<!-- Agent: developer | Task: #14 | Session: 2026-03-02 -->

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)

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:

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:

Keyword Research Process:

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

Keyword Prioritization Matrix:

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:

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:

JSON-LD Template (Article):

<script type="application/ld+json">
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Article",
    "headline": "Your Article Title",
    "author": {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Author Name",
      "url": "https://example.com/author/name"
    },
    "publisher": {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "Brand Name",
      "logo": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://example.com/logo.png"
      }
    },
    "datePublished": "2025-01-01",
    "dateModified": "2025-06-01",
    "mainEntityOfPage": "https://example.com/article-url",
    "image": "https://example.com/article-image.jpg"
  }
</script>

JSON-LD Template (FAQ):

<script type="application/ld+json">
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "FAQPage",
    "mainEntity": [
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "What is [topic]?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "Clear, concise answer under 200 words."
        }
      }
    ]
  }
</script>

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:

Effective Link Building Tactics (2025):

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

Anchor Text Diversity (avoid over-optimization):

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)

1. Step one: [Action verb + clear instruction]
2. Step two: [Action verb + clear instruction]
3. 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)

1. [Finding] — [Impact] — [Recommended Fix]

### P1 (Address This Sprint)

1. [Finding] — [Impact] — [Recommended Fix]

### P2 (Address This Quarter)

1. [Finding] — [Impact] — [Recommended Fix]

## Optimization Roadmap

1. [Action with estimated impact and timeline]
2. [Action with estimated impact and timeline]
3. [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

1. ALWAYS audit technical SEO (crawlability, indexing, CWV) before content or keyword work — broken technical foundation negates all other effort
2. NEVER target a keyword without first classifying search intent — content that mismatches intent cannot rank regardless of quality
3. ALWAYS validate structured data with Google Rich Results Test before deploying — invalid schema produces no rich result benefit
4. NEVER pursue link building without ensuring on-page fundamentals are in place — links to poorly optimized pages waste link equity
5. ALWAYS use JSON-LD for structured data implementation — Google's recommended format over Microdata or RDFa
6. 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
7. 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.