` tag: exact text, character count - `<meta name="description">`: exact text, character count - Open Graph tags: og:title, og:description, og:image, og:url, og:type - Twitter card tags: twitter:card, twitter:title, twitter:description, twitter:image - JSON-LD presence: any `<script type="application/ld+json">` block present? - Primary H1: exact text, position in document If the URL is inaccessible, note that and audit from source files with caveats. If the page is behind auth or a paywall, say so and limit the audit to what is accessible. --- ## 2. Audit Lanes Run all lanes. Score each A-F at the end. State explicitly when a check was skipped and why. --- ### Lane 0: Keyword Research (optional mode) Activate when keyword discovery is requested; skip for technical-only or copy-only audits. **Goal:** produce a keyword brief and content brief the page can be built or optimized around. 1. **Primary keyword**: one phrase the page should be #1 for. Match search intent precisely. Classify as informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional. Classify volume by inference from query specificity and topic breadth: head terms like "music distribution" are high (>10K/mo); long-tail phrases like "how to register a song copyright with SoundExchange" are low (<1K/mo). Classify difficulty by competition density: head terms with Wikipedia/major-brand dominance are high; niche product terms are low. Agents must classify both. Do not skip. 2. **Secondary keywords**: 3–5 phrases the page should rank on page 1 for. Related but not synonymous with the primary keyword. 3. **LSI / supporting terms**: 5–10 phrases, entities, and related concepts that should appear naturally in the content. Group by subtopic. 4. **Competitor content gap**: when a competitor URL is provided or can be inferred from the niche, fetch the page and compare H2/H3 structure. For each competitor: a. List the H2/H3 headings the competitor covers that the target page does not. b. Identify the queries those sections are likely targeting. c. Classify each gap as: CRITICAL (directly on primary keyword intent), IMPORTANT (secondary keyword), or INFORMATIONAL (supporting LSI term). Output: ``` Competitor: [URL] Gap topic: [H2/H3 text from competitor] — [query it targets] — [CRITICAL|IMPORTANT|INFORMATIONAL] Missing section recommended: [exact H2 to add] — [brief rationale] ``` If no competitor URL is provided and none is inferable, name 2–3 queries competitor pages likely rank for that the target page does not address, derived from the keyword set and topic structure. 5. **SERP feature opportunities**: which SERP features is the target eligible for? Options: Featured snippet, People Also Ask, Image pack, Video carousel, Knowledge panel, Local pack, Site links. For each feature named, state the eligibility reason. **Content brief**: generate when Lane 0 is active and a page is being built or significantly revised: | Field | Guidance | |---|---| | Target word count | Informational: 1,200–2,500 words. Commercial: 800–1,500 words. Transactional: 400–800 words. Match top 3 SERP competitors if estimable from URL structure. | | Required H2 sections | Pull from People Also Ask for the primary keyword + competitor H2/H3 structure. List every sub-topic the page must cover to match SERP depth. | | Schema type | State the exact `@type` value required (see Lane 5). | | Internal links to include | Name anchor text + destination for at least 2 existing site pages the new content must link to. | | External links to include | Name 1–3 authoritative sources (Wikipedia, official docs, standards body, peer-reviewed source) relevant to the primary keyword. | | NLP term density targets | Primary: in H1, in first 100 words, 2–4 additional times per 1,000 words. Each secondary keyword: 1–2 times per 1,000 words. Flag if current content misses these targets. | Output keyword brief (output content brief inline before this block when generated): ``` Primary: [keyword] — [intent: info/nav/commercial/transactional] — [volume: low <1K/mo | medium 1K–10K | high >10K/mo] — [difficulty: low | medium | high] Secondary: [k1 — intent — volume], [k2 — intent — volume], [k3 — intent — volume] LSI terms: [list — grouped by subtopic] Competitor gap queries: [query — competitor URL that ranks — content angle missing from target page] SERP feature targets: [feature — eligibility reason] Content brief: primary keyword appears in H1 + first 100 words + [N] times per 1,000 words; secondary keywords appear [1–2] times each ``` Lane 0 is informational only. It produces a brief, not a grade. Incorporate the brief into Lanes 2–7 findings where relevant. --- ### Lane 1: Technical Access **Goal:** confirm that crawlers, indexers, and AI scrapers can reach, parse, and attribute the page. Checklist: - [ ] HTTP status is 200 on the canonical URL - [ ] No redirect chain longer than one hop (double redirects dilute equity) - [ ] Canonical URL is self-referencing and matches the intended URL - [ ] Trailing slash is consistent across all internal links to this page - [ ] www and non-www resolve to the same canonical (no duplicate indexing) - [ ] http redirects to https (no mixed-content split) - [ ] `robots.txt` allows the path for `*`, `Googlebot`, and `GPTBot` - [ ] `<meta name="robots">` is absent or set to `index, follow` - [ ] Sitemap lists the canonical URL with a valid `<lastmod>` date - [ ] Page loads meaningful content without JavaScript execution (check `curl -A "Googlebot"` output or view-source) - [ ] Core Web Vitals: run `curl -o /dev/null -s -w "%{time_total}" <URL>` as a proxy for server response time. If PageSpeed Insights is accessible at pagespeed.web.dev, fetch it. Report LCP, CLS, INP against these thresholds: LCP ≤ 2.5s = Good, 2.5–4s = Needs Improvement, >4s = Poor. CLS ≤ 0.1 = Good, 0.1–0.25 = Needs Improvement, >0.25 = Poor. INP ≤ 200ms = Good, 200–500ms = Needs Improvement, >500ms = Poor. If tooling is unavailable, check for render-blocking scripts, unoptimized images (no `loading="lazy"`, no `width`/`height` attributes, no next-gen formats), and missing `font-display:swap`. Flag each as a CWV risk. Do not invent scores; do report observable risks. Lane 1 grade drops to C or below if: any indexability block is present, if the canonical is wrong, or if the page is JavaScript-only with no SSR/SSG fallback. --- ### Lane 2: Search and Answer Intent **Goal:** confirm the page has a single coherent intent that matches real queries and can earn a featured snippet or AI citation. Checklist: - [ ] Name the primary reader in one phrase (e.g., "a creator who wants to register a music release") - [ ] Name the primary query theme (what someone types or asks to land here) - [ ] Write the AI-answer-ready definition: the sentence(s) an LLM would quote if asked about this page's subject. Format: "[Entity] is [what it does] for [who] by [how]. It [primary differentiator]." If this definition cannot be constructed from the first 200 words of the page, that is a HIGH finding. - [ ] Name one action the page should earn (install, sign up, read docs, fork repo, contact) - [ ] Check for keyword cannibalization: are there three or more other pages on the same site targeting the same