How to Configure the Keyword Gap Tool in Semrush

Log in to your Semrush account and locate the left sidebar. Under the SEO section, click on Keyword Gap to open the tool. This navigates you to the main interface where all configuration begins.

In the box labeled You, enter your website's root domain (e.g., example.com). Do not include www or specific page paths unless you want to analyze a particular subdomain or subfolder. Select the analysis level from these path options:

• Root Domain – Highest hierarchical level (e.g., https://www.example.com/)
• Exact URL – Particular page (e.g., https://www.example.com/blog/article)
• Subdomain – Separate domains created by root domains (e.g., blogs.example.com)
• Subfolder – Website categories in folders (e.g., https://www.example.com/blog/)

Enter the URLs of up to four competitor domains in the designated fields. Ensure each competitor domain is live, has crawlable SEO data in Semrush's database, and uses the same path type (root domain, subdomain, etc.) as your own domain for accurate comparison. Verify spelling and avoid non-existent or irrelevant sites.

Choose your target regional database from the available options (e.g., USA, UK, Canada). This ensures keyword data matches your market. Optionally, adjust the device type to analyze desktop or mobile data separately, and set a date range if you want to review historical data or compare performance over time.

If you want to compare different keyword types, click on select keyword type for each domain. This advanced feature allows you to compare your paid keywords against a competitor's organic keywords, or compare different keyword types on the same domain by entering it twice with different keyword type settings.

Once all parameters are configured, click the Compare button. The tool will process your domains and generate a comprehensive report within seconds. The report populates with keyword categories and a keyword overlap chart.

Review the results organized into four keyword categories:

• Strong – Keywords where you rank higher than all competitors
• Untapped – Keywords where competitors rank but you don't
• Unique – Keywords where you rank but competitors don't
• All keywords – Combined list of all keyword rankings between all domains

Focus on Untapped keywords as primary opportunities for content expansion.

Use the filters at the top of the report to narrow results. Click the KD (Keyword Difficulty) drop-down menu, set a manual range (e.g., 0-49 for easier targets), and select Apply. You can also add filters for specific words to compare keywords around particular subjects, or filter by search volume to prioritize high-traffic opportunities.

In the filtered keyword list, select the most relevant keywords by checking the box next to each. Click the + Add to keyword list button to save them to your keyword strategy. This creates a structured list you can use in other Semrush tools like the Keyword Strategy Builder or SEO Writing Assistant.

Click the Export button to save your keyword data. Choose your preferred format: Excel, CSV, or CSV Semicolon. Depending on your subscription tier, you can export the first 100, 500, 1,000, 3,000, 10,000, 30,000, or 50,000 keywords. Save the file for offline analysis or integration into your content calendar.