programmatic-seo

Programmatic SEO

Plans programmatic SEO strategies by identifying repeatable page patterns (service + location, service + industry, tool + use case), defining template structures, identifying data sources for dynamic content, planning internal linking strategies, and estimating page count and traffic potential. Outputs a complete programmatic SEO blueprint ready for implementation.

Prerequisites

• WebSearch tool available for SERP analysis and pattern validation
• Browser automation tool for analyzing competitor programmatic pages
• Business services, target locations, or target verticals to combine
• Optional: agency.config.json for service and ICP context

Capabilities Used

1. keyword-miner -- for validating search volume of programmatic keyword patterns
2. content-seo-optimizer -- for optimizing page templates
3. schema-generator -- for generating template-level structured data

Phase 0: Read Config

1. Read agency.config.json from the project root (if available).
2. Extract services[] for service-based page patterns.
3. Extract icp.segments[].industries for industry-based page patterns.
4. Extract icp.segments[].geos for location-based page patterns.
5. Accept parameters:
   • domain -- (required) target website domain
   • pattern_type -- (optional) service_location | service_industry | tool_usecase | comparison | integration | template_gallery | auto. Default: auto (analyze and recommend)
   • services -- (optional) array of services to create pages for
   • locations -- (optional) array of locations for location pages
   • industries -- (optional) array of industries for vertical pages
   • max_pages -- (optional) maximum page count to plan. Default: 500

Phase 1: Pattern Identification

Analyze Existing Site Structure

• Visit the domain via browser automation
• Map current page types and URL patterns
• Identify existing programmatic pages (if any)
• Note the site's CMS and templating capabilities
• Count current indexed pages: WebSearch site:{{domain}}

Identify Repeatable Patterns

Based on the business type, evaluate these programmatic patterns:

Service + Location (most common for agencies and service businesses)

• Pattern: /{{service}}/{{city}} or /{{service}}-in-{{city}}
• Example: /shopify-development/mumbai, /shopify-development/delhi
• Works when: business serves multiple geographic markets

Service + Industry

• Pattern: /{{service}}/{{industry}} or /{{service}}-for-{{industry}}
• Example: /shopify-development/fashion-brands, /cro-audit/electronics
• Works when: service delivery varies by vertical

Tool/Feature + Use Case

• Pattern: /tools/{{tool}}/{{use-case}} or /features/{{feature}}-for-{{goal}}
• Example: /tools/ab-testing/product-pages, /features/checkout-optimization-for-aov
• Works when: product has multiple features or use cases

Comparison Pages

• Pattern: /compare/{{your-product}}-vs-{{competitor}}
• Example: /compare/plasho-vs-competitor-agency
• Works when: prospects are comparing solutions

Integration Pages

• Pattern: /integrations/{{platform}} or /works-with/{{tool}}
• Example: /integrations/klaviyo, /works-with/google-analytics
• Works when: product/service integrates with other tools

Template/Example Gallery

• Pattern: /templates/{{category}}/{{subcategory}}
• Example: /templates/fashion/minimalist, /examples/food-beverage/premium
• Works when: showcasing portfolio or template variety

Competitor Programmatic Page Analysis

• WebSearch: site:{{competitor}} inurl:{{pattern_slug}} -- find competitor programmatic pages
• Analyze competitor page templates, content patterns, internal linking
• Note what ranks well and what doesn't
• Identify patterns competitors use that the target does not

Phase 2: Keyword Validation

Generate Keyword Matrix

For the chosen pattern, generate the full keyword matrix:

• List all dimension A values (services, tools, features)
• List all dimension B values (locations, industries, use cases)
• Create the cross-product: A x B = total page list

Validate Search Demand

For a sample of 20-30 keyword combinations:

• WebSearch each combination to check for:
  • Search results count (more results = more demand)
  • Autocomplete suggestions (confirms search volume)
  • "People Also Ask" presence (confirms informational demand)
  • Competitor pages ranking (confirms commercial viability)
• Categorize demand levels: High, Medium, Low, No demand

