SEO teams spend most of their time on work that should be automated—ideally with SEO automation tools. Audits run manually every quarter. Briefs written from scratch for every article. Reports assembled by hand in spreadsheets. The work compounds across clients, across channels, across the endless cycle of content creation and optimization.
Claude skills turn repetitive SEO work into reusable, shareable workflows — the same pattern behind the best Claude skills for growth marketing translates directly to SEO. Unlike one-off prompts that live in chat history and die when the conversation ends, skills are markdown files that encode your process. They accept structured inputs, apply consistent logic, and produce reliable outputs. When you build a skill for technical audits or keyword clustering, you're not just solving today's problem. You're creating infrastructure that works next week, next month, and for the next person on your team.
This guide covers ten SEO skills that compress the tool stack, reduce manual work, and produce outputs that rank in Google while getting cited in AI Overviews. Each skill includes what it does, what inputs it needs, where it fits in your workflow, and which parts of your existing stack it replaces or augments.
TL;DR:
Claude skills turn repetitive SEO work into reusable workflows. Unlike prompts that die when the conversation ends, skills are markdown files that encode your process and produce consistent outputs across team members and clients.
The ten essential SEO skills cover the full workflow: technical audits, keyword research, content briefs, competitor gaps, on-page optimization, AEO citation readiness, BOFU strategy, reporting, link building, and local SEO. Each skill compresses manual work that would normally require multiple tools and hours of analysis.
Skills chain into workflows. New page workflow: keyword research → competitor gap → content brief → on-page optimization → AEO optimization → link building → reporting. Declining page workflow: technical audit → keyword research → competitor gap → content refresh → on-page optimization → AEO optimization → reporting.
AEO patterns increase AI citation probability. The ski ramp (key claim in first 30%), question-based H2s (78.4% of citations), direct answers under each H2, entity density around 20%, and fan-out sub-query coverage. AI crawlers read raw HTML only; client-side JavaScript is invisible.
Claude vs ChatGPT for SEO: Claude handles larger context windows and persistent file uploads, better for audits and large-file workflows. ChatGPT integrates better with APIs and custom GPTs. Most teams use both.
Automation happens when skills connect to triggers. Metaflow orchestrates skills into agents that run automatically when rankings drop, competitors enter the SERP, or reporting periods close. The skills are the logic. Metaflow is the execution layer.
All skills are open-source and available on GitHub. Download, upload to Claude Projects, and start running them immediately. No code required.
What Are Claude Skills for SEO (and How They Differ From Prompts)?
A prompt is a question you ask once. A skill is a process you run repeatedly.
Prompts live in chat threads. When the conversation ends, the prompt logic disappears unless you save it somewhere external. Skills, by contrast, are markdown files stored in Claude Projects — here's how to create Claude skills as reusable files. They contain instructions, frameworks, output formats, and decision trees. Claude reads the skill file before processing your input, which means every interaction follows the same logic.
The practical difference shows up when you scale. If you run keyword research for one client using a prompt, you'll get an answer. If you run keyword research for ten clients using a skill, you'll get ten structurally identical outputs that can be compared, merged, and automated. The skill encodes your methodology. The prompt encodes a single question.
Why SEO Teams Need Skills, Not Just Prompts
SEO work is procedural. Audits follow checklists. Keyword research follows prioritization formulas. Content optimization follows structural patterns. When the process is consistent, the tool should be consistent too.
Skills solve three problems that prompts cannot:
Consistency across team members. When your junior SEO and your senior strategist both use the same skill, they produce comparable outputs. The skill encodes your agency's methodology, not individual preferences.
Delegation without quality loss. You can hand a skill to a contractor, a client, or an AI SEO agent and trust the output will match your standard. The skill is the SOP — the same logic behind the best Claude skills for marketing agencies running client work at scale without dropping quality.
Automation triggers. Skills integrate into workflows. When a ranking drops in Google Search Console, a skill can run an audit automatically. When a new page publishes, a skill can check schema and internal links. Prompts require a human to copy-paste every time.
How to Install and Organize Claude SEO Skills
Using Claude Code / Projects for SEO Skills
Claude Projects let you create isolated workspaces with their own knowledge base and skill library. For SEO work, create a project called "SEO Workflows" or organize by client if you run an agency.
Inside the project, upload your skill files. Each skill is a markdown file with a specific structure (the agent skill anatomy): a YAML frontmatter block that defines the skill name and description, followed by sections for process, frameworks, output format, and guidelines.
When you start a conversation in that project, Claude loads all skills in the background. You can invoke a skill by name or by describing what you need. Claude will match your request to the appropriate skill and execute it.
Organizing Skills by Workflow (Audit, Research, Content, Reporting)
Folder structure matters when you're managing ten or more skills. Group by workflow stage:
Foundation layer: Technical audit, keyword research, competitor analysis. These run first and feed downstream work.
Content layer: Content strategy, on-page optimization, AEO visibility. These consume outputs from the foundation layer.
Execution layer: Link building, local SEO, BOFU strategy. These apply the content to specific channels or conversion goals.
Measurement layer: Reporting, performance tracking, experiment logging. These close the loop.
When skills are organized by dependency, you can chain them into multi-step workflows. The keyword research skill outputs a prioritized list. The content strategy skill consumes that list and produces briefs. The on-page optimization skill consumes the brief and produces a publish-ready page. Each step is modular, reusable, and auditable. Together, this becomes your AI SEO publishing pipeline.
