Skill: aisoftgg/seo-2026 (version 1.0.0)

--- name: seo-2026 description: SEO content strategy for the AI Overviews era (2026). Research keywords, analyze SERP + AI citations, generate blog posts optimized for both Google ranking AND AI citation. Handles keyword research, competitor gap analysis, content briefs, full article generation with schema markup, and AI-citation-optimized structure. Use when asked to write blog posts, do keyword research, create content briefs, optimize for SEO, improve search rankings, get cited by AI, or build topic cluster authority. --- # SEO 2026 -- AI-Era Content Engine SEO has changed. AI Overviews appear on 48% of Google queries. Getting cited by AI systems (Google AIO, ChatGPT, Perplexity) is now as important as ranking in the top 10. This skill handles both. ## Quick Start User says "write a blog post about X" or "do keyword research for X": 1. Run keyword research (Step 1) 2. Analyze top SERP results + AI Overview citations (Step 2) 3. Generate content brief (Step 3) 4. Write the article with AI-citation-optimized structure (Step 4) 5. Generate schema markup (Step 5) ## Step 1: Keyword Research Use web_search to find keyword opportunities: ``` web_search: "[topic] site:ahrefs.com OR site:semrush.com keyword difficulty" web_search: "people also ask [topic]" web_search: "[topic]" (examine autocomplete suggestions) ``` Evaluate each keyword on: - **Search intent**: informational, transactional, commercial, navigational - **AI Overview presence**: does this query trigger an AI Overview? (search it) - **Competition**: who ranks? How deep is their content? - **Topic cluster fit**: does it connect to other keywords we target? Output a keyword map: primary keyword + 5-10 secondary/LSI keywords + intent classification. For detailed keyword research methodology, see references/keyword-research.md. ## Step 2: SERP + AI Citation Analysis For the primary keyword, analyze what currently ranks: 1. **web_search the keyword** -- note top 5 results 2. **web_fetch top 3 results** -- analyze structure, depth, word count, headings 3. **Check for AI Overview** -- search the query, note what gets cited 4. **Identify gaps** -- what do competitors miss? What questions go unanswered? Key metrics to extract: - Average word count of top results - Common H2/H3 headings across competitors - Topics covered vs. topics missing - Citation patterns in AI Overview (if present) For the AI citation analysis framework, see references/ai-citation.md. ## Step 3: Content Brief Generate a brief containing: ```markdown # Content Brief: [Title] **Primary keyword:** [keyword] **Secondary keywords:** [list] **Search intent:** [informational/transactional/etc.] **Target word count:** [based on competitor analysis, typically 2000-4000] **AI Overview status:** [present/absent for this query] ## Required Sections - [H2 headings based on competitor analysis + gap fill] ## Questions to Answer - [From "People Also Ask" + competitor gaps] ## Differentiation Angle - [What we cover that competitors don't] ## Internal Links - [Other pages on the site to link to/from] ## Citation Optimization Notes - [Specific stats, data, or claims to include for AI citation] ``` ## Step 4: Write the Article Follow this structure for maximum ranking + AI citation potential: ### AI-Citation-Optimized Structure 1. **Lead with a direct answer** (40-60 words) before any elaboration. AI systems extract the first substantive paragraph. 2. **Use clear H2/H3 hierarchy** matching search intent. Each H2 section should be self-contained (134-167 words) -- this matches the AI extraction window. 3. **Include stats with source attribution every 150-200 words.** AI systems cite data-rich content. Format: "According to [Source], [specific stat]." 4. **Add a summary table or comparison** if applicable. AI systems frequently cite tabular data. 5. **Answer "People Also Ask" questions** as H2 sections with concise 2-3 sentence answers followed by elaboration. 6. **Keep paragraphs to 2-3 sentences max.** Shorter paragraphs = easier AI extraction. 7. **Include an FAQ section** with JSON-LD FAQ schema. ### Content Quality Rules - **E-E-A-T signals**: include author credentials, first-hand experience, specific examples - **Definite language**: AI systems prefer "X costs $29/month" over "X may cost around $29/month" - **Entity density**: mention specific tools, people, companies by name (AI citation relies on entity matching) - **Fresh data**: ~50% of AI-cited content is less than 13 weeks old. Include current-year data. - **2000+ words minimum**: pages over 20K characters average 4.3x more AI citations ### Meta Tags ```markdown Title: [Primary keyword] -- [benefit or year] (50-60 chars) Meta description: [Direct answer to query + CTA] (150-160 chars) ``` For the complete writing checklist, see references/writing-checklist.md. ## Step 5: Schema Markup Generate JSON-LD for: - **Article schema** (always) - **FAQ schema** (if FAQ section exists) - **HowTo schema** (if tutorial content) - **BreadcrumbList** (always) See references/schema-templates.md for copy-paste JSON-LD templates. ## Topic Cluster Strategy Single pages rank worse than topic clusters in 2026. Build clusters: ``` Pillar page: "Complete Guide to [Topic]" (3000-5000 words) |-- Cluster: "[Topic] for beginners" (2000 words) |-- Cluster: "[Topic] vs [Alternative]" (2000 words) |-- Cluster: "Best [Topic] tools/tips" (2000 words) |-- Cluster: "[Topic] common mistakes" (1500 words) |-- Cluster: "[Topic] advanced guide" (2500 words) ``` Each cluster page links to the pillar and to other cluster pages. This builds topical authority that AI systems use for entity confidence scoring. ## GEO: Generative Engine Optimization Beyond traditional SEO, optimize for AI search engines: 1. **Multi-source corroboration**: get your brand mentioned on 3+ independent domains (guest posts, interviews, directories) 2. **Structured claims**: use definite language with numbers ("reduces cost by 40%") not vague claims 3. **Question-answer format**: AI systems love extracting Q&A pairs 4. **Update frequency**: refresh content every 8-12 weeks to stay within the 13-week citation window ## Common Mistakes - Writing for keywords without checking search intent -- wrong format = no ranking - Ignoring AI Overviews -- if AIO shows for your keyword, optimize for citation, not just ranking - Thin content (<1000 words) -- deep content gets 4.3x more AI citations - No internal linking -- destroys topic cluster authority - Stale content -- AI systems prefer content < 13 weeks old - Generic headings -- H2s should match actual search queries


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