primary term? If yes, flag which URL should be the canonical topic owner - [ ] Does the page answer a question a person would plausibly ask aloud? - [ ] Is the primary intent clear within the first 200 words? Lane 2 grade drops to C or below if: the page has no clear primary reader, if the intent conflicts with the title, or if the first screen answers a different question than the URL implies. --- ### Lane 3: Metadata **Goal:** every metadata field is populated, within safe limits, and tuned for click-through from search results and social previews. Checklist: **Title tag** - [ ] Under 60 characters (Google truncates above ~580px width) - [ ] Primary keyword or entity name in first three words - [ ] Brand suffix separated by ` | ` or ` — ` (not an em dash in tag value) - [ ] Does not duplicate the H1 word-for-word (slight variation improves CTR) - [ ] Does not start with "Welcome to" or the domain name **Meta description** - [ ] Under 160 characters - [ ] Contains the primary outcome or action, not a feature list - [ ] Ends with a reason to click (question, imperative, or benefit) - [ ] Does not duplicate the title - [ ] Does not contain structured data markup or JSON **Open Graph** - [ ] og:title: set, under 88 characters - [ ] og:description: set, under 200 characters - [ ] og:image: set, image is 1200x630px minimum, no text near edges - [ ] og:url: matches canonical URL - [ ] og:type: set to `website`, `article`, or appropriate type **Twitter/X card** - [ ] twitter:card: `summary_large_image` for pages with a hero image - [ ] twitter:title and twitter:description: set and distinct from OG when appropriate - [ ] twitter:image: set and accessible without authentication **Other** - [ ] Image alt text on all visible images (not empty, not "image", not filename) - [ ] Author or publisher entity name appears in metadata or schema (not just visible copy) - [ ] Durable entity names (product name, company name, skill name) appear in title, description, and H1; at least one each Lane 3 grade drops to D or below if: title is over 70 characters and truncates the entity name, meta description is missing, og:image is missing, or any entity name is absent from all three (title + description + H1). --- ### Lane 4: Structure **Goal:** the page's heading hierarchy, section order, internal link network, and FAQ placement serve both human readers and AI citation engines. Checklist: **Headings** - [ ] Exactly one H1, matching the title intent (not necessarily identical text) - [ ] H2s cover the primary sub-topics a searcher would expect - [ ] H3s are optional but used consistently if present - [ ] No heading is a sentence longer than 12 words - [ ] No heading is a generic label like "Introduction" or "Overview" **Section order** - [ ] Hero: what it is and who it is for - [ ] Proof: links, artifacts, commands, or evidence - [ ] How: numbered or bulleted steps with verbs and results - [ ] FAQ: direct answers for the most common objections and queries - [ ] CTA: the action, with no competing secondary action in the same viewport **Links** - [ ] Internal links use descriptive anchor text (not "click here" or "read more") - [ ] Internal links connect this page to at least two related pages on the same site - [ ] No internal links are broken (verify with fetch or curl) - [ ] External links go to authoritative sources when making factual claims - [ ] No external links open in the same tab when the page has a primary CTA that would compete **FAQ** - [ ] FAQ section present if the page makes a product or service claim - [ ] Each FAQ item is a real question a user or searcher would ask - [ ] Each FAQ answer is self-contained (the answer makes sense without reading the question) - [ ] FAQ answers are under 100 words each (AI citation sweet spot) **Keyword density** - [ ] Primary keyword appears in: H1 (required), first 100 words (required), title tag (required), meta description (recommended), and 2–4 additional times per 1,000 words of body content - [ ] Each secondary keyword appears 1–2 times per 1,000 words; not zero (invisible to search), not more than 3 (triggers keyword stuffing signals) - [ ] Primary keyword is not crammed into headings unnaturally. Every H2 containing the keyword must make grammatical and editorial sense without it - [ ] LSI/supporting terms are distributed across the body, not clustered in one section Density check output format: ``` Primary "[keyword]": H1 ✓/✗ | first 100 words ✓/✗ | body density [N per 1,000 words] (target: 2–4) | status: OK | THIN | OVER Secondary "[keyword]": [N per 1,000 words] (target: 1–2) | status: OK | MISSING | OVER ``` Lane 4 grade drops to C or below if: H1 is missing, section order puts the FAQ or proof below the fold without any in-page anchor, or internal links use non-descriptive anchor text throughout. Lane 4 drops an additional letter grade if primary keyword density is 0 in the body or any secondary keyword is completely absent from the page. --- ### Lane 5: Schema Markup **Goal:** every JSON-LD block is valid, typed correctly for the page, and matches visible content. Checklist: - [ ] At least one `<script type="application/ld+json">` block present - [ ] Schema validates at schema.org/validator (or equivalent) with no errors - [ ] Schema type matches the page purpose: - FAQ page or page with Q&A section → `FAQPage` - Blog post or article → `Article` or `BlogPosting` - Product or app page → `SoftwareApplication` or `Product` - Docs or reference page → `TechArticle` or `WebPage` - Organization root page → `Organization` - Breadcrumb present for deep pages → `BreadcrumbList` - [ ] FAQ schema items match the visible FAQ text exactly (no hallucinated Q&A) - [ ] `Organization` schema includes: `name`, `url`, `logo`, `sameAs` (GitHub, LinkedIn, App Store, or other authoritative profiles) - [ ] `SoftwareApplication` schema includes: `name`, `applicationCategory`, `operatingSystem`, `offers` (even if free; use `price: "0"`) - [ ] `Article` schema includes: `headline`, `author`, `datePublished`, `dateModified` When schema is missing or broken, provide the exact corrected JSON-LD block inline in the findings. Do not describe it in prose. Example minimum Organization block: ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Suede", "url": "https://suedeai.ai", "logo": "https://suedeai.ai/logo.png", "sameAs": [ "https://github.com/Suede-AI", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/suedeai" ] } ``` Lane 5 grade drops to D or below if: no schema is present on a page making factual product claims, or if FAQ schema items do not match visible text. --- ### Lane 6: AI EO (Answer Engine Optimization) **Goal:** the page is structured so that LLMs, answer engines, and AI overviews can extract, quote, and cite it accurately without inventing facts. Checklist: **Summary and definitions** - [ ] First 200 words contain a clear, citable answer to the page's primary question. The answer can stand alone without surrounding context. - [ ] The product, skill, or service is defined plainly in the first section, not assumed - [ ] No jargon is used without an inline definition on first use - [ ] Definitions are written as `[Term] is [concise definition].