SEO Optimization

Comprehensive 7-phase SEO optimization workflow. Audit search visibility, diagnose ranking issues, implement structured data, and produce actionable optimization recommendations for both traditional and AI-driven search.

When to Apply

Use this skill when:

Conducting a full technical SEO audit
Diagnosing ranking drops or crawlability issues
Implementing structured data / schema markup for rich results
Conducting keyword research and building content strategy
Optimizing on-page elements (title tags, meta descriptions, headers)
Building topical authority via content clustering
Evaluating and improving E-E-A-T signals
Preparing content for AI Overview (SGE) visibility
Planning or evaluating a link building strategy
Optimizing App Store listings alongside web SEO (ASO correlation)

Core Ranking Factors (2025-2026)

Category Factor Weight Notes

Technical Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS) High Direct ranking signal since 2021

Technical Crawlability / indexing High robots.txt, sitemaps, canonical tags

Technical HTTPS / security Medium Baseline expectation

Content E-E-A-T signals High Critical for YMYL and AI Overview

Content Topical authority High Hub-and-spoke content clusters

Content Search intent match High Informational/navigational/commercial/transactional

On-Page Title tag / H1 / meta Medium Title is primary keyword signal

Authority Backlink quality and relevance High Domain Rating + topical alignment

AI Search Structured data / schema High 57% of SERPs show AI Overviews (2025)

AI Search Content clarity and structure High LLMs favor scannable, factual content

7-Phase SEO Workflow

Phase 1: Technical SEO Audit

Assess crawlability, indexing, and site health before optimizing content.

Crawlability Checklist:

robots.txt does NOT block JS/CSS (Googlebot renders pages)
XML sitemap exists at /sitemap.xml with <lastmod> , <changefreq> , <priority>
Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools
No orphaned pages (all pages reachable via internal links within 3 clicks)
Pagination handled with rel="next" / rel="prev" or via sitemap

Indexing Checklist:

Canonical tags (<link rel="canonical" href="..."> ) on all pages
Duplicate content resolved (trailing slash, www vs non-www , http vs https )
noindex only on pages that should NOT appear in SERPs (thank-you pages, admin)
Google Search Console verified and no coverage errors
Core Web Vitals reported in Search Console (Page Experience report)

Core Web Vitals Targets:

Metric Good Needs Improvement Poor

LCP (loading) ≤ 2.5s 2.5s–4.0s

4.0s

INP (interactivity) ≤ 200ms 200ms–500ms

500ms

CLS (visual stability) ≤ 0.1 0.1–0.25

0.25

For deep Core Web Vitals optimization, invoke:

Skill({ skill: 'web-perf' });

Diagnosis Tools:

Lighthouse CLI audit

npx lighthouse https://example.com --only-categories=performance,seo --output=json

Check indexing status

Search: site:yourdomain.com in Google

Validate robots.txt

curl https://yourdomain.com/robots.txt

Check XML sitemap

curl https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml

Phase 2: Keyword Research and Strategy

Build a keyword strategy grounded in search intent before optimizing any page.

Search Intent Classification:

Intent Type Query Pattern Content Type

Informational "how to", "what is", "guide" Blog posts, guides, tutorials

Navigational Brand name, product name Landing pages, product pages

Commercial "best", "vs", "review" Comparison pages, listicles

Transactional "buy", "price", "discount" Product/category pages, checkout

Keyword Research Process:

Seed keywords: Start with 3-5 core topics your product/service covers
Expand with long-tail: Use tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner) to find related, lower-competition terms
LSI synonyms: For each primary keyword, identify 3-5 Latent Semantic Indexing variants
Competitor gap analysis: Find keywords competitors rank for that you don't
Group by topic cluster: Group related keywords into hub-and-spoke architecture

Keyword Prioritization Matrix:

Priority Search Volume Keyword Difficulty Intent Match

P0 High (1000+/mo) Low-Medium (<50 KD) Exact match

P1 Medium (100-999/mo) Medium (<65 KD) Strong match

P2 Low (<100/mo) Any Long-tail / niche

Content Cluster Architecture:

Pillar Page: "Complete Guide to [Topic]" ├── Cluster: "[Topic] for Beginners" ├── Cluster: "[Topic] Best Practices" ├── Cluster: "[Topic] vs [Alternative]" ├── Cluster: "How to [Specific Action] with [Topic]" └── Cluster: "[Topic] Pricing and Plans"

Internal links: Every cluster page links to pillar; pillar links to all clusters.

