name	keyword-research
description	Discovers high-value keywords with search intent analysis, difficulty assessment, and content opportunity mapping. Essential for starting any SEO or GEO content strategy.

Keyword Research

This skill helps you discover, analyze, and prioritize keywords for SEO and GEO content strategies. It identifies high-value opportunities based on search volume, competition, intent, and business relevance.

When to Use This Skill

Starting a new content strategy or campaign
Expanding into new topics or markets
Finding keywords for a specific product or service
Identifying long-tail keyword opportunities
Understanding search intent for your industry
Planning content calendars
Researching keywords for GEO optimization

What This Skill Does

Keyword Discovery: Generates comprehensive keyword lists from seed terms
Intent Classification: Categorizes keywords by user intent (informational, navigational, commercial, transactional)
Difficulty Assessment: Evaluates competition level and ranking difficulty
Opportunity Scoring: Prioritizes keywords by potential ROI
Clustering: Groups related keywords into topic clusters
GEO Relevance: Identifies keywords likely to trigger AI responses

How to Use

Basic Keyword Research

Research keywords for [topic/product/service]

Find keyword opportunities for a [industry] business targeting [audience]

With Specific Goals

Find low-competition keywords for [topic] with commercial intent

Identify question-based keywords for [topic] that AI systems might answer

Competitive Research

What keywords is [competitor URL] ranking for that I should target?

Instructions

When a user requests keyword research:

Understand the Context

Ask clarifying questions if not provided:
- What is your product/service/topic?
- Who is your target audience?
- What is your business goal? (traffic, leads, sales)
- What is your current domain authority? (new site, established, etc.)
- Any specific geographic targeting?
- Preferred language?
Generate Seed Keywords

Start with:
- Core product/service terms
- Problem-focused keywords (what issues do you solve?)
- Solution-focused keywords (how do you help?)
- Audience-specific terms
- Industry terminology

Expand Keyword List

For each seed keyword, generate variations:

## Keyword Expansion Patterns

### Modifiers
- Best [keyword]
- Top [keyword]
- [keyword] for [audience]
- [keyword] near me
- [keyword] [year]
- How to [keyword]
- What is [keyword]
- [keyword] vs [alternative]
- [keyword] examples
- [keyword] tools

### Long-tail Variations
- [keyword] for beginners
- [keyword] for small business
- Free [keyword]
- [keyword] software/tool/service
- [keyword] template
- [keyword] checklist
- [keyword] guide

Classify Search Intent

Categorize each keyword:

Intent	Signals	Example	Content Type
Informational	what, how, why, guide, learn	"what is SEO"	Blog posts, guides
Navigational	brand names, specific sites	"google analytics login"	Homepage, product pages
Commercial	best, review, vs, compare	"best SEO tools 2024"	Comparison posts, reviews
Transactional	buy, price, discount, order	"buy SEO software"	Product pages, pricing

Assess Keyword Difficulty

Score each keyword (1-100 scale):

### Difficulty Factors

**High Difficulty (70-100)**
- Major brands ranking
- High domain authority competitors
- Established content (1000+ backlinks)
- Paid ads dominating SERP

**Medium Difficulty (40-69)**
- Mix of authority and niche sites
- Some opportunities for quality content
- Moderate backlink requirements

**Low Difficulty (1-39)**
- Few authoritative competitors
- Thin or outdated content ranking
- Long-tail variations
- New or emerging topics

Calculate Opportunity Score

Formula: Opportunity = (Volume × Intent Value) / Difficulty

### Opportunity Matrix

| Scenario | Volume | Difficulty | Intent | Priority |
|----------|--------|------------|--------|----------|
| Quick Win | Low-Med | Low | High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Growth | High | Medium | High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Long-term | High | High | High | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Research | Low | Low | Low | ⭐⭐ |

Identify GEO Opportunities

Keywords likely to trigger AI responses:

### GEO-Relevant Keywords

**High GEO Potential**
- Question formats: "What is...", "How does...", "Why is..."
- Definition queries: "[term] meaning", "[term] definition"
- Comparison queries: "[A] vs [B]", "difference between..."
- List queries: "best [category]", "top [number] [items]"
- How-to queries: "how to [action]", "steps to [goal]"

**AI Answer Indicators**
- Query is factual/definitional
- Answer can be summarized concisely
- Topic is well-documented online
- Low commercial intent

Create Topic Clusters

Group keywords into content clusters:

## Topic Cluster: [Main Topic]

**Pillar Content**: [Primary keyword]
- Search volume: [X]
- Difficulty: [X]
- Content type: Comprehensive guide

**Cluster Content**:

### Sub-topic 1: [Secondary keyword]
- Volume: [X]
- Difficulty: [X]
- Links to: Pillar
- Content type: [Blog post/Tutorial/etc.]

### Sub-topic 2: [Secondary keyword]
- Volume: [X]
- Difficulty: [X]
- Links to: Pillar + Sub-topic 1
- Content type: [Blog post/Tutorial/etc.]

[Continue for all cluster keywords...]

