Programmatic SEO might be the blogging tactic you need to scale your entire enterprise to the next level.
In this easy guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about what it is, how to do it, and the tools you’ll need.
Plus, I’ll share tons of examples and helpful tips you can’t find anywhere else.
What Is Programmatic SEO?
Programmatic SEO is an advanced technique that involves automating the process of creating content and optimizing it for search engines.
With programmatic SEO, you can generate hundreds, even thousands, of pages targeting long-tail keywords in a significantly shorter time than it would take to produce them by hand.
This can help you dominate your niche and drive organic traffic to your blog.
Programmatic SEO is a subset of AI SEO.
Types of Programmatic SEO
Here are some popular types of programmatic SEO content that can help you drive traffic and grow your blog:
Listicles
Listicles are articles that present information in the form of a list.
They’re easy to read and digest, making them popular among readers and search engines alike. You can create listicles targeting specific long-tail keywords, such as “Top 10 budget smartphones” or “15 easy vegan recipes for beginners.”
By automating the process of creating and optimizing listicles, you can quickly generate a large volume of valuable content for your blog.
Comparison Articles
Comparison articles are a popular type of content that helps readers make informed decisions by comparing and contrasting different products, services, or ideas.
Programmatic AI SEO can help you create comparison articles targeting long-tail keywords with high search volume.
How-To Guides
How-to guides are instructional articles that provide step-by-step information on how to accomplish a specific task or solve a particular problem.
With AI SEO, you can create how-to guides targeting long-tail keywords relevant to your niche, such as “How to build a raised garden bed” or “How to choose a beginner-friendly DSLR camera.”
These guides can be automatically generated and optimized for search engines, helping you scale your content creation.
Resource Pages
Resource pages are collections of useful information, tools, or links on a specific topic.
They can be a powerful way to attract organic traffic and generate backlinks for your website. Programmatic AI SEO can help you create resource pages targeting high-traffic, long-tail keywords, such as “Best online resources for learning Python” or “Ultimate guide to personal finance blogs.”
You curate and organize resources to quickly create valuable resource pages that rank well in search engines.
Localized Content
Localized content is content that is tailored to specific geographic locations, such as cities, states, or countries.
This type of content can help you target location-specific long-tail keywords, such as “Best restaurants in Chicago” or “Top tourist attractions in Paris.”
AI SEO can help you create localized content by automatically generating and optimizing articles for different locations.
FAQ Pages
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) pages are a great way to address common questions and concerns related to your niche.
With programmatic AI SEO, you can create FAQ pages targeting specific long-tail keywords, such as “How to get started with keto” or “Common challenges when learning to play guitar.”
By automating the process of generating and optimizing FAQ content, you can quickly create valuable resources for your readers while improving your website’s search engine visibility.
How Does Programmatic SEO Work for Bloggers?
Programmatic SEO works by using software tools and algorithms to identify profitable long-tail keywords and create content around them.
This content is then optimized for search engines, ensuring that it ranks well and drives organic traffic.
The process usually consists of the following steps:
- Keyword research: Identify core keywords and long-tail variations with high search volume and low competition.
- Content creation: Automatically generate content for each keyword using tools like GPT-4 or RankIQ.
- Optimization: Optimize the content for search engines, following best practices for on-page SEO.
- Publication: Publish the content on your blog, ensuring it is properly indexed and ranked by search engines.
- Monitoring and refinement: Track the performance of your content and make improvements as needed.
How To Do Programmatic SEO for Niche Websites
Now that we know the basic steps, let’s dig deeper into the “how” of programmatic SEO.
Find Core Keywords or Head Terms
To get started with programmatic AI SEO, you’ll first need to identify your core keywords or head terms.
These are the main topics or themes that your niche website will focus on.
Keyword research tools such as Google’s Keyword Planner, DeapMarket, or Ahrefs enable you to discover high-traffic, easy-competition keywords pertinent to your specific niche.
You might find head terms like:
- Bext X in Y for Z (Best hotels in Paris for Couples with Kids)
- Are X Good at Y (Are Bulldogs Good at Skijoring?)
- Is X Good for Y (Is GoogleFI Good for International Calls?)
