programmatic-seo

Overview of programmatic-seo skill

What the programmatic-seo skill does

The programmatic-seo skill helps you plan SEO pages at scale using templates, structured data, and repeatable page patterns. It is built for cases like location pages, comparison pages, integration pages, industry pages, directories, glossaries, and similar “many-page” SEO systems where a generic prompt usually underestimates thin-content risk.

Who should use this skill

This programmatic-seo skill is best for:

• marketers planning dozens to thousands of landing pages
• founders validating whether pSEO is worth building
• SEO/content teams choosing page types and URL patterns
• product-led teams with structured data, integrations, examples, or proprietary assets

It is less useful if you only need a few editorial articles or a general content calendar.

The real job-to-be-done

Most users do not just want “100 SEO pages.” They need to answer harder questions first:

• which page pattern is actually viable
• what makes each page unique enough to rank
• what data or assets are required before build
• how to avoid publishing a large thin-content footprint
• how to connect page templates to business goals and internal linking

That is where programmatic-seo is stronger than a normal brainstorming prompt.

What makes this skill different

The repository emphasizes two decision-critical ideas early: each page needs real unique value, and proprietary data or utility tends to outperform simple keyword-swapped templates. It also gives you concrete pSEO playbooks in references/playbooks.md, which is more useful than a vague “make scalable pages” framework.

When to skip programmatic-seo

Do not use programmatic-seo if:

• you are mainly auditing existing SEO issues
• you need top-of-funnel blog strategy rather than templated pages
• your only differentiation is changing a city, industry, or competitor name with no real content delta
• you have no structured inputs, no product utility, and no credible way to make pages distinct

How to Use programmatic-seo skill

Install programmatic-seo skill

Install from the repository with:

npx skills add https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill programmatic-seo

Then invoke it from your AI workflow when the task is clearly about building repeatable SEO page systems, not one-off articles.

Read these files first

For this programmatic-seo guide, the highest-value reading order is:

1. skills/programmatic-seo/SKILL.md
2. skills/programmatic-seo/references/playbooks.md
3. skills/programmatic-seo/evals/evals.json

Why this order:

• SKILL.md gives the working principles and assessment flow
• references/playbooks.md helps you match the right page type to your business assets
• evals/evals.json shows what good outputs are expected to include

Start with product context before prompting

The skill explicitly says to check for .agents/product-marketing-context.md or .claude/product-marketing-context.md first. That matters because strong pSEO plans depend on product, audience, conversion goal, and existing positioning. If that file exists, have the model read it before asking strategy questions.

Know what input the skill needs

Your programmatic-seo usage quality depends heavily on the inputs you supply. Give:

• product or service description
• target customer and intent
• conversion goal for the pages
• candidate keyword pattern
• estimated page count
• what structured data you already have
• what proprietary data, examples, or product functionality can make pages useful
• who currently ranks and why they are hard to beat

Without these, the output will stay high-level.

Turn a rough idea into a strong prompt

Weak prompt:

• “Help us do programmatic SEO for our SaaS.”

Better prompt:

• “We sell CRM software for SMBs. We are considering CRM for [industry] pages for 40 industries. Our goal is demo bookings. We have customer examples, industry workflow templates, and benchmark data for 12 industries. Competitors rank mostly with generic copy. Help us assess whether this programmatic-seo idea is viable, which playbook it fits, what makes each page genuinely unique, what template sections we need, and what pages should not be published until we have stronger data.”

That better prompt gives the skill enough information to evaluate fit, not just generate enthusiasm.

Match your idea to a playbook

A practical benefit of this programmatic-seo skill is the playbook framing. From references/playbooks.md, common patterns include:

• templates
• curation
• comparisons
• examples
• locations
• personas
• integrations
• glossary
• translations
• directory
• profiles

This matters because “programmatic SEO” is too broad on its own. CRM for healthcare is a different build from Notion vs Asana, which is different again from /integrations/[tool]/ pages. The playbook determines data requirements, template structure, and quality threshold.

Use the skill to pressure-test uniqueness

The most important usage habit: ask the skill to explain why each page would deserve to exist separately. Good prompts ask for:

• unique section ideas per page type
• proprietary data opportunities
• product-specific utility
• page elements that change materially across variants
• reasons to noindex, merge, or avoid low-value combinations

If the answer relies mostly on swapping variables into headings, stop there. That is the core adoption risk this skill helps surface.

Ask for an implementation plan, not just page ideas

A strong programmatic-seo guide prompt should request:

• opportunity assessment
• template and data model
• URL structure
• internal linking approach
• indexation criteria
• conversion element placement
• rollout order
• quality control checks

This pushes the skill toward an executable plan rather than a list of keywords.

