SEMrush Keyword Research - Volume, Difficulty & Related Keywords

Get comprehensive keyword data from SEMrush including search volume, keyword difficulty, CPC, SERP features, and related/phrase match keywords. BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) - use your SEMrush API key. Built by John Rippy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrippy/).

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What is SEMrush?

SEMrush is a leading SEO and marketing analytics platform. This actor uses SEMrush's API to fetch keyword data - you need a SEMrush subscription with API access.

How to get your SEMrush API key:

1. Go to semrush.com/api/
2. Log in with your SEMrush account
3. Copy your API key from the dashboard
4. Paste it in the semrushApiKey field below

⚠️ Note: Free SEMrush accounts do NOT include API access. You need a paid plan with API units.

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Features

• Search Volume - Monthly search volume for any keyword
• Keyword Difficulty (KD) - How hard to rank (0-100 score)
• CPC Data - Cost-per-click for PPC planning
• SERP Features - Which features appear (featured snippets, PAA, etc.)
• Related Keywords - Semantically similar keywords
• Phrase Match - Keywords containing your seed phrase
• 45+ Country Databases - US, UK, DE, FR, and more

Quick Start

Try it first (Free - Demo Mode)

{
  "demoMode": true
}

This returns sample SEMrush data so you can see the output format without charges or API key.

Basic Keyword Research

{
  "semrushApiKey": "your_semrush_api_key",
  "keywords": ["email marketing software", "crm for small business"],
  "database": "us",
  "demoMode": false
}

Full Research with Related Keywords

{
  "semrushApiKey": "your_semrush_api_key",
  "keywords": ["project management"],
  "database": "us",
  "includeRelatedKeywords": true,
  "includePhraseMatch": true,
  "relatedLimit": 50,
  "phraseMatchLimit": 50,
  "minVolume": 100,
  "maxDifficulty": 60,
  "demoMode": false
}

Multiple Countries

{
  "semrushApiKey": "your_semrush_api_key",
  "keywords": ["seo agency"],
  "database": "uk",
  "demoMode": false
}

Common databases: us, uk, de, fr, es, it, ca, au, br, in

Demo Mode

Set demoMode: true to test with sample data (no charges). When you're ready for real results, set demoMode: false or omit it.

{
  "demoMode": true,
  ...
}

Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
semrushApiKey	string	-	Your SEMrush API key (required for real data)
keywords	array	-	Keywords to research
database	string	us	Country database (45+ options)
includeRelatedKeywords	boolean	true	Get related keywords
includePhraseMatch	boolean	true	Get phrase match keywords
relatedLimit	integer	20	Max related keywords per seed
phraseMatchLimit	integer	20	Max phrase match per seed
minVolume	integer	0	Filter by minimum volume
maxDifficulty	integer	100	Filter by max difficulty
webhookUrl	string	-	Webhook endpoint
webhookPlatform	string	custom	zapier, make, n8n, custom
demoMode	boolean	true	Return sample data

Output Format

{
  "keyword": "email marketing software",
  "database": "us",
  "searchVolume": 22200,
  "keywordDifficulty": 78,
  "cpc": 15.42,
  "competition": 0.94,
  "trends": [18100, 18100, 22200, 24400, 27100, 22200, 22200, 22200, 18100, 18100, 22200, 22200],
  "serpFeatures": ["Featured snippet", "Reviews", "Site links", "People also ask"],
  "relatedKeywords": [
    {
      "keyword": "best email marketing software",
      "volume": 8100,
      "difficulty": 72,
      "cpc": 12.85
    }
  ],
  "phraseMatchKeywords": [
    {
      "keyword": "email marketing software for small business",
      "volume": 1900,
      "difficulty": 65,
      "cpc": 18.20
    }
  ]
}

Understanding the Output

What is Keyword Difficulty (KD)? A 0-100 score indicating how hard it is to rank on page 1. Under 30 = easy, 30-60 = medium, 60+ = hard.

What are SERP Features? Special results that appear on Google like featured snippets, People Also Ask, local packs, etc.

What is the trends array? Monthly search volumes for the past 12 months, oldest to newest.

Common Problems & Solutions

"Invalid API key" error

Cause: Your SEMrush API key is incorrect or expired. Fix: Get your API key from semrush.com/api/ and copy it exactly.

"API limit exceeded" error

Cause: You've used all your SEMrush API units for the month. Fix: Check your API usage at semrush.com/api/. Upgrade your plan or wait for renewal.

No related keywords returned

Cause: The keyword may be too niche or the limits are set too restrictively. Fix:

• Increase relatedLimit and phraseMatchLimit
• Lower minVolume threshold
• Raise maxDifficulty threshold

Demo data showing instead of real results

Cause: demoMode is still set to true. Fix: Set demoMode: false and provide your semrushApiKey.

Pricing

This actor uses pay-per-event billing:

Event	Description	Price
Actor start	Base cost per run	$0.05
Keyword analyzed	Per seed keyword	$0.02
Related keywords fetched	Per batch	$0.01
Phrase match fetched	Per batch	$0.01
Webhook sent	Per notification	$0.01

Use Cases

Content Planning

Find high-volume, low-competition topics.

PPC Research

Get CPC and competition data for ad planning.

Competitor Keyword Gap

Research what keywords competitors rank for.

SEO Strategy

Build keyword clusters around main topics.

Client Reporting

Export structured keyword data for reports.

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Built by John Rippy | Actor Arsenal