` not buried in nested clauses **FAQ and citation targets** - [ ] FAQ answers are in plain prose, not bullet trees (AI cites prose better) - [ ] Each FAQ answer names the subject explicitly (not "it" or "this") - [ ] At least one FAQ directly addresses the primary query from Lane 2 **Entity signals** - [ ] Company/product name appears in: H1, first paragraph, at least one H2, and schema `name` field - [ ] `sameAs` links in schema point to at least one external authoritative profile (GitHub, LinkedIn, App Store, Wikipedia if applicable) - [ ] URL structure reflects the entity and topic (not `/p/1234` or `/post`) **AI-accessible content** - [ ] `llms.txt` or `ai.txt` consideration: if site has 10+ pages, note whether an `llms.txt` is present or warranted (not required, but increases AI crawl signal) - [ ] Primary content is not behind JavaScript hydration with no SSR fallback - [ ] Primary content is not paywalled or auth-gated (AI cannot cite what it cannot read) - [ ] Citation-friendly headings use noun phrases, not questions alone (e.g., "How Suede Routes Royalties" is more citable than "How does it work?") **Hallucination risk** - [ ] Page does not make vague claims an LLM could cite incorrectly (e.g., "used by thousands" without evidence. State the real proof or remove it.) - [ ] No stat, partner name, or pricing claim is present without a verification source Lane 6 grade drops to C or below if: the primary answer is not in the first 200 words, FAQ answers use "it" as the subject, or primary content is JavaScript-only. --- ### Lane 7: Copy and Conversion Quality **Goal:** copy earns action. Every sentence either moves the reader toward the primary CTA or proves the claim that does. Checklist: **Directness** - [ ] First sentence names the outcome, not the feature (outcome: "Register a music release with rights and provenance"; feature: "A platform for music metadata") - [ ] No throat-clearing openers ("Welcome to", "In today's digital landscape") - [ ] Active voice with a named actor in each key sentence - [ ] Subhead adds proof, audience, or workflow, not a restatement of the hero **Proof** - [ ] At least one real artifact: link, command, screenshot reference, file name, live URL, or example - [ ] No invented stats, testimonials, partner names, pricing, or availability claims - [ ] Proof appears before the CTA, not after **Claims** - [ ] Every superlative ("only", "best", "first") is either verifiable or removed - [ ] Legal, payment, privacy, or regulatory claims are accurate and sourced - [ ] Product capabilities described match what is currently shipped and live **CTA** - [ ] One primary CTA is visible above the fold - [ ] CTA text is an action + object ("Install the skill", not "Get started") - [ ] No two competing CTAs in the same viewport - [ ] Secondary CTA is visually subordinate to primary **Trust** - [ ] If testimonials are present, they are real and attributable - [ ] If testimonials are absent, copy does not imply them - [ ] Brand vocabulary matches the actual product (no generic AI-music-app language when the product does rights infrastructure) **Filler removal**: the test is whether a sentence can be deleted without the reader missing any information, delete it. Apply to: transitions, throat-clearing, hedging, adverb softeners, and exclamation marks. Flag and remove: - [ ] Filler transitions ("Additionally", "Furthermore", "It is worth noting") - [ ] Exclamation points in body copy - [ ] Em dashes in public copy (use a comma, period, or recast the sentence) - [ ] Adverb softeners ("simply", "just", "easily", "seamlessly") Lane 7 grade drops to C or below if: the primary CTA is absent above the fold, any public claim is unverifiable, or the copy could belong to any competing product without changing a word. --- ### Lane 8: E-E-A-T Signals **Goal:** confirm that Google's quality evaluator signals (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) are present and verifiable on the page. **Experience**: Does the page show first-hand, real-world use of the product or topic? Look for: demos, screenshots of real output, case studies with specific results, personal or company proof. **Expertise**: Does the content demonstrate deep, accurate knowledge? Look for: technical depth, correct use of domain vocabulary, specific examples over generic claims, citations to primary sources. **Authoritativeness**: Is this site or page recognized as a source in the space? Look for: backlinks from authoritative sites (note if checkable), mentions in industry press, author credentials visible, organization About page. **Trustworthiness**: Can users trust this content and site? Look for: HTTPS, privacy policy, clear contact and company info, accurate and verifiable claims, no misleading UI patterns, consistent authorship. Checklist: - [ ] First-person or company-specific proof present (E: Experience) - [ ] Accurate technical claims with no puffery (E: Expertise) - [ ] Author name and credentials visible when relevant (A: Authoritativeness) - [ ] Privacy policy, contact page, and HTTPS present (T: Trustworthiness) - [ ] No misleading UI patterns or dark patterns (T: Trustworthiness) - [ ] Claims are verifiable and sourced (T: Trustworthiness) Grade: A (all four strong), B (3 strong), C (2 strong), D/F (1 or 0). Lane 8 grade drops to C or below if: no real proof of experience or expertise is visible, contact or privacy information is absent, or misleading UI patterns are present. --- ### Lane 9: Topic Cluster Architecture **Goal:** for sites with multiple pages, confirm the content is organized into pillar and cluster pages with complete internal linking. Skip for single-page audits and note the skip. **Pillar page**: one comprehensive, authoritative page on the core topic. Should rank for broad head terms. **Cluster pages**: specific, narrow pages that support the pillar by covering sub-topics in depth. Each links back to the pillar. Audit questions: 1. Does a clear pillar page exist for the site's primary topic? 2. Do cluster pages exist for each major sub-topic? 3. Does each cluster page link to the pillar? 4. Does the pillar page link to each cluster? 5. Are there orphan pages (no internal links in or out)? 