/seo-content

name: seo-content
description: >
  Content quality and E-E-A-T analysis with AI citation readiness assessment.
  Use when user says "content quality", "E-E-A-T", "content analysis",
  "readability check", "thin content", or "content audit".
user-invokable: true
argument-hint: "[url]"
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: AgriciDaniel
  version: "1.9.6"
  category: seo

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