Filter and Prioritize

• Remove combinations with no search demand
• Rank remaining by estimated volume and commercial intent
• Identify "head" terms (high volume, competitive) vs "long tail" (low volume, easy)
• Calculate total addressable search volume for the page set

Phase 3: Template Structure Design

Page Template Components

Define the standard template structure for the programmatic pages:

Above the Fold

• Dynamic H1: {{Service}} in {{Location}} or {{Service}} for {{Industry}}
• Dynamic meta title: {{Service}} {{Modifier}} in {{Location}} | {{Brand}}
• Dynamic meta description template
• Hero section with dynamic city/industry imagery or relevant visual
• Primary CTA (contact, demo, quote)

Body Content Sections

• Introduction paragraph (template with dynamic variables)
• Service/product details specific to the dimension (location-specific info, industry-specific pain points)
• Benefits section (can be partially templated, partially dynamic)
• Social proof: case studies, testimonials, reviews filtered by dimension
• FAQ section: dimension-specific FAQ pairs
• Related services/pages: internal links to sibling pages

Below the Fold

• Trust signals (logos, certifications, awards)
• Secondary CTA
• Related content links

Content Differentiation Strategy

The biggest risk in programmatic SEO is thin/duplicate content. Plan for:

• Unique intro paragraph per page (at least 2-3 sentences unique to each dimension)
• Dimension-specific data (location stats, industry benchmarks, relevant case studies)
• Dynamic FAQ pairs (different questions per dimension)
• Unique internal links (each page links to different related pages)
• Minimum unique content per page: 300+ words beyond shared template content

Phase 4: Data Source Planning

Identify Data Sources for Dynamic Content

For each dynamic element, specify where the data comes from:

Dynamic Element	Data Source	Update Frequency
Location stats	Census data, Wikipedia, public APIs	Yearly
Industry benchmarks	Industry reports, public studies	Quarterly
Case studies	Internal CMS / portfolio database	As created
Testimonials	Review platforms, CRM	Monthly
FAQ pairs	Customer support data, PAA mining	Quarterly
Local imagery	Stock photo APIs, local photography	Once
Pricing variations	Internal pricing database	As changed

Data Collection Plan

• List all data points needed per dimension
• Identify free vs paid data sources
• Estimate data collection effort per dimension
• Plan for data freshness: how often does each data point need updating?

Phase 5: Internal Linking Architecture

Hub and Spoke Model

• Hub page: main service/category page that links to all programmatic child pages
• Spoke pages: individual programmatic pages that link back to hub + to 3-5 sibling pages
• Cross-links: programmatic pages in one dimension link to related pages in another dimension

Link Structure

/services/shopify-development (hub)
  -> /shopify-development/mumbai (spoke)
  -> /shopify-development/delhi (spoke)
  -> /shopify-development/bangalore (spoke)

Each spoke links to:
  - Hub page (parent)
  - 3-5 sibling spokes (nearest cities or most relevant)
  - Related service pages (cross-dimension)
  - Blog posts about the dimension topic

Sitemap Strategy

• Generate XML sitemap for all programmatic pages
• Group by dimension in sitemap index
• Set appropriate change frequency and priority
• Plan for sitemap updates as new pages are added

Phase 6: Implementation Roadmap

Phase-Based Rollout

Recommend staged deployment:

1. Pilot (Week 1-2): Build 10-20 pages for highest-demand combinations. Monitor indexing, rankings, and traffic.
2. Validation (Week 3-4): Analyze pilot performance. Refine template based on what ranks. Fix any indexing issues.
3. Scale (Week 5-8): Expand to next 50-100 pages. Add unique content and data enrichment.
4. Full deployment (Month 3+): Launch remaining pages. Ongoing content quality improvements.

