# SEO research: who ranks today, and why

SEO automation workflows for a category: expand the keyword set, read the live SERP for each term, map the competitors' organic footprint and audit the pages that win. Agent prompt, calls and cost on every page.

Ranking is a comparison, so research starts with who ranks today and why. These workflows expand a keyword set, read the live SERPs, map the competitors' organic footprint and audit the pages that win, so the content plan is built against what Google already rewards.

HTML page: https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-research

## Workflows

- [SEO research for the AI sales tools category](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-ai-sales-tools.md): 50 keywords with the live results for each, 5 sites mapped and 500 ranking pages audited. About $2.46 a run.
- [SEO research for sales engagement software](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-sales-engagement.md): 60 keywords with the live results for each, 5 sites mapped and 600 ranking pages audited. About $2.90 a run.
- [SEO research for CRM for startups](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-crm-for-startups.md): 40 keywords with the live results for each, 5 sites mapped and 400 ranking pages audited. About $2.01 a run.
- [SEO research for the HR software category](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-hr-software.md): 50 keywords with the live results for each, 6 sites mapped and 500 ranking pages audited. About $2.50 a run.
- [SEO research for the cybersecurity category](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-cybersecurity.md): 50 keywords with the live results for each, 5 sites mapped and 500 ranking pages audited. About $2.88 a run.
- [SEO research for project management software](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-project-management.md): 50 keywords with the live results for each, 5 sites mapped and 500 ranking pages audited. About $2.46 a run.
- [SEO research for e-commerce platforms](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-ecommerce-platforms.md): 40 keywords with the live results for each, 5 sites mapped and 400 ranking pages audited. About $2.01 a run.
- [SEO research for accounting software](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-accounting-software.md): 50 keywords with the live results for each, 5 sites mapped and 500 ranking pages audited. About $2.46 a run.
- [SEO research for developer tools](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-developer-tools.md): 60 keywords with the live results for each, 6 sites mapped and 600 ranking pages audited. About $3.45 a run.
- [SEO research for marketing automation](https://www.routergrowth.com/workflows/seo-marketing-automation.md): 50 keywords with the live results for each, 5 sites mapped and 500 ranking pages audited. About $2.46 a run.

## Questions

### How do I do SEO competitor analysis with an AI agent?

Give it the category and your domain. seo.competitors finds the domains that share your keywords, seo.ranked_keywords lists what each one ranks for and seo.domain_overview sizes their organic traffic. The agent compares the lists and reports the terms they hold and you do not.

### Where does the keyword data come from?

From DataForSEO: Google Ads search volume, keyword ideas, live Google and Bing result pages, backlinks and on-page audits. Your agent calls it through one key with no DataForSEO account.

### Does it replace Ahrefs or Semrush?

For research an agent runs on demand, it covers the same ground at a per-call price. It does not keep a tracked project for you between runs: the agent stores what it needs, or you rerun.

### What do I get at the end of a run?

A keyword map with volume and difficulty, the live results for each term, the competitors' strongest pages, and an audit of the top results that the agent turns into a brief.