Platforms like Metaflow let you orchestrate these skills into agents that run automatically when triggers fire. A ranking drop in GSC triggers the technical audit skill. A new competitor entering the SERP triggers the gap analysis skill. The skills become nodes in a graph, not isolated scripts.
The 10 Essential Claude Skills Every SEO Team Should Have
Skill #1: Technical SEO AI Crawler Audit
Technical issues block everything downstream. If Google can't crawl your site, keyword research is irrelevant. If AI bots are blocked by Cloudflare, your content will never get cited in ChatGPT or Perplexity.
This skill diagnoses crawl blockers, indexation failures, Core Web Vitals SEO problems, and AI crawler access issues. It operates at the site level, not the page level, and produces a prioritized fix list ordered by impact.
What it does: Analyzes robots.txt, server errors, redirect chains, duplicate content, JavaScript rendering, schema coverage, and AI bot access. Outputs a health score and a categorized list of issues: critical (blocks crawling/indexing), high priority (impacts rankings or CWV), and medium/low (refinements).
Inputs: Google Search Console indexing data, CrUX field data for Core Web Vitals, crawl export from a desktop crawler, server logs (optional, for AI bot verification), and Cloudflare settings if applicable.
Outputs: A structured audit report with issue severity, affected page counts, evidence links, fix actions, effort estimates, and a monitoring plan. Includes an AI crawler status table showing which bots are allowed, blocked, or missing from logs.
Tool-stack note: Compresses manual audit work that would normally require Screaming Frog, GSC, PageSpeed Insights, and log file analysis. Does not replace crawlers for discovery, but eliminates the manual triage and prioritization step.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from technical-seo-ai-crawler-audit/SKILL.md — the audit priority matrix and Core Web Vitals thresholds the skill enforces:
### Audit priority matrix
**Always fix in this order** — later work is wasted if earlier layers are broken:
1. **Crawl/index blocking issues** (robots.txt errors, accidental noindex, server errors). If Google can't crawl or index, nothing else matters.
2. **AI crawler access** (if AI visibility is a goal). Block discovery = no citation.
3. **Core Web Vitals** failures on key templates (LCP, INP, CLS).
4. **Duplicate content / canonical conflicts** that split link equity.
5. **Site architecture** (click depth, internal linking).
6. **Structured data** coverage and errors.
7. **Refinements** (image optimization, security headers, minor schema).
### Core Web Vitals thresholds
| Metric | Good | Needs improvement | Poor |
|--------|------|-------------------|------|
| **LCP** (Largest Contentful Paint) | ≤ 2.5s | 2.5s – 4.0s | > 4.0s |
| **INP** (Interaction to Next Paint) | ≤ 200ms | 200ms – 500ms | > 500ms |
| **CLS** (Cumulative Layout Shift) | ≤ 0.10 | 0.10 – 0.25 | > 0.25 |
Thresholds apply to the **75th percentile of field data** (real-user monitoring), not lab scores. INP replaced FID in March 2024.Full file: technical-seo-ai-crawler-audit/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill during client onboarding, post-migration, post-redesign, or quarterly for ongoing clients. It's the first skill in the chain because later optimizations fail if the technical foundation is broken.
For recurring audits, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that monitors GSC coverage reports weekly. When new errors appear, the agent runs the skill automatically and sends a Slack notification with the prioritized fix list.
Skill #2: Keyword Research & Intent Mapping
Traditional keyword research stops at volume and difficulty. Modern AI keyword research maps intent, SERP features, competitive gaps, and the fan-out sub-queries that AI tools generate when answering user prompts.
This skill builds a keyword universe that reflects how both humans and AI search engines retrieve information. It classifies intent, scores priority using a weighted formula, identifies gaps in competitor coverage, and maps each keyword cluster to a target page.
What it does: Expands seed keywords into a full universe using related terms, long-tail variations, question formats, and modifiers. Classifies each keyword by intent (informational, commercial, transactional, navigational). Analyzes SERP features to determine zero-click risk and content-type fit. Scores keywords using a formula that weights volume by intent and business relevance, then divides by difficulty. Maps keywords to content (pillar, cluster, or supporting page). Generates fan-out sub-queries (query fan out SEO) for AEO optimization.
Inputs: Seed keywords from business goals, customer language, competitor analysis, or internal search logs. Access to keyword research tools for volume and difficulty data. SERP analysis for each priority cluster.
Outputs: A prioritized keyword table with volume, difficulty, intent, SERP features, priority score, target page, and fan-out sub-queries. A cluster summary showing which keywords group into single-page targets. A competitive gap list showing keywords competitors rank for that you don't. An AEO sub-query coverage table showing which fragments your content answers.