6. Are there keyword cannibalization risks (two pages competing for the same query)? Output a simple map: ``` Pillar: [page] — [target keyword] Cluster: [page] — [sub-topic keyword] Cluster: [page] — [sub-topic keyword] Orphan pages: [list or "none found"] Cannibalization risks: [list or "none found"] ``` Lane 9 grade drops to C or below if: no pillar page exists, cluster pages do not link back to the pillar, or two or more pages compete for the same primary keyword. --- ## 3. Finding Format Report every finding in this block. Do not describe findings in prose. ``` [HIGH|MEDIUM|LOW] Finding title Location: <URL, selector, or file + line> Issue: <what is wrong and why it matters> Fix: <exact corrective action> Suggested copy or code: <literal rewrite, JSON-LD block, or command> Verification: <how to confirm the fix worked> ``` Severity guide: - HIGH: blocks indexing, breaks CTA, contains false public claim, schema invalid - MEDIUM: hurts CTR, weakens AI citation, missing recommended signal - LOW: copy quality, filler, minor structural improvement --- ## 4. Scoring Grade each lane A-F: | Grade | Meaning | |-------|---------| | A | Fully implemented, no significant gaps | | B | Mostly implemented, one or two medium findings | | C | Partially implemented, one or more high findings | | D | Significant gaps, multiple high findings | | F | Lane is absent or actively harmful | Hard caps: - Cannot earn A overall without verifying a live URL - Cannot earn A if primary CTA is broken or absent - Cannot earn A if any public claim is false, unverifiable, or invented - Cannot earn A in Lane 5 if schema does not validate - Cannot earn A in Lane 6 if primary content is paywalled or JavaScript-only - Cannot earn A in Lane 8 if contact, privacy policy, or HTTPS is absent - Cannot earn A in Lane 9 if two or more pages compete for the same primary keyword Overall grade: convert letter grades to points (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). Lanes 1, 3, and 6 count 1.5x. Lanes 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 count 1x. Lane 0 excluded. Max weighted score = (3 × 1.5 + 6 × 1) × 4 = 42. Overall letter: ≥38 = A, ≥30 = B, ≥22 = C, ≥14 = D, <14 = F. --- ## 5. Output Template Produce this block at the end of every full audit. Fill every field. Write "none found" or "not applicable" rather than leaving a field blank. ``` === SEO AUDIT REPORT === Audited URL: Audit date: Source checked: [live URL | source file | both] --- KEYWORD BRIEF (Lane 0 — omit if not requested) --- Primary: [keyword] — [intent: info/nav/commercial/transactional] — [volume: low <1K/mo | medium 1K–10K | high >10K/mo] — [difficulty: low | medium | high] Secondary: [k1 — intent — volume], [k2 — intent — volume], [k3 — intent — volume] LSI terms: [list — grouped by subtopic] Competitor gap queries: [query — competitor URL that ranks — content angle missing from target page] SERP feature targets: [feature — eligibility reason] Content brief: primary keyword appears in H1 + first 100 words + [N] times per 1,000 words; secondary keywords appear [1–2] times each --- METADATA --- SEO title (suggested): Meta description (suggested): H1 (suggested): Subhead (suggested): --- CONVERSION --- Primary CTA (text and destination): Secondary CTA (text and destination): --- CONTENT ADDITIONS --- Content brief (from Lane 0 — omit if not requested): Target word count: [N] words (based on [intent] + SERP competition) Required H2 sections: [list — derived from PAA and competitor H2 structure] NLP term density check: Primary "[keyword]": appears in H1 [yes/no], first 100 words [yes/no], [N] times per 1,000 words (target: 2–4) Secondary "[keyword]": [N] times per 1,000 words (target: 1–2 each) FAQ additions: Q: [real searcher question — match PAA wording] A: [≤100 words, subject named explicitly, no pronouns as subject] Internal links to add (anchor text → destination URL): External links to add (anchor text → destination URL): Competitor content gap: Competitor: [URL or "derived from niche"] Missing sections: [H2 text — target query — priority: CRITICAL|IMPORTANT|INFORMATIONAL] --- SCHEMA --- Schema changes: [Paste corrected or new JSON-LD block here] --- AI EO NOTES --- AI-ready summary (first 200 words target): llms.txt warranted: [yes | no | already present] Hallucination risk flags: --- E-E-A-T NOTES --- Experience proof present: Expertise signals: Authoritativeness signals: Trustworthiness gaps: --- TOPIC CLUSTER MAP (omit for single-page audits) --- Pillar: [page] — [target keyword] Cluster: [page] — [sub-topic keyword] Orphan pages: Cannibalization risks: --- CORE WEB VITALS --- LCP: [score or "not measurable" — reason] CLS: [score or "not measurable" — reason] INP: [score or "not measurable" — reason] Lighthouse score (if available): Performance [N] | Accessibility [N] | Best Practices [N] | SEO [N] CWV risk factors observed: [list or "none"] --- SCORES --- Copy score: /70 Directness: /10 Rhythm: /10 Trust: /10 Specificity: /10 Authenticity: /10 Density: /10 Search/AI readability: /10 Lane grades: Lane 1 (Technical Access): Lane 2 (Search and Answer Intent): Lane 3 (Metadata): Lane 4 (Structure): Lane 5 (Schema Markup): Lane 6 (AI EO): Lane 7 (Copy and Conversion Quality): Lane 8 (E-E-A-T Signals): Lane 9 (Topic Cluster Architecture): Overall grade: --- CLAIM BOUNDARIES --- Safe to publish: Do not publish until verified: Remove entirely: --- VERIFICATION CHECKLIST --- [ ] Status code confirmed 200 [ ] Canonical URL confirmed [ ] robots.txt allows path [ ] Schema validates at schema.org/validator [ ] All internal links return 200 [ ] Primary CTA destination loads correctly [ ] og:image loads at full resolution [ ] JSON-LD blocks contain no fabricated content --- SHIP GATE --- ship | ship-with-caveats | hold Reason: ``` --- ## 6. Workflow Steps Follow these steps in order. Do not skip to findings before completing steps 1 through 3. 1. **Read the target.** Fetch the live URL or open the source file. If both are available, check both and note any divergence between source and rendered output. 2. **Run the Source Truth checks** from Section 1. Record every field exactly as found. Do not paraphrase tag values. 3. **Check robots.txt and sitemap.** Fetch `<domain>/robots.txt` and any listed sitemap. Confirm the target URL is not blocked and is listed. 4. **Scan all active lanes.** Lane 0 activates only when keyword discovery is requested. Lanes 1–9 run on every audit (Lane 9 is N/A for single-page audits; note the skip). Work through each checklist item. Mark each item pass, fail, or N/A. Note the location of each failure. 5. **Write ranked findings.** Use the finding format from Section 3. Group by lane. Put HIGH findings first within each lane. 6. **Write exact rewrites.** For every HIGH and MEDIUM finding involving copy, metadata, or schema: provide the literal replacement text or JSON-LD block. Do not describe what the fix should say. Write it. 7. **Fill the output template** from Section 5. Every field must be filled. 8. **Score each lane** A-F using the criteria from Section 4. Apply hard caps. 9. **Set the ship gate.** `ship` only if no HIGH findings remain and all hard caps are met. `ship-with-caveats` if only MEDIUM or LOW findings remain and no claim is false. `hold` if any HIGH finding is unresolved, any claim is false, or the CTA destination is broken. Name any lane items that could not be verified and why (e.g., "Core Web Vitals: no field data access", "sitemap not publicly accessible"). --- ## 7. Boundaries Do not invent traffic estimates, ranking positions, citation frequency, or ROI from SEO changes. Name what was checked, what was skipped, and what requires additional tooling.