Get Creative With Modifiers
Once you have your core keywords, it’s time to get creative with modifiers.
Modifiers are words or phrases that can be added to your core keywords to create long-tail variations. Examples of modifiers include “vs,” “for,” “in,” “on,” and many others.
By adding modifiers to your core keywords, you can generate a wealth of long-tail keyword opportunities to target with programmatic SEO.
You’ll find a list of 100 possible modifiers if you read to the end of this article!
Build Your Pages With New Content
When creating content for your programmatic SEO campaign, it’s essential to prioritize quality over quantity.
While it may be tempting to simply regurgitate content from other websites, this approach can lead to duplicate content issues and poor rankings.
Instead, invest time and effort into creating original, high-quality content for each of your target keywords.
This will ensure your pages rank well and provide value to your readers.
Don’t Just Scrape Other Sites
As mentioned, scraping content from other websites is a big no-no.
Not only does this practice violate copyright laws, but it can also result in search engines penalizing your website for duplicate content.
You don’t want that.
When creating programmatic AI SEO content, always prioritize unique, well-researched, and engaging material that provides value to your audience.
Here is a video that explains how programmatic AI SEO can skyrocket your traffic:
Pros and Cons of Programmatic SEO
| Pros | Cons |
| Scalability | Quality concerns |
| Efficiency | Potential penalties |
| Long-tail keyword targeting | Indexing issues |
Pros explained:
- Scalability. Programmatic SEO allows you to create and optimize a large number of pages quickly, making it ideal for scaling your website and driving organic traffic.
- Efficiency. By automating the content creation process, AI SEO can save you significant time and effort compared to manual content creation.
- Long-tail keyword targeting. Programmatic AI SEO is perfect for targeting long-tail keywords, which can drive valuable, highly-targeted traffic to your website.
Cons explained:
- Quality concerns. If not done properly, AI SEO can result in low-quality, thin content that provides little value to your audience and may harm your website’s reputation.
- Potential penalties. Search engines may penalize websites using programmatic SEO techniques if they generate spammy, low-quality content or engage in other black-hat practices.
- Indexing issues. Improper implementation of AI SEO can lead to indexing issues, causing search engines to ignore or devalue your pages. It’s essential to ensure that your pages are properly structured, formatted, and optimized to avoid such problems.
10 Examples of Programmatic SEO (Different Niches)
To help you better understand how programmatic SEO can be applied in various niches, we’ve provided 10 examples below.
For each example, we’ll explore how you can leverage programmatic AI SEO techniques to generate high-quality, targeted content that appeals to your audience and ranks well in search engines.
Travel: Destination Guides
With programmatic SEO, travel bloggers can create in-depth destination guides for a wide range of cities, towns, or regions.
By targeting specific long-tail keywords, such as “best restaurants in [city]” or “top attractions in [town],” you can provide valuable information for travelers while increasing your organic search traffic.
Automate the process by generating a template for your guides.
Then use AI SEO tools to populate the content with relevant information for each location.
You could make pages for:
- Top attractions in Louisville, Kentucky
- Top attractions in St. Louis
- Top attractions in Paris
Health and Fitness: Workout Routines, Diets, and Supplements
Health and fitness bloggers can leverage programmatic SEO to generate content on various workout routines, diets, or supplements that cater to specific goals or demographics.
For example, you could create articles on “yoga for seniors” or “ketogenic diet for weight loss.”
Then you could expand into:
- Yoga for kids
- Yoga for teens
- Yoga for new parents
Tech: Gadget and Software Comparisons
Tech bloggers can produce comparison articles for different gadgets or software solutions.
By targeting keywords like “iPhone vs. Android” or “best CRM software for small businesses,” you can provide valuable insights to your readers while driving organic search traffic.
Utilize programmatic SEO tools to ensure that your comparisons are comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date.
You could create:
- Best Security Software for Small Businesses
- Best Hosting for Small Businesses
- Best Chatbot for Small Businesses
Finance: Investment Strategies and Financial Products
In the finance niche, mass AI SEO can help bloggers craft content on various investment strategies or financial products.
