Agent skill

Keyword Research

by kostja94 in kostja94/marketing-skills

When the user wants to research keywords, find target keywords, or analyze search intent.

MITAuto-check passedMarketing & SEO

Install Keyword Research

skills CLI
$ npx skills add kostja94/marketing-skills --skill keyword-research -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install kostja94/marketing-skills keyword-research --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/kostja94/marketing-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/seo/content/keyword-research .claude/skills/keyword-research && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
keyword-research
GitHub stars
1k
Token cost
~2.7k tokens
SKILL.md length
1,213 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
102
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

When the user wants to research keywords, find target keywords, or analyze search intent.

  • Works in 4 steps: Product/service: What you offer → Audience: Who searches for it → Goals: Traffic, conversions, brand → …
  • Wants to research keywords
  • SKILL.md covers Initial Assessment, Discovery Methods, Search Intent and Long-Tail Expansion, plus 9 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Keyword Research is an agent skill from kostja94/marketing-skills. When the user wants to research keywords, find target keywords, or analyze search intent. Also use when the user mentions "keyword research," "keyword tool," "target keywords," "search volume," "search intent," "keyword difficulty," "topical map," "keyword clustering," "People Also Ask," "Google autocomplete," "autocomplete keywords," or "alphabet method." For clusters, use content-strategy.

Its SKILL.md is about 2.7k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Marketing & SEO, covering Keyword research. The repository describes itself as: Agent Skills for Marketing — SEO, Social, Influencer & More. 160+ open-source skills for SEO, content, 40+ page types, paid ads, channels, and strategies. Add project context… The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Wants to research keywords
  • Find target keywords
  • Analyze search intent
  • The user mentions keyword research

Example prompts

  • “keyword research,”
  • “keyword tool,”
  • “target keywords,”
  • “/keyword-research”

Workflow steps

4 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Product/service: What you offer
  2. Audience: Who searches for it
  3. Goals: Traffic, conversions, brand
  4. Tool access: Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, or SEO tools

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 8dd89c5. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):

    • backlinko.com

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Keyword Research loads about 2.7k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 103 tokens; SKILL.md has 1,213 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~103
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.7k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from kostja94/marketing-skills at commit 8dd89c5, republished under its MIT licence (© kostja94). 1,213 words, ~2,681 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/keyword-research/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
keyword-research
description
When the user wants to research keywords, find target keywords, or analyze search intent. Also use when the user mentions "keyword research," "keyword tool," "target keywords," "search volume," "search intent," "keyword difficulty," "topical map," "keyword clustering," "People Also Ask," "Google autocomplete," "autocomplete keywords," or "alphabet method." For clusters, use content-strategy.
metadata.version
1.3.1

SEO Content: Keyword Research

Guides keyword research for SEO: finding target keywords, assessing difficulty, understanding search intent, and building topical maps. ~95% of keywords get fewer than 10 searches/month; low-volume, high-intent terms often yield faster rankings and conversion.

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Initial Assessment

Project context: Read root contextus.md when present and load only the modules relevant to this task. Without Contextus, use available project material or user-provided facts and ask for missing information; do not create a parallel context system.

Identify:

  1. Product/service: What you offer
  2. Audience: Who searches for it
  3. Goals: Traffic, conversions, brand
  4. Tool access: Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, or SEO tools

Discovery Methods

Base Discovery
MethodPurpose
User perspectiveWhat pain points? What would they search? Customer language from product context
Tool expansionRelated keywords, questions, suggestions; Google autocomplete, PAA, Related Searches
Competitor reverseAnalyze competitor titles, H1, URL; identify topics they rank for; find gaps (#4–10 = opportunity) — see competitor-research
Google PAAPeople Also Ask and Related Searches; high-value signals from real user behavior
Extract from articleWhen auditing existing content: extract seed keywords from title, H1, H2s, meta keywords, first 100 words; then search "[primary keyword]" or "[primary keyword] related keywords" for opportunities; use "[primary keyword]" site:competitor.com if competitors known
Google Autocomplete (Long-Tail Discovery)

Google autocomplete reflects real user searches; suggestions only appear if queries have actual traffic. Free; often uncovers low-volume long-tail that keyword tools miss. ~70% of search traffic is long-tail; lower competition, higher conversion.

