RankRecon User Guide
Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about using RankRecon for SERP extraction and analysis. From installation to advanced settings.
Getting Started
Installation
Basic Workflow
Search Google
Navigate to any supported Google domain and perform a search. RankRecon works on 25+ Google country domains.
Extract Results
Click the RankRecon icon. The extension identifies organic search results and filters out ads, "People also ask" boxes, featured snippets, and other Google properties.
Analyse Pages
Click "Analyse All" to fetch metadata from each result. RankRecon opens each page in a background tab, extracts the data, then closes the tab. Cancel anytime and keep results gathered so far.
Export or Report
Export raw data in your preferred format, or generate a SERP Analysis report with content targets and recommendations. Everything downloads instantly - no cloud processing.
Data Extracted
RankRecon extracts 25+ data points from each ranking page. You can configure which fields to include in your exports via Settings.
SERP Data
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Position | Ranking position in organic results (1, 2, 3, etc.) |
| URL | The result's destination URL |
| SERP Title | The title shown in search results |
| SERP Description | The snippet shown in search results |
Page Metadata
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | The page's <title> tag content |
| Meta Description | The page's meta description |
| H1 | The page's primary heading |
Content Metrics
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Word Count | Total words in the main content area |
| H1-H4 Counts | Number of each heading level used |
| Paragraph Count | Number of paragraph elements |
Link Analysis
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Internal Links | Links to other pages on the same domain |
| External Links | Links to other domains |
| Content-Area Links | Links within the main content (excluding navigation) |
Rich Content
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Images | Number of images in content |
| Videos | Embedded videos detected |
| Tables | Data tables in content |
| Lists | Ordered and unordered lists |
| Forms | Contact or input forms present |
| Buttons | Call-to-action buttons |
Structure Signals
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Table of Contents | Whether a TOC/jump links section exists |
| Nav Elements | Navigation patterns detected |
| Map Embed | Google Maps or similar embeds |
Schema Markup
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| JSON-LD Types | Schema.org types found in JSON-LD markup (Article, Product, FAQPage, etc.) |
Handling Extraction Failures
If a page fails to load or blocks extraction, RankRecon marks that row as an error but continues processing remaining results. Failed rows show the URL and position but display "Failed to extract" for other fields.
Common reasons for extraction failures:
- Page requires authentication
- Page blocked the request
- Page took too long to load
- Server returned an error
When one or more errors have occurred in processing, a retry button is shown on the results screen. Clicking this will attempt to load the problem pages and parse data from them again. Alternatively, each result has an "Open" and "Redo" link. Errors, or even items that appear not to have scraped correctly can first be manually opened, then you can click the "Redo" link and the page will be scraped again from the open tab. This allows you to manually resolve page load issues and avoid bot detection, such as Cloudflare.
SERP Analysis Report
The SERP Analysis report transforms raw extraction data into actionable recommendations. Instead of manually comparing competitors, the report identifies patterns and generates specific targets for your content.
When to Use It
Generate a SERP Analysis report when you want to:
- Plan new content that competes with existing rankings
- Audit existing content against top performers
- Brief writers with specific, data-backed targets
- Identify quick wins for content updates
Report Sections
Archetype Detection
Groups ranking pages by content pattern - listicles, comprehensive guides, tools, product pages, or homepages. This shows you what format Google is rewarding for this query.
Content Targets
Recommended benchmarks based on top performers:
- Target word count (median and range)
- Heading structure (H2, H3, H4 counts)
- Image usage
- List and table adoption
Trust Signals
Compares adoption of credibility factors across ranking pages:
- Schema markup types
- Contact forms
- Video content
- Table of contents
- External citations
Differentiation Opportunities
Identifies features with low adoption among competitors - elements you could add to stand out. If only 20% of ranking pages have video, adding video could be a differentiator.
Build Checklist
Auto-generated action items based on the analysis. Use this as a starting point for content briefs or as a self-review checklist before publishing.
Export Options
SERP Analysis reports can be exported as:
Markdown
For documentation, Notion, or developer workflows.
HTML
Styled report you can open in a browser or share.
Multi-Page Analysis
RankRecon can accumulate results across multiple SERP pages, giving you a broader view of the competitive landscape.
How It Works
- Extract and analyse results from page 1 of Google
- Navigate to page 2 (or 3, 4, etc.)
- Extract and analyse again - results are added to your existing data
- Export or generate a report based on all accumulated results
Results are grouped by search query and Google domain. If you change your search query or switch to a different Google domain, RankRecon starts fresh. This prevents mixing data from different searches.