Articles comparing “index funds vs. mutual funds” or guides on “how to choose a credit card” can be generated using programmatic SEO techniques.
Then make more pages about:
- How To Choose a Credit Card in Your 20s
- How To Choose a Credit Card in Your 30s
- How To Choose a Credit Card in Your 40s
Home and Garden: DIY Projects, Home Improvement Ideas, and Gardening Tips
Home and garden bloggers can leverage programmatic SEO to develop articles on various DIY projects, home improvement ideas, or gardening tips.
You might start with “How to build a raised garden bed” or “Kitchen remodeling ideas on a budget.”
Then, scale these terms into:
- Bathroom Remodeling Ideas on a Budget
- Living Room Remodeling Ideas on a Budget
- Bedroom Remodeling Ideas on a Budget
Fashion: Trends, Outfit Ideas, and Shopping Tips
Fashion bloggers can produce content around specific fashion trends, outfit ideas, or shopping tips.
By targeting long-tail keywords like “how to wear a denim jacket” or “best online stores for vintage clothing,” you can provide valuable style advice to your audience while increasing your search rankings.
Other content you could create:
- How to Wear a Denim Skirt
- How to Wear a Denim Hat
- How to Wear Denim Pants
Education: Study Techniques, Exam Preparation, and School Selection
Education-focused bloggers can benefit from AI SEO by producing guides on study techniques, exam preparation, or choosing the right school or program.
Generate content such as “How to prepare for the GRE” or “Best online MBA programs.”
Expand to related content:
- How To Prepare for the ACT
- How To Prepare for the SAT
- How To Prepare for the PSAT
Parenting: Parenting Styles, Child Development Stages, and Family Activities
Parenting bloggers can take advantage of programmatic SEO to craft content on different parenting styles, child development stages, or family activities.
Articles like “attachment parenting pros and cons” or “fun activities for toddlers” can be easily made using AI SEO.
Scale your niche site with related articles:
- Fun Activities for Middle Schoolers
- Fun Activities for Pre-Teens
- Fun Activities for Teens
Pets: Pet Care, Training Tips, and Breed-Specific Information
Pet-focused bloggers can generate articles on pet care, training tips, or breed-specific information.
Start with “How to train a German Shepherd” or “Best cat breeds for apartment living.”
Then grow your site with:
- Best Dog Breeds for Apartment Living
- Best Birds for Apartment Living
- Best Exotic Pets for Apartment Living
Hobbies: Hobby-Specific Guides and Tips
Bloggers focusing on various hobbies, such as photography, woodworking, or cooking, can use AI SEO to create content around their specific niche.
It’s easy to produce articles about “how to choose a DSLR camera” or “woodworking projects for beginners” with the right tools.
Template those topics into:
- Metalworking Projects for Beginners
- Painting Projects for Beginners
- Refurbishing Projects for Beginners
Common Programmatic SEO Mistakes & Problems (And How I Fix Them)
You want to avoid common mistakes bloggers make with AI SEO.
Since I’ve made most of them over the years, I hope this section helps you avoid the problems I created for myself and my websites.
Thin Content
Thin content is a common issue with programmatic SEO, as the focus on generating a large number of pages can sometimes lead to low-quality, shallow content that provides little value to readers.
Search engines may penalize websites with thin content, resulting in poor rankings and reduced organic traffic.
To fix this issue, invest time and effort into creating original, well-researched content that answers your audience’s questions and offers actionable insights.
Use AI-powered content creation tools like ChatGPT or Jasper to help you generate high-quality, engaging content.
Doorway Pages
Doorway pages are multiple pages on a website that target similar keywords with little variation in content.
These pages are designed to funnel users to a single destination and are frowned upon by search engines. Creating doorway pages through AI SEO can negatively impact your website’s rankings and reputation.
To avoid creating doorway pages, ensure each page you create has unique, valuable content that stands on its own.
Carefully map out your keywords and avoid targeting the same or very similar keywords across multiple pages.
Keyword Cannibalization
Keyword cannibalization takes place when several pages on your site compete for the same keyword.
This can make it difficult for any single page to rank well.
To prevent keyword cannibalization, carefully map out your keywords to specific pages and avoid overlapping content.
