SEO Image Gen: AI Image Generation for SEO Assets (Extension)
Shared Data Cache
Step 0 -- Check shared data cache:
Before gathering, check .seo-cache/ for reusable context from related SEO skills.
Reference: ../seo/references/shared-data-cache.md for schemas and dependency map.
Check these cache files when present:
.seo-cache/site-meta.json for domain, business type, industry, and crawl context
.seo-cache/audit-scores.json for prior full-audit priorities
.seo-cache/pages/{url-slug}/page-analysis.json for page-level context when a URL is provided
If found: parse and use clearly valid fields (note "Using cached [X] from [date]")
If missing, corrupt, or irrelevant: continue with fresh evidence
If the user says "refresh" or "re-run": ignore cache reads and overwrite on write
Generate production-ready images for SEO use cases using Gemini's image generation
via the banana Creative Director pipeline. Maps SEO needs to optimized domain modes,
aspect ratios, and resolution defaults.
Architecture Note
This extension is built on the Banana image-generation pipeline
for SEO-specific image workflows in Codex.
This skill has two components with distinct roles:
- SKILL.md (this file): Handles interactive
/seo image-gen commands for generating images
- Agent (
agents/seo-image-gen.toml): Audit-only analyst spawned during /seo audit to assess existing OG/social images and produce a generation plan (never auto-generates)
Prerequisites
This skill requires the banana extension to be installed:
./extensions/banana/install.sh
Check availability: Before using any image generation tool, verify the MCP server
is connected by checking if gemini_generate_image or set_aspect_ratio tools are
available. If tools are not available, inform the user the extension is not installed
and provide install instructions.
Quick Reference
| Command |
What it does |
/seo image-gen og <description> |
Generate OG/social preview image (1200x630 feel) |
/seo image-gen hero <description> |
Blog hero image (widescreen, dramatic) |
/seo image-gen product <description> |
Product photography (clean, white BG) |
/seo image-gen infographic <description> |
Infographic visual (vertical, data-heavy) |
/seo image-gen custom <description> |
Custom image with full Creative Director pipeline |
/seo image-gen batch <description> [N] |
Generate N variations (default: 3) |
SEO Image Use Cases
Each use case maps to pre-configured banana parameters:
| Use Case |
Aspect Ratio |
Resolution |
Domain Mode |
Notes |
| OG/Social Preview |
16:9 |
1K |
Product or UI/Web |
Clean, professional, text-friendly |
| Blog Hero |
16:9 |
2K |
Cinema or Editorial |
Dramatic, atmospheric, editorial quality |
| Schema Image |
4:3 |
1K |
Product |
Clean, descriptive, schema ImageObject |
| Social Square |
1:1 |
1K |
UI/Web |
Platform-optimized square |
| Product Photo |
4:3 |
2K |
Product |
White background, studio lighting |
| Infographic |
2:3 |
4K |
Infographic |
Data-heavy, vertical layout |
| Favicon/Icon |
1:1 |
512 |
Logo |
Minimal, scalable, recognizable |
| Pinterest Pin |
2:3 |
2K |
Editorial |
Tall vertical card |
Generation Pipeline
For every generation request:
- Identify use case from command or context (og, hero, product, etc.)
- Apply SEO defaults from the use cases table above
- Set aspect ratio via
set_aspect_ratio MCP tool
- Construct Reasoning Brief using the banana Creative Director pipeline:
- Load
references/prompt-engineering.md for the 6-component system
- Apply domain mode emphasis (Subject 30%, Style 25%, Context 15%, etc.)
- Be SPECIFIC and VISCERAL: describe what the camera sees
- Generate via
gemini_generate_image MCP tool
- Post-generation SEO checklist (see below)
Check for Presets
If the user mentions a brand or has SEO presets configured:
python3 scripts/presets.py list
Load matching preset and apply as defaults. Also check references/seo-image-presets.md
for SEO-specific preset templates.