--- name: suede-seo-audit description: Make any page undeniable to search engines and AI systems. 9-lane audit covering technical access, keyword research, E-E-A-T signals, topic clusters, schema generation, Core Web Vitals, competitor gap analysis, and AI citation readiness. --- # Suede SEO Audit This skill goes deeper than an inline copy audit. It inspects live page source, validates schema, traces crawl access, checks AI EO signals, and produces exact rewrites with a lane-by-lane grade. Use suede-copy for writing new copy. Use this skill when the audit itself is the deliverable. --- ## 1. Source Truth Do not audit from memory. Before writing a single finding, verify the live surface. ### Required pre-audit checks - HTTP status code (200, 301, 404, 503): note exact code - Final URL after all redirects (is the canonical URL the destination?) - `robots.txt`: is the path allowed? Is `Disallow: /` blocking indexers? - `` or ``: noindex? nofollow? - ``: does it match the intended URL exactly? - Sitemap entry: is the URL present in any listed sitemap? - `` tag: exact text, character count - `<meta name="description">`: exact text, character count - Open Graph tags: og:title, og:description, og:image, og:url, og:type - Twitter card tags: twitter:card, twitter:title, twitter:description, twitter:image - JSON-LD presence: any `<script type="application/ld+json">` block present? - Primary H1: exact text, position in document If the URL is inaccessible, note that and audit from source files with caveats. If the page is behind auth or a paywall, say so and limit the audit to what is accessible. --- ## 2. Audit Lanes Run all lanes. Score each A-F at the end. State explicitly when a check was skipped and why. --- ### Lane 0: Keyword Research (optional mode) Activate when keyword discovery is requested; skip for technical-only or copy-only audits. **Goal:** produce a keyword brief and content brief the page can be built or optimized around. 1. **Primary keyword**: one phrase the page should be #1 for. Match search intent precisely. Classify as informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional. Classify volume by inference from query specificity and topic breadth: head terms like "music distribution" are high (>10K/mo); long-tail phrases like "how to register a song copyright with SoundExchange" are low (<1K/mo). Classify difficulty by competition density: head terms with Wikipedia/major-brand dominance are high; niche product terms are low. Agents must classify both. Do not skip. 2. **Secondary keywords**: 3–5 phrases the page should rank on page 1 for. Related but not synonymous with the primary keyword. 3. **LSI / supporting terms**: 5–10 phrases, entities, and related concepts that should appear naturally in the content. Group by subtopic. 4. **Competitor content gap**: when a competitor URL is provided or can be inferred from the niche, fetch the page and compare H2/H3 structure. For each competitor: a. List the H2/H3 headings the competitor covers that the target page does not. b. Identify the queries those sections are likely targeting. c. Classify each gap as: CRITICAL (directly on primary keyword intent), IMPORTANT (secondary keyword), or INFORMATIONAL (supporting LSI term). Output: ``` Competitor: [URL] Gap topic: [H2/H3 text from competitor] — [query it targets] — [CRITICAL|IMPORTANT|INFORMATIONAL] Missing section recommended: [exact H2 to add] — [brief rationale] ``` If no competitor URL is provided and none is inferable, name 2–3 queries competitor pages likely rank for that the target page does not address, derived from the keyword set and topic structure. 5. **SERP feature opportunities**: which SERP features is the target eligible for? Options: Featured snippet, People Also Ask, Image pack, Video carousel, Knowledge panel, Local pack, Site links. For each feature named, state the eligibility reason. **Content brief**: generate when Lane 0 is active and a page is being built or significantly revised: | Field | Guidance | |---|---| | Target word count | Informational: 1,200–2,500 words. Commercial: 800–1,500 words. Transactional: 400–800 words. Match top 3 SERP competitors if estimable from URL structure. | | Required H2 sections | Pull from People Also Ask for the primary keyword + competitor H2/H3 structure. List every sub-topic the page must cover to match SERP depth. | | Schema type | State the exact `@type` value required (see Lane 5). | | Internal links to include | Name anchor text + destination for at least 2 existing site pages the new content must link to. | | External links to include | Name 1–3 authoritative sources (Wikipedia, official docs, standards body, peer-reviewed source) relevant to the primary keyword. | | NLP term density targets | Primary: in H1, in first 100 words, 2–4 additional times per 1,000 words. Each secondary keyword: 1–2 times per 1,000 words. Flag if current content misses these targets. | Output keyword brief (output content brief inline before this block when generated): ``` Primary: [keyword] — [intent: info/nav/commercial/transactional] — [volume: low <1K/mo | medium 1K–10K | high >10K/mo] — [difficulty: low | medium | high] Secondary: [k1 — intent — volume], [k2 — intent — volume], [k3 — intent — volume] LSI terms: [list — grouped by subtopic] Competitor gap queries: [query — competitor URL that ranks — content angle missing from target page] SERP feature targets: [feature — eligibility reason] Content brief: primary keyword appears in H1 + first 100 words + [N] times per 1,000 words; secondary keywords appear [1–2] times each ``` Lane 0 is informational only. It produces a brief, not a grade. Incorporate the brief into Lanes 2–7 findings where relevant. --- ### Lane 1: Technical Access **Goal:** confirm that crawlers, indexers, and AI scrapers can reach, parse, and attribute the page. Checklist: - [ ] HTTP status is 200 on the canonical URL - [ ] No redirect chain longer than one hop (double redirects dilute equity) - [ ] Canonical URL is self-referencing and matches the intended URL - [ ] Trailing slash is consistent across all internal links to this page - [ ] www and non-www resolve to the same canonical (no duplicate indexing) - [ ] http redirects to https (no mixed-content split) - [ ] `robots.txt` allows the path for `*`, `Googlebot`, and `GPTBot` - [ ] `<meta name="robots">` is absent or set to `index, follow` - [ ] Sitemap lists the canonical URL with a valid `<lastmod>` date - [ ] Page loads meaningful content without JavaScript execution (check `curl -A "Googlebot"` output or view-source) - [ ] Core Web Vitals: run `curl -o /dev/null -s -w "%{time_total}" <URL>` as a proxy for server response time. If PageSpeed Insights is accessible at pagespeed.web.dev, fetch it. Report LCP, CLS, INP against these thresholds: LCP ≤ 2.5s = Good, 2.5–4s = Needs Improvement, >4s = Poor. CLS ≤ 0.1 = Good, 0.1–0.25 = Needs Improvement, >0.25 = Poor. INP ≤ 200ms = Good, 200–500ms = Needs Improvement, >500ms = Poor. If tooling is unavailable, check for render-blocking scripts, unoptimized images (no `loading="lazy"`, no `width`/`height` attributes, no next-gen formats), and missing `font-display:swap`. Flag each as a CWV risk. Do not invent scores; do report observable risks. Lane 1 grade drops to C or below if: any indexability block is present, if the canonical is wrong, or if the page is JavaScript-only with no SSR/SSG fallback. --- ### Lane 2: Search and Answer Intent **Goal:** confirm the page has a single coherent intent that matches real queries and can earn a featured snippet or AI citation. Checklist: - [ ] Name the primary reader in one phrase (e.g., "a creator who wants to register a music release") - [ ] Name the primary query theme (what someone types