> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.rankability.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.rankability.com/researcher/explore-domain-keywords.md).

# Explore domain keywords

Use **Explore domain** to find the organic keywords associated with a competitor, your own site, a subdomain, a subfolder, or one exact URL. The result is a filterable keyword table that you can save, export, open in Keyword Overview, turn into content, or add to Track.

## Before you start

Choose the country whose search market you want to analyze. Country changes the underlying keyword and ranking context, so compare domains only when they use the same country.

Decide how narrowly to scope the lookup:

* **Root domain** analyzes the whole site.
* **Subdomain** limits the lookup to a subdomain such as `support.example.com`.
* **Subfolder** limits it to a path such as `example.com/blog`.
* **Exact URL** analyzes one page and does not include historical domain trends.

The **Analyze** button displays usage impact before a lookup. Explore Domain is included in full-platform pooled usage. Failed or empty analyses do not record completed activity.

A domain’s historical organic overview is a separate request. Cached history loads automatically. When fresh history is required, the result view asks you to confirm **Load history** before Rankability requests it.

## Run a domain exploration

1. Select a client and open **Research**.
2. Choose **Explore domain**.
3. Enter the domain or URL without adding search operators or unrelated text.
4. Select **Root domain**, **Exact URL**, **Subdomain**, or **Subfolder**.
5. Select the country.
6. Review the amount on **Analyze**, then start the analysis.

Analysis commonly takes 30–60 seconds. Keep the page open while it runs. You can cancel the request, and Rankability warns you if you try to switch research modes during an active analysis.

Previous lookups appear under **Recent explorations**. Opening one restores its saved result when available instead of requiring you to rebuild the query.

## Read the results

The results table includes:

* **Keyword** — the query associated with the analyzed target.
* **URL** — the page ranking for that keyword.
* **Pos** — the estimated organic position.
* **Trend** — available search-volume history for that keyword.
* **Volume**, **KD**, and **CPC** — estimated demand, difficulty, and paid-search value for the selected country.
* **Intent** — informational, commercial, transactional, or navigational intent.
* **Perf.** — a 0–100 score combining the target’s position, search volume, and keyword difficulty. Use it to identify keywords already contributing to this domain’s organic footprint.
* **Opp.** — Rankability’s Researcher Opportunity score. Use it to compare potential targets, not to measure how well the analyzed domain currently performs.

For a root domain, subdomain, or subfolder, **Organic keyword overview** can show total ranking keywords, estimated traffic, estimated traffic value, position distribution, and historical movement. If the selected client has matching Search Console data, you can enable its overlay. Exact URL mode instead summarizes that page’s current keyword set because domain-level history does not apply to a single page.

All third-party volume, traffic, cost, difficulty, and position values are estimates. They are not a replacement for the client’s own Search Console data.

## Narrow the list

Use the include and exclude boxes to focus on or remove words and phrases. Additional filters cover position, volume, difficulty, and intent. Sort a column to surface strong existing performers or possible new targets.

A useful competitor workflow is to filter for positions 11–50, remove irrelevant brand terms, and then compare relevance, intent, difficulty, and Opportunity score. Do not select a keyword only because it has the largest volume or highest score.

## Save or continue the work

Select one or more rows and choose **Save to list** to create a keyword list or add to an existing one. Saved keywords can be hidden from the table so the remaining opportunities are easier to review.

Each row also lets you:

* open **Keyword Overview** for a deeper SERP and KO Score analysis;
* create a Copywriter project;
* add the keyword to Track;
* add it to a new or existing keyword list.

Use **Export** to copy the current results, download CSV, or continue through Google Sheets. Exported estimates retain the country and lookup context of the analysis; they do not become live data after export.

## Troubleshooting

* **No keyword data returned** — Check the target type. A page entered as a root domain, or a root domain entered as an exact URL, can produce the wrong scope. Very new, small, blocked, or low-visibility targets may have no available third-party data.
* **The analysis fails** — Retry once after confirming the domain and country. If it fails again, send support the target, target type, country, approximate time, and visible error.
* **The historical overview is missing** — It is unavailable for Exact URL mode. For other scopes, use **Load history** if the card is waiting for confirmation, or check its error or usage-limit state.
* **Search Console is not available** — The overlay appears only when the selected client has a matching, usable GSC connection.
* **A number differs from GSC** — Treat the exploration value as a market estimate and GSC as the client’s first-party performance record.

## Related articles

* [Getting started with Researcher](/researcher/getting-started-with-researcher.md)
* [Keyword opportunities and scoring](/researcher/keyword-opportunities-and-scoring.md)
* [Find keyword gaps](/researcher/find-keyword-gaps.md)
* [Manage keyword lists](/researcher/managing-keyword-lists.md)
* [Create a content project](/copywriter/creating-a-content-project.md)
* [Set up keyword tracking](/track/setting-up-keyword-tracking.md)