| name | seo-keyword-research |
| description | Deep competitive keyword research and SEO strategy. Takes a primary keyword and researches supporting keywords, competitor analysis, search intent, and per-page keyword mapping. Outputs docs/seo-analysis.md. Triggers on "keyword research", "SEO research", "SEO strategy", "competitive analysis", "rank for keyword". |
SEO Keyword Research & Competitive Analysis
Comprehensive keyword research to rank for competitive markets.
Prerequisites
- docs/sitemap.md should exist (run sitemap-structure skill first)
- User provides primary keyword they want to rank for
Workflow
- Gather Input - Primary keyword, location, business type, competitors (if known)
- Competitive Analysis - Analyze top 5 ranking competitors via WebSearch
- Keyword Discovery - Find primary, secondary, long-tail, local, question, and semantic keywords
- Intent Classification - Categorize every keyword by search intent
- SERP Analysis - Understand what Google rewards for target keywords
- Keyword Mapping - Assign keywords to pages from docs/sitemap.md
- Content Gap Analysis - Find opportunities competitors miss
- Write Output - Create docs/seo-analysis.md
Input Template
Primary Keyword: [The main keyword you want to rank for]
Location: [Target geographic area]
Business Type: [Industry/niche]
Known Competitors: [URLs of competitors, if known - optional]
Keyword Research Process (WebSearch)
Step 1: Competitor Discovery
Search queries to run:
[primary keyword] - See who ranks #1-5[primary keyword] [location] - Local competitors[primary keyword] site:google.ch or site:google.de - Regional resultsbest [service] [location] - Review/comparison sites
For each top 5 competitor, note:
- Domain URL
- Title tag content
- Meta description
- Their apparent primary keyword
- Content depth (comprehensive or thin?)
Step 2: Competitor Analysis Framework
For each top 5 competitor, analyze:
| Analysis Point | What to Look For |
|---|
| Title Tags | Keywords used, format, length (50-60 chars) |
| Meta Descriptions | CTAs, keywords, unique selling points |
| H1 Headlines | Primary keyword placement |
| Content Structure | H2/H3 topics they cover |
| Page Count | How many pages, what topics |
| Content Depth | Word count, comprehensiveness |
| Unique Content | What they do that others don't |
| Weaknesses | Gaps we can exploit |
Step 3: Keyword Discovery
Search queries to run:
[primary keyword] + related searches
[primary keyword] + "wie", "was", "warum" (informational intent)
[primary keyword] + "kaufen", "buchen", "bestellen" (transactional intent)
[primary keyword] + "vergleich", "test", "erfahrung" (commercial investigation)
[primary keyword] + [location variations]
[primary keyword] + [service variations]
Keyword types to find:
| Type | Description | Example | Priority |
|---|
| Primary | Main target, high competition | "Webdesign Zürich" | Must rank |
| Secondary | Supporting, medium competition | "Website erstellen lassen" | Should rank |
| Long-tail | Specific, lower competition | "Webdesign Agentur für KMU Zürich" | Quick wins |
| Local | Geographic variations | "Webdesign Winterthur" | Expansion |
| Semantic (LSI) | Related concepts | "Webentwicklung", "Homepage erstellen" | Natural use |
| Question | FAQ opportunities | "Was kostet eine Website?" | Content |
Step 4: Search Intent Classification
Classify EVERY keyword by intent:
| Intent | Signal Words (DE) | Signal Words (EN) | User Goal | Content Type |
|---|
| Transactional | kaufen, buchen, bestellen, preis | buy, book, order, price | Ready to buy | Service pages, pricing |
| Commercial Investigation | vergleich, beste, test, erfahrung | comparison, best, review | Comparing options | Comparison, reviews |
| Informational | wie, was, warum, anleitung | how, what, why, guide | Learning | Blog, FAQ, guides |
| Navigational | [brand name], [company] | [brand name], [company] | Find specific site | Homepage, about |
Step 5: SERP Feature Analysis
For primary keywords, note what Google shows:
