Data sources: the free layer, Bing Webmaster and optional DataForSEO
Where rankings, search volume, keyword ideas, competitor topics and backlinks come from, what the free sources can and can't do, how to add a Bing Webmaster key and how to choose DataForSEO per data type.
Open this screen in the panelEvery data type in SEOAsist comes from exactly one source per organization. By default that is the free layer: data you already have access to, such as Search Console and Bing Webmaster, plus SEOAsist's own crawler. A paid account (your own DataForSEO) is optional and is used for a data type only when it is connected and chosen. Screens show which source a figure came from, and free, approximate data carries an Approximate label.
What each source delivers
| Data type | Free source | What to keep in mind | With DataForSEO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank tracking | Search Console average position | Needs the site's Search Console connection. Approximate, 2–3 days behind and only for keywords that get impressions; updated daily | Daily live position, top 10 and AI Overview flags |
| Volume / CPC / KD | Google Ads Keyword Planner, through SEOAsist's own connection when it is available | Volume and CPC; nothing to set up on your side | Volume, CPC, KD, intent, 12-month trend |
| Keyword ideas | Google suggestions and the site's Search Console queries | Search Console impressions show demand; Keyword Planner adds ideas and volume when it is available | Ideas and long-tail suggestions with full metrics |
| Competitors and content gap | Crawl of the competitor's sitemap | Up to 150 pages, robots.txt respected; page titles become topics compared with your pages. No rankings or volumes | Competitor discovery, competitor keywords and positions |
| Backlinks | Bing Webmaster with your own API key | Only sites verified in your Bing account; links as Bing sees them; updated weekly. No spam score or toxic detection | Backlink summary, spam score, toxic links, link opportunities |
| Local map rank | — | — | The Google Maps grid |
Choose the source per data type
The Data sources card at the top of Integrations lists every data type with its active source and its quality (Full or Approximate).
- Open Integrations.
- On the Data sources card, pick the source in a row's list. Only connected sources can be chosen.
- Confirm. Charts show the chosen source's data from then on.
Only owners and admins can change the source. If you don't choose, SEOAsist uses your own DataForSEO account when it is connected and working, otherwise the free layer.
When the source changes, the old series is kept but never mixed with the new one. If you explicitly chose DataForSEO and the account fails (for example it is not verified yet), the data stays as it was and a warning explains why; it does not silently switch to the free source.
Add a Bing Webmaster key (free backlinks)
- Sign in to Bing Webmaster Tools. If your site isn't there yet, import it from Search Console; that also verifies it.
- Open Settings (the gear icon) → API access and generate an API key.
- In SEOAsist, open Integrations, find Bing Webmaster (free backlinks) in the Data sources group and click Add key.
- Paste the key into Bing Webmaster API key and click Save.
The Backlinks page then fills in from Bing and refreshes every week. If a site is not verified in your Bing account, the page tells you so. Where available, a 0–100 domain authority is added to the linking domains.
Search volume from Keyword Planner
Keyword Planner volume is provided through SEOAsist's own Google Ads connection, so there is nothing to connect on your side. Results are cached for 30 days and shared, which keeps the daily request budget low. If the Data sources card shows "needs DataForSEO" for volume, the Keyword Planner connection is not available on this server and volume needs your own DataForSEO account.
API and MCP
The REST API and the MCP server report the active source for each data type, so an AI agent knows whether a figure is approximate and why a list may be empty.
FAQ
Do I need DataForSEO to use SEOAsist?
No. Rank tracking, keyword ideas, competitor topics and backlinks all have a free source. DataForSEO adds fuller data and the local map grid: DataForSEO.
Why do my free positions differ from what I see in Google?
Search Console reports an average over all impressions of the last days, across devices. A live check shows one result for one location and device at one moment.
Bing shows fewer links than I expected. Why?
The list shows the links Bing has found. It is a free, approximate view; for data closer to Google's, choose DataForSEO for backlinks.
Related articles
- Connect DataForSEO: API credentials, costs and balanceConnect your DataForSEO account to SEOAsist and learn which modules it powers, how many calls each action uses and where to keep an eye on your balance.
- Keyword tracking, research and SERP positionsHow to review Search Console queries, add keywords to the daily SERP check and find new keyword ideas on the Keywords page.
- Backlinks: tabs, Sync now and the weekly syncLearn what each tab on the Backlinks page shows, what Sync now does in the background, and which notification you get when a sync fails.
- Competitors: find or add rivals, content gap and head-to-headLearn how to detect competitors automatically or add them by hand, sync their keywords, read the content gap and compare yourself with one competitor head-to-head.
- Connect Google Search Console, verify and unlink propertiesConnect your Google account, auto-match Search Console properties to your sites, verify a new property by DNS, HTML tag/file or Cloudflare when none exists, and unlink when needed.