semrush-keyword-validator

name	semrush-keyword-validator
description	Single-keyword volume, intent, and Career Hub fit check before writing a new article. Use whenever a new content topic needs to be validated, a user asks "should we cover X", "is this keyword worth a page", "validate this topic", or content-scout is choosing between candidate topics. Wraps semrush-research's validate-keyword recipe, costs ~30-100 Semrush units, and returns a one-paragraph Ship/Skip/Refine verdict tied to a Career Hub persona and pillar.
metadata	{"family":"semrush-keyword-validator","owner":"semrush-keyword-validator","last_reviewed":"2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z","version":"1.0.0"}

Semrush Keyword Validator

A precise wrapper around the validate-keyword recipe in semrush-research. Exists so the highest-frequency loop — every new article going through content-scout — has a clear, low-context-overhead trigger.

Use This Skill When

• A new content topic has a working title and a candidate primary keyword.
• The user phrases the request as "should we write about X", "is X worth ranking for", "validate this topic", "check the volume on Y".
• content-scout is choosing between 2-3 candidate angles for the same topic.

Do Not Use When

• Multiple keywords need to be validated at once → use semrush-research directly with the validate-keyword recipe (it batches via phrase_these).
• The work is competitor profiling, gap analysis, or pillar review → use semrush-research with the matching recipe.
• The article is already drafted → too late; this is a pre-write gate, not a post-write check.

What This Skill Does

1. Loads the validate-keyword recipe from ../semrush-research/recipes/validate-keyword.md.
2. Enforces the recipe's hypothesis block (no query without persona + pillar declared).
3. Runs the recipe (cache check first, then phrase_these batch).
4. Applies the Career Hub Keyword Opportunity Score from ../semrush-research/reference/opportunity-scoring.md.
5. Returns the recipe's required output block AND the opportunity-brief.md template if the verdict is Ship.

Cost Cap

Hard cap: 200 units per call. If the recipe wants more, escalate to semrush-research directly.

Output

Always return the recipe's output block. Always return the verdict (Ship / Refine / Skip / Watch). If Ship, also return a filled opportunity-brief.md ready to hand to content-strategist.

Hand-off

• Ship → content-scout (which then routes to content-strategist with the brief).
• Refine → content-scout with the suggested angle change.
• Skip → return verdict only; content-scout picks a different topic.
• Watch → record revisit_at 90 days out in _index.json; return verdict.