SEO Keyword Research Skill
Find trending, high-opportunity keywords BEFORE writing blog content. This skill turns generic blog topics into SEO-optimized content that ranks.
When to Use
- User asks to write a blog post or article
- User wants keyword research for a topic
- User needs a content calendar or content plan
- User wants to optimize existing content for SEO
- Any blog generation task for a tech/developer-focused audience
Core Principle
Always research keywords BEFORE generating blog content.
BAD: Write blog -> Hope it ranks -> Usually doesn't
GOOD: Research keywords -> Find breakout opportunity -> Write optimized blog -> Ranks well
Keyword Priority System
When analyzing Google Trends RELATED_QUERIES results, prioritize keywords in this order:
1. Breakout Keywords — HIGHEST priority
formatted_value: "Breakout"= 5000%+ growth- Very low competition (trend is new)
- Use as PRIMARY blog keyword
- Create content IMMEDIATELY (first-mover advantage)
2. High-Growth Keywords — VERY HIGH priority
formatted_value: "+100%"or higher- Low to moderate competition
- Use as primary or strong secondary keyword
- Create content within 2-4 weeks
3. Moderate-Growth Keywords — HIGH priority
formatted_value: "+50%"to"+99%"- Moderate competition
- Use as secondary keywords in body content
4. Long-Tail Keywords — STRATEGIC priority
- Question-based queries (how, what, why, when, where)
- Low competition, high conversion
- Use as H3 headings — target featured snippets and voice search
5. Established Keywords — MODERATE priority
- Top queries with stable interest, high competition
- Use in body content, not as primary target
SEO Research Workflow
Step 1: Keyword Discovery (1 API call — REQUIRED)
Query RELATED_QUERIES with the user's blog topic:
curl -s "https://serpapi.com/search?engine=google_trends&q=USER_TOPIC&data_type=RELATED_QUERIES&date=today+3-m&api_key=$SERPAPI_KEY"
From the response, extract:
- Breakout keywords → candidate primary keywords
- High-growth keywords (+100%) → secondary candidates
- Question-based queries → H3 headings and featured snippet targets
Select the primary keyword:
- First breakout keyword (if any)
- Else first high-growth keyword
- Else top query by score
Step 2: Content Structure (1 API call — REQUIRED)
Query RELATED_TOPICS with the same topic:
curl -s "https://serpapi.com/search?engine=google_trends&q=USER_TOPIC&data_type=RELATED_TOPICS&date=today+3-m&api_key=$SERPAPI_KEY"
Extract topic titles from rising + top results. These become your H2 section headings (pick 3-5).
Step 3: Trend Validation (1 API call — OPTIONAL)
Only if choosing between multiple candidate keywords or validating viability:
curl -s "https://serpapi.com/search?engine=google_trends&q=KEYWORD&data_type=TIMESERIES&date=today+12-m&api_key=$SERPAPI_KEY"
Compare recent 2-month average vs. earlier 2-month average. If recent > earlier, trend is rising — proceed. If declining, consider a different keyword.
Step 4: Generate Blog Outline
Build the outline using this structure:
Title: [Primary Keyword] — [Benefit/Number] [Year]
(max 60 characters, must include primary keyword)
Meta Description: (150-160 chars, primary + 1-2 secondary keywords)
# [H1 — same as or variation of title]
## Introduction (150 words)
- Primary keyword in first 100 words
- Hook with a problem or question
- Preview what they'll learn
## [H2: Related Topic 1 from Step 2]
### [H3: Long-tail question from Step 1]
Content answering the question (150-200 words)
### [H3: Another long-tail question]
Content (150-200 words)
## [H2: Related Topic 2]
### [H3: Long-tail question]
### [H3: Long-tail question]
## [H2: Related Topic 3]
### [H3: Long-tail question]
### [H3: Long-tail question]
## Conclusion (100 words)
- Summarize key points
- Primary keyword mentioned once
- Call-to-action
Target: 1500-2500 words total
Keyword Placement Rules
| Location | Rule |
|---|---|
| Title | Include primary keyword, max 60 chars |
| H1 | Same as title or slight variation |
| H2 headings (3-5) | Use related topics, natural language |
| H3 headings (8-12) | Use long-tail keywords, question format |
| First paragraph | Primary keyword in first 100 words |
| Body content | Primary keyword 1-2% density, secondary 0.5-1% |
| Conclusion | Primary keyword once |
| Meta description | Primary + 1-2 secondary, 150-160 chars |
Never keyword-stuff. Content must read naturally. Google penalizes unnatural repetition.
Quality Checklist
Before generating the blog, verify:
- Found at least 1 breakout or +100% keyword (or justified using established keyword)
- Have 3-5 H2 topics from RELATED_TOPICS
- Have long-tail keywords for H3 headings
- Primary keyword is specific enough to rank for
- Blog structure follows the outline template above
- Meta description is written (150-160 chars)
- Target length is 1500-2500 words
If no breakout or high-growth keywords exist for the topic, inform the user that SEO opportunity is limited and suggest alternative angles or related topics that do have growth.
Budget Awareness
Free tier: 250 searches/month
| Strategy | Calls/Blog | Monthly Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal (recommended) | 2 | 125 blogs |
| Standard | 3 | 83 blogs |
| Complete | 4 | 62 blogs |
Default to 2 calls (RELATED_QUERIES + RELATED_TOPICS). Only add TIMESERIES or GEO_MAP when specifically needed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping research — writing without checking trends misses breakout opportunities
- Ignoring breakout keywords — using a generic term when a breakout variant exists
- Keyword stuffing — repeating keywords unnaturally; keep density at 1-2%
- No long-tail keywords — missing featured snippet and voice search opportunities
- Generic H2 headings — always use RELATED_TOPICS data for section structure
Example Script
For a complete working example, run:
python scripts/blog_seo_research.py "your blog topic"
See scripts/blog_seo_research.py for the implementation.
References
- references/keyword-placement-guide.md — Detailed placement rules and examples
- references/tech-blog-examples.md — Real-world examples for tech/developer blogs