When to Use Multi-Page Analysis
- Analysing competitive SERPs where you need data beyond the top 10
- Building comprehensive content benchmarks
- Researching content patterns across a broader range of pages
Export Formats
Raw Data Exports
| Format | Best For |
|---|---|
| Excel (.xlsx) | Spreadsheet analysis, client deliverables |
| CSV (.csv) | Import into any tool, large datasets |
| JSON (.json) | Developer workflows, data pipelines |
| Markdown (.md) | Documentation, Notion, GitHub |
| HTML (.html) | Styled tables viewable in any browser |
| Plain Text (.txt) | Quick review, email sharing |
SERP Analysis Report Exports
SERP Analysis reports are available in Markdown and HTML formats. These exports include the full analysis with content targets, trust signals, and the build checklist.
All exports are generated locally in your browser.
Settings Reference
Access settings by clicking "Settings" in the popup footer, or right-click the extension icon and select "Options".
Appearance
Theme
Choose between Light, Dark, or System (follows your OS/browser preference).
Firefox note: "System" follows the Firefox browser theme.
Export Settings
Default Export Format
Choose which format is pre-selected when you click Export. Options: CSV, Excel, JSON, Markdown, HTML, Plain Text.
Remember last format used
When enabled, RankRecon remembers your last export format and uses it as the default next time.
Export Fields
Select which data fields to include in exports. Toggle individual fields on or off to customise your output. This affects all export formats except SERP Analysis reports.
Scraping Settings
Auto-analyse after extraction
When enabled, RankRecon skips the confirmation step and immediately starts analysing pages after extracting SERP results.
Page Render Delay
Time to wait (1-10 seconds) for page content to render after loading. Default: 3 seconds.
Increase this for sites with client-side rendering (React, Vue, Angular). Decrease for faster processing on static sites.
Keep tabs open after scraping
When enabled, the tabs RankRecon opens remain open after scraping completes. Useful for manual review or debugging.
Advanced Settings
Expand the "Advanced Settings" section to access these options.
Enable debug logging
Outputs diagnostic information to the browser console (F12 → Console).
Report errors to help improve RankRecon
When enabled, sends anonymous error reports when something goes wrong. This helps us identify and fix bugs.
Error reports include only the error type and domain name. No page paths, search queries, or personal data are collected. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Custom SERP Selector
Override the default result detection with a custom CSS selector. Only use this if standard extraction fails on a particular Google layout.
The selector should match the <a> elements containing result links. Example: div.custom-result a
Using an invalid selector will cause extraction to fail. Clear the custom selector to restore normal behaviour.
Reset All Settings to Defaults
Restores all settings to their original values. Requires confirmation.
Supported Google Domains
RankRecon works on 25+ Google country domains:
Troubleshooting
"Not a Google search results page"
RankRecon only works on Google search results pages. Make sure you're on:
- A supported Google domain (see list above)
- A search results page (URL contains
/search) - Not on Google Images, News, Maps, or other specialised search types
No results detected
If RankRecon shows "0 results found":
- Make sure you're on a standard web search results page
- Scroll down to ensure results have loaded
- Try refreshing the page
- Check if you have browser extensions that modify Google's layout
If the problem persists, try the Custom SERP Selector in Advanced Settings, or open an issue on GitHub.
Extraction fails for some pages
Some pages may fail to extract due to:
- Authentication required - The page requires login
- Bot protection - The site blocks automated requests
- Slow loading - Try increasing the Page Render Delay setting
- JavaScript errors - The page has errors preventing proper rendering
RankRecon continues processing remaining results when individual pages fail. On the results page you can open individual items. When the page has loaded correctly, leave the tab open and return to the item in RankRecon, and click the "Redo" link next to it. RankRecon will use scrape data from the open tab and add the data to the result set.
Export not downloading
If clicking Export doesn't download a file:
- Check your browser's download settings
- Look for a blocked download notification
- Try a different export format
- Ensure you have results to export
Extension icon not visible
Click the extensions (puzzle) icon in your browser toolbar and pin RankRecon to keep it visible.
Browser Permissions
RankRecon requests only the permissions necessary to function:
| Permission | Why it's needed |
|---|---|
activeTab | Read the current Google search results page |
scripting | Inject the extraction script into pages |
tabs | Open and close tabs for page analysis |
storage | Save your settings locally |
RankRecon does NOT:
- Access your browsing history
- Read data from non-Google pages(except during analysis)
- Send your personal data, search queries, or browsing data to external servers
- Require an account or API key
Getting Help
For bug reports, feature requests, or questions about RankRecon, visit our GitHub Issues page:
Reporting Bugs
When creating a new issue, please include:
- Browser name and version
- RankRecon version (shown in the extension popup)
- Step-by-step instructions to reproduce the issue
- What you expected to happen vs. what actually happened
- The Google search URL you were using (if applicable)
Response Times
RankRecon is built by a small team. We monitor GitHub Issues and aim to respond promptly.
About Mission Systems
RankRecon is built by Mission Systems, an independent software company based in the UK. We build developer tools and utilities with a focus on privacy, simplicity, and getting out of your way.