<!-- 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)

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:

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:

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):

<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:

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):

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):

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)

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.