In short: You can go from sign-up to a finished page plan in one session. Your first plan is free on SerpDad for up to 1,000 keywords, and it runs on your own DataForSEO and AI provider keys. This page walks through each step in order.
Before you start
You need three things:
- A work email address. SerpDad does not accept disposable email addresses.
- A DataForSEO account, for search results and search volumes.
- An account with one AI provider. OpenRouter is the recommended choice. See Provider keys for the full list.
Your providers bill you directly for what your plan uses. SerpDad shows the estimated provider cost before anything runs.
The free first plan
Your first plan costs nothing on SerpDad. No card is needed.
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Who gets it | Once per verified user |
| Where | The first workspace you own |
| Keywords | Up to 1,000 |
| Briefs | Written automatically for the top 5 pages by search volume |
| Secondary keywords | Off |
| Provider costs | Billed to you by your providers, on your own keys |
If you import more than 1,000 keywords, the cost gate tells you how many fit. A second run needs the paid plan. Your first plan and its receipts stay either way. See Billing.
Step 1: create your account
- Open the sign-up page.
- Enter your full name, your work email and a password. In production, passwords need at least 12 characters and must not appear in known data breaches.
- Tick the box to agree to the terms and the privacy policy.
- Select the sign-up button.
You can also use Continue with Google. Google must have verified the email address. You still agree to the terms on a short confirm screen.
Step 2: verify your email
- Open the verification email from SerpDad.
- Select the link. It works for 60 minutes, and only the newest link works.
- If the email does not arrive, ask for a new one. You can resend after 60 seconds.
You cannot add provider keys until your email is verified. Accounts made with Continue with Google start verified.
Step 3: your workspace
SerpDad creates a workspace for you when you sign up. A workspace holds your projects, members, provider keys and billing. You are its Owner. See Workspace and team.
Step 4: follow the guided setup
Owners and Admins see a guided setup with four steps. You can leave and come back. SerpDad resumes at the next unfinished step.
- Connect DataForSEO. Paste your DataForSEO API login and API password. Use the API password, not the password you sign in with. SerpDad checks the key and reads your balance before it saves it.
- Connect your AI provider. Pick a provider and a model, paste the key and save. SerpDad checks the key before it saves it.
- Add your site and keywords. Enter your site address and add keywords. Paste one keyword per line, or upload a CSV, TSV or TXT file. SerpDad creates the project and imports the keywords.
- Run your first plan. Read the estimate and approve it. Nothing is fetched until you approve.
The site address matters. With it, SerpDad can route keywords to pages your site already has. Without it, every page is planned as new.
Every project plans for one market: United States, English, desktop. The market is fixed when the project is created.
Step 5: wait for the run
The run fetches the top 10 results for each keyword, fills search volumes, groups keywords into pages and checks the plan. You can leave the page. SerpDad emails the person who approved the run when the plan is ready.
How long it takes depends on the number of keywords and your provider queues.
Step 6: answer the review calls
Most calls settle themselves. A few need a person, for example a keyword that fits two pages equally. Open Review and answer them. Each card shows the evidence for both options. See Review queue.
Step 7: read the plan and the briefs
- Open Plan to see every page, its keywords, its verdict and its format. Select a row to open its receipt.
- Open Briefs. Briefs for the top 5 pages by search volume are written automatically.
- Open a brief, check each claim against its source, and export it when the export check passes.
See Read the plan and Briefs.
What to do next
- Connect Search Console so the plan can use your site's own click data. See Measure.
- Invite your team. See Workspace and team.
- Subscribe to run again. Re-runs of stored keywords are free on SerpDad. See Billing.