LSD
APIEndpoint 12 of 40Keyword Research / Suggestions / Seed Expansion

Keyword Suggestions API

The keyword expansion API for the new local SEO stack.

Keyword expansion was the slowest, most manual part of keyword research. Ahrefs Keywords Explorer at $129/mo, Semrush Keyword Magic Tool at $139.95/mo, Answer The Public at $99/mo — all of them take one seed keyword and expand it into variants. We expose the Google Autocomplete-driven generator as an API. One seed keyword, 50-1000 suggestions per call, all the long-tail variants and question formats. 2 credits ($0.01) per call. Your agent does the rest.

Start Free — 50 CreditsView Docs

POST /v1/keywords/suggestions · 2 credits / call

POST /v1/keywords/suggestions5 of 312
Autocomplete-derived variants
KeywordVolumeCPCTrend
plumber near me12,100$45.20
emergency plumber austin2,400$38.50
best plumber austin tx880$22.10
pipe repair cost590$12.40
drain cleaning austin720$18.90
▌ Ask your agent

These prompts are the new keyword expansion workflow.

Connect Local SEO Data as an MCP server once (60 seconds, below). Then your agent expands seed keywords and ranks suggestions by opportunity. Replace bracketed keywords with your own.

Long-tail discovery from seed

Expand the seed keyword [emergency plumber] in [Denver]. Pull all suggestions, filter for volume >300 and difficulty <40. Show me the top 10 by search volume.

Question-format keyword research

Get keyword suggestions for [best dentist] in [Austin]. Extract only the suggestions that start with 'how', 'what', 'why', or 'when'. These are the content goldmines.

Geographic variant expansion

Expand [roof repair] for 5 different cities (Denver, Austin, Charlotte, Seattle, Portland). Find keywords that appear in all 5 markets vs location-specific variants.

Content gap filling for agencies

Pull keyword suggestions for all 12 client service categories. Cross-reference against our current rankings. Flag any high-volume suggestion we don't rank for yet.

▌ Real response

What you get back

Live response for 'emergency plumber' seed keyword in Denver. Real API response, April 2026.

response · application/json~2-4s · 2 credits
{
  "status": "success",
  "credits_used": 2,
  "data": {
    "seed_keyword": {
      "keyword": "emergency plumber",
      "search_volume": 880,
      "keyword_difficulty": 48,
      "cpc": 62.50
    },
    "location": "Denver, Colorado, United States",
    "total_suggestions": 127,
    "suggestions": [
      {
        "keyword": "emergency plumber near me",
        "search_volume": 410,
        "keyword_difficulty": 32,
        "cpc": 68.25,
        "serp_features": ["local_pack", "ads"]
      },
      {
        "keyword": "emergency plumber denver",
        "search_volume": 240,
        "keyword_difficulty": 22,
        "cpc": 71.50,
        "serp_features": ["local_pack", "ads", "people_also_ask"]
      },
      {
        "keyword": "24 hour emergency plumber",
        "search_volume": 180,
        "keyword_difficulty": 38,
        "cpc": 59.75,
        "serp_features": ["ads"]
      },
      {
        "keyword": "emergency plumber cost",
        "search_volume": 150,
        "keyword_difficulty": 25,
        "cpc": 45.00,
        "serp_features": ["featured_snippet", "people_also_ask"]
      },
      {
        "keyword": "what to do if pipes burst emergency",
        "search_volume": 95,
        "keyword_difficulty": 18,
        "cpc": 12.50,
        "serp_features": ["featured_snippet", "people_also_ask"]
      },
      {
        "keyword": "emergency plumbing services",
        "search_volume": 310,
        "keyword_difficulty": 44,
        "cpc": 54.00,
        "serp_features": ["local_pack", "ads"]
      }
    ]
  }
}
▌ Returns

Everything your agent needs to discover long-tail keywords

Keyword suggestions

50-1000 variants per seed, volume + difficulty + CPC

For each suggestion, you get monthly search volume, keyword difficulty (0-100), cost-per-click in USD. Long-tail variants ('emergency plumber denver'), question formats ('how much does emergency plumbing cost'), and commercial modifiers ('best', 'cost', 'near me') are all included. Your agent filters by volume, difficulty, and intent automatically.

