content-gap-analysis

What this skill does

# Content Gap Analysis Skill

You are a content strategy analyst. Identify content gaps by comparing a site's content coverage against competitors, search demand, and audience journey needs.

## Analysis Process

### Step 1: Audit Existing Content

Inventory the user's current content:

1. **Crawl the sitemap** — Fetch `{domain}/sitemap.xml` to list all published pages
2. **Categorize pages** by type: blog posts, landing pages, product pages, docs, case studies
3. **Map topics covered** — What keywords/topics does each page target?

If the user has a codebase, check:
- Blog post files/directories
- MDX/markdown content files
- CMS entries or database content

### Step 2: Competitor Content Audit

For 2-3 competitors, gather their content:

1. **Fetch competitor sitemaps** — `{competitor}/sitemap.xml`
2. **List their blog/resource pages**
3. **Categorize their content** by topic cluster

If SemRush API is available:
```bash
# Get competitor's top organic keywords
curl -s "https://api.semrush.com/?type=domain_organic&key=${SEMRUSH_API_KEY}&domain={competitor}&database=us&export_columns=Ph,Po,Nq,Cp,Co,Tr,Tc&display_limit=100"
```

### Step 3: Keyword Gap Analysis

Compare keywords your site ranks for vs. competitors:

```bash
# Your site's keywords
curl -s "https://api.semrush.com/?type=domain_organic&key=${SEMRUSH_API_KEY}&domain={your_domain}&database=us&export_columns=Ph,Po,Nq,Cp,Tr&display_limit=200"

# Competitor's keywords
curl -s "https://api.semrush.com/?type=domain_organic&key=${SEMRUSH_API_KEY}&domain={competitor}&database=us&export_columns=Ph,Po,Nq,Cp,Tr&display_limit=200"
```

**Gap = Keywords competitors rank for that you don't.**

Filter gaps by:
- Search volume > 100/month
- Keyword difficulty < 60 (achievable)
- Relevant to your business
- Not branded competitor terms

### Step 4: Topic Cluster Gap Analysis

Compare topic coverage at the cluster level:

```
Your topic clusters:        Competitor topic clusters:
├── Cluster A: 8 articles   ├── Cluster A: 12 articles  ← Coverage gap
├── Cluster B: 5 articles   ├── Cluster B: 5 articles   ← Parity
├── Cluster C: 3 articles   ├── Cluster C: 7 articles   ← Coverage gap
│                            ├── Cluster D: 6 articles   ← Missing cluster
│                            ├── Cluster E: 4 articles   ← Missing cluster
```

### Step 5: Content Format Gap Analysis

Check what content formats competitors use that you don't:

| Format | You | Competitor A | Competitor B | Gap? |
|--------|-----|-------------|-------------|------|
| Blog posts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | No |
| Case studies | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | **Yes** |
| Comparison pages | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Partial |
| Templates/tools | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | **Yes** |
| Video content | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Partial |
| Glossary/wiki | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Partial |
| Webinars/events | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | **Yes** |
| Podcasts | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Partial |

### Step 6: Audience Journey Gap Analysis

Map content to the buyer journey:

| Journey Stage | Questions | Your Content | Gap? |
|---------------|-----------|-------------|------|
| **Awareness** | "What is {topic}?" | {exists/missing} | {Yes/No} |
| **Consideration** | "Best {solution} for {use case}" | {exists/missing} | {Yes/No} |
| **Decision** | "{You} vs {competitor}" | {exists/missing} | {Yes/No} |
| **Onboarding** | "How to set up {product}" | {exists/missing} | {Yes/No} |
| **Expansion** | "Advanced {feature} tips" | {exists/missing} | {Yes/No} |
| **Advocacy** | "How {customer} achieved {result}" | {exists/missing} | {Yes/No} |

### Step 7: AI/GEO Gap Analysis

Check if your content appears in AI-generated answers:

1. Search your core keywords on Google (check AI Overviews)
2. Check if your site is cited in AI-generated responses
3. Note which competitors ARE cited
4. Identify what those cited pages have that yours don't:
   - Structured data
   - Clear, concise definitions
   - Tables and comparison charts
   - FAQ sections
   - Authoritative citations

### Step 8: Prioritize Opportunities

Score each gap:

| Factor | Weight | Score 1-10 |
|--------|--------|-----------|
| Search volume potential | 30% | How much traffic could this drive? |
| Business alignment | 25% | How relevant to our product/service? |
| Competition difficulty | 20% | How hard to rank? (inverse: easy = high score) |
| Content effort | 15% | How much work to create? (inverse: easy = high score) |
| Strategic value | 10% | Does this fill a journey gap or unlock a cluster? |

**Priority Score = Weighted average**

## Output Format

```markdown
# Content Gap Analysis: {Domain}
**Date:** {date}
**Competitors Analyzed:** {list}
**Total Gaps Found:** {count}

## Executive Summary

{2-3 sentences on the biggest opportunity areas}

## Keyword Gaps (Competitor Keywords You're Missing)

### High Priority (Volume > 1,000, KD < 40)

| Keyword | Volume | KD | Competitor | Their Position | Content Type Needed |
|---------|--------|-----|-----------|----------------|-------------------|
| {keyword} | {vol} | {kd} | {competitor} | #{pos} | {type} |

### Medium Priority (Volume 200-1,000, KD < 50)

{Same table format}

## Topic Cluster Gaps

### Missing Clusters (Competitors have, you don't)

| Cluster Topic | Competitor Coverage | Est. Total Volume | Recommended Pages |
|---------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| {topic} | {competitor}: {X} articles | {volume} | {count} |

### Under-Covered Clusters (You have some, competitors have more)

| Cluster Topic | Your Pages | Competitor Pages | Missing Subtopics |
|---------------|-----------|-----------------|-------------------|
| {topic} | {count} | {count} | {list} |

## Content Format Gaps

| Missing Format | Competitors Using It | Recommended Action | Priority |
|---------------|---------------------|-------------------|----------|
| {format} | {who} | {action} | {H/M/L} |

## Buyer Journey Gaps

| Stage | Gap | Recommended Content | Target Keyword |
|-------|-----|-------------------|----------------|
| {stage} | {what's missing} | {content to create} | {keyword} |

## AI/GEO Gaps

| Keyword | AI Overview? | You Cited? | Fix |
|---------|-------------|-----------|-----|
| {keyword} | Yes | No | {action} |

## Prioritized Content Plan

| # | Content Piece | Type | Target Keyword | Volume | Priority Score | Gap Type |
|---|--------------|------|----------------|--------|---------------|----------|
| 1 | {title} | {blog/page/tool} | {keyword} | {vol} | {score}/10 | {keyword/topic/format/journey} |

## Quick Wins (Low Effort, High Impact)

1. **{Action}** — {Why this is a quick win}
2. **{Action}** — {Why}
3. **{Action}** — {Why}
```

## Important Notes

- Content gaps are opportunities, not obligations. Prioritize based on business impact, not just search volume.
- Some gaps are intentional — competitors may cover topics outside your positioning. Don't chase irrelevant keywords just because a competitor ranks for them.
- Check if existing content can be expanded to fill gaps before creating new pages. Updating an existing page is often more effective than creating a new one.
- Seasonal keywords may show as gaps during off-seasons. Check trends before acting.
- Focus on gaps where you can create genuinely better content, not just more content.