ChatGPT Prompts for SEO: 15 Templates That Actually Work
ChatGPT Prompts for SEO: 15 Templates That Actually Work
SEO work is full of repeatable tasks that eat time: writing 50 meta descriptions, building a keyword cluster from scratch, generating FAQ content, figuring out why a page isn’t ranking. These are exactly the tasks where ChatGPT saves real hours. If you’re looking for dedicated AI SEO tools beyond prompts, we’ve tested the top options separately.
This is a collection of 15 ready-to-use prompt templates covering the full range of SEO work — from initial keyword research through content creation, technical elements, and competitive analysis. Each one includes the exact template, what to expect as output, and how to adapt it for your specific situation. For a deeper dive into AI-powered content tools, see our guide to the best AI tools for SEO content writing.
One important note on using AI for SEO in 2026: ChatGPT can’t access your live search console data, competitor traffic stats, or real-time rankings unless you feed that data in. These prompts are designed to work with information you bring to the conversation. For prompts that reference keyword volumes or competitor data, paste in your actual numbers — the analysis you get back will be far more useful than anything the model can generate from general knowledge alone.
What These Prompts Cover
- Keyword research and clustering
- Meta descriptions
- Title tags
- Content outlines and briefs
- FAQ schema generation
- Internal linking suggestions
- Competitor analysis
- Content gap analysis
Let’s get into them.
Prompt 1: Keyword Cluster Builder
Use case: You have a main topic and need to build out a cluster of related keywords that cover the full subtopic landscape. This is the foundation of topical authority.
Time saved: 45-60 minutes of manual keyword research per cluster.
Act as an SEO strategist building topical authority for a website.
My main topic: [YOUR MAIN TOPIC — e.g., "email marketing for ecommerce"]
My site focuses on: [YOUR NICHE/AUDIENCE — e.g., "Shopify store owners with under $1M annual revenue"]
Build a keyword cluster that includes:
PILLAR KEYWORD (1)
- The broad, highest-volume keyword this topic should rank for
- Estimated search intent (informational/commercial/transactional)
SUPPORTING KEYWORDS (10-12)
- More specific, longer-tail variations
- Group related keywords together
- For each: keyword phrase + search intent + suggested article title
QUESTION KEYWORDS (8-10)
- "How to...", "What is...", "Why does..." format
- These target voice search and featured snippets
- For each: full question + brief answer (2-3 sentences) that could become a featured snippet
Format everything as a table I can paste into a spreadsheet.
Expected output: A structured keyword map with ~20-25 keyword opportunities organized by intent and subtopic.
Customization tip: Add “Also identify 3-5 keywords my competitors likely rank for that I’m missing” and include a brief description of your closest competitor.
Prompt 2: Meta Description Writer (Bulk)
Use case: Writing meta descriptions at scale — for a site launch, a content audit, or a batch of new articles. Meta descriptions don’t directly affect rankings but significantly affect click-through rate.
Time saved: Writing 10-20 meta descriptions manually takes 45-90 minutes. This gets you a batch in under 2 minutes.
Write meta descriptions for the following pages. Each meta description must:
- Be between 150-160 characters (count carefully — this is a hard requirement)
- Include the target keyword naturally
- Describe a specific benefit, not just the topic
- Have a call to action or implication of value
- Not start with the page title
Pages:
Title: [PAGE TITLE 1] | Target keyword: [KEYWORD 1]
Title: [PAGE TITLE 2] | Target keyword: [KEYWORD 2]
Title: [PAGE TITLE 3] | Target keyword: [KEYWORD 3]
Title: [PAGE TITLE 4] | Target keyword: [KEYWORD 4]
Title: [PAGE TITLE 5] | Target keyword: [KEYWORD 5]
For each page, write 2 variations (A and B) and show the character count for each.
Expected output: Two meta description variations per page with character counts. You pick the best one or blend elements from both.
Customization tip: Add “Tone: [professional/conversational/direct]” and paste in one or two examples of meta descriptions you like to match the style.
