Semrush

What Semrush does

Semrush is a broad search marketing platform used for keyword research, competitor analysis, rank tracking, technical site audits, backlink analysis, paid search research and social scheduling. Its data set is one of the largest in the industry, which makes it the usual reference for estimating what competitors rank for and where their links come from. Newer modules track how brands appear inside AI assistants and search overviews, alongside content optimisation tools and an assistant that drafts briefs from ranking data. It suits agencies, in-house search teams and anyone who needs one platform rather than several point tools. The limitations are price and precision: entry plans limit keywords tracked and reports per day, traffic and volume figures are estimates that can differ substantially from reality, and the interface carries so many modules that new users struggle to find what they actually need.

How to use it

Sign up at semrush.com; a limited free account allows a few reports per day, and trials are available on paid plans. Start with a domain overview of a competitor rather than your own site, because seeing another site's ranking keywords, traffic estimate and top pages teaches you how the data is structured faster than reading documentation. Create a project for your own domain to enable site audit, position tracking and the on-page checker, which are the recurring tools rather than one-off lookups. Connect Google Search Console and Analytics so estimates can be compared against real data; this step matters, because platform estimates alone will mislead you. Configure tracked keywords deliberately, since limits are the main constraint on cheaper plans. Practical points: treat volume and traffic numbers as directional rather than exact, many modules are add-ons billed separately, and user seats are charged individually, which surprises small agencies. It is also worth scheduling reports rather than running them manually, since daily report limits are consumed quickly by ad hoc lookups.

Best for

• keyword research
• competitor analysis
• site audits
• rank tracking
• agency reporting

Strengths and limitations