Imported from halt-catch-fire/mutiny (
guides/writing/seo-content-brief/SKILL.md). Install upstream withnpx skills add halt-catch-fire/mutiny --skill seo-content-brief. Copyright stays with the author.
Install the belt CLI skill:
npx skills add belt-sh/cli
SEO Content Brief
Create data-driven content briefs via inference.sh CLI.
Quick Start
Requires inference.sh CLI (
belt). Install instructions
belt login
# Research target keyword
belt app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{
"query": "best project management tools for small teams 2024"
}'
# Analyze top-ranking content
belt app run exa/search --input '{
"query": "project management tools small teams comparison guide"
}'Content Brief Template
Every brief should answer these questions before writing begins:
# Content Brief: [Working Title]
## Target
- **Primary keyword:** [exact keyword]
- **Secondary keywords:** [3-5 related terms]
- **Search intent:** [informational / commercial / transactional / navigational]
- **Target word count:** [X,XXX words]
- **Target URL:** /blog/[slug]
## Search Intent Analysis
- What is the searcher trying to accomplish?
- What format do top results use? (listicle, guide, comparison, tutorial)
- What questions need answering?
## Outline
H1: [Title with primary keyword]
H2: [Section 1]
H3: [Subsection]
H2: [Section 2]
...
## Competitors to Beat
1. [URL] — [word count] — [what they do well] — [gap/weakness]
2. [URL] — [word count] — [what they do well] — [gap/weakness]
3. [URL] — [word count] — [what they do well] — [gap/weakness]
## Unique Angle
What makes this piece different/better than what already ranks?
## Internal Links
- Link TO: [existing pages to link to from this article]
- Link FROM: [existing pages that should link to this new article]Search Intent Types
| Intent | What Searcher Wants | Content Format | Example Query |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational | Learn something | Guide, tutorial, explainer | "what is CI/CD" |
| Commercial | Compare before buying | Comparison, listicle, review | "best CI/CD tools 2024" |
| Transactional | Buy/sign up | Product page, pricing page | "GitHub Actions pricing" |
| Navigational | Find a specific page | — (don't target these) | "GitHub login" |
Match format to intent. If top 10 results are all listicles, write a listicle. If they're all tutorials, write a tutorial. Fighting the SERP format loses.
SERP Analysis Process
# Step 1: See what currently ranks
belt app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{
"query": "[your target keyword]"
}'
# Step 2: Analyze top-ranking content
belt app run tavily/extract --input '{
"urls": ["https://top-result-1.com/article", "https://top-result-2.com/article"]
}'
# Step 3: Find related questions (People Also Ask)
belt app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{
"query": "[keyword] questions people ask FAQ"
}'
# Step 4: Find content gaps
belt app run exa/search --input '{
"query": "[keyword] [subtopic competitors miss]"
}'What to Extract from Top Results
| Data Point | Why |
|---|---|
| Word count | Sets your minimum (match or exceed top 3) |
| Heading structure | Shows what Google considers complete coverage |
| Topics covered | Every topic they cover, you must cover |
| Topics missed | Your opportunity to be more comprehensive |
| Content format | Listicle, guide, tutorial, comparison |
| Media used | Images, videos, tables, infographics |
| Internal/external links | Reference quality signals |
Keyword Research
Keyword Metrics
| Metric | What It Means | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Search volume | Monthly searches | Depends on niche (100+ for long-tail) |
| Keyword difficulty | Competition level | < 30 for new sites, < 50 for established |
| CPC | What advertisers pay | Higher CPC = more commercial value |
| Search intent | What users want | Must match your content type |
Finding Keywords
# Seed keyword research
belt app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{
"query": "project management software long tail keywords related searches"
}'
# Find question-based keywords
belt app run exa/search --input '{
"query": "questions about project management tools for startups"
}'
# Competitor keyword analysis
belt app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{
"query": "site:competitor.com/blog top performing pages topics"
}'Keyword Clustering
Group related keywords into one piece of content:
Primary: "best project management tools for small teams"
Cluster:
- "project management software small business"
- "project management tools comparison"
- "simple project management app"
- "project management for startups"
- "affordable project management software"
One page per keyword cluster. Don't create separate pages for each variation — that's keyword cannibalization.
Heading Structure
Rules
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| One H1 per page | SEO standard, contains primary keyword |
| H2s = main sections | Each should target a secondary keyword or question |
| H3s = subsections | Break up long H2 sections |
| Primary keyword in H1 | Direct ranking signal |
| Secondary keywords in H2s | Topical coverage signal |
| Question format for some H2s | Targets "People Also Ask" |
| Logical hierarchy | Never skip levels (H1 → H3 without H2) |
Example Structure
H1: Best Project Management Tools for Small Teams (2025)
H2: How We Evaluated These Tools
H2: Top 10 Project Management Tools Compared
H3: 1. Tool A — Best for [use case]
H3: 2. Tool B — Best for [use case]
...
