---
title: "Audit Live Google SERPs Across Niches Before Planning Content"
description: "Instead of relying only on keyword-tool volume, sample live Google result pages for target queries spanning several niches and record who ranks and which SERP features appear. A published analysis covered 238 live US searches across twelve niches. Use the observed patterns to prioritise content formats, then verify impact against Search Console data."
url: "https://seo-mcp.io/t/audit-live-google-serps-across-niches-before-planning"
---

# Audit Live Google SERPs Across Niches Before Planning Content

Instead of relying only on keyword-tool volume, sample live Google result pages for target queries spanning several niches and record who ranks and which SERP features appear. A published analysis covered 238 live US searches across twelve niches. Use the observed patterns to prioritise content formats, then verify impact against Search Console data.

## Prerequisites

- A list of target queries grouped by niche
- Ability to query Google with a US location (browser with US geo, VPN, or a SERP data provider)
- A spreadsheet or database to record results
- Search Console access to compare against your own position data

## Steps

1. **Build the query sample** — Group your target queries by niche (product category, topic cluster, or market segment) and pick a sample per niche. Keep the set small enough to review manually but wide enough to show patterns across verticals. Store queries in a CSV with columns: query, niche, target_url.
   Check: The CSV has at least a handful of niches and every row has a query and a niche assigned.
2. **Capture live SERPs with a US location** — For each query, load the live Google results page with the location set to the United States. Record the top ten organic URLs, their page type, and every SERP feature present above or between organic results (featured snippet, People Also Ask, video, images, shopping, local pack).
   Check: Each query row has ten organic URLs recorded, or an explicit note that fewer than ten exist.
3. **Classify page types and formats** — Tag each ranking URL by page type (guide, comparison, product, category, docs, forum, news) and by format cues such as word-count band, presence of tables, video embeds, or freshness dates. Do this per niche so cross-niche patterns are visible.
   Check: Every captured URL has a page-type tag and no rows are left unclassified.
4. **Compare patterns across niches** — Pivot the data by niche to see which page types and features recur. Repeated patterns across unrelated niches are candidates for your own content template; niche-specific patterns tell you where the competition is idiosyncratic.
   Check: You can name at least three recurring patterns and the niches in which each appears.
5. **Map findings to your own pages** — Match each query to the URL on your site that targets it and mark whether your page matches the dominant format. Flag mismatches as reformat, consolidate, or create.
   Check: Every query in the CSV maps to an existing URL or an explicit create decision.
6. **Ship changes and measure in Search Console** — Implement the highest-priority format changes, then use the Search Console Performance report filtered to the same queries to compare impressions, clicks and average position before and after.
   Check: A before/after comparison exists in Search Console for the affected queries with a clear date boundary.

## Source

@borjafat on 2026-10-18: https://x.com/borjafat/status/2088991211285561457

Canonical: https://seo-mcp.io/t/audit-live-google-serps-across-niches-before-planning