seo-content

# Content Quality & E-E-A-T Analysis
## 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

## E-E-A-T Framework (updated Sept 2025 QRG)

Read `skills/seo/references/eeat-framework.md` for full criteria.

### Experience (first-hand signals)
- Original research, case studies, before/after results
- Personal anecdotes, process documentation
- Unique data, proprietary insights
- Photos/videos from direct experience

### Expertise
- Author credentials, certifications, bio
- Professional background relevant to topic
- Technical depth appropriate for audience
- Accurate, well-sourced claims

### Authoritativeness
- External citations, backlinks from authoritative sources
- Brand mentions, industry recognition
- Published in recognized outlets
- Cited by other experts

### Trustworthiness
- Contact information, physical address
- Privacy policy, terms of service
- Customer testimonials, reviews
- Date stamps, transparent corrections
- Secure site (HTTPS)

## Content Metrics

### Word Count Analysis
Compare against page type minimums:
| Page Type | Minimum |
|-----------|---------|
| Homepage | 500 |
| Service page | 800 |
| Blog post | 1,500 |
| Product page | 300+ (400+ for complex products) |
| Location page | 500-600 |

> **Important:** These are **topical coverage floors**, not targets. Google has confirmed word count is NOT a direct ranking factor. The goal is comprehensive topical coverage; a 500-word page that thoroughly answers the query will outrank a 2,000-word page that doesn't. Use these as guidelines for adequate coverage depth, not rigid requirements.

### Readability
- Flesch Reading Ease: target 60-70 for general audience

> **Note:** Flesch Reading Ease is a useful proxy for content accessibility but is NOT a direct Google ranking factor. John Mueller has confirmed Google does not use basic readability scores for ranking. Yoast deprioritized Flesch scores in v19.3. Use readability analysis as a content quality indicator, not as an SEO metric to optimize directly.
- Grade level: match target audience
- Sentence length: average 15-20 words
- Paragraph length: 2-4 sentences

### Keyword Optimization
- Primary keyword in title, H1, first 100 words
- Natural density (1-3%)
- Semantic variations present
- No keyword stuffing

### Content Structure
- Logical heading hierarchy (H1 -> H2 -> H3)
- Scannable sections with descriptive headings
- Bullet/numbered lists where appropriate
- Table of contents for long-form content

### Multimedia
- Relevant images with proper alt text
- Videos where appropriate
- Infographics for complex data
- Charts/graphs for statistics

### Internal Linking
- 3-5 relevant internal links per 1000 words
- Descriptive anchor text
- Links to related content
- No orphan pages

### External Linking
- Cite authoritative sources
- Open in new tab for user experience
- Reasonable count (not excessive)

## AI Content Assessment (Sept 2025 QRG addition)

Google's raters now formally assess whether content appears AI-generated.

### Acceptable AI Content
- Demonstrates genuine E-E-A-T
- Provides unique value
- Has human oversight and editing
- Contains original insights

### Low-Quality AI Content Markers
- Generic phrasing, lack of specificity
- No original insight
- Repetitive structure across pages
- No author attribution
- Factual inaccuracies

> **Helpful Content System (March 2024):** The Helpful Content System was merged into Google's core ranking algorithm during the March 2024 core update. It no longer operates as a standalone classifier. Helpfulness signals are now weighted within every core update. The same principles apply (people-first content, demonstrating E-E-A-T, satisfying user intent), but enforcement is continuous rather than through separate HCU updates.

## AI Citation Readiness (GEO signals)

Optimize for AI search engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews):

- Clear, quotable statements with statistics/facts
- Structured data (especially for data points)
- Strong heading hierarchy (H1->H2->H3 flow)
- Answer-first formatting for key questions
- Tables and lists for comparative data
- Clear attribution and source citations

### AI Search Visibility & GEO (2025-2026)

**Google AI Mode** launched publicly in May 2025 as a separate tab in Google Search, available in 180+ countries. Unlike AI Overviews (which appear above organic results), AI Mode provides a fully conversational search experience with **zero organic blue links**, making AI citation the only visibility mechanism.

**Key optimization strategies for AI citation:**
- **Structured answers:** Clear question-answer formats, definition patterns, and step-by-step instructions that AI systems can extract and cite
- **First-party data:** Original research, statistics, case studies, and unique datasets are highly cited by AI systems
- **Schema markup:** Article, FAQ (for non-Google AI platforms), and structured content schemas help AI systems parse and attribute content
- **Topical authority:** AI systems preferentially cite sources that demonstrate deep expertise. Build content clusters, not isolated pages
- **Entity clarity:** Ensure brand, authors, and key concepts are clearly defined with structured data (Organization, Person schema)
- **Multi-platform tracking:** Monitor visibility across Google A