| 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":
- Run keyword research (Step 1)
- Analyze top SERP results + AI Overview citations (Step 2)
- Generate content brief (Step 3)
- Write the article with AI-citation-optimized structure (Step 4)
- 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:
- web_search the keyword -- note top 5 results
- web_fetch top 3 results -- analyze structure, depth, word count, headings
- Check for AI Overview -- search the query, note what gets cited
- 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:
# 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
-
Lead with a direct answer (40-60 words) before any elaboration. AI systems extract the first substantive paragraph.
-
Use clear H2/H3 hierarchy matching search intent. Each H2 section should be self-contained (134-167 words) -- this matches the AI extraction window.
-
Include stats with source attribution every 150-200 words. AI systems cite data-rich content. Format: "According to [Source], [specific stat]."
-
Add a summary table or comparison if applicable. AI systems frequently cite tabular data.
-
Answer "People Also Ask" questions as H2 sections with concise 2-3 sentence answers followed by elaboration.
-
Keep paragraphs to 2-3 sentences max. Shorter paragraphs = easier AI extraction.
-
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
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:
- Multi-source corroboration: get your brand mentioned on 3+ independent domains (guest posts, interviews, directories)
- Structured claims: use definite language with numbers ("reduces cost by 40%") not vague claims
- Question-answer format: AI systems love extracting Q&A pairs
- 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