Prompt 3: Title Tag Optimizer
Use case: Improving existing title tags to increase CTR without changing the page content. A 1-2% CTR improvement on a high-traffic page compounds significantly over time.
Time saved: 30-45 minutes testing variations manually.
Act as a conversion-focused SEO specialist. I have a page with these details:
Current title: [YOUR CURRENT TITLE TAG]
Target keyword: [TARGET KEYWORD]
Current character count: [COUNT]
Page type: [Blog post / Product page / Category page / Landing page]
Top competitors' titles for this keyword:
- [COMPETITOR TITLE 1]
- [COMPETITOR TITLE 2]
- [COMPETITOR TITLE 3]
Rewrite this title tag 8 ways. For each variation:
- Include the target keyword (within first 50 characters if possible)
- Stay under 60 characters total
- Use a different formula or angle from the other variations
- Be meaningfully different from competitor titles
Formulas to include across the 8 variations:
- How-to format
- Year-specific ("2026 Guide to...")
- Number-led
- Question format
- Benefit-focused (what the reader gets)
- Comparison ("X vs Y")
- Negative angle ("Stop...", "Avoid...")
- Brand authority ("The [X] Guide")
Show character count for each. Mark your top 2 recommendations.
Expected output: 8 title options with character counts and your top picks identified.
Prompt 4: Long-Form Content Outline
Use case: Creating a comprehensive content outline before writing — the kind that covers the topic thoroughly enough to compete with established content.
Time saved: 1-2 hours of research and outlining per article.
Act as a senior SEO content strategist. Create a comprehensive content outline for an article targeting the keyword "[TARGET KEYWORD]".
About my site: [YOUR SITE'S FOCUS AND AUDIENCE]
Search intent for this keyword: [INFORMATIONAL / COMMERCIAL / NAVIGATIONAL — and what specifically the searcher wants]
Word count target: [YOUR TARGET — e.g., 2,500-3,000 words]
The outline should include:
ARTICLE METADATA
- Recommended title tag (under 60 chars)
- Meta description (150-160 chars)
- URL slug suggestion
CONTENT STRUCTURE
- H1 (can be longer than title tag)
- Introduction notes: What problem to address immediately, what to promise
- H2 sections with:
- The main point of each section
- Sub-points (H3s) where needed
- Any specific data, examples, or statistics worth including
- Estimated word count per section
- Conclusion notes: What CTA to include
SEO NOTES
- Primary keyword placement recommendations
- 5 LSI/related keywords to weave in naturally
- 2 opportunities for internal links (describe the type of content, not specific URLs)
- Featured snippet opportunity (if any) and how to format it
CONTENT DIFFERENTIATION
- What does existing content on this topic typically miss?
- One unique angle I should take
Expected output: A detailed outline you can hand to a writer or use to draft the article yourself, with SEO guidance built in.
Prompt 5: FAQ Schema Content Generator
Use case: FAQ schema can trigger expanded results in Google, adding visual real estate to your listing. This prompt generates the FAQ content and the proper JSON-LD schema markup in one step.
Time saved: 45-60 minutes writing FAQs plus time spent formatting schema by hand.
I need FAQ content for a page about [TOPIC]. The target keyword is "[TARGET KEYWORD]".
Generate 8 FAQ questions and answers following these rules:
QUESTION RULES:
- Use question formats that people actually search (start with "How", "What", "Why", "Is", "Can", "Should", "When")
- Include the primary keyword or close variation in at least 3 questions
- Mix informational questions with decision-stage questions
- Avoid duplicate intent across questions
ANSWER RULES:
- Each answer: 50-80 words
- Start with a direct answer (no preamble like "Great question" or "This depends on many factors")
- Include one specific detail, stat, or example per answer where relevant
- Written for a [BEGINNER / INTERMEDIATE / EXPERT] audience
After writing the FAQs, format them as JSON-LD FAQ schema markup I can paste into my page's section.