Phase 3: On-Page Optimization

Optimize each page's metadata and content structure for target keywords.

Per-Page Optimization Checklist:

Title tag: Primary keyword near front, unique, ≤ 60 characters
Meta description: Includes keyword, compelling CTA, 150-160 characters
H1 tag: Exactly one per page, matches or contains primary keyword
H2/H3 tags: Logical hierarchy, include secondary keywords naturally
URL: Short, hyphenated, includes primary keyword, no parameters
First 100 words: Primary keyword appears in opening paragraph
Image alt text: Descriptive, includes keyword when contextually natural
Internal links: 3-5 internal links per page to related content
Outbound links: 1-2 links to authoritative external sources (Google, Wikipedia, gov, .edu)
Content length: Matches competitive SERP (run Skill({ skill: 'ripgrep' }) to audit)

Title Tag Formula:

Primary Keyword + Secondary Modifier + Brand Name Example: "SEO Audit Checklist 2025 | YourBrand" Maximum: 60 characters (avoid truncation in SERPs)

Meta Description Formula:

Action verb + Primary keyword + Key benefit + CTA Example: "Run a complete SEO audit with our 2025 checklist. Fix technical issues, optimize content, and boost rankings. Free template included." Maximum: 160 characters

Phase 4: Content SEO and E-E-A-T

Build content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

E-E-A-T Signal Checklist:

Author bio pages with credentials, LinkedIn links, publications
"About" page with team credentials, company history, contact details
Citations to authoritative external sources (studies, government data, official docs)
User reviews and testimonials with star ratings
Press mentions, awards, certifications listed
Privacy Policy and Terms of Service pages
Physical address and phone number (especially for local SEO)
Last-updated dates on evergreen content
Editorial standards / fact-checking process published (for news/medical content)

YMYL Content (Your Money or Your Life) — Highest E-E-A-T Required:

YMYL topics: finance, medical, legal, safety, news. These require:

Named, credentialed author on every page
Medical/legal/financial review process documented
Regular content freshness updates
Expert citations for all factual claims

Content Quality Framework:

Dimension Standard Check

Depth Covers topic comprehensively; answers follow-up questions Compare to top 5 ranking pages

Accuracy All factual claims sourced or verifiable Spot-check key claims

Freshness Published/updated date visible; outdated data refreshed Audit annually

Readability Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level ≤ 9 for general audiences Run readability tool

Structure Headers, bullets, tables; scannable for 8-second attention span Visual audit

Uniqueness Original research, data, or synthesis; not paraphrased Plagiarism check

AI-Generated Content Policy (2025):

AI content is acceptable but MUST be reviewed for accuracy, tone, and nuance
Never publish raw AI output: edit for real examples, expert insights, brand voice
Disclose AI assistance in editorial process documentation (E-E-A-T signal)
Use AI to generate outlines and research; add original expert insight manually

Phase 5: Structured Data Implementation

Implement JSON-LD schema markup to enable rich results and AI Overview eligibility.

Priority Schema Types:

Schema Type Use Case Rich Result Benefit

Article

Blog posts, news Author byline, date in SERP

Product

E-commerce items Price, rating, availability stars

FAQ

Q&A sections Expandable Q&A in SERP

LocalBusiness

Physical locations Map pack, hours, phone in SERP

BreadcrumbList

Site navigation Breadcrumb trail in SERP URL

Organization

Company info Knowledge panel, logo

Review /AggregateRating

Reviews Star rating in SERP

HowTo

Step-by-step guides Numbered steps in SERP

Event

Events/webinars Event listing in SERP

JSON-LD Template (Article):

JSON-LD Template (FAQ):

Validation Tools:

Google Rich Results Test: https://search.google.com/test/rich-results
Schema.org Validator: https://validator.schema.org/
Google Search Console > Enhancements > Monitor structured data errors

Implementation Checklist:

JSON-LD (not Microdata) used for all structured data
Schema type matches actual page content (no misleading markup)
Required properties for each schema type included
Validated with Google Rich Results Test (0 errors)
Monitored in Search Console Enhancements report

Phase 6: Link Building Strategy

Build high-quality backlinks using relevance-first outreach.