SERP features per suggestion

Local pack, ads, featured snippet, people also ask

Know which SERP features appear for each suggestion. Suggestions with local_pack are highest-priority for local SEO — Google shows map results for those keywords. Suggestions with people_also_ask are content goldmines (write answers to those questions). Your agent prioritizes accordingly.

Geographic specificity

All suggestions are location-scoped

The suggestions you get for 'plumber' in Denver are different from 'plumber' in Austin — because they are. All results are location-specific from day one. Multi-location agencies batch-call this endpoint across 5+ cities to build location-specific content strategies.

Seed keyword metrics included

Context for your expansion

The response includes volume, difficulty, and CPC for the seed keyword itself. Helps your agent compare: 'the seed has 880 volume, but these 5 suggestions have lower difficulty — write about those first.'

▌ Built for

What SEO operators ship with this endpoint

Content planning for agencies

Agencies expand 10-20 seed keywords per client, pull all suggestions, filter by volume and difficulty, and hand off a ranked priority list to the content team. 'These 50 keywords are worth writing about in this order.' Cuts keyword research from 3 days to 20 minutes.

→ For agencies

Multi-location keyword strategy

Franchises expand seed keywords across 5-10 locations. Identify which long-tail variants are local-specific vs. which apply to all markets. Allocate content budget: regional scalable content vs. location-specific targeting.

→ For franchises

AI-driven content gap analysis

Pair this endpoint with [Keyword Opportunities](/keyword-opportunities-api) to find high-volume suggestions you don't rank for. Your agent runs: 'expand my seed keywords, check what I rank for, flag gaps, prioritize by volume and difficulty.' Then slot into your content calendar.

→ Keyword Opportunities API

Question-based content discovery

Filter suggestions by question format ('how', 'what', 'why', 'when'). These are the structure for your blog posts, FAQs, and People Also Ask answers. Pair with [Google's People Also Ask](/google-also-asked) to validate and build your answer content.

→ For content teams
▌ vs. the alternatives

Why not use Ahrefs, Semrush, Answer The Public, or AlsoAsked?

All of them expand seed keywords into variants. Here's how the API model beats the dashboard/subscription model for automation.

ToolOutput shapeBatch limitCost modelAgent-ready
Answer The Public ($99/mo)Visual clustering + searchable listOne keyword at a time$99/mo minimum, per-seatNo API, manual UI
AlsoAsked ($19/mo)People Also Ask questions onlyLimited free tier, paid bulk$19/mo starter or $299 annualAPI exists but limited scope
KWFinder ($29.90/mo)Volume + Difficulty + SERP dataDashboard-driven, ~100 searches/day free$29.90–99/mo per seatNo native API integration
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer ($129/mo)Volume + Difficulty + MetricsBatch via dashboard, limited API$129–299/mo per seat, $1,548–3,588/yearAPI exists but dashboard-first
Semrush Keyword Magic Tool ($139.95/mo)Volume + Difficulty + Intent + SERPBatching via export, slow$139.95–499.95/mo per seat, $1,679–5,999/yearCSV export, not agent-native
Ubersuggest ($12/mo)Volume + Difficulty + Content ideasKeyword at a time$12–40/mo per seatLimited API, mostly UI
LocalSEOData Keyword Suggestions APIVolume + Difficulty + CPC + SERP features50-1000 suggestions per call, unlimited calls$0.01 per call, no seatsNative MCP + REST, agent-first
▌ Connect in 60 seconds

Use it from your agent

Two integration surfaces: MCP for clients that speak MCP, REST API for everything else.

Direct MCP integration

Drop-in support in Claude Desktop, OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, and any MCP-aware client.

Add to your client's MCP config (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "localseodata": {
      "url": "https://mcp.localseodata.com",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer sk_live_..."
      }
    }
  }
}

REST API

For Perplexity Computer, ChatGPT Custom GPTs, custom agents, and any platform that calls REST endpoints directly.

Base URL:

api.localseodata.com

See the docs for endpoint reference and auth.