Page URL: [YOUR PAGE URL]
Expected output: 8 formatted FAQ pairs plus the complete JSON-LD schema markup ready to implement.
What to check before publishing: Verify any specific statistics or facts the model includes — hallucinations are rare but real. Swap in your own data where you have it.
Prompt 6: Internal Linking Suggestions
Use case: Identifying internal linking opportunities across your existing content to improve crawlability, distribute link equity, and keep readers on your site longer.
Time saved: Manually auditing 20+ articles for internal link opportunities takes 2-3 hours. This does it in minutes.
I need to build an internal linking strategy for my site. Here is a list of my existing articles with their topics:
[PASTE YOUR ARTICLE LIST IN THIS FORMAT:]
Article 1: [TITLE] — covers [BRIEF DESCRIPTION, 1 sentence]
Article 2: [TITLE] — covers [BRIEF DESCRIPTION, 1 sentence]
[continue for all articles...]
My newest article that needs internal links: [NEW ARTICLE TITLE] — covers [DESCRIPTION]
For this new article, identify:
INBOUND LINKS NEEDED (articles that should link TO my new article)
- Which of my existing articles should link to the new one
- Suggested anchor text for each
- Which section of the existing article the link should appear in
OUTBOUND LINKS (articles my new article should link TO)
- Which existing articles the new article should link to
- Why (topical relevance, supporting context, etc.)
- Suggested anchor text for each
PRIORITY RANKING
- Which 5 links are highest priority to implement first, and why
Format as two tables: one for inbound, one for outbound.
Prompt 7: Competitor Content Gap Analysis
Use case: Understanding what content your competitors are ranking for that you don’t have, so you can prioritize what to create next.
Time saved: 2-4 hours of manual competitor research.
I'm doing a content gap analysis comparing my site to a competitor.
My site: [YOUR SITE NAME AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION]
My site covers: [LIST YOUR MAIN TOPICS/CATEGORIES]
Competitor site: [COMPETITOR SITE NAME]
What I know about their content: [DESCRIBE WHAT THEY COVER — or paste their sitemap categories, top articles, etc.]
Based on this, help me:
IDENTIFY GAPS
- Topics they likely cover that I haven't addressed
- Formats they probably use that I'm missing (tools, calculators, comparison pages, etc.)
- Audience segments they might reach that my content doesn't serve
PRIORITIZE THE GAPS
- Which gaps represent the highest opportunity (traffic + conversion potential)
- Which are quick wins vs. long-term investments
DIFFERENTIATION OPPORTUNITIES
- Where could I produce significantly better content than what they likely have?
- What angles could I take that they're probably not using?
CONTENT TO CREATE FIRST
- Recommend 10 specific article/page ideas to close the most important gaps
- For each: title, target keyword, and 1-sentence rationale
Note: I'll verify actual traffic data in Ahrefs/Semrush — this analysis is for strategic direction.
Prompt 8: Content Brief for Writers
Use case: Briefing a freelance writer or team member to produce SEO-optimized content without micro-managing. A good brief cuts revision cycles in half.
Time saved: 1-2 hours per brief.
Create a detailed content brief for the following article:
ARTICLE INFO
Target keyword: [TARGET KEYWORD]
Secondary keywords: [2-3 RELATED KEYWORDS]
Target word count: [WORD COUNT]
Audience: [WHO WILL READ THIS — their knowledge level, what they want to accomplish]
Goal: [WHAT THIS PAGE SHOULD DO — rank for keyword, convert visitors, build topical authority]
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE BRIEF:
Title options (3 variations, under 60 characters each)
Meta description (150-160 characters)
Search intent analysis (what specifically the searcher wants when they type this query)
Content structure (H2s and H3s with 1-sentence description of each section)
Key points to cover in each section (3-5 bullets per H2)
What NOT to include or assume the reader knows
Tone and style guidance (3-4 specific instructions)
Competitor articles to reference (describe the content type — I'll find specific URLs)
Unique angle or hook that differentiates this article
CTA at the end: what action should the reader take?