| SERP Feature | Impact on Strategy |
|---|
| Featured Snippet | Target with structured content (lists, tables) |
| Local Pack (Map) | Need Google Business Profile optimized |
| Images | Optimize image ALT text, consider gallery |
| Videos | Consider video content creation |
| People Also Ask | FAQ content opportunities |
| Related Searches | Long-tail keyword ideas |
Step 6: Keyword Difficulty Assessment
Estimate difficulty based on:
| Factor | Low Difficulty | High Difficulty |
|---|
| Competitor Authority | Small local sites | Major brands/portals |
| Content Quality | Thin/outdated content | Comprehensive guides |
| Backlink Profiles | Few backlinks | Many quality backlinks |
| SERP Features | Organic results only | Many SERP features |
| Search Volume | Under 500/month | Over 5000/month |
Difficulty Rating:
- Easy: Local competitors, thin content, low authority - Target immediately
- Medium: Mix of local and regional competitors - Target with quality content
- Hard: National brands, comprehensive content - Long-term target
- Very Hard: Major portals, Wikipedia, government sites - Consider alternatives
Step 7: Per-Page Keyword Mapping
Read docs/sitemap.md and assign keywords to each page:
| Page | Primary Keyword | Secondary Keywords | Long-tail Keywords |
|---|
| Homepage | [main keyword] | [2-3 supporting] | [2-3 specific] |
| Services | [service keyword] | [service variations] | [specific services] |
| About | [brand + location] | [trust keywords] | [differentiators] |
| Contact | [contact + location] | [booking keywords] | [specific CTAs] |
Rules:
- ONE primary keyword per page (avoid cannibalization)
- Related keywords support the primary
- Different intent = different page
- Homepage: brand + main service + location
- Service pages: specific service + location
Step 8: Content Gap Analysis
Identify opportunities competitors miss:
- Topics they don't cover - Missing service pages, FAQ topics
- Questions they don't answer - Use "People Also Ask" for ideas
- Local pages they lack - Neighborhood/region targeting
- Content depth gaps - Thin content you can expand on
- Fresh content opportunities - Outdated competitor content
Output Format: docs/seo-analysis.md
# SEO Analysis - [Business Name]
## Executive Summary
**Primary Keyword:** [keyword]
**Target Position:** Top 3 within [X months]
**Competitive Landscape:** [Easy/Medium/Hard]
**Key Opportunities:** [1-2 sentence summary]
---
## Competitor Analysis
### Market Overview
| Rank | Competitor | Domain | Key Strength | Key Weakness |
|------|------------|--------|--------------|--------------|
| 1 | [Name] | [URL] | [strength] | [weakness] |
| 2 | [Name] | [URL] | [strength] | [weakness] |
| 3 | [Name] | [URL] | [strength] | [weakness] |
| 4 | [Name] | [URL] | [strength] | [weakness] |
| 5 | [Name] | [URL] | [strength] | [weakness] |
### Competitor Content Analysis
**[Competitor 1 - Current #1]**
- Title: "[their title tag]"
- H1: "[their H1]"
- Content Focus: [topics they cover]
- Strengths: [what works]
- Weaknesses: [gaps to exploit]
[Repeat for top 3 competitors]
### Competitive Advantages We Can Exploit
1. [Gap 1 - e.g., "No competitor has comprehensive pricing transparency"]
2. [Gap 2 - e.g., "All competitors have slow, outdated sites"]
3. [Gap 3 - e.g., "No one targets [specific long-tail keyword]"]
---
## Keyword Strategy
### Primary Keywords (Target: Position 1-3)
| Keyword | Difficulty | Intent | Target Page |
|---------|------------|--------|-------------|
| [keyword] | [Easy/Med/Hard] | [Trans/Comm/Info] | [page route] |
### Secondary Keywords (Target: Position 1-10)
| Keyword | Difficulty | Intent | Target Page |
|---------|------------|--------|-------------|
| [keyword] | [difficulty] | [intent] | [page route] |
### Long-tail Keywords (Quick Wins)
| Keyword | Intent | Target Page | Content Angle |
|---------|--------|-------------|---------------|
| [keyword] | [intent] | [page route] | [how to use it] |
### Local Keywords
| Keyword | Target Page | Priority |