H2: Feature Comparison Table
H2: How to Choose the Right Tool for Your Team
H3: Team Size Considerations
H3: Budget Considerations
H2: Frequently Asked Questions
H3: What is the easiest project management tool?
H3: Do small teams need project management software?
H2: Conclusion
Word Count Targets
| Content Type | Word Count | When |
|---|---|---|
| Short-form blog | 800-1,200 | News, updates, opinions |
| Standard blog | 1,500-2,000 | How-tos, tutorials |
| Long-form guide | 2,500-4,000 | Comprehensive guides, comparisons |
| Pillar content | 4,000-7,000 | Definitive guides, hub pages |
| Glossary/definition | 300-800 | Quick reference terms |
Rule: match or exceed the average word count of the top 3 ranking results. Don't pad — every word should add value.
On-Page SEO Checklist
| Element | Rule |
|---|---|
| Title tag | Primary keyword + compelling hook, 50-60 characters |
| Meta description | Includes keyword, 150-160 characters, includes CTA |
| URL slug | Short, keyword-rich: /best-project-management-tools |
| H1 | Primary keyword, matches search intent |
| First 100 words | Include primary keyword naturally |
| Image alt text | Descriptive, includes keyword where natural |
| Internal links | 3-5 links to related content |
| External links | 2-3 authoritative sources |
| Schema markup | FAQ, HowTo, or Article schema where applicable |
Content Differentiation
Unique Angles
| Angle | Example |
|---|---|
| Original data | "We surveyed 500 PMs — here's what they use" |
| Expert quotes | Interview practitioners for original insights |
| Real examples | Screenshots, case studies, not just descriptions |
| More comprehensive | Cover subtopics competitors skip |
| More current | Updated data, newer tools, recent changes |
| Better visuals | Comparison tables, infographics, decision trees |
# Generate comparison infographic
belt app run infsh/html-to-image --input '{
"html": "<div style=\"width:1200px;height:800px;background:white;padding:40px;font-family:system-ui\"><h2 style=\"font-size:28px;color:#1e293b;text-align:center;margin-bottom:30px\">Project Management Tools Comparison</h2><table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:16px\"><tr style=\"background:#f1f5f9\"><th style=\"padding:12px;text-align:left;border-bottom:2px solid #cbd5e1\">Feature</th><th style=\"padding:12px;text-align:center;border-bottom:2px solid #cbd5e1\">Tool A</th><th style=\"padding:12px;text-align:center;border-bottom:2px solid #cbd5e1\">Tool B</th><th style=\"padding:12px;text-align:center;border-bottom:2px solid #cbd5e1\">Tool C</th></tr><tr><td style=\"padding:12px;border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0\">Free tier</td><td style=\"padding:12px;text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0\">✅</td><td style=\"padding:12px;text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0\">✅</td><td style=\"padding:12px;text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0\">❌</td></tr></table></div>"
}'Internal Linking Strategy
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Hub → Spoke | Pillar page links to all subtopic articles |
| Spoke → Hub | Subtopic articles link back to pillar page |
| Spoke → Spoke | Related articles cross-link to each other |
| Contextual | Natural in-text links where topic is mentioned |
Rules
- 3-5 internal links minimum per article
- Anchor text should be descriptive (not "click here")
- Link to relevant pages, not random ones
- Update old articles to link to new ones
- Most important pages should have the most internal links
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No SERP analysis | Writing blind, wrong format | Always analyze top 3-5 before writing |
| Wrong intent match | Guide when they want comparison, or vice versa | Match SERP format exactly |
| Keyword stuffing | Penalized, reads poorly | Use naturally, 1-2% density max |
| Ignoring "People Also Ask" | Missing easy ranking opportunities | Answer PAA questions in your content |
| Too short | Can't compete with comprehensive results | Match or exceed top 3 word count |
| No unique angle | Just another "me too" article | Original data, expert quotes, better visuals |
| Keyword cannibalization | Multiple pages competing | One page per keyword cluster |
| No internal links | Wasted link equity, poor site structure | 3-5 internal links per article |
| Missing meta description | Google generates one (often poorly) | Write compelling meta with keyword + CTA |
Related Skills
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@seo
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@technical-blog-writing
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@web-searchBrowse all apps: belt app list