blog-seo-topic-research

name	blog-seo-topic-research
description	Researches and scores the next BabyPickr blog topic using content gaps, catalog fit, Google autocomplete, Trends, and SERP intent. Produces a topic brief with title, slug, situations, and outline. Use when the user asks what blog to write next, SEO topic research, keyword research for guides, or Google Trends / autocomplete for content planning.

BabyPickr blog SEO topic research

Read this skill before recommending or green-lighting a new guide.

Output: a completed topic-brief-template.md (copy the template, fill it in, deliver to the user).
Handoff to writing: blog-writing + the matching journey-* skill for the category.

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When to run this

• User asks "what should we write next?", "SEO for the blog", or "find a topic with Trends/autocomplete"
• Before drafting a new app/blog/{slug}/page.tsx guide
• When comparing two topic ideas (pick one with a scored brief each)

Do not skip catalog verification. BabyPickr only ranks products with real ASINs and specs in data/*.ts.

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Workflow (45–60 min)

1. Map what we already cover (5 min)

Read lib/blogRegistry.ts (BLOG_POSTS). Build a quick gap table:

Category	Published slugs	Situations covered
strollers	…	…
car-seats	…	…
…	…	…

Situation IDs (from lib/journeyStorage.ts):
city-apartment, house-suburbs, travel-often, compact-car, tall-parent, value-matters, active-lifestyle, newborn-focus, breastfeeding-mom

Prefer topics that:

• Fill an uncovered situation × category pair
• Cluster with a recent post (internal links, e.g. Disney strollers → travel car seats)
• Match a journey filter we already ship (see journey-* skills)

Deprioritize: categories where we have 3+ guides unless SERP shows a sharp sub-niche (e.g. "jogging stroller" not generic "best stroller").

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2. Seed keywords (5 min)

Start from gaps, then parent language (not jargon):

Gap example	Seed queries
active-lifestyle + strollers	best jogging stroller, running stroller
travel-often + car-seats	best car seat for airplane, FAA approved car seat
newborn-focus + cribs	best bassinet, bedside sleeper small room

List 2–4 seed phrases per candidate topic.

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3. Google autocomplete (10 min)

In incognito (or logged out), type each seed slowly and record suggestions.

Also try:

• {seed} for / {seed} vs / {seed} under
• Alphabet suffix: {seed} a, {seed} b, …
• Year modifier if commercial: {seed} 2026

Capture: primary keyword (highest intent + volume feel), 3–6 long-tail modifiers for H2s/FAQ.

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4. Google Trends (10 min)

Use trends.google.com. Settings: United States, Web Search.

View	Use for
Past 12 months	Evergreen vs fad; seasonal peaks; publish timing
Past 3 months	Keyword variant winner; Rising queries; brand spikes

Compare synonym variants (e.g. jogging stroller vs running stroller vs jogger stroller). Put the winner in the H1; use losers in subheads and FAQ.

Related queries:

• Top → FAQ and section ideas
• Rising / Breakout → timely H2s or "also searched" callouts (only if catalog supports the product)

12 months is enough for go/no-go. Use 3 months to structure the post, not to decide whether to write it.

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5. SERP + People Also Ask (10 min)

Google the primary keyword in incognito. Note:

• Title patterns (situation + year + "for {constraint}")
• People Also Ask → Quick Answers section in the blog
• Who ranks: Wirecutter / BabyGearLab vs forums / thin listicles
• Content gap: specs we can win on (folded width, FAA, elevator, no WiFi, catalog prices)

Green light SERP: mix of weak pages or generic lists without situation constraints.
Yellow: dominated by major review sites unless we have a sharper niche angle.
Red: we cannot support with 5–6 catalog picks with ASINs.

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6. Catalog fit check (10 min) — required

Before recommending the topic, verify in data/{category}.ts:

- [ ] ≥5 products with real ASINs for ranked pickMeta
- [ ] Enough spec diversity for honest rankings (price, weight, flags)
- [ ] Journey flags match the angle (grep apartmentFriendly, isJoggingStroller, etc.)
- [ ] No pick requires ranking asin: null products (ANB-only → Premium section only)

If fewer than 5 ASIN picks: defer topic or narrow the angle until the catalog fits.

Read the matching journey-{category} skill so the brief does not promise filters we do not ship.

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7. Score and decide (5 min)

Score each candidate 1–5 on:

Criterion	Question
Search intent	Autocomplete + Trends show stable demand?
SERP winnable	Room for situation-specific spec guide?
Catalog	≥5 ASIN picks with watch-outs?
Site fit	Maps to SituationId + gear finder journey?
Cluster	Links to 2+ existing posts?
Seasonality	Publish now or queue for peak?

Total ≥22/30: write next. 18–21: second in queue. <18: drop or revisit when catalog grows.

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8. Deliver the brief

Copy topic-brief-template.md, fill every section, and give the user:

1. Recommendation (one sentence)
2. Filled brief (primary keyword, title, slug, situations, outline, FAQ from PAA, browse CTA URL)
3. Next step: "Say go and we draft using blog-writing skill"

Browse deep links (supported stroller params only): space, budget, parentHeight, sortBy, highlight.
Not supported in URLs: features=jogging, features=travel, etc. CTA copy can mention journey chips; links use supported params + highlight={ASIN}.

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Title and slug conventions

Match existing guides in lib/blogRegistry.ts:

Field	Pattern
Title	Best {Product Type} for {Situation/Use} in 2026 (+ optional subtitle in metadata)
Slug	best-{category}-{situation-or-angle} kebab-case
situations	Real SituationId[] only
category	BlogCategoryId matching catalog

Examples: best-jogging-strollers-runners, best-car-seats-compact-cars, best-strollers-city-apartments

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Seasonal queue (optional)

Window	Topic types
Late Jun–Jul	Prime Day / deal roundup (seasonal: true)
May–Aug	Travel, jogging, outdoor
Aug–Sep	Back-to-travel, flying-with-baby cluster
Nov–Dec	Holiday travel refresh on evergreen travel posts

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Anti-patterns

• Recommending Breakout products not in data/*.ts
• Generic "Top 10 baby products" with no situation hook
• Promising double-jogger / niche SKU guides with zero catalog rows
• Using features= in browse URLs (unsupported)
• Skipping Trends synonym compare and guessing the H1 keyword

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Additional resources

• Worked example: examples.md (jogging strollers)
• Writing the post: blog-writing
• Pinterest after publish: pinterest-marketing