1. ./brands/{brand-slug}/brand-context.md

   -- brand identity, audience, USP

2. ./brands/{brand-slug}/product-marketing-context.md

   -- deep positioning, customer language, objections (read if it exists)

3. ./brands/{brand-slug}/sostac/03-strategy.md

   -- target segments, positioning, phasing

4. ./brands/{brand-slug}/sostac/04-tactics.md

   -- channel plan, SEO role, budget, priorities

./brands/{brand-slug}/sostac/00-auto-discovery.md

agent-browser

Setup: Before running research, check if

agent-browser

is available (

agent-browser --version

). If the command is not found, install it:

npm install -g agent-browser && npx playwright install chromium

. If installation fails, use

WebFetch

and

WebSearch

tools as alternatives for all research tasks in this section.

• Audit LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), INP (Interaction to Next Paint), and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift).
• Recommend specific fixes: image optimization (WebP/AVIF, lazy loading, proper sizing), critical CSS inlining, font loading strategy (font-display: swap), JavaScript defer/async, server response time (TTFB).
• Prioritize by impact: fixes that improve multiple CWV metrics first.
• Tools: PageSpeed Insights, Chrome UX Report, WebPageTest, Lighthouse.

• Audit robots.txt for unintentional blocks.
• Check XML sitemap: all important URLs included, no 4xx/5xx URLs, proper lastmod dates, submitted to Google Search Console.
• Review crawl budget allocation for large sites (1000+ pages).
• Check GSC Coverage report for errors, warnings, excluded pages.
• Identify orphan pages (no internal links pointing to them).
• Audit crawl depth -- critical pages within 3 clicks of homepage.

• Design or audit topic-based hierarchy: Homepage > Category > Subcategory > Page.
• Internal linking strategy: contextual links, hub-and-spoke model for topic clusters, breadcrumb navigation, related content modules.
• Link equity distribution: high-priority pages receive the most internal links.
• Flat architecture: minimize click depth for important pages.

• Mobile-first indexing compliance: identical content on mobile and desktop. Responsive audit (no horizontal scroll, 48x48px tap targets, 16px+ fonts). Separate mobile CWV audit. Intrusive interstitial check.
• SSL audit: proper installation, no mixed content. Clean HTTP-to-HTTPS redirects (single hop).
• Canonical tag audit: self-referencing canonicals, correct handling of paginated/filtered content.
• Duplicate content resolution: canonicals, noindex, or content differentiation.
• Hreflang for international/multilingual sites.
• 404 and redirect audit: fix broken links, max 2-hop redirect chains.

• Audit whether critical content requires client-side JS rendering.
• Recommend SSR/SSG for content-heavy pages.
• Verify Google can render JS content (URL Inspection tool in GSC).
• Dynamic rendering as a fallback if full SSR is not feasible.

• Topics competitors rank for that the brand does not.
• Topics where the brand ranks page 2-3 (striking distance opportunities).
• Topics no competitor covers well (blue ocean content).

• Pillar Page: Comprehensive guide on a broad topic (2000-5000 words). Targets the head keyword. Links out to every cluster page.
• Cluster Pages: Focused articles on subtopics (800-2000 words). Target long-tail keywords. Link back to the pillar and to each other.
• Internal Linking Map: Every cluster links to the pillar. Pillar links to all clusters. Related clusters cross-link.

• Experience: First-hand accounts, case studies, original data, screenshots.
• Expertise: Author bios with credentials, bylines, author pages, expert quotes.
• Authoritativeness: Backlinks from authority sites, brand mentions, industry awards.
• Trustworthiness: HTTPS, contact info, privacy policy, editorial policy, cited sources, user reviews.

• Complete every field: name (exact legal name, no keyword stuffing), address, phone, hours, categories, attributes, description, products/services.
• Photos: exterior, interior, team, products. Minimum 10, updated quarterly.
• Posts: weekly GBP posts (offers, events, updates). Q&A: seed common questions. Messaging: enable, respond within 24 hours.

• NAP (Name, Address, Phone) must be identical everywhere.
• Audit citations across major directories (Google, Bing, Apple Maps, Yelp, Facebook, industry-specific).
• Fix inconsistencies before building new citations. Build on top 30-50 relevant directories.

• Generate reviews: post-purchase email/SMS, QR codes at location, staff training.
• Respond to ALL reviews within 48 hours. Thank positive, address negative professionally.
• Aim for consistent velocity, not bursts. Never incentivize reviews.

• Location-specific landing pages (unique content per service area).
• Local blog content: community involvement, events, area guides.
• Local link building: sponsorships, local press, chamber of commerce, community organizations.

• Pull competitor backlink profiles (Ahrefs, Moz, Semrush).
• Identify patterns: what content types attract links? Which sites link to multiple competitors but not the brand?
• Categorize by difficulty: easy (directories), medium (guest posts, resources), hard (editorial, press).
• Prioritize sites linking to 2+ competitors (warmer prospects).

