--- name: marketing-seo-complete description: Complete SEO skill for technical audits (Core Web Vitals, site speed, crawlability/indexation, robots/sitemaps/canonicals, structured data, mobile, security, internal linking), SEO marketing strategy (keyword research, content planning, competitive analysis, E-E-A-T), operational workflows (cross-team collaboration, OKRs), link building, local SEO, international SEO (hreflang), and multi-platform SEO (Google, YouTube, Reddit, social). Updated for January 2026. --- # SEO Technical and Marketing - Operational Skill This skill contains **actionable, production-ready systems** for **traditional search engine optimization**: - **Technical SEO auditing** (Core Web Vitals, crawlability, structured data, mobile optimization) - **SEO marketing strategy** (keyword research, content planning, competitive analysis, brand building) - **Operational workflows** (cross-team collaboration, stakeholder alignment, SEO OKRs) - **Total Search Optimization** (Google, YouTube, Reddit, TikTok, forums, social SEO) **Structure**: Technical fundamentals first -> Marketing strategy -> Operational execution -> Total Search Optimization. **For AI search optimization** (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, AI Overviews, GEO): Use [marketing-ai-search-optimization](../marketing-ai-search-optimization/SKILL.md) instead. --- ## 2026 Operating Assumptions (Evergreen) - Prioritize usefulness and intent satisfaction; technical SEO cannot compensate for weak content. - E-E-A-T matters most when claims can impact money, health, safety, or major decisions; for all niches, show real experience and verifiable proof where possible. - Mobile-first is the default: performance, UX, and rendering on mobile are the primary gate. - Crawl/indexation wins come from discoverability (internal links, sitemaps) and removing low-value crawl traps. - Core Web Vitals are a weak signal but a strong tiebreaker; fix regressions and obvious failures. - Structured data is for eligibility and rich results, not a ranking boost; use it to improve extraction and display. - SERPs are multi-surface (web, video, local, forums, social); measure channel-by-channel, not only rankings. Primary sources live in `data/sources.json`. For time-sensitive changes (core updates, reporting changes), use official sources first (Google Search Central / Search Status Dashboard); if your environment supports web search, refresh against current updates before giving definitive advice. ### Key Thresholds (2026) | Metric | Target | Impact | |--------|--------|--------| | LCP | < 2.5s | Mobile-first indexing threshold | | INP | < 200ms | Replaced FID; user engagement signal | | CLS | < 0.1 | Layout stability; ranking factor | | TTFB | < 600ms | Crawl rate: slow servers often reduce pages crawled/day | | Mobile score | > 90 | Required for competitive rankings | --- ## When NOT to Use - **Pure AI platform optimization** (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini visibility) -> Use [marketing-ai-search-optimization](../marketing-ai-search-optimization/SKILL.md) - **Paid search campaigns** (Google Ads, Bing Ads) -> Use [marketing-paid-advertising](../marketing-paid-advertising/SKILL.md) - **Social media strategy** (non-SEO focused) -> Use [marketing-social-media](../marketing-social-media/SKILL.md) - **Content creation process** (writing, editing, publishing) -> Use [marketing-content-strategy](../marketing-content-strategy/SKILL.md) - **Email marketing** -> Use [marketing-email-automation](../marketing-email-automation/SKILL.md) --- ## Quick Reference | Task | Resource/Template | Location | When to Use | |------|------------------|----------|-------------| | **Auditing** | | | | | Full Technical Audit | 10-Point Checklist | `assets/audits/full-technical-audit.md` | Comprehensive site-wide audit | | Quick Audit | Abbreviated Checklist | `assets/audits/quick-audit-checklist.md` | Fast issue identification | | Priority Matrix | Impact vs Effort | `assets/priority/impact-effort-matrix.md` | Prioritize audit findings | | **Core Web Vitals** | | | | | CWV Deep Dive | CWV Guide | `references/core-web-vitals-guide.md` | LCP, INP, CLS optimization | | CWV Report | Report Template | `assets/cwv/core-web-vitals-report.md` | Document CWV findings | | **Crawlability** | | | | | Indexation Issues | Crawlability Guide | `references/crawlability-indexing.md` | Robots.txt, sitemaps, GSC issues | | Indexation Acceleration | Fast Indexing Guide | `references/crawlability-indexing.md#indexation-acceleration` | New/large sites, internal linking, E-E-A-T | | **Performance** | | | | | Site Speed | Speed Guide | `references/site-speed-optimization.md` | TTFB, render-blocking, images | | **Technical Setup** | | | | | Mobile Optimization | Mobile Guide | `references/mobile-seo-guide.md` | Responsive, viewport, mobile-first | | Structured Data | Schema Guide | `references/structured-data-guide.md` | JSON-LD, rich snippets | | Schema Report | Validation Template | `assets/schema/schema-validation-report.md` | Document schema findings | | Security/HTTPS | Security Guide | `references/security-https-guide.md` | HTTPS, HSTS, headers | | **Architecture** | | | | | Internal Linking | Link Strategy | `references/internal-linking-strategy.md` | Link equity, orphan pages | | Duplicate Content | Canonical Guide | `references/duplicate-content-handling.md` | Canonicals, pagination | | International SEO | Hreflang Guide | `references/internationalization-hreflang.md` | Multi-language/region sites | | **Link Building** | | | | | Link Acquisition | Link Building Guide | `references/link-building-strategy.md` | Backlinks, digital PR, HARO | | **Local SEO** | | | | | Google Business Profile | Local SEO Guide | `references/local-seo-guide.md` | GBP, citations, reviews, local pack | --- ## 10-Point Audit Framework Every technical SEO audit follows this systematic checklist: | # | Area | Key Metrics | Weight | |---|------|-------------|--------| | 1 | **Crawlability** | robots.txt status, sitemap coverage, crawl budget | High | | 2 | **Core Web Vitals** | LCP <2.5s, INP <200ms, CLS <0.1 | High | | 3 | **Site Speed** | TTFB <800ms, FCP <1.8s, Speed Index | High | | 4 | **Mobile** | Mobile-friendly score, viewport, touch targets | High | | 5 | **Security** | HTTPS, mixed content, HSTS, headers | Medium | | 6 | **Structured Data** | Schema validity, rich snippet eligibility | Medium | | 7 | **On-Page** | Meta tags, heading hierarchy, keyword signals | Medium | | 8 | **Architecture** | Internal links, URL structure, canonicals | High | | 9 | **Duplicate Content** | Canonical implementation, pagination | Medium | | 10 | **Internationalization** | Hreflang (if applicable), geo-targeting | Low | **Scoring**: Rate each area 0-10, calculate weighted average for overall Technical Health Score. --- ## Decision Trees ```text ### Audit Type Selection Full site audit needed -> Use assets/audits/full-technical-audit.md Quick issue check -> Use assets/audits/quick-audit-checklist.md CWV-only deep dive -> Use assets/cwv/core-web-vitals-report.md Schema validation only -> Use assets/schema/schema-validation-report.md ### Core Web Vitals Failing LCP >2.5s -> Preload LCP element, optimize images, add CDN -> See references/core-web-vitals-guide.md INP >200ms -> Reduce JavaScript, optimize event handlers -> See references/core-web-vitals-guide.md CLS >0.1 -> Add dimensions to images/ads, avoid layout shifts -> See references/core-web-vitals-guide.md ### Indexation Issues Pages not indexed -> Check robots.txt blocking -> Verify sitemap inclusion -> Check canonical tags -> See references/crawlability-indexing.md Crawl budget problems -> Remove low-value pages from crawl -> Fix redirect chains -> Optimize pagination -> See references/crawlability-indexing.md New/large site needs fast indexation -> Internal linking (#1 accelerator) -> Manual GSC submission (10-20 priority pages) -> Real content updates (not fake lastmod) -> Brand mentions > backlinks (early stage) -> See references/crawlability-indexing.md#indexation-acceleration ### Mobile Issues Mobile-unfriendly -> Check viewport meta tag -> Verify responsive CSS -> Test touch target sizes -> See references/mobile-seo-guide.md ### Link Building Issues Need more backlinks -> Create linkable assets (research, tools) -> Set up HARO/Featured.com -> Broken link building outreach -> See references/link-building-strategy.md Low domain authority -> Focus on DA 50+ targets -> Digital PR campaigns -> Competitor backlink analysis -> See references/link-building-strategy.md ### Local SEO Issues Not showing in local pack -> Optimize Google Business Profile -> Build local citations (NAP consistency) -> Generate more reviews -> See references/local-seo-guide.md GBP not verified -> Complete verification process -> Ensure NAP matches website -> See references/local-seo-guide.md ### Security Issues Mixed content warnings -> Update all HTTP resources to HTTPS -> See references/security-https-guide.md SSL/TLS issues -> Run SSL Labs test -> See references/security-https-guide.md ``` --- ## GSC Issue Triage (Strict Output) Use this format when diagnosing Google Search Console indexation and canonicalization statuses. If missing context blocks a safe recommendation, ask only the minimum clarifying questions (example: "Should these URLs be indexed?"). For each issue: - **Issue:** - **Severity:** Critical / Moderate / Informational - **What Google Is Detecting:** - **Why This Happens:** - **Is This Against Google Rules? (Yes/No + Explanation):** - **Safe Fix (Step-by-Step):** - **Expected SEO Benefit:** - **What NOT to Do (Important):** --- ## Navigation ### Core Resources - [references/core-web-vitals-guide.md](references/core-web-vitals-guide.md) - LCP, INP, CLS thresholds and optimization - [references/crawlability-indexing.md](references/crawlability-indexing.md) - Robots.txt, sitemaps, GSC, indexation - [references/site-speed-optimization.md](references/site-speed-optimization.md) - TTFB, render-blocking, image optimization - [references/mobile-seo-guide.md](references/mobile-seo-guide.md) - Mobile-first indexing, responsive design - [references/structured-data-guide.md](references/structured-data-guide.md) - Schema.org, JSON-LD, rich snippets - [references/security-https-guide.md](references/security-https-guide.md) - HTTPS, HSTS, security headers - [references/internal-linking-strategy.md](references/internal-linking-strategy.md) - Link architecture, orphan pages - [references/duplicate-content-handling.md](references/duplicate-content-handling.md) - Canonicals, pagination, parameters - [references/internationalization-hreflang.md](references/internationalization-hreflang.md) - Hreflang, geo-targeting ### Marketing & Operations - [references/seo-marketing-strategy.md](references/seo-marketing-strategy.md) - Keyword research, content planning, competitive analysis, brand building - [references/seo-operational-workflows.md](references/seo-operational-workflows.md) - Cross-team collaboration, OKRs, stakeholder communication - [references/total-search-optimization.md](references/total-search-optimization.md) - YouTube, Reddit, TikTok, LinkedIn, AI platforms ### Link Building & Local SEO - [references/link-building-strategy.md](references/link-building-strategy.md) - Backlink acquisition, digital PR, HARO, broken link building - [references/local-seo-guide.md](references/local-seo-guide.md) - Google Business Profile, citations, reviews, local pack ranking ### Templates #### Audits - [assets/audits/full-technical-audit.md](assets/audits/full-technical-audit.md) - Complete 10-point audit checklist - [assets/audits/quick-audit-checklist.md](assets/audits/quick-audit-checklist.md) - Fast abbreviated audit #### Core Web Vitals - [assets/cwv/core-web-vitals-report.md](assets/cwv/core-web-vitals-report.md) - CWV-specific audit report #### Structured Data - [assets/schema/schema-validation-report.md](assets/schema/schema-validation-report.md) - Schema audit report #### Prioritization - [assets/priority/impact-effort-matrix.md](assets/priority/impact-effort-matrix.md) - Issue prioritization matrix --- ## Trend Awareness Protocol IMPORTANT: When users ask recommendation questions about SEO, refresh against current updates before giving definitive guidance. If your environment supports web search, use it. If not, rely on official sources in `data/sources.json` and ask the minimum clarifying question about timeframe/market (example: "Is this for the US market, and do you care about changes in the last 30/90 days?"). ### Trigger Conditions - "What's the best approach for [Core Web Vitals/site speed/crawlability]?" - "What should I focus on for SEO in 2026?" - "What's the latest Google algorithm update?" - "Current best practices for [structured data/mobile SEO/indexation]?" - "Is [SEO technique] still relevant in 2026?" - "How has Google Search changed recently?" - "What Core Web Vitals thresholds should I target?" ### Required Searches 1. Search: `site:developers.google.com search updates` 2. Search: `Google Search Status Dashboard` 