SEO Guidelines Configuration

**Standard Blog Post:** 1,500-3,000 words (target: 2,000-2,500)
**Pillar Content / Comprehensive Guides:** 3,000-5,000 words maximum
**How-To Guides:** 1,500-2,500 words
**News / Updates:** 800-1,200 words (exception to standard)

**Maximum for most articles:** 3,000 words
**Maximum for pillar content:** 5,000 words

**Why:**
- Articles over 3,000 words often hurt user experience
- Concise, focused content often performs better
- If topic requires more, break into series

**Quality over quantity:**
- Don't add fluff to hit word counts
- Every section should provide genuine value
- Better to have 2,000 valuable words than 3,000 padded words

Before writing any article:

1. Identify primary target keyword
2. Research search volume and difficulty
3. Analyze top 10 ranking competitors
4. Identify 3-5 secondary/related keywords
5. List LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords

**Primary Keyword:** 1-2% density
- Example: In 2,000-word article, use keyword 20-40 times
- Natural integration is critical—never force keywords

**Secondary Keywords:** 0.5-1% density each

**LSI Keywords:** Sprinkle throughout naturally

- [ ] H1 headline (preferably near beginning)
- [ ] First 100 words of article
- [ ] At least 2-3 H2 subheadings
- [ ] Last paragraph / conclusion
- [ ] Meta title (within first 60 characters)
- [ ] Meta description
- [ ] URL slug

Podcast hosting is important. Podcast hosting helps podcasters.
Our podcast hosting platform offers podcast hosting services for
podcast hosting needs.

Podcast hosting is important for creators who want to distribute
their show to major platforms. A reliable host ensures your episodes
are accessible wherever listeners discover new content.

Don't repeat exact phrase robotically:

- "podcast hosting" 
- "hosting your podcast"
- "podcast host"
- "hosting platform for podcasts"

Include conversational variations:

- "how to start a podcast"
- "starting a podcast"
- "can I start a podcast"
- "podcast startup guide"

**Requirements:**
- Only one H1 per article
- Include primary keyword naturally
- 60 characters or less (for SERP display)
- Compelling and benefit-focused
- Answer: "What will I learn/gain?"

**Examples:**
- ✅ "How to Start a Podcast: Complete 2025 Guide"
- ✅ "12 Proven Podcast Growth Strategies"
- ❌ "Podcast Tips" (too vague, no value prop)

**Requirements:**
- 4-7 H2 sections for standard articles
- At least 2-3 should include keyword variations
- Descriptive and keyword-rich
- Logical progression through topic
- Can be standalone (readers understand flow from H2s alone)

**Requirements:**
- Nested under H2s (never skip from H2 to H4)
- Break complex sections into digestible chunks
- Include keywords where natural
- More specific than H2s

# [H1: Compelling Title with Primary Keyword]

## Introduction (150-250 words)
- Hook: Attention-grabbing opening
- Problem: What challenge does this address?
- Promise: What will reader learn/achieve?
- Keyword in first 100 words

## [H2: Main Section 1 - Include Keyword Variation]
### [H3: Subsection if needed]
- Content depth
- Examples
- Data/statistics

## [H2: Main Section 2]
### [H3: Subsection if needed]

## [H2: Main Section 3 - Include Keyword Variation]
### [H3: Subsection if needed]

[Continue with 4-7 total H2 sections]

## Conclusion (150-250 words)
- Recap key points (3-5 takeaways)
- Include keyword
- Clear call-to-action
- Next steps for reader

**Requirements:**
- Length: 50-60 characters (including "| Brand" if used)
- Primary keyword: Must be included
- Compelling: Should encourage clicks from SERP
- Unique: Different from all other page titles
- Accurate: Must match page content

**Format Options:**
- [Primary Keyword]: [Benefit/Promise]
- How to [Goal] | [Qualifier]
- [Number] Ways to [Achieve Benefit]
- [Topic] Guide for [Audience] | Brand

**Examples:**
✅ "How to Start a Podcast in 2025: Complete Guide"
✅ "12 Proven Podcast Growth Strategies | Castos"
❌ "Podcast Tips and Tricks" (too vague)
❌ "The Ultimate Comprehensive Guide..." (too long)

**Requirements:**
- Length: 150-160 characters
- Primary keyword: Include naturally
- Value proposition: Clear benefit to reader
- Call-to-action: Action phrase (Learn, Discover, Find out)
- Complete: Must not cut off mid-sentence
- Compelling: Should drive clicks from SERP

