---
title: "DataForSEO research | SEO Skill"
description: "Connect DataForSEO, set local spend limits, and run keyword, result, domain, link and AI search research."
canonical: "https://seoskill.dev/docs/dataforseo"
language: "en"
---

# DataForSEO research

Connect DataForSEO, set local spend limits, and run keyword, result, domain, link and AI search research.

Use DataForSEO when you need broad external research after your own crawl and Search Console data leave a clear gap. The built-in adapter supplies existing reports with keyword estimates, live results, domain rows, ranking pages, backlink evidence, and selected AI search datasets. These values remain named provider estimates.

## Connect the API login and password

Open the API Access area in your DataForSEO account. Copy the API login and API password. The API password is different from the password used to sign in to the dashboard. DataForSEO explains this in its [authentication guide](https://docs.dataforseo.com/v3/auth/).

Connect through the masked prompts:

```sh
seo providers dataforseo connect
seo providers dataforseo status --check
```

The connection check uses the free account endpoint. The password is saved in the system keychain when available, with a private local file as the fallback. It is not stored in a project profile, report, cache entry, or spend record.

Agents and CI can supply both values without saving them:

```sh
SEO_DATAFORSEO_LOGIN='your-api-login' \
SEO_DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD='your-api-password' \
  seo providers dataforseo status --check --json
```

Keep both values in your platform secret manager. Do not put them in a repository, script, report parameter, command argument, or issue.

## Set spend and work limits first

Inspect the current account context, spend record, and local limits:

```sh
seo providers dataforseo status --check
seo providers dataforseo spend
seo providers dataforseo limits
```

Set hard daily and monthly limits in US dollars. You can also cap requests and requested rows for one report:

```sh
seo providers dataforseo limits \
  --daily-notice 1 \
  --daily-limit 5 \
  --monthly-limit 25 \
  --requests 20 \
  --rows 10000
```

The adapter reads current endpoint prices from the free account response. It reserves the estimated cost before a paid request and records the returned task cost afterward. Unknown price evidence blocks paid work. DataForSEO publishes current charges on its [API pricing page](https://dataforseo.com/pricing).

## Run the shared research reports

Use the normal report catalog. Read a report description before you script it:

```sh
seo reports describe keyword-research --json
seo reports describe serp-results --json
seo reports describe competitive-opportunities --json
seo reports describe domain-overview --json
seo reports describe link-evidence --json
```

Run a focused report with DataForSEO selected:

```sh
seo reports run domain-overview \
  --params '{"domain":"example.com","countryCode":"GB","languageCode":"en","provider":"dataforseo"}' \
  --json
```

The connected adapter supports these main evidence groups:

| Work | Reports and commands |
| --- | --- |
| Keywords | `keyword-research`, `keyword-metrics`, `competitive-opportunities` |
| Current results | `serp-results`, `rank-tracking`, optional result checks inside other reports |
| Domains and competitors | `domain-overview`, `ranked-keywords`, `ranking-pages`, `serp-competitors`, `competitor-keyword-gap` |
| Links | `seo links --provider dataforseo` and the shared `link-evidence` report |
| Local research | Limited exact result checks inside `local-search-demand` |
| AI search | `ai-mention-research` and `ai-prompt-observations` for supported surfaces and models |

A report fails before paid work when the selected endpoint does not support its market, location, search engine, device, or requested operation.

## Know what leaves your computer

Live requests send only the inputs needed for the selected DataForSEO endpoint.

| Work | Data sent to DataForSEO |
| --- | --- |
| Keyword, result, and domain research | Keywords or seeds, domains or URLs, market, location, device, filters, and limits used by the report. |
| Link research | The target domain or URL, provider filters, and result limits. |
| Indexed AI mention research | Target names and aliases, selected surface, market, and result limits. |
| Fixed AI prompt observations | The full prompt, model, country, web search setting, and output limit. |
| Optional Search Console enrichment | Selected query text or a derived research seed only when external research is explicitly enabled. |

The software does not send Google OAuth tokens, Google account identity, Search Console property IDs, clicks, impressions, positions, or Google Analytics rows. Reports keep provider estimates separate from site evidence.

DataForSEO describes its handling of live inputs and tasks in its [privacy policy](https://dataforseo.com/privacy-policy). Removing a local key or cache does not remove provider-side task records.

## Use cached data when it is still useful

Reports record cache state, observation time, estimated cost, actual cost, provider task IDs, row limits, and coverage. A cache hit makes no new provider request. Use `refresh: true` only when the decision needs a newer observation.

Inspect or remove local provider rows:

```sh
seo cache stats
seo cache clear --provider dataforseo
```

Provider traffic, volume, difficulty, intent, and ranking history are estimates. Search Console remains the source for measured search performance on a property you own. One current result snapshot remains evidence for its exact query, market, device, and time.

## Disconnect DataForSEO

Remove the locally saved credentials:

```sh
seo providers dataforseo disconnect
```

Environment credentials remain under the control of your shell or CI service. Use `seo reset --yes` only when you intend to remove all local configuration, credentials, caches, histories, logs, and saved reports.