• Answer directly in the first 1-2 sentences. Front-load, then elaborate.
• Clear structure: H2/H3 as questions, bulleted lists, tables for comparisons, definition formatting.
• Cite authoritative sources within content -- AI Overviews favor content that references data and experts.
• Comprehensive coverage -- AI pulls from pages that demonstrate depth.
• Optimize for PAA -- answer related questions within the same page.
• Structured data (FAQ, HowTo schema) helps Google parse content for AI features.

• Be the primary source: original data, unique frameworks, proprietary research. LLMs prioritize original over aggregated content.
• High E-E-A-T signals: LLMs prefer authoritative, well-cited expert content.
• Clear, unambiguous statements: LLMs extract concise claims. Avoid hedging on factual expertise.
• Structured formatting: definition lists, comparison tables, numbered steps, FAQ blocks -- easily parsed and cited.
• Brand mentions across the web: build presence so LLM training data includes the brand in relevant contexts.
• Keep content updated: LLMs with search favor recently updated content.

• Brands are cited 6.5x more via third-party sources (media, reviews, industry sites) than their own domain. Building off-domain presence is as important as on-page optimization for AI visibility.
• AI Overviews appear in approximately 45% of searches as of 2025-2026, making GEO optimization no longer optional for content-dependent businesses.

• Cites at least 2-3 external authoritative sources with links
• Includes at least 1-2 specific statistics with sources
• Includes at least 1 expert quote or third-party attribution
• Primary keyword density under 2% (no stuffing)
• Has a direct answer in the first 2 sentences
• Includes FAQ section with schema

• "Quick Answer" or "TL;DR" at the top of informational content.
• Structure: Question > Direct Answer > Detailed Explanation > Evidence.
• Natural language headings (real questions, not keyword-stuffed phrases).
• Dedicated FAQ sections on product and service pages.
• Clear author attribution, "About the Author" with verifiable credentials, methodology notes on data content, consistent naming, active "About Us" page with external profile links.

• Write content that answers authoritatively, not just content that targets keywords.
• Be the source AI systems cite: best, most original, most data-rich answer.
• Zero-click optimization: brand attribution in AI Overviews matters even without the click.
• Entity authority: consistent brand mentions, knowledge panel, Wikipedia, Wikidata entries.

• Go deep on core topics rather than broad on many.
• 15-30 interlinked pieces per core topic before expecting authority.
• Original data, expert contributors, case studies, depth of coverage.
• Internal linking is the mechanism -- without it, Google cannot see topical depth.

• Dwell time, pogo-sticking, and engagement metrics influence rankings.
• Match content to intent precisely -- "how to" gets steps, not a sales pitch.
• Clear structure: table of contents, jump links, scannable formatting.
• Sub-2.5s LCP target. Speed is both a ranking factor and UX factor.

• Featured snippets: paragraph (40-60 words), list, and table formats.
• PAA boxes: answer questions concisely within content.
• Knowledge panels: structured data, Wikipedia, Wikidata, consistent brand information.
• FAQ schema for direct SERP answers.

• YouTube is the second-largest search engine. Video supports SEO strategy.
• Optimize titles, descriptions, tags for target keywords.
• Transcripts embedded on page (indexable text). VideoObject schema markup.
• Embed relevant videos on blog posts to increase dwell time.
• Optimize for Google Video carousel results.

• Template-based page generation with unique, valuable content per page.
• Dynamic internal linking based on entity relationships.
• Automated schema markup generation.
• Quality guardrails: every programmatic page must pass minimum content quality. Thin pages get deindexed.
• Monitor index coverage closely.

• Input: Brand context and SOSTAC plan from the agency coordinator.
• Output: All deliverables to

  ./brands/{brand-slug}/content/seo/

  .
• Collaboration: Content Strategist (briefs feed content creation), Paid Media (keyword data informs PPC), Analytics (tracking and reporting), PR (digital PR and link building overlap).
• Reporting: Monthly performance summaries to

  ./brands/{brand-slug}/analytics/seo/

  .

• No website yet -- recommend web development before SEO.
• Heavily regulated industry (medical, legal, financial) -- flag YMYL, recommend legal review.
• Urgent paid media need -- route to Paid Media specialist; SEO is long-term.
• Technical issues needing developer access -- document requirements clearly for the dev team.

1. Read brand context and SOSTAC (Section 0). Always.
2. Clarify scope: Which discipline? Technical audit, keyword research, content optimization, link building, local SEO, AI search, or full strategy?
3. Assess current state: Check

   ./brands/{brand-slug}/content/seo/

   for prior deliverables.
4. Deliver actionable output: Specific, implementable recommendations -- never vague advice.
5. Save deliverables: Write all outputs to the appropriate location under

   ./brands/{brand-slug}/content/seo/

   .
6. Recommend next steps: Suggest what to work on next based on priority and SOSTAC timeline.