Alphabet method (seed + space + letter):

  • Type seed keyword + space + each letter: keyword a, keyword b, ... keyword z
  • Record relevant suggestions; repeat with numbers 0-9
  • Example: SEO a -> "SEO audit," "SEO agency"; SEO b -> "SEO basics," "SEO best practices"

Position variants (seed in different positions):

  • Prefix: a keyword, b keyword (discover what users add before)
  • Suffix: keyword a, keyword b (most common; alphabet method)
  • Middle: how to keyword a, best keyword for (question + modifier combos)

Question modifiers:

  • how to keyword, what is keyword, why keyword, when to keyword, keyword vs
  • keyword for beginners, keyword for small business, keyword without

Why it works: Keyword tools filter low-volume terms; autocomplete only shows queries with real traffic. Use with PAA and Related Searches for full coverage. Categorize results by intent (informational, commercial, transactional).

Incremental Discovery
  • User feedback: Support, community, reviews, NPS—high-frequency questions = unmet search demand
  • Multi-platform search: Reddit, Quora, X (Twitter), Hacker News—real questions and discussions

Search Intent

IntentContent typeExample
InformationalBlog, guide, FAQ"how to optimize sitemap"
NavigationalBrand page"alignify login"
CommercialComparison, review"SEO tools comparison"
TransactionalProduct, pricing"best SEO tool pricing"
Intent Identification

Modifier words (often signal intent):

IntentModifiers
Informational"how," "what," "why," "guide," "tutorial"
Commercial"best," "compare," "vs," "review," "top"
Transactional"buy," "price," "cheap," "coupon," "free shipping"
LocalLocation names

SERP check: Search the term—knowledge cards/Wiki → informational; product lists/reviews → commercial; brand sites → navigational. Broader terms often show mixed SERP. See serp-features for feature types.

Long-Tail Expansion

  • Google Autocomplete: Alphabet method, position variants, question modifiers; see above. Primary source for long-tail.
  • Intent modifiers: Core + "how," "best," "vs," "compare," "price"
  • Question words: "how to," "what is," "why," "when"
  • Functional modifiers: Core + "-er/-or" (e.g., "image optimizer" for tool-type queries); often higher conversion
  • Clustering: Group by SERP overlap (same top pages), semantic similarity, or intent.

Keyword Clustering & Topical Map

MethodUse
SERP overlapKeywords with overlapping top-ranking pages → same cluster
SemanticGroup by meaning, LSI, related concepts
Intent-basedGroup by intent; separate pages if intent differs within cluster

Pillar–cluster (map keywords to structure):

  • Pillar (Hub): Broad topic page; links to clusters
  • Cluster (Spoke): Focused subtopic; links back to pillar
  • Target long-tail first; then pillar. Interlink clusters within topic.
  • See content-strategy for full pillar-cluster planning and implementation.

Evaluate & Screen

FactorConsider
Search volumeMonthly searches; ~100+/month typical floor; niche can relax
Keyword difficulty (KD)New sites target lower KD
CPCHigher CPC often = stronger commercial intent
SERP featuresFeatured Snippet, PAA, zero-click; SERP features can satisfy intent without click—affects real traffic; see serp-features (Zero-Click section), featured-snippet
Screening order1) Remove irrelevant 2) Filter very low volume 3) Assess achievability 4) Prioritize commercial/transactional
Show full SKILL.md (498 more words)Show less

Product Positioning Test (SEO Fit)

Test if positioning is clear enough for search:

  • XXX + Function words: Generator, Creator, Maker, Builder, Changer, Shortener, Scraper, Converter, Downloader, Translator, Extender, Summarizer, Resizer, Remover, Extractor, Recorder, Rewriter, Solver, Calculator; or Platform, Tool, Software, App, Provider, Assistant, Copilot
  • Input + to + Output: e.g., "image to video," "text to speech"—clear input/output signals intent

Agent/Copilot products: Pure native Agent hard to grow via SEO; users rarely search "agent." Release related features first (e.g., CRM, sales bot for sales agent) to build traffic, then funnel to Agent product.

Principles

  • Core rule: Someone must search it—validate with tools; avoid inventing terms
  • Functional keywords: Tool-type (-er/-or) often convert better; users are closer to action
  • Multi-language: Re-research in target language; don't translate existing lists. See translation for translation workflow.

SEO–PPC Keyword Synergy

Keyword research serves both SEO and Google Ads. Align both channels to avoid duplication, cannibalization, and wasted spend.

Data flowUse
keyword-research → google-adsKeyword list, clusters, intent; support terms (login, forum, pricing) → negative keywords for PPC
google-ads → keyword-researchPPC conversion rate, Search Terms report → SEO priority; high-converting PPC terms = worth ranking organically
keyword-research → landing-pageClusters → dedicated LP per intent; PAA questions → FAQ sections
GSC organic rank 4+If you rank well organically, consider reducing/pausing PPC on those terms to avoid cannibalization

PPC data for SEO priority: SEO ROI ≈ (Organic clicks × PPC conversion rate × Customer value) − SEO cost. Use PPC conversion data to validate which keywords to pursue in organic.