Tool-stack note: Augments Ahrefs, Semrush, or similar tools by adding intent classification, fan-out analysis, and content mapping. Does not replace keyword tools for volume/difficulty data, but eliminates the manual clustering and prioritization work.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from seo-keyword-research-intent-mapping/SKILL.md — the intent matrix and prioritization formula at the core of the skill:
### Intent classification matrix
| Intent | Signals | Content format | Conversion expectation |
|--------|---------|----------------|------------------------|
| **Informational** | "what is", "how to", "guide", "examples", "why" | Articles, tutorials, videos, pillar pages | Low direct; high assist + retargeting value |
| **Commercial** | "best", "top", "vs", "review", "alternatives", "comparison" | Listicles, comparison pages, reviews, category pages | Medium; late-stage consideration |
| **Transactional** | "buy", "pricing", "demo", "free trial", "discount", "coupon" | Product pages, pricing pages, landing pages | High; direct revenue |
| **Navigational** | Brand name, product name, login, specific URL | Homepage, product pages, help docs | High if your brand; low if competitor brand |
**Ambiguity rule:** When a keyword could fit multiple buckets, the SERP is authoritative.
### Keyword prioritization formula
Priority Score = (Monthly Volume × Intent Weight × Business Relevance) / Keyword Difficulty
**Intent weight multipliers:**
- Transactional: **3.0x**
- Commercial: **2.5x**
- Informational: **1.0x**
- Navigational: **0.5x** (unless brand defense)
**Worked example:** "project management software for agencies" at 480 volume, commercial intent (2.5x), relevance 5, KD 42 → (480 × 2.5 × 5) / 42 = **142.9**.Full file: seo-keyword-research-intent-mapping/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill at the start of every content sprint, competitive analysis, or site launch. It feeds the content strategy skill, which consumes the keyword map and produces briefs.
For ongoing clients, connect the skill to a quarterly trigger that pulls new GSC queries and competitor ranking changes, then re-runs the analysis to identify emerging opportunities as part of your programmatic SEO cadence.
Skill #3: SEO Content Brief Builder (SEO/AEO Content Strategy)
A content brief is the contract between strategy and execution. It specifies what to write, how to structure it, which keywords to target, and which sub-queries to answer for AI citation.
This skill generates briefs that work for both Google rankings and AI Overview citations, as part of an AI powered content strategy. It incorporates keyword research, SERP analysis, competitor content gaps, and AEO structural patterns like the ski ramp and question-based H2s.
What it does: Consumes a keyword cluster from the research skill. Analyzes the top 10 SERP results for content type, structure, depth, and gaps. Identifies which SERP features are present (AI Overview, Featured Snippet, People Also Ask, Video). Specifies target word count, header structure, internal links, schema markup, and fan-out sub-queries to cover. Outputs a structured brief with H1, H2s (question-based), key claims, entity targets, and a pre-publish checklist.
Inputs: Target keyword, intent classification, SERP analysis (top 10 URLs, content types, word counts), competitor content exports (optional), and business context (product, audience, differentiators).
Outputs: A markdown brief with H1, H2 outline (question-based), target word count, key claims to make in the first 30% of the page, entity density targets, internal link suggestions, schema requirements, and a fan-out sub-query coverage checklist.
Tool-stack note: Replaces or augments Clearscope, Surfer, and Frase for brief creation. Does not replace SERP analysis tools, but eliminates the manual synthesis step within an AI content pipeline.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from seo-aeo-content-strategy/SKILL.md — the ski ramp framework the brief skill bakes into every output:
### The "Ski Ramp" — AEO content structure
**1. Front-load the answer (first 30% captures 44.2% of citations).**
- Put the key claim, definitive answer, or headline finding in the first paragraph.
- No throat-clearing intros. No "In this article, we'll explore…"
- Write the way a journalist writes a news lede: most important fact first.
**2. Use question-based H2 headings (78.4% of question-containing citations come from headings).**
- LLMs treat H2s as prompts and the following paragraphs as answers.
- Phrase H2s the way a user would ask the question: "How long does SEO take to show results?" not "SEO Timeline Overview."
**3. Follow each H2 with a direct, definitive answer.**
- No hedging. "Teams that publish twice a week see 2.3x more traffic" beats "Publishing frequency may help traffic."
- The direct answer goes in the first 1-2 sentences after the heading.
**4. High entity density (~20%).**
- Use specific brand names, tool names, numbers, dates, proper nouns.
- "Increase budget by 15% in Q3" beats "increase budget in the second half of the year."
**5. The middle of paragraphs matters.**
- 53% of citations come from mid-paragraph, not the opening sentence.
**6. Include a summary/conclusion section (the "wake-up" zone).**
- The last 10% of content before the footer sees a citation bump.Full file: seo-aeo-content-strategy/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill after keyword research and before drafting. The brief becomes the input for writers, whether human or AI.
For scaled content production and AI writing workflow automation, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that consumes a keyword list, generates briefs in batch, and routes each brief to the appropriate writer or content generation skill.
Skill #4: Competitor SERP & Content Gap Analyzer
You don't need to outrank every competitor. You need to outrank the competitors who matter for the keywords that drive revenue, as measured by AI visibility tools.
This skill identifies which competitors rank for keywords you don't, which content formats dominate the SERP, and which gaps represent realistic opportunities given your domain authority and resources.
What it does: Pulls ranking keywords for 3-5 direct competitors. Finds the set difference: keywords competitors rank for in the top 20 that you don't rank for at all. Filters by relevance, difficulty, and intent (commercial/transactional first). Analyzes SERP composition for each gap keyword to determine if the top 10 is dominated by brands you can realistically beat. Outputs a prioritized gap list with recommended actions: create new content, update existing content, or skip (out of scope).
Inputs: Competitor URLs (3-5 direct competitors, same audience and offer). Organic keyword exports from rank-tracking tools. Your own ranking data for comparison. Business context for relevance filtering.
Outputs: A gap table showing keyword, volume, difficulty, intent, SERP feature presence, competitor positions, and recommended action. A SERP composition analysis showing whether the top 10 is dominated by high-authority brands. A prioritized create/update/skip list.
