SERP Analysis Template
Analyze search result pages to understand intent, competition, and content requirements before creating content. Match what Google rewards.
Best for: SEO specialists and content strategists doing pre-production research
SERP Feature Inventory
250-350 wordsDocument which SERP features appear for your target keyword: featured snippets, People Also Ask, image packs, video carousels, knowledge panels, AI Overviews. Each feature represents a ranking opportunity beyond the traditional 10 blue links.
Top 10 Content Analysis
350-450 wordsFor each page ranking 1-10, note: content type, word count, header structure, freshness (publish/update date), domain authority, and backlink count. Identify patterns — if 8 of 10 results are listicles, Google is telling you the intent requires a listicle.
Search Intent Classification
250-350 wordsDetermine the dominant intent: informational, commercial, transactional, or mixed. Look at the content types Google serves — guides indicate informational, comparison pages indicate commercial, product pages indicate transactional. Mismatching intent is the #1 reason content doesn't rank.
Content Gap Identification
300-400 wordsAnalyze what the top results do poorly or miss entirely. Are they outdated? Lacking depth on a subtopic? Missing visual content? These gaps become your differentiation strategy — your content should fill what's missing, not duplicate what exists.
Content Requirements Summary
250-350 wordsSynthesize your analysis into a requirements doc: target word count, required content format, header structure, topics that must be covered, SERP features to optimize for, and the specific angle that will differentiate your content.
Pro Tips
Do SERP analysis in an incognito window to avoid personalized results. Better yet, use a SERP tracking tool that shows raw rankings for your target location.
If AI Overviews appear for your keyword, analyze what content they cite. Structure your content to be 'citable' — clear definitions, structured data, authoritative statistics with sources.
Check the SERP for your keyword on mobile too. Mobile SERPs show different features and ordering. Since most searches are mobile, optimize for the mobile SERP experience first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does SERP analysis take?+
15-30 minutes per keyword if done manually. For a content calendar of 20 keywords, that's 5-10 hours of research before you write a single word. Averi performs SERP analysis automatically as part of the content creation process.
Should I do SERP analysis for every piece of content?+
Yes, for any content targeting a specific keyword. Skipping SERP analysis is the most common reason content doesn't rank — you create the wrong format for the intent. Even a quick 5-minute review prevents wasted effort.
How often do SERPs change?+
SERPs can shift significantly in 3-6 months, especially with Google's AI Overviews rollout. Re-analyze SERPs for your top keywords quarterly to ensure your content format still matches what Google rewards.
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