What Is SEOquake and How Can It Improve Your SEO Strategy?

If you've ever tried to understand why some websites rank better than others on Google, you've likely discovered that SEO (Search Engine Optimization) plays a major role. But digging into SEO metrics can be overwhelming without the right tools. That’s where SEOquake comes in—a popular and free browser extension that provides quick, real-time SEO insights directly while you browse the web.

Developed by Semrush, SEOquake is designed for digital marketers, SEO professionals, and content creators who want to analyze website performance without the need for complicated dashboards or expensive software. Whether you're evaluating your own website or analyzing a competitor’s, SEOquake offers instant access to critical data like backlinks, keyword density, domain authority, and more—all within your browser.

But what makes SEOquake truly useful isn’t just its feature list—it’s how fast and easy it makes gathering SEO data. With one click, you can get an on-page audit, compare multiple domains side by side, or see detailed metrics in your Google search results.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what SEOquake is, how it works, and practical ways you can use it to improve your SEO strategy. From exploring the SEOquake bar to understanding each metric it shows, and even uncovering 10 powerful use cases—you’ll learn how to make the most out of this simple yet powerful SEO tool.

Key Features of SEOquake

SEOquake stands out among SEO browser extensions because of its simplicity, depth of data, and the convenience it offers for everyday SEO analysis. Below are some of its most useful features that make it a favorite among marketers and SEO professionals:

1. Instant SEO Metrics on Any Page

Once installed, SEOquake displays essential SEO statistics like page authority, domain age, backlink count, and Alexa rank for any web page you visit. These details are visible right on your browser bar or SERPs, allowing for instant evaluations without switching tabs or tools.

2. On-Page SEO Audit

SEOquake can run a detailed on-page SEO audit of any webpage. It analyzes:

Title tags and meta descriptions
Heading structure (H1, H2, H3, etc.)
Keyword usage
Internal and external links
Image alt attributes

This audit is extremely helpful for spotting on-page SEO issues that might affect your search engine rankings.

3. SERP Overlay for Quick Comparison

One of SEOquake’s most powerful features is its integration with search engine results pages (SERPs). When you perform a Google search, SEOquake overlays each result with SEO data, such as:

Domain score
Number of indexed pages
Number of backlinks
Social media shares (when available)

This lets you compare your site to competitors directly within the SERP—perfect for keyword research and competitive analysis.

4. Keyword Density Report

With a single click, you can get a full breakdown of the keywords used on a page and how often they appear. This helps ensure you're targeting the right keywords at an optimal frequency, without keyword stuffing.

5. Link Analysis

SEOquake highlights both internal and external links on any webpage. You can easily identify follow and nofollow links, which is essential when evaluating the structure and SEO health of a website.

6. Exportable Data

Need to share data with your team or client? SEOquake allows you to export all page and SERP data in CSV format, making it easy to include SEO metrics in your reports or audits.

7. Customizable Settings

Whether you’re focused on specific metrics or want a minimal display, SEOquake gives you control over what information you see. You can customize the SEO bar, set which parameters are shown, and even choose different data sources if needed.

SEOquake Parameters

One of the biggest strengths of SEOquake is the wide variety of SEO parameters it provides. These parameters are the building blocks of your site analysis, offering detailed insights that help you make informed decisions about your SEO strategy.

Whether you're analyzing your own site or researching competitors, understanding what each parameter means—and how to use it—is essential. Here’s a breakdown of the most important categories:

1. Page-Level Parameters

These give you data about the specific webpage you’re viewing.

Page Title: Displays the HTML title of the page. A good title should be relevant and include primary keywords.
Meta Description: Shows the meta description tag, which impacts how your page appears in search results.
Canonical URL: Identifies the preferred version of a URL to avoid duplicate content issues.
Keyword Density: Shows how often a particular keyword appears on the page. Helps in optimizing for relevance without overuse.

2. Domain-Level Parameters

These metrics apply to the whole website (domain), not just the current page.

Domain Age: An older domain is often seen as more trustworthy by search engines.
Number of Indexed Pages: Indicates how many pages from the domain are indexed by Google or Bing.
Backlinks to Domain: Total number of external links pointing to the entire website, important for domain authority.

3. Backlink and Link Parameters

Useful for link-building and SEO health analysis.

External Links: Links pointing from the current page to other domains.
Internal Links: Links pointing to other pages within the same website.
Nofollow Links: Links that don’t pass SEO value—helpful to identify whether important links are being properly utilized.
Backlink Count: Shows the number of backlinks to the specific page or domain (data pulled from SEMrush, if connected).

While not as heavily weighted in SEO today, social presence can still impact visibility.

Facebook Likes/Shares, X (formerly Twitter) Shares (Note: these may be limited due to API changes).
Social Signals: Good for measuring user engagement or viral potential.

5. Traffic and Authority Metrics

Some of these require integration with SEMrush, but they give a general picture of how a domain performs.

Alexa Rank: Estimates the site’s traffic rank globally. While outdated, it still provides a rough comparison.
SEMrush Rank: A proprietary score showing how well the domain performs in organic and paid search.
Trust Score & Authority Score (via SEMrush): These scores evaluate backlink quality and site authority.