Link Quality Framework:

Metric Target Tool

Domain Rating (DR) ≥ 40 for most link sources Ahrefs

Topical Relevance Same or adjacent industry Manual review

Traffic Linking page receives organic traffic Ahrefs Site Explorer

Link Placement In-content (not sidebar/footer) Manual review

Dofollow vs Nofollow Prefer dofollow; nofollow still drives traffic Chrome SEO extension

Effective Link Building Tactics (2025):

Digital PR: Create data studies, original research, or infographics; pitch to journalists
Guest posting: Contribute expert articles to industry publications (DR 40+)
Broken link building: Find broken links on authority sites; suggest your content as replacement
Resource page outreach: Find "Best Resources for [Topic]" pages; request inclusion
Testimonials: Write testimonials for tools/services you use; earn links from their testimonials page
HARO/Connectively: Respond to journalist queries to earn media mentions and links
Competitor backlink analysis: Identify where competitors earned links; replicate

Anchor Text Diversity (avoid over-optimization):

Anchor Type Target % Example

Branded 40-50% "YourBrand"

Generic 20-25% "click here", "learn more"

Partial match 15-20% "SEO tool for agencies"

Exact match 5-10% "technical SEO audit"

Naked URL 5-10% "https://example.com/page"

Anti-Patterns to Avoid:

Link farms, PBNs (Private Blog Networks): Google penalty risk
Paid links without rel="sponsored" disclosure: Guidelines violation
Comment spam: Zero value, potential penalty
Reciprocal link schemes: Devalued by Google algorithms
Low-DR, irrelevant sites: Dilutes link profile

Phase 7: AI Search Optimization

Optimize for AI Overviews, Google SGE, and LLM citation patterns (AI Overviews appear in 57% of SERPs as of 2025).

AI Overview Eligibility Signals:

Clear, direct answers to specific questions (FAQ format favored)
Structured content: <h2> /<h3> headers, numbered lists, bullet points
FAQ schema markup implemented (Phase 5)
Page demonstrates E-E-A-T (Phase 4)
Page already ranks in top 10 for target query
Content is factually accurate with cited sources

Content Formatting for AI Readability:

Topic Title (H1)

What is [Topic]? (H2 — Direct answer format)

[First sentence: direct answer in under 50 words] [Remaining sentences: expand with context and nuance]

How to [Do Thing] (H2 — How-to format)

Step one: [Action verb + clear instruction]
Step two: [Action verb + clear instruction]
Step three: [Action verb + clear instruction]

[Topic] vs [Alternative] (H2 — Comparison format)

[Clear differentiation table]

Frequently Asked Questions (H2 — FAQ format)

Q: [Common question?] A: [Direct answer under 100 words]

Entity Building for AI Visibility:

Establish brand/person entity on Wikipedia (if notable)
Maintain consistent Name/Address/Phone (NAP) across the web
Claim Google Business Profile and other directory listings
Build brand mentions across news, social, and industry sites
Cross-link between official brand assets (website, YouTube, social profiles)

Knowledge Panel Optimization:

Add Organization or Person schema to homepage
Use sameAs property to link all official profiles:

{ "@type": "Organization", "name": "YourBrand", "sameAs": [ "https://twitter.com/yourbrand", "https://linkedin.com/company/yourbrand", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YourBrand" ] }

SEO Audit Report Template

SEO Audit Report

Domain: [target domain] Date: [audit date] Auditor: [agent/team]

Executive Summary

[2-3 sentences: overall health, critical issues, priority action]

