I recently needed a way to verify how a site was ranking for a specific set of keywords across different regions and devices without checking everything manually.
The biggest surprise was how different the results were between desktop and mobile SERPs for the exact same keywords.
To automate the process, I put together a simple Python script using a live ranking API:
import requests
API_KEY = "your_api_key_here"
def check_rankings(keywords, location, device):
results = {}
for kw in keywords:
response = requests.get(
"https://api.serpspur.com/v1/rankings",
headers={
"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"
},
params={
"keyword": kw,
"location": location,
"device": device,
"engine": "google"
}
)
data = response.json()
results[kw] = data.get("position", "Not found")
return results
Example usage
keywords = [
"SEO tools",
"keyword research",
"backlink checker"
]
rankings = check_rankings(
keywords,
"United States",
"mobile"
)
for kw, pos in rankings.items():
print(f"{kw}: Position {pos}")
A few things I noticed while testing:
Mobile rankings shifted much more frequently
Local intent keywords behaved differently by region
Some pages ranked significantly higher on desktop than mobile
Personalized SERPs make manual checking unreliable
Automating this saved a lot of time compared to constantly opening incognito windows and switching VPN locations.
Curious if anyone else here tracks rankings separately for:
mobile vs desktop
different countries
local SERPs
AI Overviews / SGE visibility
Would love to hear what workflows or APIs others are using for accurate SERP monitoring.
Top comments (3)
Great point about mobile vs. desktop—I've seen similar shifts, especially with local keywords where Google seems to favor mobile-friendly sites. Did you notice any specific industries where the gap was wider?
Nice approach to automate cross-device ranking checks. I've seen similar gaps too, especially with local keywords where mobile results often prioritize different SERP features like maps or snack packs.
Nice approach! I've seen mobile rankings drop by 10+ spots on some queries, especially for local searches where Google prioritizes map packs. Do you factor in personalized results or location rounding when automating this?