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
code
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.chorsite:google.de- Regional results - •
best [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:
code
[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
markdown
# 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)