Use tools like RankIQ or MarketMuse to help you identify and target unique long-tail keyword variations for each piece of content you create.
Limiting Modifiers
Using too few or the same set of modifiers for all your keywords can limit your long-tail keyword opportunities.
This can result in reduced organic traffic.
To fix this issue, research and incorporate a variety of relevant modifiers to create a wider range of long-tail keywords.
Experiment with different combinations of core keywords and modifiers to discover untapped keyword opportunities that can drive valuable, highly-targeted traffic to your website.
Indexing Issues
Poor site architecture and technical SEO issues can prevent search engines from properly indexing your content, causing your efforts to go to waste.
If search engines can’t find and index your content, it won’t rank well, and you’ll miss out on valuable organic traffic.
To address indexing issues, ensure your website has a clean, logical structure and follows best practices for technical SEO. Use tools like Google Search Console to monitor your website’s indexing status and identify any issues that need to be addressed.
Implement proper internal linking, XML sitemaps, and clean URL structures to help search engines find and index your content more easily.
Big List of Modifiers for Programmatic SEO
Here’s a comprehensive list of modifiers for programmatic AI SEO.
Combining these with your core keywords will help you generate long-tail keyword variations to target with your content:
- Best
- Top
- Ultimate
- Comprehensive
- Guide
- How to
- Tips
- Strategies
- Ideas
- Examples
- Techniques
- Tools
- Methods
- Vs (versus)
- Comparison
- Review
- Pros and cons
- Benefits
- Features
- Pricing
- Cost
- Affordable
- Cheap
- Luxury
- Premium
- Budget
- Free
- DIY (do it yourself)
- Online
- Offline
- Local
- International
- National
- Global
- Regional
- For beginners
- For experts
- For dummies
- For professionals
- For students
- For teachers
- For kids
- For teens
- For adults
- For seniors
- For men
- For women
- For couples
- For families
- For businesses
- For entrepreneurs
- For freelancers
- For nonprofits
- For artists
- For photographers
- For designers
- For writers
- For developers
- For programmers
- For gamers
- For athletes
- For travelers
- For pet owners
- For parents
- For teachers
- For homebuyers
- For renters
- For landlords
- For investors
- For jobseekers
- For employers
- In [year]
- In [location]
- On [platform]
- With [feature]
- Without [feature]
- Before [event]
- After [event]
- During [event]
- Pre-[event]
- Post-[event]
- Alternative to
- Substitute for
- Similar to
- Compatible with
- Comparison of
- Difference between
- Advantages of
- Disadvantages of
- Solution for
- Options for
- Choices for
- Recommendations for
- Suggestions for
- Secrets of
- Insider tips for
- Exclusive
- Limited edition
- Special edition
- Custom
Keep in mind that not all modifiers will be relevant to every niche, so choose those that make the most sense for your specific audience.
Programmatic SEO Tools
I recommend that you look into the following SEO tools for programmatic content creation:
- RankIQ. An AI-powered keyword research and content optimization tool that helps you identify profitable keywords and create high-quality content.
- ChatGPT. A powerful language model by OpenAI that can help you generate well-written, engaging content tailored to your target keywords.
- Jasper. Another AI-powered content creation tool that can help you craft high-quality articles for your programmatic AI SEO campaign.
- MarketMuse. A content intelligence platform that offers keyword research, content planning, and optimization tools to help you create data-driven content that ranks well in search engines.
- Glimpse Chrome Extension. A browser extension that provides you with real-time search volume and competition data for any keyword you encounter while browsing the web.
- Exploding Topics. A tool that helps you discover trending topics and emerging niches, giving you a competitive edge in your programmatic efforts.
Don’t underestimate the importance of good website hosting for speed and SEO.
Personally, I use WPX and HostArmada on most of my websites.
Final Thoughts: Programmatic SEO
When implementing programmatic AI SEO, it’s crucial to strike a balance between efficiency and quality.
While automating content creation can save time and enable you to target a vast array of long-tail keywords, cutting corners on quality can lead to penalties and indexing issues.
Always prioritize creating high-quality, valuable content that serves your audience’s needs while adhering to search engine guidelines.
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