majiayu000 Astro Blog - Phase 1: Research
Priority Legend:
- ⭐ ALWAYS - Every article, non-negotiable
- 🎯 HIGH-VALUE - Competitive keywords, commercial/pillar content
SEO & Intent Research
⭐ Core SEO (Every Article)
- Information Gain analysis - Article must add unique value beyond existing content. Ask: What do we know that competitors don't? (original data, case studies, insider tips, unique framework)
- Intent declared - Classify as: informational (learning), commercial (comparing options), comparison (this vs that), or transactional (ready to buy)
- Headline formula - Use odd numbers (7, 11, 13) OR power words (proven, secret, complete, ultimate, essential)
- Title optimization - 50-60 chars, keyword-first, include year (2026). Example: "Solar Panel Cost UK 2026: 11 Ways to Save £3,000+"
- Entity salience - Main entity (product/service) in subject position: first 100 words + first sentence after each H2
- CTA matches intent - informational→Newsletter/Guide, commercial→Calculator/Quote, comparison→Consultation, transactional→Contact/Book
🎯 SERP Dominance (High-Value Articles)
- SERP feature audit - Google your keyword, note what appears: Featured snippets? PAA boxes? Video carousel? Image pack? Target these formats
- Featured snippet targeting - Identify format: Paragraph (40-60 words), List (5-8 items), or Table (3-4 columns, 5-7 rows)
- PAA question identification - List all "People Also Ask" questions. Use as H2s in your article
🎯 Pillar Strategy Decision
- Pillar vs cluster - Pillar = 3000-5000 words, broad topic, 8-12 internal links. Cluster = 1000-1500 words, specific subtopic, 2-4 internal links
- Skyscraper candidate? - If competitive topic with existing content that has 50+ backlinks, plan to create 10x better version + outreach campaign
CTA Mapping Table
| Intent | Primary CTA | Secondary CTA |
|---|---|---|
| Informational | Newsletter signup | Download guide |
| Commercial | Get quote | Use calculator |
| Comparison | Book consultation | Download comparison |
| Transactional | Contact us | Book service |
Output Required
Provide:
- Intent type: informational/commercial/comparison/transactional
- Primary keyword: Main target keyword
- Unique angle: What makes this article different from competitors
- CTA type: From mapping table above
- Pillar/Cluster: Is this pillar (3000-5000w) or cluster (1000-1500w)?
Next Step
After completing research, use astro-blog-structure skill for Phase 2.