a DIY method.
AI Visibility Tracking: How to Check if ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Mention Your Brand
AI visibility tracking checks how often ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews name or cite your brand. A free monthly method, then tools and APIs.
How to Turn Off AI Overviews in Google Search (What Works and What Doesn't)
Google has no switch to turn off AI Overviews. You can hide them with the Web filter or udm=14, and make that your browser's default. Steps for each browser.
LLM SEO: How ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Pick Their Sources
LLM SEO means getting your pages cited in AI answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google. What is known, what to do, and how to measure it.
What Are Sitelinks? How Google Picks Them and What You Can Influence
Sitelinks are the extra links Google shows under some results, mostly for brand searches. See real examples, how Google picks them, and what you can change.
What Is Direct Traffic in GA4? What Really Lands There and How to Shrink It
Direct traffic is any visit GA4 cannot tie to a source. See what lands in Direct, how to read it in GA4, and how UTM tags move it to the right channel.
What Is Keyword Difficulty? Why SEO Tools Disagree (We Compared 39 Keywords)
Keyword difficulty is a 0 to 100 score for how hard it is to reach Google's top 10. We compared 39 keywords in two tools and found a 14.8 point average gap.
What Is llms.txt? The Format, Real Examples, a Template, and Who Reads It
llms.txt is a Markdown file at your site root that points AI agents to your key pages. See the format, real examples, a template, and what Google says about it.
What Is Referral Traffic? How GA4 Counts It, When It Is Spam, and Where AI Fits
Referral traffic is visits from links on other websites. See where GA4 shows it, how to spot referral spam, and how ChatGPT and other AI tools show up now.
How to Get a Featured Snippet in 2026 (and Why There Are So Few Left)
How to get a featured snippet: rank on page one, use the question as a heading, and answer in 40 to 60 words. Plus why so few are left in 2026.
How to Rank in People Also Ask: The Box on 93% of Google Pages
How to rank in People Also Ask: find the real questions, answer each in two to four sentences under a matching heading, and track what you own.
What Is a Good Organic CTR? Click-Through Rate by Position and How to Improve Yours
Organic CTR is the share of searchers who see your result and click it. See the benchmark for each Google position and seven ways to lift yours.
How to reduce bounce rate: what it means in GA4 and 9 fixes that work
Bounce rate in GA4 is the share of sessions with no engagement. Learn how it is measured, how to check the number is real, and nine fixes from quick to big.
Where does website traffic come from? The 8 traffic sources explained
Every visit has a source. Learn the 8 website traffic sources, how GA4 sorts them into channels, and why so much traffic lands in Direct and Unassigned.
What is bot traffic? How to spot it in GA4 and what to do about it
Bot traffic is website visits made by software, not people. Learn good and bad bots, five signs of bot traffic in GA4, and how to filter or label it in reports.
How to scrape Google search results with Python (and why a plain request gets no results)
How to scrape Google search results with Python: the script, what Google sent back to it in September 2026, what a working scraper needs, and the API route.
How to Change Your Google Search Location and See Results From Any City or Country
Change your Google search location and see results as if you were in another city or country. Four ways, from the free uule parameter to a browser override.
How to Check Local Google Rankings for Any City (Local SERP Checker Guide)
A local SERP checker shows the Google results a searcher in any city sees, map pack included. Three ways to check local rankings, with real examples.
Why Mobile and Desktop Rankings Differ (and How to Track Mobile Properly)
Mobile vs desktop rankings differ because Google builds a different page for each device. See what our 200-SERP sample showed and how to track mobile.
How Much Does a Rank Tracker Cost? Prices for 500 to 25,000 Keywords (2026)
Rank tracker pricing compared: Ahrefs, Semrush, SE Ranking, AccuRanker, and Nightwatch cost 6 to 23 cents per keyword a month. See when an API is cheaper.
How to Track Google Rankings in Bulk for Thousands of Keywords
How to track rankings in bulk for thousands of keywords by city and device: a keyword list with location codes, nightly async jobs, storage, and reports.
How to Check Your Google Ranking for Any Keyword (5 Ways, From Free to Automatic)
How to check Google ranking for keywords: five ways, from free Search Console and a private window to rank trackers and a SERP API, by city and device.
Why Is My Website Not Showing Up on Google? 9 Causes and How to Fix Each One
Why is my website not showing up on Google? Usually it is not indexed yet, blocked by noindex or robots.txt, or ranking low. Nine causes, each with a fix.
Why Google Rankings Change Every Day: SERP Volatility Explained
SERP volatility is how much Google results move between checks. Learn why rankings fluctuate, how to tell noise from a real drop, and what to do next.
How to Find and Track SERP Feature Opportunities for Your Keywords
Find SERP feature opportunities you can win, like People Also Ask, local packs, and video. A step-by-step method, plus a cheap way to track them over time.
How to Do a SERP Analysis in 7 Steps (With a Real Example)
A SERP analysis shows what Google wants for a keyword before you write. Seven steps, with a real example, to read intent, features, and your chance to rank.
How to Use Google Search Operators: The Plain-English List With Real Examples
Google search operators are short commands like site: and filetype: that narrow a search. See which ones still work, with real examples, and which are dead.
SERP Features Explained: What Every Google Result Block Is and How to Win It
SERP features are the blocks on Google beyond the plain links, like AI Overviews and People Also Ask. See how often each appears and how to earn a spot.
What Is a SERP? Search Engine Results Pages Explained Simply
What is a SERP? It is the search engine results page Google shows after a search. See what is on it and why it changes by city and device.