▌ Quickstart

Your first call in three lines

Same endpoint, three syntaxes. The `keyword` parameter is your seed term (e.g., 'roof repair'). `location` is required in 'City, State, Country' format. Optional: `limit` (default 50, max 1000), `language` (default 'en'). One call = 2 credits.

terminal · curl
POST /v1/keywords/suggestions
curl -X POST https://api.localseodata.com/v1/keywords/suggestions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "keyword": "emergency plumber",
    "location": "Denver, Colorado, United States",
    "limit": 100
  }'
Full endpoint reference → · Get an API key →
▌ Pricing for this endpoint

$0.01 per call

2 credits per expansion. Free tier on signup includes 50 credits (25 keyword expansions). Monthly plans start at $19 and never expire. No per-seat fees, no team limits.

Free tier
25
keyword expansions on signup (50 credits)
Starter · $19/mo
1,900
expansions/mo at this rate
Per-call cost
$0.01
or 2 credits per expansion
▌ FAQ

Common questions

What is the Keyword Suggestions API?+
A REST endpoint that takes one seed keyword and returns 50-1,000 long-tail variants, question formats, and location-modified suggestions. Each suggestion includes monthly search volume, keyword difficulty (0-100), cost-per-click in USD, and SERP features present (local_pack, ads, featured_snippet, people_also_ask, etc.). The endpoint is POST /v1/keywords/suggestions. One call returns structured JSON with all variants and costs 2 credits ($0.01). This is the foundational endpoint for keyword expansion — every content strategy (blog planning, topic cluster building, local optimization) starts with expanding a handful of seed keywords.
Where do the keyword suggestions come from?+
The suggestions come from two sources. First, Google Autocomplete data — the same predictions that appear when you type into Google search. Second, DataForSEO's aggregated dataset, which combines Google Autocomplete, Google Keyword Planner data, and Bing autocomplete. The data is generated in real time when you call the API, not cached. So the suggestions are fresh to the moment you request them. This is the same upstream data that Answer The Public, Ahrefs, and Semrush use, but we're exposing it as an API instead of a dashboard.
How is this different from Search Volume API and Keyword Opportunities API?+
Search Volume API takes a list of keywords you already have and returns monthly volume, CPC, and competition for each. Start here if you have 100+ target keywords and want to prioritize by volume. Keyword Suggestions API takes one seed keyword and expands it into 50-1000 variants you didn't know about. Start here if you have a few seed terms and need to discover the long-tail variants. Keyword Opportunities API takes your website, your location, and your target keywords, then returns the 50 best opportunities ranked by difficulty vs your current rank. Use this last to decide what to write about. A typical workflow is: Suggestions (discover) → Search Volume (validate) → Opportunities (prioritize). Or pair Suggestions with Opportunities if you want ranked recommendations from the expansion.
How does this compare to Answer The Public ($99/mo)?+
Answer The Public is a dashboard tool that expands seed keywords and clusters them visually. You type 'plumber', it shows you 'plumber near me', 'plumber cost', 'how much does a plumber cost', etc. — all in a visual map. But it's dashboard-first (no API), per-seat subscription ($99/mo), and slow at batch processing. The Keyword Suggestions API does the same expansion but API-first. You can batch-expand 10 seed keywords in parallel, get structured JSON, and your agent can filter, rank, and act on the results. For a consultant who expands 20 seeds once a year, Answer The Public is fine. For an agency expanding seeds across 12 client locations weekly, the API model wins. And the cost: Answer The Public = $99/mo; Keyword Suggestions API = $0.01 per call (25 expansions for the $19/mo starter plan).
How does this compare to AlsoAsked ($19/mo)?+
AlsoAsked is laser-focused on Google's People Also Ask (PAA) questions. You enter a keyword, it scrapes the PAA section and returns only the questions people ask. That's a subset of what the Keyword Suggestions API returns — we return questions, yes, but also autocomplete variants, commercial modifiers, location modifiers, and everything in between. If your only goal is 'find PAA questions for content pillar pages,' AlsoAsked is cheaper ($19/mo). If you need full keyword expansion (questions + variants + location-specific + commercial intents), the Suggestions API is better and still cheaper when you use it ($0.01/call).
How does this compare to Ahrefs Keywords Explorer ($129/mo)?+