Tool-stack note: Augments Ahrefs, Semrush, or similar AI search competitor analysis tools by adding SERP feasibility checks and prioritization logic. Does not replace rank-tracking tools, but eliminates the manual gap analysis and decision-making step.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
There's no standalone competitor-gap skill in the repo — competitor gap analysis lives as a sub-framework inside seo-keyword-research-intent-mapping/SKILL.md. Excerpted verbatim:
### Competitor keyword gap analysis
1. Identify 3-5 direct competitors (same audience + same offer, not just similar domains).
2. Pull each competitor's ranking keywords (organic keyword exports from your rank-tracking tool).
3. Find the set difference: keywords competitors rank for in top 20 that you don't rank for at all.
4. Filter by: relevance to your offer, realistic difficulty, commercial/transactional intent first.
5. For each gap, decide: create new content, update existing content, or skip (out of scope).The skill also enforces a SERP-feasibility filter on top of reported KD: "If all results are DR 80+ brands with topical authority, add 20 points to the reported KD." Status values for the keyword-to-content mapping are Create (new page), Update (existing page needs refresh), Keep (performing, monitor), Consolidate (merge with another page), or Prune (remove, redirect). Full file: seo-keyword-research-intent-mapping/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill quarterly or when a new competitor enters your space. It feeds the content strategy skill, which uses the gap list to prioritize new briefs.
For ongoing monitoring, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that tracks competitor ranking changes weekly and re-runs the gap analysis when a competitor gains significant visibility.
Skill #5: On-Page SEO/AEO Optimization
A draft is not ready to publish until it passes the pre-publish checklist. Title tag, meta description, header hierarchy, schema markup, internal links, image optimization, and AEO structural patterns.
This skill operates at the single-page level. It consumes a draft or existing page and outputs a review for AI content evaluation with recommended changes to optimize for both Google rankings and AI citations.
What it does: Reviews title tag and meta description for length, keyword placement, and specificity. Checks header hierarchy for question-based H2s and direct answers. Verifies the ski ramp pattern: key claim in the first 30%, definitive language, entity density around 20%, mid-paragraph information gain. Validates schema markup with Rich Results Test. Checks internal links to pillar and related clusters. Optimizes images for alt text, dimensions, format, and lazy loading. Runs the 24-item pre-publish checklist.
Inputs: Page URL or draft content. Target keyword and intent from the brief. SERP analysis for the target keyword. Existing schema markup (if any). Internal link structure.
Outputs: A structured review with current vs. recommended for title, meta, URL, and headers. A ski ramp assessment showing which AEO elements are present or missing. A schema validation report. An internal link audit. An image optimization checklist. A prioritized fix list (critical, high, medium) and a pre-publish checklist score (X/24 items passing).
Tool-stack note: Replaces manual on-page audits and checklist reviews. Augments tools like Yoast or Rank Math by adding AEO-specific checks and AI content SEO citation readiness.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from on-page-seo-aeo-optimization/SKILL.md — the title formula and the H2 prompt/answer example pair the skill grades against:
### Title tag formula
[Primary keyword] + [Specificity hook] + [Brand]
- **Primary keyword up front** (within the first 60 characters; fronted where natural).
- **Specificity hook** = year, number, format, or differentiator. Examples: "for 2026," "[5 Methods]," "Complete Guide," "with Examples."
- **Brand** at the end, separated by | or –. Skippable for very long titles.
- **Length target:** 50-60 characters.
**Examples:**
- ✅ "Product Analytics Guide: 15 Events to Track in 2026 | ExampleCo"
- ✅ "[Tool A] vs [Tool B] vs [Tool C]: Feature + Price Comparison (2026)"
- ❌ "The Ultimate Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Product Analytics (It's Really Comprehensive!)"
### Direct answer pattern (under every H2)
**Excellent:**
> ## How long does SEO take to show results?
>
> Most sites see initial ranking movement in 3-6 months, with meaningful traffic growth in 6-12 months. The timeline depends heavily on domain authority, competition, and technical baseline — a new site in a competitive niche often needs 12-18 months before organic traffic becomes a primary channel.
**Bad:**
> ## SEO Timeline
>
> SEO is a topic that many people have questions about. In this section, we'll explore the timeline and what to expect. It depends on many factors and may vary.
The first gives the AI a clean prompt/answer pair with specific numbers. The second is unextractable.Full file: on-page-seo-aeo-optimization/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill on every draft before publish and on existing pages during refresh cycles. It's the final quality gate.
For scaled operations, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that runs the review automatically when a draft is marked "ready for review" in your CMS or project management tool, and integrates with AI writing tools.
Skill #6: GEO & AEO Optimization (AI Search Visibility)
Google is not the only search engine that matters anymore. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini answer millions of queries daily. If your content is invisible to AI crawlers or structured poorly for citation, you're leaving traffic and brand visibility on the table.
This skill optimizes content for AI Overview citations, LLM search results, and answer engine visibility. It focuses on the structural patterns that increase citation probability: the ski ramp, question-based H2s, direct answers, entity density, and fan-out sub-query coverage—and helps with tracking brand visibility AI search.
What it does: Checks whether AI bots can access your site (robots.txt, Cloudflare settings, server logs). Verifies that critical content renders in raw HTML (a JavaScript SEO check, not client-side JavaScript only). Applies the ski ramp pattern to page structure. Maps fan-out sub-queries and checks whether your content answers each fragment. Adds citation-ready structured data (llms.txt, schema, named entities). Outputs a citation readiness score and a prioritized fix list.
