Intermediate
How to set up SERP feature tracking on Ahrefs
Quick Answer
Setting up SERP feature tracking in Ahrefs involves accessing the Rank Tracker tool, configuring your project settings to enable SERP features monitoring, and selecting specific keywords for tracking. This allows you to monitor when your content appears in featured snippets, local packs, and other SERP elements.
Prerequisites
- Active Ahrefs subscription with Rank Tracker access
- Website or domain added to your Ahrefs project
- List of target keywords you want to track
- Understanding of SERP features (featured snippets, local packs, etc.)
1
Access Rank Tracker in Ahrefs
Log into your Ahrefs account and navigate to the Rank Tracker section from the main dashboard. If you haven't created a project yet, click + New project and enter your domain. For existing projects, select your target project from the project list.
Tip
Make sure your domain is verified and has been crawled by Ahrefs for at least 24 hours before setting up SERP tracking.
2
Navigate to Project Settings
Within your Rank Tracker project, click on the Settings tab located in the top navigation bar. Then select Tracking settings from the dropdown menu. This will open the configuration panel where you can modify tracking preferences.
3
Enable SERP Features Tracking
In the tracking settings, locate the SERP features section. Toggle the switch to Enable SERP features tracking. You'll see options for different SERP features including:
- Featured snippets
- Local packs
- Knowledge panels
- Image packs
- Video carousels
- Shopping results
Tip
Enabling all SERP features may use more credits, so focus on the most relevant ones for your industry.
4
Configure Geographic and Device Settings
Set your Target location by selecting the country, state, or city where you want to track SERP features. Choose your Device type (Desktop, Mobile, or both) and Search engine (Google, Bing, etc.). These settings determine where and how your SERP features will be monitored.
Tip
Local businesses should set specific city-level targeting for better local pack tracking accuracy.
5
Add Keywords for SERP Tracking
Click on Keywords tab and then + Add keywords. Enter your target keywords manually or upload a CSV file. For each keyword, you can specify individual tracking settings by clicking the Advanced options. Ensure you're tracking keywords that have potential for SERP features in your industry.
Tip
Focus on question-based keywords and long-tail phrases as they're more likely to trigger featured snippets.
6
Set Update Frequency
In the tracking settings, configure your Update frequency. Choose between:
- Daily - for competitive keywords
- Weekly - for standard monitoring
- Monthly - for long-tail keywords
Tip
Start with weekly updates and increase frequency for keywords where you're actively optimizing for SERP features.
7
Review and Launch Tracking
Review all your settings in the Summary section. Verify your keyword list, SERP features selection, and tracking frequency. Click Save settings to apply changes, then Start tracking to begin monitoring. Your first SERP feature data will be available within 24-48 hours.
8
Monitor SERP Features Performance
Access your SERP features data through the SERP features tab in your project dashboard. Here you can view:
- Current SERP feature rankings
- Historical performance trends
- Competitor SERP feature presence
- Opportunities for optimization
Tip
Set up automated reports to track SERP feature wins and losses for your priority keywords.
Troubleshooting
SERP features data not showing after 48 hours
Check that your keywords actually trigger SERP features by manually searching them. Verify your geographic targeting settings match your intended search location. Contact Ahrefs support if data still doesn't appear after 72 hours.
Running out of Rank Tracker credits quickly
Reduce update frequency from daily to weekly for non-critical keywords. Disable tracking for SERP features that aren't relevant to your business. Consider upgrading your Ahrefs plan if you need more comprehensive tracking.
Keywords not ranking for expected SERP features
Verify that your content is properly optimized for the target SERP feature type. Check if competitors are dominating these features and analyze their content structure. Use Ahrefs' Content Explorer to find SERP feature optimization opportunities.
Inconsistent SERP feature tracking results
Ensure your device and location settings are consistent across all tracked keywords. SERP features can vary significantly by location and device. Consider setting up separate tracking for mobile vs desktop if you notice major differences.
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