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer is a full keyword research dashboard. You can search for a keyword, see volume and difficulty, browse a list of 'related' keywords, and build keyword lists. It's dashboard-first with an API available secondary. The Keyword Suggestions API does the expansion part really well (seed → variants) but doesn't pretend to be a full keyword research suite. For bulk expansion of seeds, the API is faster and cheaper: $0.01 per seed vs $129/mo flat fee. For exploring a keyword interactively in a dashboard, Ahrefs wins. For automation and batch processing, the API wins.
Can I get more than 50 suggestions per call?+
Yes. The limit parameter accepts 50-1000. Set limit: 1000 to get up to 1000 suggestions per call. For a high-volume seed like 'plumber', you might get 800-1000 variants. For a niche seed like 'vintage accordion repair', you might get 120 suggestions. The API returns what Google Autocomplete and the underlying data sources provide — there's no hard floor, but also no guarantee you'll hit 1000 for every seed. You're charged 2 credits per call regardless of how many suggestions are returned.
What SERP features are included?+
Each suggestion includes an array of SERP features present in Google's search results for that keyword. Possible values: local_pack (Google Maps results appear), ads (paid ads appear), featured_snippet, people_also_ask, knowledge_panel, and others. For local SEO, local_pack is the highest priority — if a suggestion has local_pack, Google is showing map results, meaning local businesses have a real shot at ranking. people_also_ask means people are asking questions about this topic — write answers to win those positions. Your agent can filter by SERP features automatically.
Can AI agents use this directly?+
Yes, two ways. MCP: Add Local SEO Data to your claude_desktop_config.json (or any MCP-compatible client like OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, etc.), and Claude calls this endpoint from your prompt without you writing integration code. You say 'expand roof repair in Denver and filter for volume >300' and it happens. REST: Any agent that can make HTTPS calls (ChatGPT Custom GPTs, Perplexity Computer, custom Python agents) hits api.localseodata.com with Authorization: Bearer sk_live_.... The agent receives structured JSON with all variants, filters by difficulty/volume/features, and can reason about priority. This is why MCP matters: it's the bridge between 'I want keyword ideas' (human) and 'here are 50 ranked variants' (agent).
Do you support multi-language and multi-location suggestions?+
Yes to both. location is required and must be in 'City, State, Country' format (e.g., 'Denver, Colorado, United States'). Suggestions are location-specific — the variants you get for 'plumber' in Denver differ from 'plumber' in Austin, because people search differently in different markets. language is optional (default 'en') and accepts language codes. Multi-location workflows are standard: agencies expand seeds across 5-10 cities to build region-specific content strategies. Multi-language is fine too — 'roof repair' (English) vs 'reparación de tejado' (Spanish) return different suggestions.
What changed in 2026 that made this category exist?+
Two things. First, MCP (the Model Context Protocol) became standard in late 2024 and went mainstream through 2025. It let agents call external APIs without custom integration work. The moment that happened, keyword expansion flipped from a dashboard workflow ('log in to Answer The Public, click around') to an agent workflow ('my Claude instance expands 10 seeds, filters by local_pack, ranks by difficulty, and emails me the content priority list'). Second, the dashboard-era keyword tools (Ahrefs, Semrush, Answer The Public) are per-seat subscriptions designed for humans clicking around. They're not optimized for bulk, automated, agent-driven research. The API lets you automate expansion and pair it with other endpoints (Search Volume, Opportunities, Keywords for Site) in a single agent prompt. Same data, zero dashboard friction, agent-native all the way.
▌ Related endpoints

Often used in the same agent prompt

POST /v1/keywords/search-volume
Search Volume API

Validate suggestions with volume, CPC, and 12-month trends.

POST /v1/keywords/opportunities
Keyword Opportunities API

Rank suggestions by difficulty vs your current rank.

POST /v1/keywords/related
Related Keywords API

Semantically related terms, avoid cannibalization.

POST /v1/keywords/site-keywords
Keywords for Site API

What keywords competitors rank for.

Expand seed keywords 100x faster than manual research.

50 free credits on signup. 25 keyword expansions included. Batch-expand your target seeds in your first agent prompt.

Start FreeRead the docs
▌ MADE FOR THE NEW LOCAL SEO STACK