Technical Requirements

• CMS template capability or static site generation
• Dynamic content rendering (server-side preferred for SEO)
• URL management and canonical tag strategy
• Internal linking automation
• Sitemap generation and submission

Phase 7: Output

Return structured JSON:

{
  "domain": "example.com",
  "planned_at": "2024-01-15T14:30:00Z",
  "pattern_type": "service_location",
  "total_pages_planned": 150,
  "dimensions": {
    "dimension_a": {
      "name": "Services",
      "values": ["shopify-development", "cro-audit", "store-migration"],
      "count": 3
    },
    "dimension_b": {
      "name": "Locations",
      "values": ["mumbai", "delhi", "bangalore", "hyderabad", "pune"],
      "count": 50
    }
  },
  "keyword_validation": {
    "total_combinations": 150,
    "validated_sample_size": 25,
    "demand_distribution": {
      "high": 8,
      "medium": 10,
      "low": 5,
      "no_demand": 2
    },
    "estimated_total_monthly_volume": "5K-15K",
    "top_keywords": [
      { "keyword": "shopify development mumbai", "estimated_volume": "Medium", "difficulty": "Easy" }
    ]
  },
  "template_structure": {
    "url_pattern": "/{{service}}/{{location}}",
    "title_template": "{{Service}} in {{Location}} | Expert Shopify Agency | {{Brand}}",
    "meta_description_template": "Looking for {{service}} in {{location}}? We help {{location}} brands...",
    "sections": [
      "Dynamic H1 + hero",
      "Location-specific intro (unique 150+ words)",
      "Service details",
      "Local case studies / testimonials",
      "Location stats and market data",
      "FAQ (5 location-specific questions)",
      "CTA + contact info",
      "Related service pages"
    ],
    "min_unique_content_per_page": "300 words"
  },
  "data_sources": [
    { "element": "Location population and market data", "source": "Census / Wikipedia", "collection_effort": "Low (automated)" },
    { "element": "Industry-specific pain points", "source": "Customer interviews + ICP research", "collection_effort": "Medium (manual)" }
  ],
  "internal_linking_plan": {
    "hub_pages": ["/services/shopify-development"],
    "sibling_links_per_page": 5,
    "cross_dimension_links": 2,
    "blog_content_links": 1
  },
  "rollout_plan": {
    "pilot": { "pages": 15, "timeline": "Week 1-2", "focus": "Top 5 cities x 3 services" },
    "validation": { "timeline": "Week 3-4", "metrics": ["Indexing rate", "Ranking positions", "Organic clicks"] },
    "scale": { "pages": 50, "timeline": "Week 5-8" },
    "full_deployment": { "pages": 150, "timeline": "Month 3+" }
  },
  "traffic_projection": {
    "month_3": "500-1000 organic visits/month",
    "month_6": "2000-5000 organic visits/month",
    "month_12": "5000-15000 organic visits/month"
  },
  "risks_and_mitigations": [
    { "risk": "Thin content penalty", "mitigation": "Minimum 300 unique words per page, noindex low-quality pages until content is added" },
    { "risk": "Crawl budget waste", "mitigation": "Prioritize high-demand pages in sitemap, use internal linking to signal importance" },
    { "risk": "Cannibalization with existing pages", "mitigation": "Clear canonical strategy, distinct keyword targeting per page" }
  ]
}

Example Usage

Trigger phrases:

• "Plan programmatic SEO for [domain]"
• "Create location pages strategy for [business]"
• "Programmatic SEO blueprint for [service] + [dimension]"
• "How many pages should I create for [niche]?"
• "Scale content with programmatic SEO"

User: Plan programmatic SEO for plasho.com -- service + city pages for India
Assistant: [identifies services from config, generates city list, validates keyword demand, designs template, plans rollout, returns complete blueprint]

User: Programmatic SEO strategy: shopify development + industry verticals
Assistant: [maps services to industries, validates search demand per combo, designs template with industry-specific content, returns implementation plan]

User: Should I create comparison pages for plasho.com?
Assistant: [researches "plasho vs" queries, analyzes competitor comparison pages, evaluates demand, recommends if viable, returns blueprint if yes]