Technical SEO

Core Web Vitals

Metric	Score	Rating	Target
LCP	X.Xs	GOOD/NEEDS IMPROVEMENT/POOR	≤ 2.5s
INP	Xms	GOOD/NEEDS IMPROVEMENT/POOR	≤ 200ms
CLS	X.XX	GOOD/NEEDS IMPROVEMENT/POOR	≤ 0.1

Crawlability / Indexing

Indexed pages: [N]
Coverage errors in Search Console: [N]
sitemap.xml: [PRESENT/MISSING]
robots.txt issues: [list or NONE]

Keyword and Content Analysis

Primary keywords targeted: [list]
Pages without title tags: [N]
Duplicate title tags: [N]
Missing meta descriptions: [N]
Pages missing H1: [N]

Structured Data

Schema types implemented: [list]
Rich result errors in Search Console: [N]
Validation status: [PASS/FAIL]

Link Profile

Total backlinks: [N]
Referring domains: [N]
Average DR of referring domains: [N]
Toxic/spammy links: [N]

Findings (Priority Order)

P0 (Immediate Action Required)

[Finding] — [Impact] — [Recommended Fix]

P1 (Address This Sprint)

[Finding] — [Impact] — [Recommended Fix]

P2 (Address This Quarter)

[Finding] — [Impact] — [Recommended Fix]

Optimization Roadmap

[Action with estimated impact and timeline]
[Action with estimated impact and timeline]
[Action with estimated impact and timeline]

Enforcement Hooks

Input validated against schemas/input.schema.json before execution. Output contract defined in schemas/output.schema.json .

See hooks/pre-execute.cjs for pre-execution validation and hooks/post-execute.cjs for observability event emission.

Anti-Patterns

Do NOT optimize content before completing technical SEO audit — crawl/index issues negate content work
Do NOT target keywords without analyzing search intent — mismatched intent kills rankings
Do NOT implement schema markup that misrepresents page content — Google manual action risk
Do NOT pursue exact-match anchor text aggressively (>10%) — over-optimization penalty risk
Do NOT use AI-generated content without human review — accuracy and tone issues hurt E-E-A-T
Do NOT ignore Core Web Vitals on mobile — majority of Google indexing is mobile-first
Do NOT create individual keyword-stuffed pages — topical clusters outperform thin pages
Do NOT set rel="noindex" to solve duplicate content — use canonical tags instead
Do NOT skip FAQ schema on Q&A content — missed AI Overview eligibility
Do NOT use disallow: / in robots.txt for pages you want indexed — blocks Googlebot

Iron Laws

ALWAYS audit technical SEO (crawlability, indexing, CWV) before content or keyword work — broken technical foundation negates all other effort
NEVER target a keyword without first classifying search intent — content that mismatches intent cannot rank regardless of quality
ALWAYS validate structured data with Google Rich Results Test before deploying — invalid schema produces no rich result benefit
NEVER pursue link building without ensuring on-page fundamentals are in place — links to poorly optimized pages waste link equity
ALWAYS use JSON-LD for structured data implementation — Google's recommended format over Microdata or RDFa
NEVER publish AI-generated content without human review for accuracy, E-E-A-T signals, and brand voice — raw AI output fails E-E-a-T standards
ALWAYS align content to topical clusters rather than isolated keyword pages — Google rewards demonstrated topical authority

References

Google Search Central — Structured Data
Google Rich Results Test
Core Web Vitals — web.dev
Google Search Console
Schema.org
Google Quality Rater Guidelines (E-E-A-T)
WordStream SEO Ranking Factors 2025
Backlinko SEO Best Practices
Research Report: .claude/context/artifacts/research-reports/seo-optimization-research-2026-03-02.md

Memory Protocol (MANDATORY)

Before starting: Read .claude/context/memory/learnings.md

Check for:

Previous SEO audits run on this domain
Known CWV issues or structured data errors
Established keyword strategy or cluster architecture

After completing:

New SEO pattern discovered → Append to .claude/context/memory/learnings.md
Crawl/indexing issue found → Append to .claude/context/memory/issues.md
Keyword strategy decision → Append to .claude/context/memory/decisions.md

ASSUME INTERRUPTION: Your context may reset. If it's not in memory, it didn't happen.

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