Use evals to shape your expectations

The eval examples show what the skill considers complete outputs. For example, comparison and persona-style pages should include:

• playbook identification
• unique value requirements
• proprietary insight or data opportunities
• template design guidance
• internal linking strategy
• thin-content warnings

If your output lacks those, your prompt likely needs more specificity.

A practical workflow for programmatic-seo for SEO Content

Use this sequence:

1. confirm business goal and conversion event
2. identify the likely playbook
3. estimate page inventory and search pattern
4. define what data makes pages truly different
5. design the template around utility, not just keywords
6. decide which pages qualify for indexation
7. create internal links from core pages and between variants
8. launch a smaller high-quality set before full expansion

This workflow is especially useful for programmatic-seo for SEO Content teams that are tempted to publish everything at once.

programmatic-seo skill FAQ

Is this programmatic-seo skill for beginners?

Yes, if you already understand basic SEO concepts like search intent, templates, and internal linking. The skill is practical because it frames pSEO as a set of playbooks and constraints, not as an abstract growth tactic. Complete beginners may still need separate help on keyword research and technical SEO basics.

How is programmatic-seo different from a normal SEO prompt?

A normal prompt often produces generic page ideas. This programmatic-seo skill is more useful when you need:

• a fit check before building
• warnings about thin-content risk
• guidance on uniqueness at scale
• a playbook matched to your business model
• a repeatable rollout structure

That leads to better install-decision confidence and fewer bad page launches.

What kinds of businesses fit best?

Best fit:

• SaaS with integrations, comparisons, templates, or vertical use cases
• marketplaces and directories
• products with structured inventories or profiles
• companies with proprietary datasets, benchmarks, examples, or user-generated content

Weaker fit:

• businesses with little data and no page-level differentiation
• teams hoping pSEO alone will compensate for weak product-market relevance

Does the skill help with page generation itself?

Mostly it helps with strategy, structure, and decision-making rather than mass-producing final pages. You can use its output to design templates and prompt a separate generation workflow, but the real value is deciding what should exist and what quality bar each page must meet.

When should I not use programmatic-seo?

Skip it when:

• you need a content marketing strategy for blog posts
• you want a technical SEO audit
• your site only needs a handful of hand-written landing pages
• you cannot provide meaningful per-page inputs beyond a variable token

Does the repository include supporting material?

Yes. The most useful supporting asset is references/playbooks.md, which maps 12 pSEO patterns to value requirements and URL structures. evals/evals.json is also worth reading because it reveals the expected reasoning quality for real prompts.

How to Improve programmatic-seo skill

Give the skill stronger business inputs

The fastest way to improve programmatic-seo results is to provide business context up front:

• revenue model
• audience segment
• target action
• existing authority
• available structured data
• product features that can personalize each page

The skill performs much better when it can tie pages to conversion and differentiation.

Ask it to reject bad ideas

Do not only ask, “How do we do this?” Also ask:

• “Which page variants should we avoid?”
• “What pages would be thin?”
• “What data gaps block launch?”
• “What would make this strategy non-viable?”

This makes the programmatic-seo skill more decision-useful and prevents false confidence.

Provide sample rows from your dataset

If you already have a spreadsheet, directory, inventory, or competitor list, include 5 to 10 sample rows. That helps the skill:

• spot weak fields
• identify template-worthy attributes
• suggest better page sections
• estimate whether pages will feel meaningfully distinct

Concrete rows beat abstract descriptions almost every time.

Ask for template sections with purpose

Instead of “write a page template,” ask for sections mapped to user needs, such as:

• what this page helps the user do
• what changes for this variant
• proof or benchmark data
• product fit explanation
• comparison or decision support
• CTA tied to the page intent

This improves page usefulness and reduces boilerplate.

Watch for the main failure modes

Common pSEO mistakes the skill is designed to catch:

• variable-swapped pages with no new value
• publishing too many low-signal combinations
• ignoring internal linking
• using a playbook that does not match your assets
• assuming search volume alone justifies build
• no clear conversion path from page to product

If the output does not address these, refine the prompt.

Iterate after the first strategy draft

After the first response, ask follow-ups like:

• “Score these 30 page ideas by value and uniqueness.”
• “Which 10 should launch first?”
• “What data fields are mandatory before publishing?”
• “Show a high-quality template for one example page.”
• “What internal links should connect these pages to core commercial pages?”

That is usually where the programmatic-seo skill becomes materially better than a single-shot prompt.

Combine programmatic-seo with adjacent skills carefully

The repository itself points users elsewhere for other jobs. Use programmatic-seo for scalable page systems, then switch tools or skills for:

• SEO audits
• broader content strategy
• page copy polishing
• technical implementation

That division keeps the programmatic-seo skill focused on what it does best: deciding whether a pSEO system should exist and how to structure it well.