or asks to land here) - [ ] Write the AI-answer-ready definition: the sentence(s) an LLM would quote if asked about this page's subject. Format: "[Entity] is [what it does] for [who] by [how]. It [primary differentiator]." If this definition cannot be constructed from the first 200 words of the page, that is a HIGH finding. - [ ] Name one action the page should earn (install, sign up, read docs, fork repo, contact) - [ ] Check for keyword cannibalization: are there three or more other pages on the same site targeting the same primary term? If yes, flag which URL should be the canonical topic owner - [ ] Does the page answer a question a person would plausibly ask aloud? - [ ] Is the primary intent clear within the first 200 words? Lane 2 grade drops to C or below if: the page has no clear primary reader, if the intent conflicts with the title, or if the first screen answers a different question than the URL implies. --- ### Lane 3: Metadata **Goal:** every metadata field is populated, within safe limits, and tuned for click-through from search results and social previews. Checklist: **Title tag** - [ ] Under 60 characters (Google truncates above ~580px width) - [ ] Primary keyword or entity name in first three words - [ ] Brand suffix separated by ` | ` or ` — ` (not an em dash in tag value) - [ ] Does not duplicate the H1 word-for-word (slight variation improves CTR) - [ ] Does not start with "Welcome to" or the domain name **Meta description** - [ ] Under 160 characters - [ ] Contains the primary outcome or action, not a feature list - [ ] Ends with a reason to click (question, imperative, or benefit) - [ ] Does not duplicate the title - [ ] Does not contain structured data markup or JSON **Open Graph** - [ ] og:title: set, under 88 characters - [ ] og:description: set, under 200 characters - [ ] og:image: set, image is 1200x630px minimum, no text near edges - [ ] og:url: matches canonical URL - [ ] og:type: set to `website`, `article`, or appropriate type **Twitter/X card** - [ ] twitter:card: `summary_large_image` for pages with a hero image - [ ] twitter:title and twitter:description: set and distinct from OG when appropriate - [ ] twitter:image: set and accessible without authentication **Other** - [ ] Image alt text on all visible images (not empty, not "image", not filename) - [ ] Author or publisher entity name appears in metadata or schema (not just visible copy) - [ ] Durable entity names (product name, company name, skill name) appear in title, description, and H1; at least one each Lane 3 grade drops to D or below if: title is over 70 characters and truncates the entity name, meta description is missing, og:image is missing, or any entity name is absent from all three (title + description + H1). --- ### Lane 4: Structure **Goal:** the page's heading hierarchy, section order, internal link network, and FAQ placement serve both human readers and AI citation engines. Checklist: **Headings** - [ ] Exactly one H1, matching the title intent (not necessarily identical text) - [ ] H2s cover the primary sub-topics a searcher would expect - [ ] H3s are optional but used consistently if present - [ ] No heading is a sentence longer than 12 words - [ ] No heading is a generic label like "Introduction" or "Overview" **Section order** - [ ] Hero: what it is and who it is for - [ ] Proof: links, artifacts, commands, or evidence - [ ] How: numbered or bulleted steps with verbs and results - [ ] FAQ: direct answers for the most common objections and queries - [ ] CTA: the action, with no competing secondary action in the same viewport **Links** - [ ] Internal links use descriptive anchor text (not "click here" or "read more") - [ ] Internal links connect this page to at least two related pages on the same site - [ ] No internal links are broken (verify with fetch or curl) - [ ] External links go to authoritative sources when making factual claims - [ ] No external links open in the same tab when the page has a primary CTA that would compete **FAQ** - [ ] FAQ section present if the page makes a product or service claim - [ ] Each FAQ item is a real question a user or searcher would ask - [ ] Each FAQ answer is self-contained (the answer makes sense without reading the question) - [ ] FAQ answers are under 100 words each (AI citation sweet spot) **Keyword density** - [ ] Primary keyword appears in: H1 (required), first 100 words (required), title tag (required), meta description (recommended), and 2–4 additional times per 1,000 words of body content - [ ] Each secondary keyword appears 1–2 times per 1,000 words; not zero (invisible to search), not more than 3 (triggers keyword stuffing signals) - [ ] Primary keyword is not crammed into headings unnaturally. Every H2 containing the keyword must make grammatical and editorial sense without it - [ ] LSI/supporting terms are distributed across the body, not clustered in one section Density check output format: ``` Primary "[keyword]": H1 ✓/✗ | first 100 words ✓/✗ | body density [N per 1,000 words] (target: 2–4) | status: OK | THIN | OVER Secondary "[keyword]": [N per 1,000 words] (target: 1–2) | status: OK | MISSING | OVER ``` Lane 4 grade drops to C or below if: H1 is missing, section order puts the FAQ or proof below the fold without any in-page anchor, or internal links use non-descriptive anchor text throughout. Lane 4 drops an additional letter grade if primary keyword density is 0 in the body or any secondary keyword is completely absent from the page. --- ### Lane 5: Schema Markup **Goal:** every JSON-LD block is valid, typed correctly for the page, and matches visible content. Checklist: - [ ] At least one `<script type="application/ld+json">` block present - [ ] Schema validates at schema.org/validator (or equivalent) with no errors - [ ] Schema type matches the page purpose: - FAQ page or page with Q&A section → `FAQPage` - Blog post or article → `Article` or `BlogPosting` - Product or app page → `SoftwareApplication` or `Product` - Docs or reference page → `TechArticle` or `WebPage` - Organization root page → `Organization` - Breadcrumb present for deep pages → `BreadcrumbList` - [ ] FAQ schema items match the visible FAQ text exactly (no hallucinated Q&A) - [ ] `Organization` schema includes: `name`, `url`, `logo`, `sameAs` (GitHub, LinkedIn, App Store, or other authoritative profiles) - [ ] `SoftwareApplication` schema includes: `name`, `applicationCategory`, `operatingSystem`, `offers` (even if free; use `price: "0"`) - [ ] `Article` schema includes: `headline`, `author`, `datePublished`, `dateModified` When schema is missing or broken, provide the exact corrected JSON-LD block inline in the findings. Do not describe it in prose. Example minimum Organization block: ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Suede", "url": "https://suedeai.ai", "logo": "https://suedeai.ai/logo.png", "sameAs": [ "https://github.com/Suede-AI", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/suedeai" ] } ``` Lane 5 grade drops to D or below if: no schema is present on a page making factual product claims, or if FAQ schema items do not match visible text. --- ### Lane 6: AI EO (Answer Engine Optimization) **Goal:** the page is structured so that LLMs, answer engines, and AI overviews can extract, quote, and cite it accurately without inventing facts. Checklist: **Summary and definitions** - [ ] First 200 words contain a clear, citable answer to the page's primary question. The answer can stand alone without surrounding context. - [ ] The product, skill, or service is defined plainly in the first section, not assumed - [ ] No jargon is used without an inline definition on first use - [ ] Definitions are written as `[Term] is [concise definition].