If you’ve ever spent hours manually pulling ranking data, copying it into a spreadsheet, and trying to make sense of it all before writing a report — this one’s for you.
With the Semrush MCP (Model Context Protocol) connected to Claude, that entire workflow collapses into a two-prompt conversation. Here’s how it works, why it matters, and how you can set it up today.
What is the Semrush MCP?
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol — a way to connect external tools and data sources directly to an AI like Claude. Instead of exporting data from Semrush, formatting it manually, and then analysing it, the MCP lets Claude pull that data live, on demand, right inside your conversation.
That means no more copy-pasting. No more tab switching. No more “let me just update the spreadsheet.”
What Can You Actually Pull From Semrush?
Once the MCP is installed and connected, Claude can access a wide range of Semrush data points, including:
- Overview — domain authority scores, traffic estimates
- Organic Research — SEO keywords, competitors, rankings
- Keyword Research — keyword difficulty, volume, SERP analysis
- Backlink Research — link profiles, referring domains, anchor texts
- URL Research — page-level SEO data, keywords, rankings
- Subdomain/Subfolder Research — traffic and keyword data at subdomain/subfolder level
- Site Audit — technical SEO issues, crawl data, recommendations
- Position Tracking — keyword ranking monitoring
- Traffic Analytics — website traffic, audience demographics
- Projects — campaign and project data
That’s essentially your entire Semrush dashboard, accessible through natural language.
How to Set It Up
You install the Semrush MCP in the developer settings of Claude. One important thing to note: by default, your Semrush account comes with a limited number of API tokens (around 10,000), which won’t get you very far. Before getting started, make sure to purchase additional tokens through your Semrush licence.
Once that’s done, the MCP works best through Claude Code — the command-line version of Claude. In our testing, the chat interface can be unreliable for MCP usage, so Claude Code is the recommended environment.
A Real Example: From Raw Data to Report in Two Prompts
Here’s exactly how a recent analysis played out using the ClickTrust Semrush project.
Prompt 1: Analyse the position tracking data for this project ID. Give me an overview of keyword effectiveness, the top three best-performing keywords, and any opportunities for keywords currently ranking on page two that we could push to page one.
Claude pulled the live data from Semrush and compiled a structured report — complete with tables showing visibility scores across three campaign languages (French, English and Dutch), top keywords with their current positions and search volumes, and a prioritised list of page-two opportunities with drop data and key recommendations.
A quick cross-check confirmed the data was accurate: “Google Ads Agency” showing position one with 210 monthly searches matched exactly what was in the Semrush dashboard.
Prompt 2: Can you please create a PowerPoint presentation from this data?
That’s it. Claude pulled additional data where needed and generated a 10-slide presentation — an overview slide, campaign breakdowns, keyword tables, opportunity analysis — all formatted and ready to share.
Two prompts. One complete deliverable.
Why This Matters for SEO Teams
The time savings here are significant, but the bigger shift is strategic. When data retrieval and formatting are no longer bottlenecks, you can spend more time on the decisions that actually move rankings — identifying the right opportunities, aligning keyword strategy with business goals, and acting faster than the competition.
It also changes how you communicate results. A polished, data-backed report that used to take half a day can now be produced in a meeting, on the spot.
What’s Next?
This is just the beginning of what’s possible when AI connects directly to your marketing data sources. The Semrush MCP is one example — similar integrations exist for Google Ads, Meta, and more, each unlocking the same kind of instant analysis and reporting.
At ClickTrust, we go deep on exactly these kinds of workflows in our AI for PPC, SEO & Automation trainings. If you want to build the skills to use these tools effectively — not just in theory, but in real campaigns — check out our trainings at clicktrust.be.
The tools are here. The question is who learns to use them first.