Inputs: Page URL or draft content. Target keyword and user question from the brief. Server logs showing AI bot user agents (optional). Cloudflare or CDN settings. JavaScript rendering check (view-source test). Fan-out sub-queries from keyword research.
Outputs: An AI crawler access report showing which bots are allowed, blocked, or missing from logs. A rendering check showing whether critical content is visible in raw HTML. A ski ramp assessment. A fan-out sub-query coverage table showing which fragments your content answers. A citation readiness score and prioritized fix list.
Tool-stack note: No direct tool-stack replacement because most SEO tools don't measure AI visibility yet. Fills a gap in the market.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from ai-search-visibility-aeo-geo-llmo/SKILL.md — the AI crawler access checklist (the gating step) and the platform matrix that drives platform-specific actions:
### AI crawler access checklist
| Check | What to verify | How |
|-------|----------------|-----|
| **robots.txt** | GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, Bytespider, CCBot not blocked | Fetch https://domain.com/robots.txt |
| **Cloudflare AI bot blocking** | "Block AI Bots" toggle is OFF (default: ON) | Cloudflare dashboard → Security → Bots |
| **Server logs** | AI bot user agents are actually hitting the site | Grep last 30 days for ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, GPTBot |
| **JavaScript rendering** | Critical content visible in raw HTML (no client-side-only content) | View-source test on key templates |
| **llms.txt** | File at site root providing AI-readable structure | Fetch https://domain.com/llms.txt |
### Platform-specific optimization matrix
| Platform | Top cited sources | Key action |
|----------|-------------------|------------|
| **AI Overviews (Google)** | Reddit (21%), Wikipedia, YouTube, Google properties, Amazon | Strong SEO baseline + brand mentions + YouTube content |
| **AI Mode (Google)** | Wikipedia, YouTube, Google's own blog, Reddit, Quora | Wikipedia + Quora + owned Q&A content |
| **ChatGPT** | Reddit, Wikipedia, Amazon, Forbes, Business Insider, Reuters, AP | Earned media with authoritative publishers; Reddit presence |
| **Perplexity** | **Reddit (46.5% of citations!)**, diverse global sources, niche/health sites | Reddit-first + diverse earned media |
| **Copilot (Microsoft)** | Similar to ChatGPT but more Bing-weighted | Bing ranking + Microsoft-adjacent visibility |86% of top-cited sources are unique to each platform. Treat AEO as platform-by-platform, not one strategy. Full file: ai-search-visibility-aeo-geo-llmo/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill on high-priority pages after on-page optimization and before publish. It's the AEO quality gate.
For ongoing monitoring, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that samples AI search results for your target keywords weekly and checks whether your content is being cited. When citation rates drop, the agent re-runs the skill and flags issues as part of your ai agents SEO monitoring.
Skill #7: BOFU SEO/AEO Strategy
Bottom-of-funnel content converts. Comparison pages, alternative pages, pricing pages, and product pages capture users who are ready to buy. Traditional SEO treats BOFU as an afterthought. Modern SEO treats it as the highest-leverage content type within an AI marketing strategy.
This skill builds BOFU content strategies that rank in Google and get cited in AI Overviews when users ask "what's the best tool for use case" or "competitor vs your product."
What it does: Identifies BOFU keyword opportunities (comparison, alternative, vs, pricing, best-for-use-case). Maps each keyword to a content type (comparison page, alternative page, category page, pricing page). Specifies structure for each content type (segmented recommendations, feature comparison tables, pricing transparency, use-case fit). Applies AI search SEO Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) patterns for citation in AI Overviews. Outputs a BOFU content plan with keyword targets, page types, and structural templates.
Inputs: Product or service details. Competitor list. BOFU keyword research (from the keyword research skill). Business goals (which conversions matter). Pricing and feature data.
Outputs: A BOFU keyword map showing keyword, intent, page type, and priority. A content plan with page titles, URLs, and structural templates. A citation optimization checklist for each page type. A conversion tracking plan.
Tool-stack note: Augments category creation and comparison page workflows. Does not replace product marketing, but eliminates the manual strategy and structure work.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from bofu-seo-aeo-strategy/SKILL.md — the four BOFU formats the skill picks between, plus the canonical Pattern A (X vs Y) H2 sequence:
### The four BOFU formats
| Format | Typical query | Canonical structure | Default length |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Comparison page** | "[Tool A] vs [Tool B]" | Feature Deep Dive (Pattern A) | 2,500–4,500 words |
| **Alternative page** | "Alternatives to [incumbent]" | Listicle with positioning (Pattern C) | 2,000–3,500 words |
| **"Best X" listicle** | "Best project management software" | Ranked listicle with methodology | 2,500–5,500 words |
| **"Best X for Y" segment page** | "Best CRM for small business" | Segmented listicle with narrower scope | 2,000–3,500 words |
**Rule:** one page = one format. Do not mix.
### Pattern A — Comparison page (X vs Y)
H1: [Product A] vs [Product B]: [year] Comparison
H2: [A] vs [B] at a glance ← comparison table + TL;DR here
H2: What is [A]?
H2: What is [B]?