Post-Generation SEO Checklist
After every successful generation, guide the user on:
- Alt text:Write descriptive, keyword-rich alt text for the generated image
- File naming:Rename to SEO-friendly format:
keyword-description-widthxheight.webp
- WebP conversion:Convert to WebP for optimal page speed:
magick output.png -quality 85 output.webp
- File size:Target under 200KB for hero images, under 100KB for thumbnails
- Schema markup:Suggest
ImageObject schema for the generated image:{
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://example.com/images/keyword-description.webp",
"width": 1200,
"height": 630,
"caption": "Descriptive caption with target keyword"
}
- OG meta tags:For social preview images, remind about:
<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/images/og-image.webp" />
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200" />
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630" />
<meta property="og:image:alt" content="Descriptive alt text" />
Cost Awareness
Image generation costs money. Be transparent:
- Show estimated cost before generating (especially for batch)
- Log every generation:
python3 scripts/cost_tracker.py log --model MODEL --resolution RES --prompt "brief"
- Run
cost_tracker.py summary if user asks about usage
Approximate costs (gemini-3.1-flash):
- 512: ~$0.02/image
- 1K resolution: ~$0.04/image
- 2K resolution: ~$0.08/image
- 4K resolution: ~$0.16/image
Model Routing
| Scenario |
Model |
Why |
| OG images, social previews |
gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview @ 1K |
Fast, cost-effective |
| Hero images, product photos |
gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview @ 2K |
Quality + detail |
| Infographics with text |
gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview @ 2K, thinking: high |
Better text rendering |
| Quick drafts |
gemini-2.5-flash-image @ 512 |
Rapid iteration |
Error Handling
| Error |
Resolution |
| MCP not configured |
Run ./extensions/banana/install.sh |
| API key invalid |
New key at https://aistudio.google.com/apikey |
| Rate limited (429) |
Wait 60s, retry. Free tier: ~10 RPM / ~500 RPD |
IMAGE_SAFETY |
Rephrase prompt - see references/prompt-engineering.md Safety section |
| MCP unavailable |
Fall back: python3 scripts/generate.py --prompt "..." --aspect-ratio "16:9" |
| Extension not installed |
Show install instructions: ./extensions/banana/install.sh |
Cross-Skill Integration
- seo-images (analysis) feeds into seo-image-gen (generation): audit results from
/seo images identify missing or low-quality images; use those findings to drive /seo image-gen commands
- seo-audit spawns the seo-image-gen agent (not this skill) to analyze OG/social images across the site and produce a prioritized generation plan
- seo-schema can consume generated images: after generation, suggest
ImageObject schema markup pointing to the new assets
Reference Documentation
Load on-demand. Do NOT load all at startup:
references/prompt-engineering.md:6-component system, domain modes, templates
references/gemini-models.md:Model specs, rate limits, capabilities
references/mcp-tools.md:MCP tool parameters and responses
references/post-processing.md:ImageMagick/FFmpeg pipeline recipes
references/cost-tracking.md:Pricing, usage tracking
references/presets.md:Brand preset management
references/seo-image-presets.md:SEO-specific preset templates
Response Format
After generating, always provide:
- Image path:where it was saved
- Crafted prompt:show what was sent to the API (educational)
- Settings:model, aspect ratio, resolution
- SEO checklist:alt text suggestion, file naming, WebP conversion
- Schema snippet:ImageObject or og:image markup if applicable
Write to shared data cache
After completing all work, write a concise JSON summary to .seo-cache/ when the workflow produced durable findings.
Use the schemas and naming rules in ../seo/references/shared-data-cache.md; include at least cache_type, analyzed_at, source URL/domain, key findings, issues, recommendations, and tool limitations. Add .seo-cache/ to .gitignore if it is missing.