|---------|-------------|----------|
| [service] [city] | [page route] | [P1/P2] |
| [service] [region] | [page route] | [P1/P2] |
### Question Keywords (FAQ Opportunities)
| Question | Intent | Where to Answer |
|----------|--------|-----------------|
| Was kostet [service]? | Commercial | Pricing page / FAQ |
| Wie funktioniert [service]? | Informational | Services page / FAQ |
| [Service] vs [alternative]? | Commercial | Blog / Comparison |
### Semantic Keywords (LSI)
Use these naturally throughout content:
- [semantic keyword 1]
- [semantic keyword 2]
- [semantic keyword 3]
- [semantic keyword 4]
---
## Per-Page Optimization Guide
### Homepage `/`
**Primary Keyword:** [keyword]
**Search Intent:** [Transactional/Navigational]
| Element | Recommendation |
|---------|----------------|
| Title (50-60 chars) | [Primary Keyword] - [Brand] - [Benefit] |
| Meta Description (150-160 chars) | [Description with keyword, USP, and CTA] |
| H1 | [Primary keyword naturally integrated] |
| H2 Topics | [List of H2s to include] |
| Keyword Density | 1-2% for primary, natural for secondary |
| Internal Links | Link to: [pages to link] |
**Secondary Keywords to Include:**
- [keyword 1] - use in [section]
- [keyword 2] - use in [section]
### Services Page `/dienstleistungen`
**Primary Keyword:** [keyword]
**Search Intent:** [intent]
| Element | Recommendation |
|---------|----------------|
| Title (50-60 chars) | [recommendation] |
| Meta Description (150-160 chars) | [recommendation] |
| H1 | [recommendation] |
| H2 Topics | [list] |
**Secondary Keywords to Include:**
- [keyword] - use in [section]
### About Page `/ueber-uns`
[Same format]
### Contact Page `/kontakt`
[Same format]
---
## Content Gap Opportunities
### Pages Competitors Have That We Should Consider
| Page Topic | Competitor Example | Potential Value |
|------------|-------------------|-----------------|
| [topic] | [competitor URL] | [why valuable] |
### Topics No Competitor Covers Well
| Topic | Keyword Opportunity | Recommended Content |
|-------|---------------------|---------------------|
| [topic] | [keyword] | [content type] |
### Blog/Content Ideas (Future)
| Topic | Target Keyword | Search Intent |
|-------|----------------|---------------|
| [topic] | [keyword] | [intent] |
---
## SERP Features Strategy
| Feature | Target Keywords | How to Optimize |
|---------|-----------------|-----------------|
| Featured Snippet | [keywords] | [strategy] |
| Local Pack | [keywords] | Google Business Profile |
| People Also Ask | [questions] | FAQ section |
---
## Implementation Priority
### Phase 1: Foundation (Launch)
- [ ] Optimize homepage for [primary keyword]
- [ ] Optimize services page for [service keywords]
- [ ] Implement all meta titles/descriptions
- [ ] Add FAQ schema for question keywords
### Phase 2: Expansion (Month 1-3)
- [ ] Target long-tail keywords with content
- [ ] Build local pages for [locations] if needed
- [ ] Create content for gap opportunities
### Phase 3: Authority (Month 3-6)
- [ ] Blog content for informational keywords
- [ ] Build backlinks for [target keywords]
- [ ] Local SEO (Google Business Profile)
---
## Success Metrics
| Metric | Current | 3-Month Target | 6-Month Target |
|--------|---------|----------------|----------------|
| Primary Keyword Rank | - | Top 10 | Top 3 |
| Organic Traffic | 0 | [target] | [target] |
| Pages Indexed | 0 | [all pages] | [all pages] |
Rules
- ALWAYS use WebSearch for real competitor data - don't guess
- Classify EVERY keyword by search intent
- Map EVERY keyword to a specific page
- Identify at least 3 competitive gaps
- Provide actionable per-page recommendations
- Prioritize quick wins (long-tail) alongside primary keywords
- One primary keyword per page - avoid cannibalization
What This Skill Does NOT Do
- Create the sitemap (use sitemap-structure skill first)
- Write the actual content (use seo-content-optimization skill)
- Implement technical SEO (use technical-seo skill)
- Generate page content (provides strategy only)
