seo-content-writer

Modern search optimization requires content that serves three audiences simultaneously:

1. Human readers seeking valuable, trustworthy information
2. Traditional search engines indexing and ranking content
3. AI systems extracting and citing authoritative answers

Write for humans first, structure for machines second. Quality content naturally satisfies all three.

1. Traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Optimize for Google, Bing, and traditional search results.

2. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

Optimize for direct answer displays: featured snippets, AI Overviews, voice assistants.

3. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

Optimize for AI citations: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini.

Step 1: Pre-Writing Analysis

1. Clarify intent and audience

- Identify primary and secondary keywords

- Determine search intent: informational, navigational, commercial, transactional

- Understand the target audience's expertise level

1. Analyze competition

- Review top-ranking content for target keywords

- Identify gaps and opportunities

- Note content length, structure, and depth

1. Plan content structure

- Create outline with H2/H3 hierarchy

- Map keywords to sections

- Plan FAQ section for AEO opportunities

Step 2: Write Using the Answer-First Pattern

Structure content to lead with answers:

```

[Title with Primary Keyword]

[Opening paragraph: Answer the main question immediately - 2-3 sentences]

[Table of Contents for long-form content]

[Lead with key information]

[Supporting details and context]

[Question-format headings with direct answers]

[Bulleted summary of main points]

```

Paragraph-Level Pattern:

1. Lead with the answer in the first sentence
2. Expand with context in sentences 2-3
3. Provide evidence with data, examples, or expert quotes
4. Link to related concepts for topical depth

Step 3: Apply E-E-A-T Signals

Include these elements throughout content:

• Experience: First-hand accounts, case studies, personal testing
• Expertise: Technical accuracy, correct industry terminology
• Authoritativeness: Citations from respected sources, expert quotes
• Trustworthiness: Transparent sourcing, balanced viewpoints, current information

Trust is paramount—Google states untrustworthy pages have low E-E-A-T regardless of other signals.

Step 4: Optimize On-Page Elements

Title Tag (50-60 characters):

• Primary keyword near the beginning
• Compelling and click-worthy

Meta Description (150-160 characters):

• Include primary keyword naturally
• Clear value proposition
• Call to action when appropriate

Header Structure:

```

H1: Page title (one per page)

H2: Major sections

H3: Subsections

```

URL: Short, descriptive, includes primary keyword, hyphens between words

Step 5: Add AEO/GEO Content Blocks

See references/aeo-geo-patterns.md for complete patterns.

Quick reference blocks:

• Definition blocks for "what is" queries
• Step-by-step blocks for "how to" queries
• Comparison tables for "vs" queries
• Pros/cons blocks for evaluation queries
• FAQ sections for question-based queries

Step 6: Generate Schema Markup

Use scripts/generate_schema.py for valid JSON-LD, or see references/schema-templates.md.

Common schema types:

• Article: Blog posts, news articles
• FAQPage: FAQ content sections
• HowTo: Instructional content
• Product: E-commerce pages
• LocalBusiness: Location-based content

Step 7: Final Quality Check

Before finalizing, verify checklist in references/seo-checklist.md:

• [ ] Primary keyword in title, H1, first paragraph, URL
• [ ] Direct answer to main query within first 100 words
• [ ] FAQ section with 3-5 question-format headings
• [ ] Statistics cited from authoritative sources
• [ ] Expert quotes or first-hand experience included
• [ ] Internal and external links included
• [ ] Meta description written
• [ ] Image alt text optimized
• [ ] Content is factually accurate and current

AI platforms cite content based on clarity, authority, structure, and recency.

Domain-Specific Tactics

| Domain | Effective Tactics |

|--------|-------------------|

| Law & Government | Statistics, official citations |

| Health & Medicine | Expert credentials, study citations |

| Technology | Technical precision, current data |

| Finance | Data-driven analysis, regulatory citations |

| Arts & Humanities | Quotations, cultural references |

Key GEO Principles

1. State facts explicitly—avoid implied meanings
2. Add statistics (increases citation rates 15-30%)
3. Include named expert quotes
4. Use fluent, readable language
5. Cite authoritative sources with links

When generating SEO content, provide:

1. Main content with proper heading hierarchy
2. Meta data (title tag, meta description)
3. FAQ section with 3-5 questions
4. Schema markup as JSON-LD (when requested)
5. Internal linking suggestions based on topic clusters

Natural, human-sounding writing is essential for both reader engagement and E-E-A-T signals. AI-detectable content undermines trust and authority.

Key Principles

1. Avoid em dash (—) overuse — The em dash is the primary tell of AI writing. Use commas, colons, or parentheses instead.

1. Replace AI-flagged words — See references/ai-phrases-to-avoid.md for complete list:

- delve → explore, examine

- leverage → use, apply

- robust → strong, solid

- comprehensive → complete, thorough

- pivotal → key, important

1. Use plain English — See references/plain-english-alternatives.md:

- utilise → use

- facilitate → help

- commence → start

- prior to → before

1. Avoid formulaic openings:

- ❌ "In today's fast-paced world..."

- ❌ "In the ever-evolving landscape of..."

- ❌ "Let's delve into..."

- ✅ Start with the main point directly

1. Remove empty intensifiers: very, extremely, incredibly, absolutely, truly

1. Vary sentence structure — Mix short and long sentences; avoid repetitive patterns

Self-Check Before Publishing

• Read aloud — if phrases sound unnatural, revise
• Ask: "Would I say this in conversation?"
• Check for repetitive sentence structures
• Look for clusters of AI-flagged words
• Verify each intensifier adds genuine meaning

References:

• references/seo-checklist.md — Complete on-page SEO checklist
• references/aeo-geo-patterns.md — Content block patterns for AI optimization
• references/schema-templates.md — Copy-paste schema markup templates
• references/ai-phrases-to-avoid.md — Words and phrases that signal AI-generated content; avoid these for natural, human-sounding writing
• references/plain-english-alternatives.md — Plain English replacements for complex or pompous words
• references/content-transitions.md — Signposting phrases and transitions to guide readers through content

Scripts:

• scripts/generate_metrics.py — Analyze content for word count, read time, readability scores, and SEO recommendations
• scripts/check_ai_patterns.py — Scan content for AI-generated patterns and get a human-likeness score
• scripts/generate_schema.py — Generate valid JSON-LD schema