Reference: Backlinko – SEO and PPC: 8 Smart Ways to Align

Data Sources

SourceUse
AhrefsKeywords Explorer, Site Explorer
SEMrushKeyword Overview, Organic Research
GSCSearch queries, impressions, clicks
GATraffic by landing page
PostHogFeature/search usage

Report Workflow

  1. Parse — Read Excel/CSV, infer keyword, volume, KD, intent, etc. from headers
  2. Enrich — Web search, visit competitor/product pages; read root contextus.md if present
  3. Build — Structure data for report
  4. Generate — Output report in chosen format

Output Format

  • Keyword list with volume, KD, intent
  • Keyword mapping to pages/content
  • Content gaps (competitors rank, you don't)
  • Priority ranking for implementation
  • Topical map (cluster → pillar → page mapping)
Report Structure Reference
SectionContent
Executive SummaryPriorities (top 3)
Keyword OverviewTotal keywords, primary intent, avg KD, content gaps count
Keyword ListKeyword, volume, KD, intent, priority, target page
Keyword MappingPage/URL, target keywords, status
Content GapsKeywords competitors rank for that you don't
Action PlanPriority, action, impact, effort
AppendixSearch intent reference (Informational, Commercial, Transactional, Navigational)
  • seo-strategy: SEO workflow, Product-Led SEO, audit approach; keyword research is Content phase
  • google-ads: Keywords inform Search targeting; PPC data feeds back into SEO priority
  • paid-ads-strategy: When to use paid vs organic; channel selection
  • content-strategy: Keywords inform content plan; topic clusters
  • content-optimization: Keyword placement, density vs stuffing, H2 keywords
  • title-tag, meta-description: Keywords in title, description
  • heading-structure: Keywords in H1, H2
  • link-building: Keywords inform link targets
  • serp-features: SERP features in keyword screening; PAA, Featured Snippet
  • featured-snippet: Snippet-worthy query targeting
  • competitor-research: Competitor keyword/topic analysis; reverse engineering
  • faq-page-generator: PAA questions to FAQ sections; question-based keyword to FAQ content

© kostja94, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in skills/seo/content/keyword-research of kostja94/marketing-skills.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 8dd89c5

Compare with similar skills

Keyword Research next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Keyword Research compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Keyword Research this skillkostja94/marketing-skills1k—~2.7kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
SEO Keyword ClusteringAgriciDaniel/claude-seo19k2 repos~3.3kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Evaluate Skillevery-app/open-seo23k—~1.8kAutomated safety check: NotesMIT
SEO Content Brief GeneratorAgriciDaniel/claude-seo19k2 repos~2.6kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Blog GoogleAgriciDaniel/claude-blog2.3k1 repos~3.3kAutomated safety check: NotesMIT
FLOW SEO FrameworkAgriciDaniel/claude-seo19k2 repos~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Categories

Questions about Keyword Research

What does Keyword Research do?

When the user wants to research keywords, find target keywords, or analyze search intent. Keyword Research is an agent skill from kostja94/marketing-skills. When the user wants to research keywords, find target keywords, or analyze search intent.

When should I use Keyword Research?

Keyword Research fits situations like: wants to research keywords; find target keywords; analyze search intent; the user mentions keyword research.

How do I install Keyword Research in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add kostja94/marketing-skills --skill keyword-research -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/seo/content/keyword-research in kostja94/marketing-skills) into .claude/skills/keyword-research in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Keyword Research in Codex?

Run `npx skills add kostja94/marketing-skills --skill keyword-research -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/seo/content/keyword-research in kostja94/marketing-skills) into .agents/skills/keyword-research in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Keyword Research in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add kostja94/marketing-skills --skill keyword-research -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/keyword-research, .gemini/skills/keyword-research, .github/skills/keyword-research and .opencode/skills/keyword-research in your project.

What does Keyword Research need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Keyword Research is instructions for the agent only.

Does Keyword Research access the network?

SKILL.md names 1 domain. As links in the text: backlinko.com. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Keyword Research safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Keyword Research use?

Keyword Research is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Keyword Research use?

About 2.7k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 11k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Keyword Research?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Keyword Research: SEO Keyword Clustering (AgriciDaniel/claude-seo, 19k stars), Evaluate Skill (every-app/open-seo, 23k stars), SEO Content Brief Generator (AgriciDaniel/claude-seo, 19k stars) and Blog Google (AgriciDaniel/claude-blog, 2.3k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Keyword Research?

kostja94 (a GitHub user) maintains it in kostja94/marketing-skills, which has 1,025 GitHub stars. The repository holds 102 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 6, 2026.

Source: kostja94/marketing-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.