` not buried in nested clauses **FAQ and citation targets** - [ ] FAQ answers are in plain prose, not bullet trees (AI cites prose better) - [ ] Each FAQ answer names the subject explicitly (not "it" or "this") - [ ] At least one FAQ directly addresses the primary query from Lane 2 **Entity signals** - [ ] Company/product name appears in: H1, first paragraph, at least one H2, and schema `name` field - [ ] `sameAs` links in schema point to at least one external authoritative profile (GitHub, LinkedIn, App Store, Wikipedia if applicable) - [ ] URL structure reflects the entity and topic (not `/p/1234` or `/post`) **AI-accessible content** - [ ] `llms.txt` or `ai.txt` consideration: if site has 10+ pages, note whether an `llms.txt` is present or warranted (not required, but increases AI crawl signal) - [ ] Primary content is not behind JavaScript hydration with no SSR fallback - [ ] Primary content is not paywalled or auth-gated (AI cannot cite what it cannot read) - [ ] Citation-friendly headings use noun phrases, not questions alone (e.g., "How Suede Routes Royalties" is more citable than "How does it work?") **Hallucination risk** - [ ] Page does not make vague claims an LLM could cite incorrectly (e.g., "used by thousands" without evidence. State the real proof or remove it.) - [ ] No stat, partner name, or pricing claim is present without a verification source Lane 6 grade drops to C or below if: the primary answer is not in the first 200 words, FAQ answers use "it" as the subject, or primary content is JavaScript-only. --- ### Lane 7: Copy and Conversion Quality **Goal:** copy earns action. Every sentence either moves the reader toward the primary CTA or proves the claim that does. Checklist: **Directness** - [ ] First sentence names the outcome, not the feature (outcome: "Register a music release with rights and provenance"; feature: "A platform for music metadata") - [ ] No throat-clearing openers ("Welcome to", "In today's digital landscape") - [ ] Active voice with a named actor in each key sentence - [ ] Subhead adds proof, audience, or workflow, not a restatement of the hero **Proof** - [ ] At least one real artifact: link, command, screenshot reference, file name, live URL, or example - [ ] No invented stats, testimonials, partner names, pricing, or availability claims - [ ] Proof appears before the CTA, not after **Claims** - [ ] Every superlative ("only", "best", "first") is either verifiable or removed - [ ] Legal, payment, privacy, or regulatory claims are accurate and sourced - [ ] Product capabilities described match what is currently shipped and live **CTA** - [ ] One primary CTA is visible above the fold - [ ] CTA text is an action + object ("Install the skill", not "Get started") - [ ] No two competing CTAs in the same viewport - [ ] Secondary CTA is visually subordinate to primary **Trust** - [ ] If testimonials are present, they are real and attributable - [ ] If testimonials are absent, copy does not imply them - [ ] Brand vocabulary matches the actual product (no generic AI-music-app language when the product does rights infrastructure) **Filler removal**: the test is whether a sentence can be deleted without the reader missing any information, delete it. Apply to: transitions, throat-clearing, hedging, adverb softeners, and exclamation marks. Flag and remove: - [ ] Filler transitions ("Additionally", "Furthermore", "It is worth noting") - [ ] Exclamation points in body copy - [ ] Em dashes in public copy (use a comma, period, or recast the sentence) - [ ] Adverb softeners ("simply", "just", "easily", "seamlessly") Lane 7 grade drops to C or below if: the primary CTA is absent above the fold, any public claim is unverifiable, or the copy could belong to any competing product without changing a word. --- ### Lane 8: E-E-A-T Signals **Goal:** confirm that Google's quality evaluator signals (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) are present and verifiable on the page. **Experience**: Does the page show first-hand, real-world use of the product or topic? Look for: demos, screenshots of real output, case studies with specific results, personal or company proof. **Expertise**: Does the content demonstrate deep, accurate knowledge? Look for: technical depth, correct use of domain vocabulary, specific examples over generic claims, citations to primary sources. **Authoritativeness**: Is this site or page recognized as a source in the space? Look for: backlinks from authoritative sites (note if checkable), mentions in industry press, author credentials visible, organization About page. **Trustworthiness**: Can users trust this content and site? Look for: HTTPS, privacy policy, clear contact and company info, accurate and verifiable claims, no misleading UI patterns, consistent authorship. Checklist: - [ ] First-person or company-specific proof present (E: Experience) - [ ] Accurate technical claims with no puffery (E: Expertise) - [ ] Author name and credentials visible when relevant (A: Authoritativeness) - [ ] Privacy policy, contact page, and HTTPS present (T: Trustworthiness) - [ ] No misleading UI patterns or dark patterns (T: Trustworthiness) - [ ] Claims are verifiable and sourced (T: Trustworthiness) Grade: A (all four strong), B (3 strong), C (2 strong), D/F (1 or 0). Lane 8 grade drops to C or below if: no real proof of experience or expertise is visible, contact or privacy information is absent, or misleading UI patterns are present. --- ### Lane 9: Topic Cluster Architecture **Goal:** for sites with multiple pages, confirm the content is organized into pillar and cluster pages with complete internal linking. Skip for single-page audits and note the skip. **Pillar page**: one comprehensive, authoritative page on the core topic. Should rank for broad head terms. **Cluster pages**: specific, narrow pages that support the pillar by covering sub-topics in depth. Each links back to the pillar. Audit questions: 1. Does a clear pillar page exist for the site's primary topic? 2. Do cluster pages exist for each major sub-topic? 3. Does each cluster page link to the pillar? 4. Does the pillar page link to each cluster? 5. Are there orphan pages (no internal links in or out)? 