Format as a document the writer can follow without additional explanation.
Prompt 9: Featured Snippet Optimizer
Use case: Reformatting existing content to win featured snippets (the answer boxes that appear at the top of Google results).
Time saved: 30-45 minutes per page of manual reformatting.
I want to optimize this content section to win a featured snippet for the query "[TARGET QUERY]".
My current content for this section:
[PASTE YOUR CURRENT CONTENT]
Google typically shows featured snippets in these formats for this type of query:
- Paragraph snippets (for "what is" and "how does" queries)
- List snippets (for "how to" and "best X" queries)
- Table snippets (for comparison and specification queries)
Based on the query "[TARGET QUERY]", determine which format is most likely to win, then rewrite my content section to:
Lead with a direct, complete answer to the query in the first 40-60 words
Format the content to match the snippet type most likely to win
Include the exact query phrase or close variation within the first sentence
Keep the answer self-contained (readable without surrounding context)
Show me:
- The rewritten section formatted for the featured snippet
- The format type you chose and why
- Any HTML formatting I should use (
, , etc.) to signal the format to Google
Prompt 10: Topical Authority Audit
Use case: Assessing your existing content coverage on a topic and identifying where you have thin or missing coverage that’s holding back your rankings.
Time saved: 1-3 hours of manual content inventory analysis.
I want to assess my topical authority for the topic of [YOUR MAIN TOPIC].
Here are the articles I currently have on this topic:
[LIST YOUR ARTICLES WITH BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS]
Based on this content inventory, analyze:
- COVERAGE MAP
- What subtopics and angles am I covering well?
- What subtopics am I partially covering but not thoroughly?
- What subtopics am I missing entirely?
- CONTENT DEPTH ASSESSMENT
- For my existing coverage, where am I likely producing thin or shallow content?
- What's the indicator that a topic is covered shallowly (based on typical article patterns)?
- PRIORITY GAPS
- Which missing subtopics are most important for topical authority?
- Recommended order to create the missing content
- QUICK WINS
- Which existing articles could be improved (not new content — just expanded) to immediately fill coverage gaps?
- What specifically should be added to each?
Output as an audit report I can use to plan my content roadmap for the next 60 days.
Prompt 11: Semantic SEO Enhancer
Use case: Strengthening an existing article’s semantic relevance by identifying related terms, concepts, and entities that should appear in the content to signal topical depth to search engines.
Time saved: 45-60 minutes of manual research per article.
I have an article about [TOPIC] targeting the keyword "[TARGET KEYWORD]". I want to strengthen its semantic relevance without keyword stuffing.
My article currently includes these H2 sections:
[LIST YOUR H2 SECTIONS]
Help me improve semantic coverage by identifying:
- RELATED ENTITIES (10-15 terms)
- People, companies, tools, concepts, events closely associated with this topic
- Which ones should appear in my content as mentions or references
- LSI KEYWORDS (10-12 phrases)
- Closely related phrases that indicate topical depth
- Where in the article each should appear (which section)
- CO-OCCURRING TERMS (8-10)
- Words and phrases that expert content on this topic always includes
- What I'm likely missing that signals shallow coverage
- MISSING CONCEPTS
- Based on the H2 structure, what important concept am I not covering that belongs in a comprehensive article on this topic?
- INTERNAL CONTEXT
- What questions should I answer within the article to make it the most complete single resource on this topic?
Format as a checklist I can use while editing my draft.
Prompt 12: Searcher Intent Decoder
Use case: Understanding the true intent behind a keyword before you create content for it. Creating the wrong content type for a keyword (informational content for a transactional keyword, for example) is a common reason well-written articles don’t rank.
Time saved: 20-30 minutes of manual SERP analysis per keyword.
Analyze the search intent for these keywords and tell me what content format and angle Google is most likely to reward for each.
