StretchSEM FAQ and Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

How much does each tool cost? Every live tool run — a domain report, keyword gap, content brief, SERP check, keyword research, competitor discovery, rank track, monitor snapshot, technical audit, on-page analysis, compare, or backlink scan — costs 1 credit. Reading stored data (listing reports, opening a report, reading rank or monitor history, checking provider readiness, and all campaign edits) is free.

A tool returned an error — was I charged? No. When a run can't complete — a required provider isn't connected, a SERP fetch comes back empty, or a domain has no crawled content — StretchSEM returns a clean error and automatically refunds the credit. You can safely retry.

Are the search volumes real numbers? It depends on your connected providers. Without an external provider, StretchSEM returns an honest demand estimate (a 0–100 score derived from search-autocomplete breadth and related suggestions), clearly labeled as an estimate — never a fabricated exact figure. When DataForSEO or Google Ads is connected, keyword tools return exact monthly search volume, CPC, competition, and difficulty instead.

Why does keyword research say the provider isn't configured? Standalone keyword research prefers an external metrics provider. Until one is connected it can return a 503 (provider unconfigured) and doesn't charge you. Meanwhile every crawl- and SERP-based tool — reports, SERP checks, rank tracking, content briefs, audits, on-page, competitor discovery, and backlinks — keeps working on StretchSEM's own engines. Ask your administrator to connect DataForSEO or Google Ads to unlock exact metrics.

Which providers does StretchSEM use, and how do I check what's connected? Open the Data sources (Provider readiness) panel in Diagnostics. It lists all six providers and their status. The proprietary SERP engine, keyword intelligence, and backlink link graph are always available. External providers — DataForSEO, Google Ads, and Google Search Console — show as connected only once an administrator configures them.

What's the difference between a Campaign and a Report? A campaign (project) is a saved preset — a domain, keyword list, and optional competitor — that you reuse to run tools with one click. A report is the stored output of an actual Domain report run. Deleting a campaign removes only the preset; it never deletes your stored reports, ranks, or snapshots.

Do StretchBAS and StretchSEM share credits? Yes. Both draw from the same balance, so one top-up covers both. If your balance is lower than expected, check activity in both products. The shared credit ledger (grants, purchases, usage, refunds) is available through StretchBAS.

Why does my domain show rank: null or "not found"? Your domain wasn't in the fetched results window for that keyword (typically the top ~15 organic results). It's not an error — it means you don't currently rank there for that term. Use the Content brief and On-page optimizer to close the gap, then re-check.

Troubleshooting

My metric cards all show 0 or "n/a" That's the expected state for a new account or new domain — the metrics are computed from your stored reports, ranks, snapshots, and campaigns. Run a Domain report, track some ranks, and create a project, and the cards, charts, and history tables populate.

A Domain report says "no crawled pages" The report reads from your StretchSearch crawl index. Crawl the domain in StretchSearch first, then re-run. No credit is charged for this error.

A SERP or rank result came back empty StretchSEM's SERP engine fetches and parses live results, trying multiple independent sources in order. A temporary block or timeout can occasionally yield no results. Wait a moment and run again — the engine retries across sources, and empty runs don't cost a credit.

The on-page optimizer can't load my page The optimizer fetches the page with a guarded crawler. Confirm the URL is publicly reachable (not behind a login or firewall), include the full address, and check the page returns a normal 200 status. Pages that block automated fetches or time out return a fetch error (and refund the credit).

Keyword gap returned no gaps The gap tool reads the competitor's homepage to infer their target topics. If their homepage is blocked, thin, or returns no readable on-page signals, it returns a note and an empty list. Try a competitor whose homepage exposes clear titles, headings, and navigation, or use SERP checks on specific keywords instead.

A provider shows "unreachable" The provider's credentials are likely expired or misconfigured. External providers are managed by an administrator at the platform level — ask your admin to re-check the connection.

The panels show a load error or "needs a refresh" This is a temporary load error for that view, usually a gateway hiccup. Click Retry on the panel (or Refresh in Reports/Tracking). If an error code is shown, note it — it identifies the specific view for support.

Tip: When in doubt, work from a project. Running tools from a saved project pre-fills the domain, keywords, and competitor consistently, which eliminates most "empty result" issues caused by typos or missing inputs.