seo-competitor-pages

# Competitor Comparison & Alternatives Pages
## 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

Create high-converting comparison and alternatives pages that target
competitive intent keywords with accurate, structured content.

## Page Types

### 1. "X vs Y" Comparison Pages
- Direct head-to-head comparison between two products/services
- Balanced feature-by-feature analysis
- Clear verdict or recommendation with justification
- Target keyword: `[Product A] vs [Product B]`

### 2. "Alternatives to X" Pages
- List of alternatives to a specific product/service
- Each alternative with brief summary, pros/cons, best-for use case
- Target keyword: `[Product] alternatives`, `best alternatives to [Product]`

### 3. "Best [Category] Tools" Roundup Pages
- Curated list of top tools/services in a category
- Ranking criteria clearly stated
- Target keyword: `best [category] tools [year]`, `top [category] software`

### 4. Comparison Table Pages
- Feature matrix with multiple products in columns
- Sortable/filterable if interactive
- Target keyword: `[category] comparison`, `[category] comparison chart`

## Comparison Table Generation

### Feature Matrix Layout
```
| Feature          | Your Product | Competitor A | Competitor B |
|------------------|:------------:|:------------:|:------------:|
| Feature 1        | ✅           | ✅           | ❌           |
| Feature 2        | ✅           | ⚠️ Partial   | ✅           |
| Feature 3        | ✅           | ❌           | ❌           |
| Pricing (from)   | $X/mo        | $Y/mo        | $Z/mo        |
| Free Tier        | ✅           | ❌           | ✅           |
```

### Data Accuracy Requirements
- All feature claims must be verifiable from public sources
- Pricing must be current (include "as of [date]" note)
- Update frequency: review quarterly or when competitors ship major changes
- Link to source for each competitor data point where possible

## Schema Markup Recommendations

### Product Schema with AggregateRating
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "[Product Name]",
  "description": "[Product Description]",
  "brand": {
    "@type": "Brand",
    "name": "[Brand Name]"
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "[Rating]",
    "reviewCount": "[Count]",
    "bestRating": "5",
    "worstRating": "1"
  }
}
```

### SoftwareApplication (for software comparisons)
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "[Software Name]",
  "applicationCategory": "[Category]",
  "operatingSystem": "[OS]",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "[Price]",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  }
}
```

### ItemList (for roundup pages)
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "ItemList",
  "name": "Best [Category] Tools [Year]",
  "itemListOrder": "https://schema.org/ItemListOrderDescending",
  "numberOfItems": "[Count]",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "[Product Name]",
      "url": "[Product URL]"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Keyword Targeting

### Comparison Intent Patterns
| Pattern | Example | Search Volume Signal |
|---------|---------|---------------------|
| `[A] vs [B]` | "Slack vs Teams" | High |
| `[A] alternative` | "Figma alternatives" | High |
| `[A] alternatives [year]` | "Notion alternatives 2026" | High |
| `best [category] tools` | "best project management tools" | High |
| `[A] vs [B] for [use case]` | "AWS vs Azure for startups" | Medium |
| `[A] review [year]` | "Monday.com review 2026" | Medium |
| `[A] vs [B] pricing` | "HubSpot vs Salesforce pricing" | Medium |
| `is [A] better than [B]` | "is Notion better than Confluence" | Medium |

### Title Tag Formulas
- X vs Y: `[A] vs [B]: [Key Differentiator] ([Year])`
- Alternatives: `[N] Best [A] Alternatives in [Year] (Free & Paid)`
- Roundup: `[N] Best [Category] Tools in [Year], Compared & Ranked`

### H1 Patterns
- Match title tag intent
- Include primary keyword naturally
- Keep under 70 characters

## Conversion-Optimized Layouts

### CTA Placement
- **Above fold**: Brief comparison summary with primary CTA
- **After comparison table**: "Try [Your Product] free" CTA
- **Bottom of page**: Final recommendation with CTA
- Avoid aggressive CTAs in competitor description sections (reduces trust)

### Social Proof Sections
- Customer testimonials relevant to comparison criteria
- G2/Capterra/TrustPilot ratings (with source links)
- Case studies showing migration from competitor
- "Switched from [Competitor]" stories

### Pricing Highlights
- Clear pricing comparison table
- Highlight value advantages (not just lowest price)
- Include hidden costs (setup fees, per-user pricing, overage charges)
- Link to full pricing page

### Trust Signals
- "Last updated [date]" timestamp
- Author with relevant expertise
- Methodology disclosure (how comparisons were conducted)
- Disclosure of own product affiliation

## Fairness Guidelines

- **Accuracy**: All competitor information must be verifiable from public sources
- **No defamation**: Never make false or misleading claims about competitors
- **Cite sources**: Link to competitor websites, review sites, or documentation
- **Timely updates**: Review and update when competitors releas