3. Search: `Core Web Vitals thresholds INP` 4. Search: `Search Console new features` ### What to Report After searching, provide: - **Current landscape**: What SEO factors matter most NOW (not 6 months ago) - **Emerging trends**: New ranking signals or Google features - **Deprecated/declining**: Techniques that no longer work or hurt rankings - **Recommendation**: Based on fresh data and recent algorithm updates ### Example Topics (verify with fresh search) - Core Web Vitals updates (INP replacing FID, thresholds) - Google algorithm updates (helpful content, spam updates) - Structured data new types and requirements - Mobile-first indexing changes - AI Overviews impact on traditional search - New Search Console features --- ## SEO Marketing Strategy (January 2026) Keyword research, content planning, competitive analysis, and brand building. **Key areas covered:** - Keyword research framework (seed discovery, expansion, intent classification, prioritization) - Content planning by intent (informational, commercial, transactional, navigational) - Competitive analysis workflow (monthly audits, intelligence signals) - Brand building tactics (brand and entity signals often correlate with durable performance; validate with current updates) - E-E-A-T content strategy (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust) **See full guide**: [references/seo-marketing-strategy.md](references/seo-marketing-strategy.md) --- ## SEO Operational Workflows (2026) Cross-team collaboration, OKRs, and stakeholder communication. **Key areas covered:** - SEO as strategic quarterback (not isolated channel) - Cross-team collaboration framework (Product, Engineering, Content, Paid, PR, Social) - Pre-launch and post-deployment checklists - SEO OKRs aligned to revenue (not vanity metrics) - Stakeholder-specific reporting and communication **See full guide**: [references/seo-operational-workflows.md](references/seo-operational-workflows.md) --- ## Total Search Optimization (2026) Multi-platform visibility beyond Google. **Platforms covered:** - YouTube SEO (video optimization, ranking factors) - Reddit SEO (forum results increasingly appear for "best", "vs", and review-intent queries) - Social SEO (LinkedIn B2B, TikTok B2C, X/Twitter) - AI platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini) - for deep coverage, use `marketing-ai-search-optimization` - Unified content distribution strategy **See full guide**: [references/total-search-optimization.md](references/total-search-optimization.md) --- ## Related Skills **Marketing & SEO** - [../marketing-ai-search-optimization/SKILL.md](../marketing-ai-search-optimization/SKILL.md) - Search visibility beyond classic SERPs (complements technical SEO) - [../marketing-social-media/SKILL.md](../marketing-social-media/SKILL.md) - Social media marketing and content distribution **Technical Implementation** - [../software-frontend/SKILL.md](../software-frontend/SKILL.md) - Frontend performance optimization, SSR - [../software-backend/SKILL.md](../software-backend/SKILL.md) - Server-side optimization, API performance - [../software-security-appsec/SKILL.md](../software-security-appsec/SKILL.md) - Security hardening, HTTPS implementation **Quality & Performance** - [../qa-observability/SKILL.md](../qa-observability/SKILL.md) - Performance monitoring, observability - [../ops-devops-platform/SKILL.md](../ops-devops-platform/SKILL.md) - CDN setup, infrastructure optimization --- ## Key Differentiators **Audit Output Format:** - **Critical Issues** - Fix immediately (high impact) - **Important Optimizations** - Fix soon (medium impact) - **Recommended Enhancements** - Nice to have **Each finding includes:** - What's wrong and why it matters - Step-by-step fix instructions - Expected outcome - Validation method --- ## External Resources See [data/sources.json](data/sources.json) for primary sources across: - Google Search Central, web.dev, and Chrome developer docs (CWV, Lighthouse, CrUX) - Bing Webmaster Guidelines and diagnostic tooling - Crawl/index/render fundamentals (robots, sitemaps, canonicals, JS SEO) - Structured data eligibility and validation tooling - SEO marketing strategy (Backlinko, Search Engine Journal, Sitebulb, Content Whale) - Cross-team collaboration and operational workflows - Total Search Optimization (YouTube, Reddit, TikTok, LinkedIn) - Optional