Generate Output Report

# Keyword Research Report: [Topic]

**Generated**: [Date]
**Target Audience**: [Audience]
**Business Goal**: [Goal]

## Executive Summary

- Total keywords analyzed: [X]
- High-priority opportunities: [X]
- Estimated traffic potential: [X]/month
- Recommended focus areas: [List]

## Top Keyword Opportunities

### Quick Wins (Low difficulty, High value)

| Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Intent | Score |
|---------|--------|------------|--------|-------|
| [keyword 1] | [X] | [X] | [type] | [X] |
| [keyword 2] | [X] | [X] | [type] | [X] |

### Growth Keywords (Medium difficulty, High volume)

| Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Intent | Score |
|---------|--------|------------|--------|-------|
| [keyword 1] | [X] | [X] | [type] | [X] |

### GEO Opportunities (AI-citation potential)

| Keyword | Type | AI Potential | Recommended Format |
|---------|------|--------------|-------------------|
| [keyword 1] | Question | High | Q&A section |
| [keyword 2] | Definition | High | Clear definition |

## Topic Clusters

[Include cluster maps]

## Content Calendar Recommendations

| Month | Content | Target Keyword | Type |
|-------|---------|----------------|------|
| [Month] | [Title] | [Keyword] | [Type] |

## Next Steps

1. [Action item 1]
2. [Action item 2]
3. [Action item 3]

Example

User: "Research keywords for a project management software company targeting small businesses"

Output:

# Keyword Research Report: Project Management Software

**Generated**: December 2024
**Target Audience**: Small business owners and teams
**Business Goal**: Software signups and trials

## Executive Summary

- Total keywords analyzed: 150+
- High-priority opportunities: 23
- Estimated traffic potential: 45,000/month
- Recommended focus areas: 
  - Task management workflows
  - Team collaboration
  - Small business productivity

## Top Keyword Opportunities

### Quick Wins (Priority: Immediate)

| Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Intent | Score |
|---------|--------|------------|--------|-------|
| project management for small teams | 1,200 | 28 | Commercial | 92 |
| simple task management software | 890 | 25 | Commercial | 89 |
| best free project management tool | 2,400 | 35 | Commercial | 85 |
| how to manage remote team projects | 720 | 22 | Informational | 82 |
| project tracking spreadsheet alternative | 480 | 18 | Commercial | 80 |

### Growth Keywords (Priority: 3-6 months)

| Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Intent | Score |
|---------|--------|------------|--------|-------|
| project management software | 18,000 | 72 | Commercial | 65 |
| best project management tools 2024 | 8,500 | 65 | Commercial | 62 |
| project management app | 12,000 | 68 | Commercial | 58 |

### GEO Opportunities (AI-citation potential)

| Keyword | Type | AI Potential | Recommended Format |
|---------|------|--------------|-------------------|
| what is project management | Definition | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Clear definition + methodology |
| agile vs waterfall | Comparison | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Side-by-side comparison table |
| project management methodologies | List | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Comprehensive list with pros/cons |
| how to create a project plan | How-to | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Step-by-step guide |
| project management best practices | List | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Numbered best practices |

## Topic Clusters

### Cluster 1: Project Management Fundamentals

**Pillar**: "Complete Guide to Project Management" (8,500 volume)

Cluster articles:
1. What is project management? (2,200 volume)
2. Project management methodologies explained (1,800 volume)
3. How to create a project plan (1,400 volume)
4. Project management best practices (1,200 volume)
5. Project management roles and responsibilities (890 volume)

### Cluster 2: Team Collaboration

**Pillar**: "Team Collaboration Tools Guide" (4,200 volume)

Cluster articles:
1. How to improve team communication (1,600 volume)
2. Remote team management tips (1,400 volume)
3. Best practices for distributed teams (920 volume)
4. Team productivity tools comparison (780 volume)

## Content Calendar Recommendations

| Month | Content | Target Keyword | Type |
|-------|---------|----------------|------|
| Week 1 | Simple Task Management Guide | simple task management software | Blog + Demo |
| Week 2 | Project Management for Small Teams | project management for small teams | Pillar Page |
| Week 3 | Agile vs Waterfall: Complete Comparison | agile vs waterfall | Comparison |
| Week 4 | Free PM Tools Roundup | best free project management tool | Listicle |

## Next Steps

1. **Immediate**: Create landing pages for top 5 quick-win keywords
2. **Week 1-2**: Write pillar content for "Project Management Fundamentals"
3. **Week 3-4**: Build out cluster content with internal linking
4. **Ongoing**: Track rankings and adjust strategy based on performance

Advanced Features

Intent Mapping

Map all keywords for [topic] by search intent and funnel stage

Seasonal Analysis

Identify seasonal keyword trends for [industry]

Competitor Gap

What keywords do [competitor 1], [competitor 2], [competitor 3] rank for 
that I'm missing?

Local Keywords

Research local keywords for [business type] in [city/region]

Tips for Success

Start with seed keywords that describe your core offering
Don't ignore long-tail - they often have highest conversion rates
Match content to intent - informational queries need guides, not sales pages
Group into clusters for topical authority
Prioritize quick wins to build momentum and credibility
Include GEO keywords in your strategy for AI visibility
Review quarterly - keyword dynamics change over time

Related Skills

competitor-analysis - See what keywords competitors rank for
content-gap-analysis - Find missing keyword opportunities
seo-content-writer - Create content for target keywords
geo-content-optimizer - Optimize for AI citations

keyword-research

Install Skill

SKILL.md