---
title: "SEO segment impact report | SEO Skill"
description: "Compare Search Console movement by page, query, country or device to find which segment explains a wider gain or loss across the selected dates."
canonical: "https://seoskill.dev/docs/reports/segment-impact"
language: "en"
---

# SEO segment impact report

Break a Search Console change into the segment that actually moved. This is useful when a property total hides one page group, country or device going in the opposite direction.

## Install and run the report

Install the CLI once, then run `seo start` to connect your site and Google data. After setup you can run this report yourself or ask your agent to run it.

Install the SEO CLI globally.

```
npm i -g seo
```

Run setup after installation.

```
seo start
```

Compare matched periods by page, query, country, or device.

```
seo segment-impact --project example
```

## What you get from this report

Compare Search Console movement by page, query, country or device to find which segment explains a wider gain or loss across the selected dates.

Best for

A property-level rise or fall needs to be broken down by page or query.

Needs

Matched Search Console periods

You get

Compare Search Console movement by page, query, country or device to find which segment explains a wider gain or loss across the selected dates.

Use next

Investigate an organic traffic drop

Every report follows the same rules for missing data and outside estimates.[See how report data works](https://seoskill.dev/docs/reports#how-report-data-works).

## What you need before you run it

The report uses the information below. Optional sources are only used when you ask for them.

### Matched Search Console periods

Provides returned rows for the chosen page, query, country, or device dimension.

### Dimension and row limits

Define which segment to compare and how many matched or unmatched rows to retain.

## Use a different report for these jobs

These jobs need a different report or a manual review.

[

### You do not yet know which dimension or focused investigation to start with.

Run the search performance overview. It checks the strongest available movements across pages, queries, countries, and devices, then points to the focused report supported by the returned evidence.

SEO performance report

](https://seoskill.dev/docs/reports/search-performance-overview)

### You need to prove why one segment gained or lost traffic.

No automated report can isolate the cause from Search Console movement alone. Check releases, tracking, seasonality, demand, search-result changes, and representative pages. Segment impact can identify where to investigate and provide the matched dates and rows.

Needs more evidence

## Use the report with an agent or in code

The command above is enough for most work. These options let an agent, script or application run the same report with explicit input and structured output.

### CLI

Use the report catalog when an agent, script or CI job needs predictable JSON instead of the normal terminal output. Check the current input first, then run the report with the validated parameters.

Check the current input before the agent or script runs the report.

```
seo reports describe segment-impact --json
```

Once the input is valid, run the report through the report catalog.

```
seo reports run segment-impact --params '{"site":"sc-domain:example.com","dimension":"page","days":28,"compareDays":28,"limit":20,"maxRows":50000,"unmatchedLimit":10}' --json
```

### MCP

An MCP agent follows the same two-step flow. It inspects the current schema, fills the required fields and only then runs the report.

Ask the MCP server for the current report input.

```
{
  "id": "segment-impact"
}
```

Run the report after the agent has checked and filled the input.

```
{
  "id": "segment-impact",
  "params": {
    "site": "sc-domain:example.com",
    "dimension": "page",
    "days": 28,
    "compareDays": 28,
    "limit": 20,
    "maxRows": 50000,
    "unmatchedLimit": 10
  }
}
```

### TypeScript

Install the package in a Node 22 project when your application needs to run the report directly. The result includes the same evidence, warnings and limits returned through the CLI and MCP server.

Add the SEO package to your project.

```
npm install seo
```

Run the report from your TypeScript application.

```
import { executeReport } from 'seo/mcp'

const result = await executeReport(
  'segment-impact',
  {
  "site": "sc-domain:example.com",
  "dimension": "page",
  "days": 28,
  "compareDays": 28,
  "limit": 20,
  "maxRows": 50000,
  "unmatchedLimit": 10
},
)

console.log(result)
```

## What to do next

Use the segment that explains the movement to choose a narrower investigation. Keep the rest of the property out of the conclusion until its pages, queries, country or device evidence shows the same pattern.

1.  01Audit the pages behind the largest supported changes.
2.  02Run traffic anomaly or update correlation when timing still needs context.

## Related reports

[

Find unusual Search Console movement, identify the pages and queries behind it and compare the dates with confirmed Google updates before a deeper check.

Organic traffic drop report

](https://seoskill.dev/docs/reports/traffic-anomaly)[

Audit one URL for technical SEO, metadata, canonicals, schema, links and Search Console queries. See the live evidence before changing the page.

SEO page audit

](https://seoskill.dev/docs/reports/audit-page)[

Compare unusual Search Console traffic dates with confirmed Google ranking updates without treating a matching date as proof of what caused the change.

Google algorithm update checker

](https://seoskill.dev/docs/reports/update-correlation)

## Sources used by this report

These primary sources define the provider data or search controls used by the result.

-   [Search Console Search Analytics API guidance](https://developers.google.com/webmaster-tools/v1/how-tos/search_analytics)