6. Custom Parameters

SEOquake allows you to create your own parameters based on specific URLs or data sources. For example, you can link it with Google PageSpeed Insights or third-party APIs to track metrics that matter most to your workflow.

SEOquake Bar (SEObar)

The SEOquake Bar, also known as the SEObar, is one of the most convenient features of the SEOquake extension. It appears as a compact toolbar overlay at the top of your browser window, providing at-a-glance SEO metrics for any page you visit.

This feature is especially useful for professionals who want quick insights without navigating away from the content they’re analyzing. Here’s what you need to know:

1. What is the SEOquake Bar?

The SEObar is a floating strip that appears at the top of a web page when SEOquake is active. It displays key SEO parameters in real time, such as:

Page URL and title
Alexa rank
SEMrush rank (if linked)
Number of backlinks
Number of indexed pages
Social signals (if available)

You can click on each parameter to view more details or run in-depth reports.

2. How the SEObar Enhances SEO Analysis

Rather than opening a dashboard or switching tabs, the SEObar brings essential SEO data right to where you're working—on the page itself. This allows for:

Instant evaluation of any web page
Quick comparison between competitors
Faster decision-making when optimizing content or performing audits

For example, if you're browsing a blog and want to check its authority or backlink profile, the SEObar gives you that info right away—no copying URLs or running separate tools.

3. Customizing the SEObar

SEOquake understands that not every user needs the same metrics, so the SEObar is highly customizable. You can:

Choose which parameters to show: Enable or disable metrics like Alexa Rank, SEMrush Rank, Google index count, and more.
Reorder parameters: Arrange them based on what you prioritize most.
Change data sources: Choose between Google, Bing, SEMrush, and other sources depending on your needs.

This flexibility makes the SEObar suitable for both beginners who need simplicity and experts who want detailed control.

4. Turning It On or Off

If you find the SEObar distracting while browsing casually, you can easily toggle it on or off from the SEOquake icon in your browser toolbar. It’s lightweight and doesn’t interfere with website performance, but having the option to hide it helps keep your workflow clean.

10 Ways to Use SEOquake Effectively

While SEOquake is packed with features, its real power lies in how you use it. Whether you're managing your own website or doing SEO for clients, this tool can save time, uncover insights, and guide smarter decisions.

Here are 10 effective ways to use SEOquake in your daily SEO workflow:

1. Perform Quick On-Page SEO Audits

SEOquake can run an audit of any webpage you're viewing, highlighting issues like missing title tags, improper heading structure, keyword stuffing, or broken links. It’s a fast way to spot areas for improvement—especially helpful before publishing a new article or updating existing content.

2. Analyze Competitor Pages Instantly

Visiting a competitor’s blog post or landing page? Use SEOquake to instantly view their keyword density, backlink count, and other on-page metrics. This helps you reverse-engineer successful strategies and find content gaps you can fill.

3. Evaluate SEO Strength of SERP Results

When you search something on Google, SEOquake adds an overlay next to each result showing domain authority, backlinks, and other parameters. This SERP overlay helps you evaluate how competitive a keyword is and decide whether it’s worth targeting.

4. Check Keyword Density for Optimization

Avoid keyword stuffing or under-optimization by using SEOquake’s keyword density report. It shows which terms are most frequent and whether your target keywords appear in strategic places like the title, headings, and meta tags.

5. Identify and Monitor Backlinks

Use the backlink data to see which pages have the strongest link profiles. If you’re trying to earn backlinks or understand why a competitor is ranking, this feature reveals where their authority might be coming from.

6. Spot Nofollow Links Quickly

Nofollow links don’t pass SEO equity, but they're still important for understanding link structure. SEOquake highlights nofollow links on any page, helping you distinguish between valuable and neutral links in content, comments, or navigation.

7. Export Data for Reports and Audits

Need to include SEO insights in a client report or track performance across multiple pages? You can export data from SEOquake in CSV format—perfect for use in spreadsheets, Google Data Studio, or presentations.

8. Evaluate Indexed Pages

Want to know how well a site is indexed by Google or Bing? SEOquake shows the number of indexed pages per domain—useful for spotting indexation issues or measuring the size of a competitor’s site.

9. Customize Metrics Based on Your Needs

Not all SEO projects are the same. SEOquake lets you customize which parameters appear in the toolbar or SERP overlay, so you can focus on what matters—whether that’s backlinks, SEMrush rankings, or social shares.

10. Use SEOquake Across Multiple Browsers

The extension works seamlessly on Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Edge. You can install it across all browsers you use, ensuring consistent access to SEO tools wherever and however you work.

Installing and Configuring SEOquake

Getting started with SEOquake is quick and easy. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced SEO, the setup process takes just a few minutes. Here’s how you can install and configure SEOquake to suit your workflow:

1. Installing SEOquake Extension

SEOquake is available as a free browser extension and supports all major browsers.