Keywords to analyze:
- [KEYWORD 1]
- [KEYWORD 2]
- [KEYWORD 3]
- [KEYWORD 4]
- [KEYWORD 5]
For each keyword, tell me:
INTENT TYPE
- Informational / Commercial / Navigational / Transactional
- What specifically the searcher wants at this moment
CONTENT FORMAT
- What type of content Google most likely ranks #1 for this (list article, comparison, guide, product page, tool, etc.)
- What format this should be presented in (numbered list, comparison table, how-to steps, etc.)
ANGLE RECOMMENDATION
- What angle or hook would make my content stand out against typical results
- What question must the content answer immediately in the introduction
DO NOT CREATE
- What type of content would likely not rank for this keyword (to avoid wasted effort)
Format as a table with one row per keyword.
Prompt 13: Competitor SERP Analysis
Use case: Understanding why the current top-ranking pages are winning before you try to beat them.
Time saved: 1-2 hours of manual SERP research.
I want to outrank the current top results for the keyword "[TARGET KEYWORD]".
Based on what you know about typical top-ranking content for this type of query, help me understand:
- WHAT TOP CONTENT TYPICALLY LOOKS LIKE
- Common structure and format
- Average depth and length
- Types of evidence used (stats, examples, expert quotes)
- Common H2 topics that appear across top results
- WEAK POINTS TO EXPLOIT
- What do typical articles on this topic fail to address well?
- Where is the existing ranking content probably thin or outdated?
- What reader questions does the top content probably leave unanswered?
- DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY
- What angle could I take that doesn't currently exist in the top results?
- What format or feature could I add that would make my content more useful?
- What's one data point, tool, or resource I could create to make my article the go-to reference?
- MY CONTENT PLAN
Based on the above analysis, give me a 5-point plan for writing content that has a realistic chance of outranking the current top results.
Important: I understand you can't see live search results. Base this on your knowledge of how competitive SEO content typically looks for [TOPIC AREA] queries and what gaps commonly exist.
Prompt 14: Page Title and H1 Split
Use case: Many SEO practitioners use different text for the title tag (what appears in search results) and the H1 (what appears on the page). The title tag needs to be concise and keyword-optimized; the H1 can be more engaging or specific. This prompt writes both optimally.
Time saved: 15-20 minutes per page.
I need a title tag and H1 for a page about [TOPIC].
Target keyword: [TARGET KEYWORD]
Page type: [Blog post / Landing page / Category page / Product page]
What the page delivers: [WHAT READERS GET FROM THIS PAGE]
Tone: [CONVERSATIONAL / PROFESSIONAL / TECHNICAL / DIRECT]
TITLE TAG (for Google search results)
- Must include the target keyword
- Under 60 characters
- Written to maximize click-through rate from search results
- Write 3 options
H1 (displayed on the page)
- Can be longer (60-80 characters is fine)
- Can be more descriptive or engaging than the title tag
- Should align with but not duplicate the title tag exactly
- Write 3 options
For each title tag and H1 pair, note whether they work well together or could conflict in intent.
Prompt 15: Content Refresh Planner
Use case: Older articles that once ranked well often need updating — new information, updated examples, improved structure — to reclaim or improve their rankings.
Time saved: 1-2 hours of analysis to determine what needs updating and how.
I have an article that needs refreshing. Help me create a refresh plan.
Article details:
- Title: [ARTICLE TITLE]
- Published: [ORIGINAL DATE]
- Current ranking: [POSITION] for "[KEYWORD]"
- Current traffic: [MONTHLY VISITS OR "unknown"]
The article currently covers:
[LIST YOUR MAIN SECTIONS/POINTS]
Things I know have changed since it was published:
[LIST ANY OUTDATED INFORMATION, CHANGED STATS, DEPRECATED TOOLS, ETC.]