H2: Feature comparison
H2: Pricing comparison ← worked examples at specific volumes
H2: User reviews and third-party ratings
H2: Where [A] is the better choice
H2: Where [B] is the better choice ← the concession section
H2: Which should you choose? ← segmented recommendation
H2: FAQThe "concession section" (acknowledging where the competitor wins) is non-negotiable — vendor-authored comparisons without it read as biased. Full file: bofu-seo-aeo-strategy/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill when launching a new product, entering a new category, or competing against a new set of alternatives. It feeds the content brief skill, which generates page-level briefs for each BOFU page.
For ongoing optimization, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that monitors competitor launches and re-runs the BOFU analysis when a new alternative enters the market, and supports ai agents sales growth experiments.
Skill #8: SEO Performance Report Generator (SEO Reporting & Measurement)
Reports close the loop. They show what's working, what's not, and where to invest next. Traditional SEO reports are static PDFs assembled by hand. Modern SEO reports are live dashboards that update automatically when data changes.
This skill generates SEO performance reports that combine Google Search Console, Google Analytics, rank tracking, and AI visibility metrics into a single narrative, with search console API programmatic SEO reporting baked in.
What it does: Pulls GSC data (clicks, impressions, CTR, position) for target keywords and pages. Pulls GA4 data (sessions, conversions, revenue) attributed to organic search. Pulls rank tracking data for priority keywords. Checks AI visibility (are your pages being cited in AI Overviews or LLM search results). Calculates period-over-period changes. Identifies wins, losses, and opportunities. Outputs a structured report with executive summary, metric tables, trend charts, and recommended actions.
Inputs: GSC export or API access. GA4 BigQuery SEO export or API access. Rank tracking data. AI visibility sampling (manual or automated). Target keyword list. Reporting period (weekly, monthly, quarterly).
Outputs: An executive summary with top-line metrics and key insights. A performance table showing clicks, impressions, CTR, position, sessions, conversions, and revenue by keyword or page. A trend analysis showing period-over-period changes. A wins/losses/opportunities section. A recommended actions list prioritized by impact.
Tool-stack note: Replaces manual report assembly in Google Sheets or PowerPoint. Augments Looker Studio or similar BI tools by adding narrative synthesis and prioritization logic.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from seo-reporting-measurement/SKILL.md — the data caveat the skill leads every report with, plus the KPI hierarchy it tracks against:
### Critical data caveat to lead every report with
> **⚠️ GSC impression data is approximately 75% incomplete.** Google filters most search impressions for privacy. Single-source GSC decisions are unreliable. All figures should be treated as *directional trends*, not absolute numbers. Cross-reference with third-party tools and focus on *deltas over time*, not point values.
### KPI hierarchy
**Leading indicators (weekly review):**
- Impressions (GSC)
- CTR by position band
- Indexed pages count (GSC Coverage)
- Core Web Vitals field scores (GSC)
**Core SEO metrics (monthly review):**
- **Organic sessions segmented by intent** (not aggregate)
- **Branded vs non-branded traffic** — use GSC branded query filter (November 2025+)
- **Ranking distribution** — top 3, top 10, top 20 keyword counts
**Business metrics (monthly review, executive audience):**
- **Organic-attributed revenue** (multi-touch model preferred)
- **Lead generation from organic**
- **Conversion rate by landing page type**
**AI visibility metrics (quarterly review minimum):**
- **Brand mention frequency** across platforms (60-100+ runs per prompt)
- **Citation rate** — how often your domain is cited across AI queries
- **Per-platform visibility** — never collapse into a single scoreThe skill explicitly retires "average keyword position" and "single-run AI visibility scores" as primary KPIs. Full file: seo-reporting-measurement/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill weekly for high-touch clients, monthly for most clients, and quarterly for low-touch or internal projects. It's the measurement layer that informs strategy adjustments.
For automated reporting, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that pulls data on a schedule (e.g., first Monday of every month), generates the report, and sends it to Slack or email, and distribute via free AI SEO tools if needed.
Skill #9: Link Building & Digital PR
Links remain a ranking factor. Not the only factor, and not the highest-weighted factor for every query, but still material. The challenge is not building links. The challenge is building links that matter: relevant, authoritative, and contextually appropriate. Off page SEO automation can help with scale, but not strategy.
This skill generates link-building strategies and outreach templates based on your content, audience, and competitive landscape.
What it does: Identifies link-worthy assets (original research, tools, data, guides). Maps link targets (publications, blogs, directories, resource pages) by relevance and authority. Generates outreach templates personalized by target type, drawing on the same patterns documented in Claude skills for outbound. Tracks outreach status and conversion rates. Outputs a link-building plan with target list, outreach templates, and tracking structure.
Inputs: Your content inventory (what's link-worthy). Competitor backlink profiles (who links to them). Target audience and industry. Outreach goals (how many links, from which types of sites).
Outputs: A link-worthy asset audit showing which content is most likely to earn links. A target list with site, contact, relevance score, and domain authority. Outreach templates by target type (journalist, blogger, resource page curator). A tracking spreadsheet with outreach status, response rate, and link acquisition.
Tool-stack note: Augments Ahrefs, Moz, or similar backlink analysis tools by adding strategy and outreach automation, and supports AI content repurposing for pitches. Does not replace backlink tools, but eliminates the manual target research and template writing.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from link-building-digital-pr/SKILL.md — the journalist pitch structure and the unlinked-mention reclamation script the skill generates:
### Journalist pitch structure
Journalists receive 100-500 pitches per day. Most are deleted in under 5 seconds.
