serpapi-tool

name	serpapi-tool
description	When the user wants to check live SERP results for a keyword, see what's in the local pack right now, check People Also Ask, see AI Overviews, verify SERP features, or do a quick spot-check of local search results. Trigger on "what shows up when you search," "check the SERP," "who's in the map pack," "what does the search results page look like," or "search for [keyword]."
metadata	{"version":"1.0.0","author":"Garrett Smith"}

SerpAPI Tool

Note: LocalSEOData (localseodata-tool) now covers live SERP data via organic_serp, local_pack, maps, and local_finder endpoints. Use LocalSEOData as default. SerpAPI remains useful if LocalSEOData is not connected, or for non-Google engines (Bing, Yahoo).

You have direct access to SerpAPI via MCP. This gives you live, real-time search results from Google, Bing, and other engines at any location.

When to Use SerpAPI vs Other Tools

You Need	Use SerpAPI	Use Instead
Live SERP snapshot right now	✅	—
What's in the local pack for a query	✅	Local Falcon for geographic grid coverage
People Also Ask questions	✅	—
AI Overview content	✅	Local Falcon GAIO scan for geographic coverage
Quick rank check at one location	✅	Local Falcon for systematic multi-point
SERP features present (ads, knowledge panel, etc.)	✅	—
Rankings across a geographic grid	❌ Too slow point by point	Local Falcon
Keyword volume/difficulty	❌	Semrush, Ahrefs, DataForSEO
Historical ranking trends	❌ Snapshot only	Local Falcon trends

Core Workflows

Check Live SERP for a Local Keyword

When: User wants to see what Google shows right now for a search.

{
  "params": {
    "q": "emergency plumber",
    "engine": "google",
    "location": "Buffalo, New York, United States"
  },
  "mode": "compact"
}

What to extract from results:

• local_results — the map pack (positions, business names, ratings, reviews)
• organic_results — organic listings below the map
• ads — paid ads present (indicates commercial value)
• related_questions — People Also Ask (content opportunity)
• ai_overview — AI Overview content if present
• knowledge_graph — knowledge panel for branded searches

Check Google Maps Results Specifically

When: User wants to see local business listings specifically.

{
  "params": {
    "q": "dentist",
    "engine": "google_maps",
    "location": "Orchard Park, New York"
  }
}

Use google_maps engine when you want more than the top 3 map pack — this returns the full local finder results.

Check Local Results from a Specific Location

When: User wants to see results as if searching FROM a specific place.

{
  "params": {
    "q": "chiropractor near me",
    "engine": "google_local",
    "location": "Amherst, New York"
  }
}

Important: Location parameter simulates searching FROM that location. "Near me" queries will show results near that location.

Quick Competitive SERP Analysis

When: User wants to understand the competitive landscape for a keyword.

Run the search, then analyze:

1. Are there ads? → Keyword has commercial value
2. Is there a local pack? → Google sees local intent
3. How many reviews do map pack businesses have? → Review benchmark
4. Is there an AI Overview? → Content needs to be AI-optimizable
5. What are the PAA questions? → Content/FAQ opportunities
6. Who's ranking organically? → Directories vs. actual businesses

Verify SERP Features for Keyword Research

When: Building keyword strategy and need to know which keywords trigger which features.

Run searches for each target keyword and note:

• Local pack present → prioritize GBP optimization for this keyword
• Ads present → keyword has conversion value, consider PPC
• AI Overview present → optimize content for AI citation
• Featured snippet → structured content opportunity
• PAA questions → FAQ content opportunities
• No local pack → keyword may not have local intent, reconsider targeting

Engine Selection Guide

Engine	When to Use
google	Default — full SERP with all features including local pack
google_maps	Want full local/maps results beyond top 3
google_local	Local finder results specifically
google_light	Quick check, less data, faster response
google_news	Check if keyword has news coverage
google_images	Check image results for a query
bing	Check Bing results (relevant for Copilot/AI search)

Interpreting Results for Local SEO

Local Pack Analysis

• Position 1-3: These businesses dominate — note their review counts, ratings, categories
• No local pack: Google doesn't see local intent for this query — reconsider keyword strategy
• Ads above local pack: Competitive keyword — organic alone may not be enough

People Also Ask (PAA)

• Each PAA question is a content opportunity
• If your target keyword generates PAAs like "How much does [service] cost in [city]?" — create content answering that
• PAA questions often become FAQ schema candidates

AI Overview

• If present: Google is summarizing content for this query
• Note which sources are cited — those sites have the content structure Google prefers
• Your content needs to be factual, well-structured, and directly answering the query

What to Do Next

What You Found	Next Action	Skill
Local pack shows competitors with more reviews	Build review strategy	review-management
No local pack for target keyword	This isn't a local keyword — adjust strategy	local-keyword-research
AI Overview present, user not cited	Optimize content for AI visibility	ai-local-search
PAA questions found	Create FAQ content targeting those questions	local-landing-pages
Ads present, user not running ads	Consider PPC for this keyword	local-ppc-ads
Want geographic ranking data, not just this one point	Run a proper geogrid scan	local-falcon-tool
User in map pack but wrong position	Diagnose with geogrid analysis	geogrid-analysis

Default next step: SerpAPI gives you a snapshot. For ongoing tracking, set up Local Falcon scans. Use SerpAPI for exploration and spot-checks, Local Falcon for measurement.