1---2name: seo-image-gen-23description: AI image generation for SEO assets: OG/social preview images, blog hero images, schema images, product photography, infographics. Powered by Gemini via nanobanana-mcp. Requires banana extension installed. Use when user says "generate image", "OG image", "social preview", "hero image", "blog image", "product photo", "infographic", "seo image", "create visual", "image-gen", "favicon", "schema image", "pinterest pin", "generate visual", "banner", or "thumbnail".4license: MIT5---67# SEO Image Gen: AI Image Generation for SEO Assets (Extension)8## Shared Data Cache910**Step 0 -- Check shared data cache:**1112Before gathering, check `.seo-cache/` for reusable context from related SEO skills.13Reference: `../seo/references/shared-data-cache.md` for schemas and dependency map.1415Check these cache files when present:16- `.seo-cache/site-meta.json` for domain, business type, industry, and crawl context17- `.seo-cache/audit-scores.json` for prior full-audit priorities18- `.seo-cache/pages/{url-slug}/page-analysis.json` for page-level context when a URL is provided1920- If found: parse and use clearly valid fields (note "Using cached [X] from [date]")21- If missing, corrupt, or irrelevant: continue with fresh evidence22- If the user says "refresh" or "re-run": ignore cache reads and overwrite on write2324Generate production-ready images for SEO use cases using Gemini's image generation25via the banana Creative Director pipeline. Maps SEO needs to optimized domain modes,26aspect ratios, and resolution defaults.2728## Architecture Note2930This extension is built on the Banana image-generation pipeline31for SEO-specific image workflows in Codex.3233This skill has two components with distinct roles:34- **SKILL.md** (this file): Handles interactive `/seo image-gen` commands for generating images35- **Agent** (`agents/seo-image-gen.toml`): Audit-only analyst spawned during `/seo audit` to assess existing OG/social images and produce a generation plan (never auto-generates)3637## Prerequisites3839This skill requires the banana extension to be installed:40```bash41./extensions/banana/install.sh42```4344**Check availability:** Before using any image generation tool, verify the MCP server45is connected by checking if `gemini_generate_image` or `set_aspect_ratio` tools are46available. If tools are not available, inform the user the extension is not installed47and provide install instructions.4849## Quick Reference5051| Command | What it does |52|---------|-------------|53| `/seo image-gen og <description>` | Generate OG/social preview image (1200x630 feel) |54| `/seo image-gen hero <description>` | Blog hero image (widescreen, dramatic) |55| `/seo image-gen product <description>` | Product photography (clean, white BG) |56| `/seo image-gen infographic <description>` | Infographic visual (vertical, data-heavy) |57| `/seo image-gen custom <description>` | Custom image with full Creative Director pipeline |58| `/seo image-gen batch <description> [N]` | Generate N variations (default: 3) |5960## SEO Image Use Cases6162Each use case maps to pre-configured banana parameters:6364| Use Case | Aspect Ratio | Resolution | Domain Mode | Notes |65|----------|-------------|------------|-------------|-------|66| **OG/Social Preview** | `16:9` | `1K` | Product or UI/Web | Clean, professional, text-friendly |67| **Blog Hero** | `16:9` | `2K` | Cinema or Editorial | Dramatic, atmospheric, editorial quality |68| **Schema Image** | `4:3` | `1K` | Product | Clean, descriptive, schema ImageObject |69| **Social Square** | `1:1` | `1K` | UI/Web | Platform-optimized square |70| **Product Photo** | `4:3` | `2K` | Product | White background, studio lighting |71| **Infographic** | `2:3` | `4K` | Infographic | Data-heavy, vertical layout |72| **Favicon/Icon** | `1:1` | `512` | Logo | Minimal, scalable, recognizable |73| **Pinterest Pin** | `2:3` | `2K` | Editorial | Tall vertical card |7475## Generation Pipeline7677For every generation request:78791. **Identify use case** from command or context (og, hero, product, etc.)802. **Apply SEO defaults** from the use cases table above813. **Set aspect ratio** via `set_aspect_ratio` MCP tool824. **Construct Reasoning Brief** using the banana Creative Director pipeline:83 - Load `references/prompt-engineering.md` for the 6-component system84 - Apply domain mode emphasis (Subject 30%, Style 25%, Context 15%, etc.)85 - Be SPECIFIC and VISCERAL: describe what the camera sees865. **Generate** via `gemini_generate_image` MCP tool876. **Post-generation SEO checklist** (see below)8889### Check for Presets9091If the user mentions a brand or has SEO presets configured:92```bash93python3 scripts/presets.py