**Subject line (the pitch hook):**
- ≤60 characters
- Leads with the most newsworthy finding, not the company name
- ✅ "Data: 72% of SaaS startups miss this product analytics event"
- ✅ "New study: Remote workers lose 13 hours/week to context switching"
- ❌ "ExampleCo has exciting news about analytics"
**Body (≤150 words):**
[Journalist first name],
[One-sentence hook — the single finding that matters, quantified.]
[Two sentences of context — why the journalist's specific beat/publication cares about this, methodology in one phrase.]
[One sentence with a specific, named expert quote or interview offer.]
[Clear ask: "Happy to send the full data, chart pack, or set up a 15-min interview with [named spokesperson]."]
[Your name + title]
### Unlinked mention reclamation pitch
Hi [Name],
Thanks for including us in "[Article title]" — really appreciated how you framed [specific relevant detail from the article].
I noticed the mention of [YourBrand] doesn't have a link. Would you be open to adding one to [suggested URL]? Happy to confirm the URL works and matches what you covered.
Thanks either way,
[Your name]Conversion rates of 25-50% are typical for well-triaged unlinked mention outreach — far higher than cold PR. Full file: link-building-digital-pr/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill quarterly or when launching a new link-worthy asset. It feeds manual outreach or automated outreach tools.
For scaled link building, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that monitors new competitor backlinks weekly and adds high-value targets to your outreach list automatically via ai agents growth hacking to keep the list fresh.
Skill #10: Local SEO & Google Business Profile
Local search is a different game. Rankings depend on proximity, relevance, and prominence—the core local SEO ranking factors. Google Business Profile is the center of gravity. Reviews, photos, posts, and Q&A all influence rankings in the Local Pack and Maps.
This skill optimizes Google Business Profile and local SEO factors to increase visibility in local search results.
What it does: Audits Google Business Profile for completeness, accuracy, and optimization opportunities. Generates posts, updates, and Q&A content. Identifies local citation opportunities (directories, local sites). Monitors reviews and generates response templates for Google reviews management SEO. Outputs a local SEO action plan with GBP optimizations, citation targets, and review management workflows.
Inputs: Google Business Profile data. Business details (name, address, phone, hours, services, categories). Competitor GBP profiles. Local keyword targets. Review data.
Outputs: A GBP audit showing completeness score and missing fields. A content plan for posts, updates, and Q&A. A citation target list with site, relevance, and submission instructions. Review response templates by sentiment (positive, neutral, negative). A local SEO action plan.
Tool-stack note: Augments BrightLocal, Moz Local, or similar local SEO tools by adding content generation and workflow automation. Does not replace citation tools, but eliminates the manual audit and content creation work.
Sample Claude Skill Template (Snippet)
Excerpt from local-seo-google-business-profile/SKILL.md — the GBP optimization checklist (core fields + photos + posts) and the review-velocity insight at the heart of the skill:
### GBP optimization checklist
**Core profile:**
- [ ] Business name matches real-world signage exactly (no keyword stuffing — this is a violation and triggers suspension)
- [ ] Primary category correct and specific (the single highest-impact field in all of GBP)
- [ ] Secondary categories: 2-5 additional, all relevant
- [ ] Business description (750 characters) written naturally, includes primary services and location
- [ ] Service area or physical address (depending on business model)
- [ ] Phone (direct, trackable if possible, NOT a shared call center)
**Photos (critical — dramatically affects engagement):**
- [ ] Logo image (square, high-res)
- [ ] Cover photo (landscape, showing the business clearly)
- [ ] **Real job site / service photos** — not stock photography (Google's 2025 guidance explicitly favors authentic imagery)
- [ ] Add new photos weekly or monthly — freshness is a signal
**Posts (weekly cadence recommended):**
- [ ] Regular posts: updates, offers, events, news — minimum weekly
- [ ] Each post has a clear CTA (Call, Book, Get offer, Learn more)
### Review strategy core insight
**Review velocity matters more than lifetime totals.** A business getting 5 reviews per week sustainably beats a business with 400 reviews from 3 years ago.
- **Ask after successful jobs/services**, not randomly.
- **Never script reviews.** Never offer incentives in exchange for reviews.
- **Respond to every review**, positive and negative. Future customers read the response more than the review itself.
- **Response time:** Within 48 hours is the standard; within 24 hours signals active management to Google.Full file: local-seo-google-business-profile/SKILL.md.
Where This Fits in Your Workflow
Run this skill during local business onboarding, quarterly for ongoing clients, or when launching a new location. It feeds manual GBP management or automated posting tools.
For scaled local SEO, connect the skill to a Metaflow agent that monitors GBP performance weekly, posts updates automatically, and alerts when a negative review appears as part of google reviews management SEO.
Example End-to-End SEO Workflow Using These 10 Skills
Two common workflows show how these skills chain together.
New Page Workflow
You’re launching a new pillar page targeting a commercial keyword.
- Keyword research skill runs first. It expands the seed keyword into a cluster, classifies intent, scores priority, identifies SERP features, and generates fan-out sub-queries. Output: a prioritized keyword cluster with “best project management software for agencies” as the primary target.
- Competitor gap skill runs next. It checks whether competitors rank for this keyword and identifies content gaps. Output: three competitors rank in the top 10 with comparison pages; you have no page targeting this keyword. Action: create new page.
- Content strategy skill runs third. It consumes the keyword cluster and gap analysis, analyzes the top 10 SERP results, and generates a brief. Output: a markdown brief with H1, question-based H2s, target word count, key claims, entity targets, schema requirements, and fan-out sub-queries to cover.