6. Are there keyword cannibalization risks (two pages competing for the same query)? Output a simple map: ``` Pillar: [page] — [target keyword] Cluster: [page] — [sub-topic keyword] Cluster: [page] — [sub-topic keyword] Orphan pages: [list or "none found"] Cannibalization risks: [list or "none found"] ``` Lane 9 grade drops to C or below if: no pillar page exists, cluster pages do not link back to the pillar, or two or more pages compete for the same primary keyword. --- ## 3. Finding Format Report every finding in this block. Do not describe findings in prose. ``` [HIGH|MEDIUM|LOW] Finding title Location: <URL, selector, or file + line> Issue: <what is wrong and why it matters> Fix: <exact corrective action> Suggested copy or code: <literal rewrite, JSON-LD block, or command> Verification: <how to confirm the fix worked> ``` Severity guide: - HIGH: blocks indexing, breaks CTA, contains false public claim, schema invalid - MEDIUM: hurts CTR, weakens AI citation, missing recommended signal - LOW: copy quality, filler, minor structural improvement --- ## 4. Scoring Grade each lane A-F: | Grade | Meaning | |-------|---------| | A | Fully implemented, no significant gaps | | B | Mostly implemented, one or two medium findings | | C | Partially implemented, one or more high findings | | D | Significant gaps, multiple high findings | | F | Lane is absent or actively harmful | Hard caps: - Cannot earn A overall without verifying a live URL - Cannot earn A if primary CTA is broken or absent - Cannot earn A if any public claim is false, unverifiable, or invented - Cannot earn A in Lane 5 if schema does not validate - Cannot earn A in Lane 6 if primary content is paywalled or JavaScript-only - Cannot earn A in Lane 8 if contact, privacy policy, or HTTPS is absent - Cannot earn A in Lane 9 if two or more pages compete for the same primary keyword Overall grade: convert letter grades to points (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). Lanes 1, 3, and 6 count 1.5x. Lanes 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 count 1x. Lane 0 excluded. Max weighted score = (3 × 1.5 + 6 × 1) × 4 = 42. Overall letter: ≥38 = A, ≥30 = B, ≥22 = C, ≥14 = D, <14 = F. --- ## 5. Output Template Produce this block at the end of every full audit. Fill every field. Write "none found" or "not applicable" rather than leaving a field blank. ``` === SEO AUDIT REPORT === Audited URL: Audit date: Source checked: [live URL | source file | both] --- KEYWORD BRIEF (Lane 0 — omit if not requested) --- Primary: [keyword] — [intent: info/nav/commercial/transactional] — [volume: low <1K/mo | medium 1K–10K | high >10K/mo] — [difficulty: low | medium | high] Secondary: [k1 — intent — volume], [k2 — intent — volume], [k3 — intent — volume] LSI terms: [list — grouped by subtopic] Competitor gap queries: [query — competitor URL that ranks — content angle missing from target page] SERP feature targets: [feature — eligibility reason] Content brief: primary keyword appears in H1 + first 100 words + [N] times per 1,000 words; secondary keywords appear [1–2] times each --- METADATA --- SEO title (suggested): Meta description (suggested): H1 (suggested): Subhead (suggested): --- CONVERSION --- Primary CTA (text and destination): Secondary CTA (text and destination): --- CONTENT ADDITIONS --- Content brief (from Lane 0 — omit if not requested): Target word count: [N] words (based on [intent] + SERP competition) Required H2 sections: [list — derived from PAA and competitor H2 structure] NLP term density check: Primary "[keyword]": appears in H1 [yes/no], first 100 words [yes/no], [N] times per 1,000 words (target: 2–4) Secondary "[keyword]": [N] times per 1,000 words (target: 1–2 each) FAQ additions: Q: [real searcher question — match PAA wording] A: [≤100 words, subject named explicitly, no pronouns as subject] Internal links to add (anchor text → destination URL): External links to add (anchor text → destination URL): Competitor content gap: Competitor: [URL or "derived from niche"] Missing sections: [H2 text — target query — priority: CRITICAL|IMPORTANT|INFORMATIONAL] --- SCHEMA --- Schema changes: [Paste corrected or new JSON-LD block here] --- AI EO NOTES --- AI-ready summary (first 200 words target): llms.txt warranted: [yes | no | already present] Hallucination risk flags: --- E-E-A-T NOTES --- Experience proof present: Expertise signals: Authoritativeness signals: Trustworthiness gaps: --- TOPIC CLUSTER MAP (omit for single-page audits) --- Pillar: [page] — [target keyword] Cluster: [page] — [sub-topic keyword] Orphan pages: Cannibalization risks: --- CORE WEB VITALS --- LCP: [score or "not measurable" — reason] CLS: [score or "not measurable" — reason] INP: [score or "not measurable" — reason] Lighthouse score (if available): Performance [N] | Accessibility [N] | Best Practices [N] | SEO [N] CWV risk factors observed: [list or "none"] --- SCORES --- Copy score: /70 Directness: /10 Rhythm: /10 Trust: /10 Specificity: /10 Authenticity: /10 Density: /10 Search/AI readability: /10 Lane grades: Lane 1 (Technical Access): Lane 2 (Search and Answer Intent): Lane 3 (Metadata): Lane 4 (Structure): Lane 5 (Schema Markup): Lane 6 (AI EO): Lane 7 (Copy and Conversion Quality): Lane 8 (E-E-A-T Signals): Lane 9 (Topic Cluster Architecture): Overall grade: --- CLAIM BOUNDARIES --- Safe to publish: Do not publish until verified: Remove entirely: --- VERIFICATION CHECKLIST --- [ ] Status code confirmed 200 [ ] Canonical URL confirmed [ ] robots.txt allows path [ ] Schema validates at schema.org/validator [ ] All internal links return 200 [ ] Primary CTA destination loads correctly [ ] og:image loads at full resolution [ ] JSON-LD blocks contain no fabricated content --- SHIP GATE --- ship | ship-with-caveats | hold Reason: ``` --- ## 6. Workflow Steps Follow these steps in order. Do not skip to findings before completing steps 1 through 3. 1. **Read the target.** Fetch the live URL or open the source file. If both are available, check both and note any divergence between source and rendered output. 2. **Run the Source Truth checks** from Section 1. Record every field exactly as found. Do not paraphrase tag values. 3. **Check robots.txt and sitemap.** Fetch `<domain>/robots.txt` and any listed sitemap. Confirm the target URL is not blocked and is listed. 4. **Scan all active lanes.** Lane 0 activates only when keyword discovery is requested. Lanes 1–9 run on every audit (Lane 9 is N/A for single-page audits; note the skip). Work through each checklist item. Mark each item pass, fail, or N/A. Note the location of each failure. 5. **Write ranked findings.** Use the finding format from Section 3. Group by lane. Put HIGH findings first within each lane. 6. **Write exact rewrites.** For every HIGH and MEDIUM finding involving copy, metadata, or schema: provide the literal replacement text or JSON-LD block. Do not describe what the fix should say. Write it. 7. **Fill the output template** from Section 5. Every field must be filled. 8. **Score each lane** A-F using the criteria from Section 4. Apply hard caps. 9. **Set the ship gate.** `ship` only if no HIGH findings remain and all hard caps are met. `ship-with-caveats` if only MEDIUM or LOW findings remain and no claim is false. `hold` if any HIGH finding is unresolved, any claim is false, or the CTA destination is broken. Name any lane items that could not be verified and why (e.g., "Core Web Vitals: no field data access", "sitemap not publicly accessible"). --- ## 7. Boundaries Do not invent traffic estimates, ranking positions, citation frequency, or ROI from SEO changes. Name what was checked, what was skipped, and what requires additional tooling.