# SEO Content — Optimization & Strategy Guide

## Keyword Optimization Checklist

- [ ] Primary keyword in title tag (ideally near the beginning)
- [ ] Primary keyword in H1 heading
- [ ] Primary keyword in first 100 words of body
- [ ] Primary keyword in URL slug
- [ ] Primary keyword in meta description
- [ ] Primary keyword in at least one image alt text
- [ ] Secondary keywords in H2/H3 subheadings
- [ ] Keyword density 1-3% (natural usage, not stuffing)
- [ ] LSI/related terms used naturally throughout content
- [ ] Long-tail variations included in body text

---

## Topic Cluster Design

### Structure
```
Pillar Page (broad topic, 3,000+ words)
├── Cluster Article 1 (subtopic, 1,500+ words) ← links to pillar
├── Cluster Article 2 (subtopic, 1,500+ words) ← links to pillar
├── Cluster Article 3 (subtopic, 1,500+ words) ← links to pillar
└── Cluster Article N ← links to pillar
Pillar links back to each cluster article
```

### Building a Topic Cluster
1. Choose a core topic (broad, high-volume keyword)
2. Identify 8-15 subtopics (long-tail keywords with clear search intent)
3. Write the pillar page covering the broad topic comprehensively
4. Write individual cluster articles going deep on each subtopic
5. Interlink: every cluster article links to pillar, pillar links to every cluster article
6. Update pillar page as new cluster articles are published

---

## Search Intent Matching

| Intent Type | Query Signals | Content Format | CTA |
|-------------|--------------|---------------|-----|
| **Informational** | "what is," "how to," "guide," "tips" | Blog post, guide, how-to, video | Subscribe, download |
| **Navigational** | Brand name, product name | Homepage, product page, login | Sign in, get started |
| **Commercial** | "best," "vs," "review," "top 10" | Comparison, review, listicle | Free trial, demo |
| **Transactional** | "buy," "pricing," "discount," "sign up" | Product page, pricing page, landing page | Buy, sign up, start trial |

---

## Featured Snippet Optimization

### Paragraph Snippets (most common)
- Answer the question in 40-60 words immediately after the heading
- Use the exact question as an H2, then answer directly below
- Start the answer with a definitive statement, not hedging

### List Snippets
- Use H2 for the question, then ordered/unordered list with 5-8 items
- Each list item should be a concise, complete thought

### Table Snippets
- Structure data in clean HTML/markdown tables
- Include headers, consistent columns, and organized data
- Google pulls tables that directly answer comparison queries

---

## On-Page SEO Checklist (25 Items)

### Technical
- [ ] Page loads in <3 seconds
- [ ] Mobile-responsive design
- [ ] HTTPS enabled
- [ ] Clean URL structure (no parameters, lowercase, hyphens)
- [ ] Canonical tag set correctly
- [ ] No duplicate content issues

### Content Structure
- [ ] Single H1 tag containing primary keyword
- [ ] Logical heading hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3, no skips)
- [ ] Short paragraphs (2-4 sentences)
- [ ] Bullet points and numbered lists for key information
- [ ] Table of contents for long-form content (1,500+ words)
- [ ] Bold key phrases and important terms

### On-Page Elements
- [ ] Title tag: 50-60 characters, keyword near front
- [ ] Meta description: 120-160 characters, includes keyword and CTA
- [ ] Image alt text: descriptive, includes keyword where natural
- [ ] Image file names: descriptive (not IMG_001.jpg)
- [ ] Images compressed and in WebP/AVIF format
- [ ] Open Graph and Twitter Card meta tags set

### Internal Linking
- [ ] 3-5 internal links to relevant pages
- [ ] Descriptive anchor text (not "click here")
- [ ] Links to pillar page from cluster articles
- [ ] Links from high-authority pages to new content

### Schema Markup
- [ ] Article schema with author, datePublished, dateModified
- [ ] FAQ schema for question-based content
- [ ] HowTo schema for procedural content
- [ ] Breadcrumb schema
- [ ] Organization schema on homepage

---

## Content Length Guidelines by Intent

| Search Intent | Recommended Length | Rationale |
|--------------|-------------------|-----------|
| Quick answer / definition | 300-800 words | User wants a fast answer |
| How-to / tutorial | 1,000-2,500 words | Enough depth to be complete |
| Comprehensive guide | 2,500-5,000 words | Competes with existing thorough content |
| Comparison / vs | 1,500-3,000 words | Needs to cover both options fairly |
| Listicle / roundup | 1,500-4,000 words | Depends on number of items |
| Product/service page | 500-1,500 words | Focused on conversion, not reading |

---

## Content Refresh Strategy

### When to Refresh
- Traffic declined >20% from peak
- Rankings dropped 5+ positions
- Content is >12 months old with dated information
- Competitor published better content on the same topic
- Search intent has shifted (informational → commercial)

### Refresh Checklist
- [ ] Update statistics and data with current year sources
- [ ] Add new sections covering topics that competitors added
- [ ] Refresh examples and screenshots
- [ ] Update internal links (add links to newer content)
- [ ] Optimize for any new keyword opportunities
- [ ] Update dateModified in schema markup
- [ ] Improve readability (shorter sentences, better formatting)
- [ ] Add FAQ section if one doesn't exist