How to use a SERP API: your first Serplify request, step by step
How to use a SERP API to get live Google results as JSON: create a key, test in the Playground, read the response and copy the request into your code.
How to Run an SEO Traffic Test and Track Google Rankings With Serplify
How to run an SEO traffic test: pick a page that ranks, choose keywords, set a small daily click target, add a control group, and read the rank history.
How to create a targeted website traffic campaign in Serplify
Set up a Serplify website traffic campaign step by step: target page, country, referrer, device, visit behavior and pacing, plus a plan to check it in GA4.
Best Traffic Creator alternatives with prices and trade-offs
Six Traffic Creator alternatives compared on price per 1,000, unit sold, method and best use. Prices checked October 2026, including where rivals cost less.
Website traffic quality checklist (10 checks before you pay for visits)
A 10-point website traffic quality checklist to run before you pay: define the unit, ask how visits are made, check the source and prove delivery in GA4.
How to check website traffic in GA4 and keep test visits out of your reports
Check website traffic in GA4 step by step: Realtime, landing page, events, source, country. Then label test visits with UTM tags and keep them out of reports.
5 SearchSEO Alternatives for CTR Tests, With Real Cost per Click
Compare 5 SearchSEO alternatives for CTR tests: what makes each click, cost per click at low and high volume, targeting, and where SearchSEO still wins.
6 SerpClix Alternatives for CTR Tests, Compared on Price and Click Type
Compare 6 SerpClix alternatives for CTR tests on who or what makes the click, price per click and targeting. Prices checked October 2026, with sources.
Best SerpApi alternatives: 6 Google search APIs compared on price
SerpApi alternatives compared on price per 1,000 searches, results per request and billing rules. Each price checked on the provider's own page, October 2026.
4 SerpEmpire Alternatives for CTR Tests: Monthly Plans vs Pay per Click
Compare 4 SerpEmpire alternatives for CTR tests on price, billing model, targeting and click type. Prices checked October 2026, plus where SerpEmpire wins.
Best SparkTraffic alternatives for test visits and ad reach
SparkTraffic now sells ad-based visits by the credit. Compare 5 alternatives for test visits or ad reach, with prices checked October 2026 and who costs less.
Traffic Masters alternatives for test visits, ad reach and buyers
Traffic Masters sells ad impressions from $19 a month. Compare alternatives for test visits, ad reach and buyers, with public prices checked in October 2026.
DataForSEO alternatives: 6 Google search APIs compared on price and switching effort
DataForSEO alternatives for Google results, compared on price per 1,000 pages, depth billing and how much code a switch takes. Prices checked October 2026.
Does CTR Affect SEO Rankings? What NavBoost Shows and How to Test It
Clicks can affect Google rankings, but not like a dial. See what NavBoost, the antitrust trial and the 2024 leak show, and how to run a CTR test that holds up.
How we parse Google SERP features into stable JSON
How Serplify turns a Google results page into typed JSON: 9 fully typed features, 40 more block types, two rank fields, parser versions and golden tests.
Serplify vs SerpApi vs DataForSEO SERP API: price, billing and features compared
Serplify vs SerpApi vs DataForSEO SERP API, compared on price per 1,000 searches, top-100 cost, billing rules and switching effort. Checked October 2026.
Browse by topic
Seven topics we know from the inside.
Each topic maps to work we do every day — building the SERP API, tracking ranks, and running traffic and CTR tests.
SERP basics & plain-language SEO
15 postsWhat a results page is made of, why rankings move, and how to read a SERP before you try to rank on it. Short sentences, real numbers.
Browse SERP basicsSERP API & data engineering
6 postsHow we turn Google results into stable JSON — SERP features, pagination, latency, and the schema decisions behind the SERP API.
Browse SERP APIRank tracking & SERP monitoring
8 postsTracking positions over time, reading volatility, and monitoring SERP features without fooling yourself with noisy daily swings.
Browse Rank trackingCTR & SEO testing
7 postsDesigning honest click-through-rate experiments, dwell time, and the open question of whether CTR moves rankings.
Browse CTR & SEO testingWebsite traffic & growth experiments
11 postsLoad-testing landing pages, reading GA4 honestly, and using real visitor traffic without wrecking your analytics.
Browse Website trafficCase studies & benchmarks
1 postRepeatable tests of tools and tactics, with the methodology written down. Numbers we measured, not numbers we hoped for.
Browse BenchmarksSearch industry analysis
6 postsAI Overviews, zero-click results, and how the SERP keeps changing shape — through the lens of a team that tracks it daily.
Browse AnalysisWho writes & how
Field notes from the people who build the tools.
The Serplify blog is written by our in-house SEO practitioners and the engineers who build the SERP API and traffic systems — not an outsourced content desk.
We frame traffic and clicks as real signal for testing and growth — never a promise to manipulate Google. If something didn't work in our own tests, we'll say so.
Got a SERP or CTR question you want us to test? Tell the Serplify team and it may become the next post.
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Data-backed, not vibes
Every claim ties back to a number we measured or a source we cite. If we ran a test, we show the method and the sample size — not just the headline.
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We test what we publish
These are field notes from people running the SERP API and traffic systems in production. We write up what we actually shipped and what broke.
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Honest about limits
We say when a result is inconclusive, when a sample is small, and when something didn't work. No guaranteed rankings, no claims to game Google.
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Updated, not abandoned
Search changes. When a post's data goes stale or we're proven wrong, we revise it and date the change rather than leaving it to rot.
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