- On-page optimization skill runs fourth. After the draft is written, it reviews title, meta, headers, ski ramp pattern, schema, internal links, and images. Output: a review with recommended changes and a pre-publish checklist score.
- AEO optimization skill runs fifth. It checks AI crawler access, JavaScript rendering, ski ramp pattern, and fan-out sub-query coverage. Output: a citation readiness score and fix list.
- Link building skill runs sixth (post-publish). It identifies the new page as a link-worthy asset, generates a target list, and creates outreach templates. Output: a link-building plan.
- Reporting skill runs weekly after publish. It tracks clicks, impressions, CTR, position, sessions, conversions, and AI citations. Output: a performance report showing whether the page is gaining traction.
Declining Page Workflow
One of your high-priority pages lost 30% of its traffic in the last quarter.
- Technical audit skill runs first. It checks for crawl blockers, indexation issues, CWV failures, and AI bot access problems. Output: no critical issues found; page is crawlable and indexed.
- Keyword research skill runs second. It checks whether the target keyword’s SERP has shifted (new competitors, new SERP features, intent change). Output: the SERP now includes an AI Overview that answers the question directly; zero-click risk has increased.
- Competitor gap skill runs third. It checks whether competitors have published new content targeting the same keyword. Output: two competitors published comparison pages in the last quarter; both rank above your page.
- Content strategy skill runs fourth. It generates a refresh brief that incorporates the new SERP context, adds fan-out sub-queries, and specifies AEO patterns to increase citation probability. Output: a refresh brief.
- On-page optimization skill runs fifth. After the refresh is written, it reviews the updated page for title, meta, headers, ski ramp, schema, and internal links. Output: a review with recommended changes.
- AEO optimization skill runs sixth. It checks whether the refresh covers all fan-out sub-queries and applies citation-ready patterns. Output: a citation readiness score.
- Reporting skill runs weekly after the refresh publishes. It tracks recovery: clicks, impressions, position, and AI citations. Output: a performance report showing whether the refresh is working.
Orchestrating These Skills with Metaflow (Growth Automation Layer)
Skills are modular. Workflows are sequential. Automation happens when you connect skills to triggers and data sources.
Metaflow is an AI automation platform that lets growth teams design and deploy natural language agents without code. You can build an agent that monitors Google Search Console for ranking drops, runs the technical audit skill when a drop is detected, generates a fix list, and sends it to Slack. Or an agent that pulls new competitor backlinks weekly, runs the link-building skill to add high-value targets to your outreach list, and emails the updated list to your team.
The skills become nodes in a graph. Data flows between them. Triggers fire when conditions are met. The agent runs the workflow automatically.
This is not hypothetical. Growth teams at agencies and in-house SEO teams use Metaflow to orchestrate these exact workflows. The skills are the logic. Metaflow is the execution layer.
Claude vs ChatGPT for SEO Workflows
Both models can run these Claude skills for SEO. The choice depends on context window, file handling, and workflow integration.
Context window: Claude supports up to 200,000 tokens in a single conversation. ChatGPT supports up to 128,000 tokens (GPT-4 Turbo). For SEO work that involves large crawl exports, keyword lists, or content audits, Claude’s larger context window reduces the need to split files or summarize data.
File handling: Claude Projects let you upload files (CSVs, spreadsheets, crawl exports) and reference them across conversations. ChatGPT supports file uploads in individual conversations but does not persist them across sessions unless you use the API. For recurring workflows (monthly reports, quarterly audits), Claude’s persistent file handling is more efficient.
Skills vs GPTs: Claude uses markdown skill files stored in Projects. ChatGPT uses GPTs, which are custom instructions and actions stored in the GPT builder. Both approaches work. Skills are more portable (you can share a markdown file). GPTs are more integrated with OpenAI’s ecosystem (you can add actions that call external APIs).
Accuracy for SEO tasks: Both models perform well on structured SEO tasks (audits, keyword clustering, brief generation). Neither model has real-time access to search data unless you provide it via file upload or API integration. For tasks that require current SERP data, you’ll need to pull that data separately and feed it to the model.
Where each model fits: Claude is better for large-file workflows (crawl exports, keyword lists, log file analysis) and for teams that want portable, shareable skills. ChatGPT is better for teams already using OpenAI’s API or building custom GPTs with external integrations.
For most SEO teams, the practical answer is to use both. Claude for audits and analysis. ChatGPT for content generation and API-driven workflows. The skills are portable. You can adapt them to either model with minimal changes.
Download the Complete Claude SEO Skill Library & Templates
All ten skills are available in the Metaflow Marketing Skills repository on GitHub. Each skill is a markdown file with YAML frontmatter, process steps, frameworks, output formats, and guidelines. The same repo hosts companion libraries for paid channels — Claude skills for Google Ads and Claude skills for Meta Ads — so SEO, paid search, and paid social can run from a single skill stack.
You can download the repository, upload the skills to a Claude Project, and start running them immediately. No installation, no dependencies, no code.
For teams that want to automate these workflows, Metaflow provides a natural language agent builder that connects skills to triggers, data sources, and notification channels. You can build an agent that runs the technical audit skill weekly, the reporting skill monthly, and the link-building skill when a new competitor enters the SERP. The agent executes the workflow automatically and sends results to Slack, email, or your project management tool.
The skills are open-source. The automation layer is Metaflow. The choice is yours.