Importing keywords lets you add new terms to an existing project manually or from a file. Once imported, RankDots automatically collects metrics for each keyword and groups them into topics using the Topicizer - no extra steps required.
Two ways to import keywords
1. Manual entry
Click the 'Import' button under the Keywords or Pages tab and type or paste your keywords directly into the text field. You can separate keywords with commas or enter each keyword on a new line.
2. File upload
Upload a .csv or .txt file containing your keywords. RankDots will look for a column named keyword or keywords in the file. If no such column exists, it will use the first column in the file automatically.
What happens after you submit keywords?
Once keywords are submitted, the process runs fully in the background - you do not need to wait or stay on the screen. The system:
- Pre-processes the keywords - converting everything to lowercase, removing duplicates, and stripping special characters
- Saves the cleaned keywords to your project
- Collects metrics - search volume, difficulty, CPC, intent, and SERP data for each keyword
- Groups the keywords into new or updated topics using the Topicizer
- Updates progress in real time so you can follow along in the UI
Only one import process can run per project at a time. If an import is already in progress, you will need to wait for it to complete before starting another.
Keyword import limits
The number of keywords you can import per project depends on your plan:
| Plan | Keyword Import Limit |
|---|---|
| Trial | 1,000 |
| Starter | 2,000 |
| Business | 3,000 |
| Agency | 5,000 |
| Enterprise | 7,000 |
Imported keywords: 450 / 1,000
Import limit scenarios
Limit fully reached
If you have used your entire import allowance for the project, clicking the import button will show:
Import limit exceeded
You've reached the keyword limit for this project. To add more, please upgrade your plan or create a new project.
Partial import (limit would be exceeded)
If your file or list contains more keywords than your remaining limit allows, RankDots will not simply reject the import. Instead, you'll see a warning and the option to proceed with however many keywords fit within your limit:
After the import - status messages
Successful import
When keywords have been added, you will see:
Import completed but no new keywords added
If the import ran successfully but every keyword in your file already exists in the project, or contained formatting errors that prevented processing:
Technical failure
If a technical issue prevents the import from running:
Tips for a smooth import
- Remove duplicates before uploading - RankDots deduplicates automatically, but starting clean avoids confusion with the "0 keywords added" result
- Check your CSV column names - name your keyword column
keywordorkeywordsto ensure the right column is picked up; otherwise the first column in the file is used - Watch your remaining limit - check your Imported keywords counter in your account profile before a large import to avoid partial imports
- One import at a time - if you have a large keyword set to import in batches, wait for each import to complete and for topics to update before starting the next one
- File formatting - avoid special characters in your keyword list; the system strips them during pre-processing, which may alter keywords you intended to import in a specific form