automation references (Search Console API, CrUX API, Lighthouse CI) --- ## Getting Started **Quick audit (15 minutes):** 1. Run PageSpeed Insights on key pages 2. Check robots.txt and sitemap.xml accessibility 3. Validate structured data with Rich Results Test 4. Review GSC Coverage report for indexation issues 5. Use [assets/audits/quick-audit-checklist.md](assets/audits/quick-audit-checklist.md) **Full audit (2-4 hours):** 1. Use [assets/audits/full-technical-audit.md](assets/audits/full-technical-audit.md) 2. Work through all 10 audit areas systematically 3. Score each area 0-10 4. Prioritize findings with [assets/priority/impact-effort-matrix.md](assets/priority/impact-effort-matrix.md) 5. Document fixes with validation steps **Ongoing monitoring:** 1. Set up GSC alerts for indexation issues 2. Monitor Core Web Vitals in CrUX 3. Schedule quarterly audits 4. Track improvements against baseline --- ## SEO Testing & Monitoring | Signal | Frequency | Alert Threshold | |--------|-----------|-----------------| | Indexation (GSC) | Daily | >5% drop | | CWV scores (CrUX) | Daily | Any metric fails | | Crawl errors | Daily | Any new 4xx/5xx | | Schema validity | Weekly | Any errors | **Do**: Lighthouse CI in pipeline, GSC API monitoring, CrUX field data, baseline before optimization **Avoid**: Testing on fast dev machines only, ignoring field data, multiple simultaneous changes --- ## Success Criteria > A successful technical SEO audit delivers a prioritized list of issues with clear fix instructions and validation methods that measurably improve search visibility and Core Web Vitals scores. --- ## SEO Business Metrics | Metric | Formula | Benchmark | |--------|---------|-----------| | **SEO ROI** | (Organic Revenue - SEO Cost) / SEO Cost * 100 | >300% | | **Organic CAC** | Total SEO Cost / Organic Conversions | B2B: <$100, B2C: <$30 | | **Pipeline Influence** | Organic-Sourced Pipeline / Total Pipeline | >30% | **See full guide**: [references/seo-business-metrics.md](references/seo-business-metrics.md) - Attribution models, OKRs, stakeholder reporting --- ## Tools & Collaboration **Crawl tools**: Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, Semrush, Ahrefs, ContentKing, Lumar **Cross-team**: Product (early planning, redirects), Engineering (Lighthouse CI, CWV), Design (images, CLS) --- ## Anti-Patterns | Anti-Pattern (AVOID) | Better Practice (DO) | |-----------------|-----------| | Audit without action | Assign owners, set deadlines | | Fix everything at once | Batch by priority, deploy incrementally | | Ignore mobile | Test mobile-first (often the majority of traffic) | | Trust lab data only | Use CrUX (field data) as truth | | One-time audit | Continuous monitoring, quarterly deep audits | | Chase vanity metrics (rankings) | Track revenue, conversions, pipeline | | Optimize pages in isolation | Build topical authority clusters | | Ignore AI Overviews | Optimize for citation in AI results | --- ## International Markets This skill uses Google-centric defaults. For international SEO: | Need | See Skill | |------|-----------| | Non-Google search (Baidu, Yandex, Naver) | [marketing-geo-localization](../marketing-geo-localization/SKILL.md) | | Hreflang and multi-region strategy | [marketing-geo-localization](../marketing-geo-localization/SKILL.md) | | Regional SERP features | [marketing-geo-localization](../marketing-geo-localization/SKILL.md) | | CJK/RTL language optimization | [marketing-geo-localization](../marketing-geo-localization/SKILL.md) | If you're using a router-based setup, mention country/region/search engine explicitly so the router can bring in [marketing-geo-localization](../marketing-geo-localization/SKILL.md) when needed. --- ## SEO Mistakes (High Risk) High risk (can cause ranking loss or manual actions): keyword stuffing, link spam/toxic backlink patterns, hidden text/cloaking, doorway pages, deceptive structured data, scaled low-value content Common suppressors: weak E-E-A-T signals, poor internal linking, failing CWV, mobile-unfriendly UX, stale content, wrong canonicals Technical crawl/index blockers: accidental noindex, redirect chains >2 hops, broken links, missing sitemap, blocking critical JS/CSS for rendering Recovery: GSC Manual Actions -> Coverage report -> Traffic analysis -> Site audit -> Fix by severity -> Reconsideration (manual only) -> Expect weeks to months