👉 Steps to Install:

Google Chrome:
- Visit the Chrome Web Store and search for “SEOquake”.
- Click on Add to Chrome > Add Extension.
Mozilla Firefox:
- Go to the Firefox Add-ons Store.
- Search for “SEOquake” and click Add to Firefox.
Opera:
- Available in the Opera add-ons section. Similar process as above.
Microsoft Edge:
- Open the Edge Add-ons store, search for SEOquake, and install it like any Chrome extension.

Once installed, you’ll see the SEOquake icon on your browser’s toolbar.

2. Granting Necessary Permissions

After installation, SEOquake may prompt you to grant access to:

Read and change data on the websites you visit
Access browsing activity (for SERP overlays)

These are standard permissions for extensions that analyze web content and are required for full functionality.

3. Basic Configuration

Click the SEOquake icon on your browser to open the dashboard. From here, you can adjust several important settings:

🛠 Customize Display:

Enable or disable the SEO bar (SEObar) as needed
Set SERP overlay options to show or hide SEO metrics next to each search result

🔧 Choose Data Sources:

Select preferred data providers for:
- Index count (Google/Bing)
- Backlinks (SEMrush, Moz, etc.)
- Ranking info (Alexa, SEMrush Rank)

📊 Enable/Disable Parameters:

SEOquake offers a long list of parameters, but you may not need all of them. You can toggle specific ones like:

Domain age
Keyword density
Alexa rank
Indexed pages
SEMrush data (requires free account)

4. Connecting with SEMrush (Optional but Recommended)

If you have a free or paid SEMrush account, you can link it to SEOquake for more detailed reports:

Click Settings > SEMrush account
Log in and authorize access
Gain access to deeper insights like keyword rankings, backlink sources, and traffic data

5. Adjusting Layout for Ease of Use

Drag the SEObar to different parts of your screen
Pin or unpin the toolbar based on your focus
Choose light or dark themes depending on your browser mode

Pros and Cons of Using SEOquake

Like any SEO tool, SEOquake has its strengths and limitations. Understanding both can help you decide how to best use it in your workflow and whether it fits your SEO strategy.

✅ Pros of SEOquake

1. Completely Free to Use

Unlike many SEO tools that lock features behind a paywall, SEOquake offers an impressive range of SEO metrics without charging a fee. It’s ideal for beginners, freelancers, and even professionals looking for quick insights.

2. Real-Time Data While Browsing

The SEOquake bar and SERP overlay let you see SEO metrics instantly as you browse or search on Google—no need to copy URLs or open multiple tools.

3. Fast On-Page Audits

Get a snapshot of a webpage’s SEO health in seconds. This is especially useful when reviewing blog posts, product pages, or client websites for basic compliance.

4. SERP Analysis Without Leaving Google

The SERP overlay is a major time-saver. You can analyze the top 10 results for any keyword right inside the Google search results—perfect for evaluating keyword competition.

5. Highly Customizable

You control what metrics are shown, which data sources to use, and how your interface looks. This flexibility makes SEOquake suitable for both beginners and power users.

6. Works Across Multiple Browsers

Whether you're using Chrome, Firefox, Opera, or Edge, SEOquake works seamlessly, allowing consistency across different environments.

❌ Cons of SEOquake

1. Limited Historical Data

SEOquake provides real-time data, but it doesn’t offer historical tracking or trend analysis like full SEO platforms (e.g., Semrush, Ahrefs, or Moz). You’ll need to use it alongside other tools for long-term insights.

2. Basic Backlink and Traffic Metrics

While it does show backlink numbers and some traffic stats, these are often high-level figures. For deeper backlink analysis, you’ll need to connect with SEMrush or another advanced tool.

3. May Slow Down Browsing Slightly

Though it’s lightweight, having the SEOquake bar or SERP overlay active on every page can slow down browsing speed—especially on resource-heavy websites.

Due to changes in APIs (especially with platforms like X/Twitter and Facebook), the social signals shown by SEOquake may not always be accurate or up to date.

5. Data Accuracy Depends on External Sources

Some metrics like SEMrush Rank or Indexed Pages rely on third-party data sources. If those APIs are unavailable or limited, the data may not always reflect the latest state.

Conclusion: Should You Use SEOquake?

If you're looking for a lightweight, free, and fast way to analyze SEO metrics while browsing websites or researching competitors, SEOquake is absolutely worth using.

It’s ideal for:

Beginners learning SEO fundamentals
Bloggers and content creators checking on-page optimization
Freelancers and marketers doing quick audits
SEOs who want a browser-based companion tool to their full-stack platforms

🟢 Use SEOquake If You Want To:

Instantly view SEO stats without switching tools
Analyze SERP competition quickly
Check keyword density and content structure
Perform fast audits and collect exportable data

🔴 But Don’t Rely on It Alone For:

Deep backlink profiling
Keyword tracking over time
Technical SEO fixes like site speed or crawl errors
Advanced competitor strategy breakdowns

In essence, SEOquake acts as your "first-look" SEO tool—a real-time SEO assistant that gives you quick context, speeds up your workflow, and helps you make informed decisions on the go.

Pair it with tools like Google Search Console, Google Analytics, or SEMrush/Ahrefs for a more complete SEO strategy.