Create a content refresh plan that includes:
- WHAT TO UPDATE (not rewrite — just update)
- Specific sections with outdated information
- Statistics or data that need current numbers
- Examples or references that should be replaced
- WHAT TO EXPAND
- Sections that are likely too short for the current competitive landscape
- New subtopics that have emerged since the original publish date
- New questions readers are likely asking now
- WHAT TO REMOVE OR CONDENSE
- Sections that are probably no longer relevant
- Content that's likely duplicated elsewhere in the article
- STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS
- Would a different H2 structure improve SEO?
- Should any sections be reordered?
- What new elements (table, FAQ, comparison chart) would improve the page?
- REFRESH PRIORITY
- Rate the urgency of this refresh: High/Medium/Low
- Estimated effort: Hours to complete
- Expected impact: what ranking improvement or traffic change to expect
Format as an action checklist.
5 Prompt Engineering Tips for SEO Work
1. Feed in real data. These prompts get dramatically better results when you paste in actual content: your article’s existing H2s, your current meta description, your list of existing articles. Generic inputs = generic outputs. The model is analyzing what you give it, so give it your real information.
2. Be specific about your audience and niche. “A blog about marketing” and “a blog about email marketing for independent e-commerce stores with under $500K in annual revenue” produce completely different keyword clusters, content briefs, and competitive angles. Specificity is the most important variable in SEO prompts.
3. Always verify statistics and facts. ChatGPT can hallucinate statistics, especially for specific industries or niches. Any number or statistic the model generates should be verified before you publish. This is non-negotiable for SEO content, where accuracy builds trust and errors kill it.
4. Use the model for structure, you for substance. These prompts are best for generating structure: keyword maps, outlines, schema formats, title options. The insight, examples, data, and actual narrative should come from you. AI-assisted SEO content that performs well combines AI-generated structure with human expertise.
5. Iterate on what performs. When a meta description variation generates a higher CTR, or when a specific content structure helps a page rank faster, note what was different about the prompt that produced it. Build a library of your best-performing SEO prompts, customized to your niche and audience.
FAQ
Can ChatGPT actually do keyword research?
ChatGPT can help you brainstorm keyword clusters, identify related topics, and understand search intent — but it doesn’t have access to real-time search volume data. For actual volume numbers, you still need Ahrefs, Semrush, Google Keyword Planner, or a similar tool. The best workflow: use ChatGPT to generate keyword ideas and clusters, then validate volume and competition in a dedicated SEO tool.
Will Google penalize content I write with AI assistance?
Google’s focus is on content quality and helpfulness, not on the tools used to produce it. Content produced with AI assistance that is accurate, original in perspective, and genuinely useful ranks fine. The content that gets penalized is thin, generic, mass-produced text that adds no value. The prompts in this guide are designed to produce structured, specific, well-organized content — but you still need to edit, fact-check, and inject your own expertise before publishing.
How current is ChatGPT’s SEO knowledge?
ChatGPT’s training data has a knowledge cutoff, meaning it doesn’t know about the most recent Google algorithm updates, new SERP features, or very recent ranking patterns. For tasks like keyword research strategy and content structuring, this doesn’t matter much. For tasks that depend on current best practices (like what’s currently working for featured snippets), verify against recent sources before relying on the model’s guidance.
Which of these 15 prompts should I start with?
If you’re trying to improve existing content: start with Prompt 14 (title/H1 split) and Prompt 9 (featured snippet optimizer) — both are quick wins on pages you’ve already written. If you’re starting new content from scratch: start with Prompt 4 (content outline) and Prompt 1 (keyword cluster). If you need to produce a lot of content quickly: Prompt 8 (content brief) is the highest-leverage starting point because good briefs mean fewer revisions.
Do these prompts work with Claude or Gemini too?
Yes. These prompts are model-agnostic. Claude tends to be more precise about formatting instructions and follows multi-part prompts reliably. Gemini’s strength is real-time web access, making it useful for prompts that reference current search results or recent changes. The SEO strategy logic in these prompts doesn’t depend on any model-specific feature.
You Might Also Like
- Prompt Engineering for Beginners: The Only Guide You Need
- 50 Best ChatGPT Prompts for Content Writers in 2026
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