**Formula:**
[Problem/Question]? [Solution/Benefit]. [Unique angle]. [CTA].

**Examples:**
✅ "Learn how to start a podcast with our step-by-step guide.
Everything from equipment to launch strategy. Perfect for
beginners. Start your show today." (159 chars)

❌ "This is a blog post about podcasting where we discuss
many podcast-related topics." (vague, no value, no CTA)

**Requirements:**
- Include primary keyword
- Lowercase letters only
- Hyphens between words (not underscores)
- Short and descriptive (3-5 words ideal)
- No stop words unless necessary (a, the, and, of)

**Format:** /blog/[primary-keyword-phrase]

**Examples:**
✅ /blog/start-podcast-guide
✅ /blog/podcast-growth-strategies
❌ /blog/how-to-start-a-podcast-in-2025-the-complete-guide (too long)
❌ /blog/post-12345 (no keywords)

**Per Article:**
- Minimum: 3 internal links
- Optimal: 4-5 internal links
- Maximum: 7 internal links (unless 3,000+ word article)

1. **Pillar Content** (1-2 links)
   - Main comprehensive guides on related topics
   - Builds topic cluster authority
   - Usually 2,000+ word cornerstone content

2. **Related Blog Posts** (2-3 links)
   - Articles on related subtopics
   - Creates content web
   - Helps readers explore topics comprehensively

3. **Product/Feature Pages** (0-1 link)
   - Only when contextually relevant
   - Natural mention of how product solves problem
   - Never forced or overly promotional

4. **Resource Pages** (0-1 link)
   - Templates, tools, checklists
   - When mentioned as solutions in content
   - Provides additional value to reader

✅ **Good:**
- "our complete guide to podcast analytics"
- "Learn more about podcast SEO strategies"
- "how to optimize your podcast for growth"

❌ **Bad:**
- "click here"
- "read more"
- "this article"
- Using exact same anchor text repeatedly for same page

Always check context/internal-links-map.md for:
- Priority linking targets
- Topic clusters
- Most relevant related content

**Per Article:**
- Minimum: 2 external links
- Optimal: 3-4 external authority links

**Purpose:**
- Add credibility
- Provide sources
- Support claims

✅ **Link to:**
- Statistics and data sources (always cite)
- Research and studies (original research)
- Tools and resources (when recommending)
- Industry authorities (expert opinions)

❌ **Don't link to:**
- Random blogs with no authority
- Spammy or low-quality sites
- Competitors (unless truly best resource)
- Outdated sources

**Authority:**
✅ Industry publications (credible sources)
✅ Research institutions and studies
✅ Established media outlets

**Relevance:**
Links must directly support content claims

**Freshness:**
Prefer recent sources (within 1-2 years for data)

**Functionality:**
All links must work (no broken links)

**Goal:** 8th-10th grade reading level (Flesch-Kincaid)

**Why:**
- Accessible to wider audience
- Easier to scan and understand
- Better mobile reading experience

**Guidelines:**
- Average length: 15-20 words per sentence
- Maximum: 25 words (break longer into two)
- Variety: Mix short punchy sentences with longer explanatory ones
- Active voice: Preferred over passive (80%+ active)

**Examples:**
✅ Active: "We built this feature to solve that problem."
❌ Passive: "This feature was built to solve that problem."

**Guidelines:**
- Length: 2-4 sentences per paragraph
- One idea: Focus each paragraph on single point
- White space: No walls of text
- Mobile-friendly: Short paragraphs scan better on phones

**Use:**
- Subheadings: Every 300-400 words
- Lists: For sequential or multiple items
- Bold: Emphasize key concepts
- Short paragraphs: Easier to digest
- White space: Makes content less intimidating

**Format:**
- Include question as H2 heading
- Answer concisely in 40-60 words immediately after
- Use clear, direct language

**Example:**
## What is Podcast Hosting?

Podcast hosting is a service that stores your audio files and
generates an RSS feed that distributes your episodes to podcast
platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

**Format:**
- Use numbered or bulleted lists
- Keep items concise (1-2 sentences each)
- Include 5-8 items typically

**Format:**
- Use HTML tables or markdown tables
- Comparison charts, pricing, specifications
- Clear headers and organized data

**File Names:**
✅ podcast-editing-software-interface.jpg
❌ IMG_12345.jpg

**Alt Text:**
- Describe what image shows
- Include keywords naturally if relevant
- 125 characters or less
- No "image of" or "picture of" (implied)

**Example:**
✅ "Podcast editing software interface showing waveform and timeline"
❌ "Image"

cat ~/workspace/source/context/seo-guidelines.md