list94```95Load matching preset and apply as defaults. Also check `references/seo-image-presets.md`96for SEO-specific preset templates.9798## Post-Generation SEO Checklist99100After every successful generation, guide the user on:1011021. **Alt text**:Write descriptive, keyword-rich alt text for the generated image1032. **File naming**:Rename to SEO-friendly format: `keyword-description-widthxheight.webp`1043. **WebP conversion**:Convert to WebP for optimal page speed:105 ```bash106 magick output.png -quality 85 output.webp107 ```1084. **File size**:Target under 200KB for hero images, under 100KB for thumbnails1095. **Schema markup**:Suggest `ImageObject` schema for the generated image:110 ```json111 {112 "@type": "ImageObject",113 "url": "https://example.com/images/keyword-description.webp",114 "width": 1200,115 "height": 630,116 "caption": "Descriptive caption with target keyword"117 }118 ```1196. **OG meta tags**:For social preview images, remind about:120 ```html121 <meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/images/og-image.webp" />122 <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200" />123 <meta property="og:image:height" content="630" />124 <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Descriptive alt text" />125 ```126127## Cost Awareness128129Image generation costs money. Be transparent:130- Show estimated cost before generating (especially for batch)131- Log every generation: `python3 scripts/cost_tracker.py log --model MODEL --resolution RES --prompt "brief"`132- Run `cost_tracker.py summary` if user asks about usage133134Approximate costs (gemini-3.1-flash):135- 512: ~$0.02/image136- 1K resolution: ~$0.04/image137- 2K resolution: ~$0.08/image138- 4K resolution: ~$0.16/image139140## Model Routing141142| Scenario | Model | Why |143|----------|-------|-----|144| OG images, social previews | `gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview` @ 1K | Fast, cost-effective |145| Hero images, product photos | `gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview` @ 2K | Quality + detail |146| Infographics with text | `gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview` @ 2K, thinking: high | Better text rendering |147| Quick drafts | `gemini-2.5-flash-image` @ 512 | Rapid iteration |148149## Error Handling150151| Error | Resolution |152|-------|-----------|153| MCP not configured | Run `./extensions/banana/install.sh` |154| API key invalid | New key at https://aistudio.google.com/apikey |155| Rate limited (429) | Wait 60s, retry. Free tier: ~10 RPM / ~500 RPD |156| `IMAGE_SAFETY` | Rephrase prompt - see `references/prompt-engineering.md` Safety section |157| MCP unavailable | Fall back: `python3 scripts/generate.py --prompt "..." --aspect-ratio "16:9"` |158| Extension not installed | Show install instructions: `./extensions/banana/install.sh` |159160## Cross-Skill Integration161162- **seo-images** (analysis) feeds into **seo-image-gen** (generation): audit results from `/seo images` identify missing or low-quality images; use those findings to drive `/seo image-gen` commands163- **seo-audit** spawns the seo-image-gen **agent** (not this skill) to analyze OG/social images across the site and produce a prioritized generation plan164- **seo-schema** can consume generated images: after generation, suggest `ImageObject` schema markup pointing to the new assets165166## Reference Documentation167168Load on-demand. Do NOT load all at startup:169- `references/prompt-engineering.md`:6-component system, domain modes, templates170- `references/gemini-models.md`:Model specs, rate limits, capabilities171- `references/mcp-tools.md`:MCP tool parameters and responses172- `references/post-processing.md`:ImageMagick/FFmpeg pipeline recipes173- `references/cost-tracking.md`:Pricing, usage tracking174- `references/presets.md`:Brand preset management175- `references/seo-image-presets.md`:SEO-specific preset templates176177## Response Format178179After generating, always provide:1801. **Image path**:where it was saved1812. **Crafted prompt**:show what was sent to the API (educational)1823. **Settings**:model, aspect ratio, resolution1834. **SEO checklist**:alt text suggestion, file naming, WebP conversion1845. **Schema snippet**:ImageObject or og:image markup if applicable185186## Write to shared data cache187188After completing all work, write a concise JSON summary to `.seo-cache/` when the workflow produced durable findings.189Use the schemas and naming rules in `../seo/references/shared-data-cache.md`; include at least `cache_type`, `analyzed_at`, source URL/domain, key findings, issues, recommendations, and tool limitations. Add `.seo-cache/` to `.gitignore` if it is missing.