Programmatic SEO 2.0 — Agent Skill Reference

The core principle: never ask AI to write freeform content. Ask it to fill a strict JSON schema.

Content = JSON data. Design = React components. These two layers never mix.

System Architecture

Niche Taxonomy (309 niches) → AI fills JSON schema → Validated JSON files → React renderers → Published pages

Why schemas beat freeform:

• Consistent structure across all pages
• Predictable output quality
• Pages are validatable and type-safe
• Redesign UI without regenerating content
• Scale to 10,000+ pages without quality degradation

Step 1: Build the Niche Taxonomy

This is the most important investment. Rich niche context is what separates useful pSEO from thin name-swapped filler.

For each niche, define:

{
  "slug": "travel",
  "name": "Travel",
  "context": {
    "audience": "Armchair travelers, digital nomads, family vacation planners",
    "pain_points": "Seasonal traffic swings, high competition for destination keywords",
    "monetization": "Affiliate (booking, gear), display ads, sponsored trips",
    "content_that_works": "Itineraries, cost breakdowns, off-the-beaten-path guides",
    "subtopics": ["budget travel", "luxury travel", "adventure travel", "solo travel"]
  }
}

Start with 20-50 niches, expand to 300+ for scale. This context gets injected into every generation prompt — it's what makes a "travel SEO checklist" different from a "health SEO checklist."

See references/niche-taxonomy.md for the full niche structure and 20 starter niches.

Step 2: Design JSON Schemas per Content Type

Each content type gets its own schema. Constraints are intentional — they force consistent output.

Example: Resource Article Schema

interface ResourceArticle {
  meta: {
    content_type: string;
    niche: string;
  };
  seo: {
    title: string;        // templated, NOT AI-generated
    description: string;
    keywords: string[];
  };
  content: {
    intro: string;
    sections: {
      heading: string;
      items: {
        title: string;
        description: string;
        difficulty?: 'beginner' | 'intermediate' | 'advanced';
        potential?: 'high' | 'medium' | 'standard';
      }[];  // exactly 15-20 per section
    }[];
    pro_tips: string[];  // exactly 5
  };
}

Hard constraints (exact counts, required fields) prevent 8-item pages next to 40-item pages. See references/schema-library.md for 6 ready-to-use schemas.

Step 3: The 6 Content Categories