Skill: Content Gap Analysis

Owner: aaron-he-zhu

Summary: Identifies content opportunities by finding topics and keywords your competitors cover that you don't. Reveals untapped content potential and strategic gaps...

Tags: latest:2.0.0

Version history:

v2.0.0 | 2026-02-14T04:22:47.789Z | auto

Expanded skill triggers, metadata, and context for broader discoverability.

• Added explicit trigger phrases and use-case intent in the description and metadata.
• Introduced license, author, version, and tags fields for better documentation and categorization.
• Included a "Browse all skills" section linking to related SEO & GEO skills.
• Clarified relationships to competitor-analysis and keyword-research skills for user guidance.
• No changes to the core analysis process or examples.

v1.0.3 | 2026-02-11T15:39:05.527Z | auto

• Added geo-relevance metadata to skill.
• Added reference file: references/gap-analysis-frameworks.md.
• Removed explicit version field from SKILL.md header.
• Minor structural and metadata improvements in SKILL.md.

v1.0.2 | 2026-02-10T16:10:22.339Z | auto

• Added a version field ("1.0") to the skill metadata.
• No changes to functionality or user instructions; documentation content remains unchanged.

v1.0.1 | 2026-02-08T14:07:42.209Z | auto

No user-facing changes in this version.

• Version bump only; no file or documentation changes detected.

v1.0.0 | 2026-02-08T13:59:09.085Z | user

Initial release of content-gap-analysis skill.

• Identifies topics and keywords your competitors cover that you don't, revealing content opportunities and strategic gaps.
• Supports keyword gap analysis, topic coverage mapping, content format gap detection, and audience need mapping.
• Can use connected SEO/analytics tools for automated data or accept manual input from users.
• Provides step-by-step, template-driven instructions for comprehensive gap analysis.
• Delivers actionable outputs including prioritized gap lists and content calendar suggestions.

Archive index:

Archive v2.0.0: 3 files, 13016 bytes

Files: references/gap-analysis-frameworks.md (16113b), SKILL.md (21357b), _meta.json (139b)

File v2.0.0:SKILL.md

---

name: content-gap-analysis description: 'Use when the user asks to "find content gaps", "what am I missing", "topics to cover", "content opportunities", "what do competitors write about that I do not", "what topics am I missing", "topics my competitors cover that I lack", or "where are my content blind spots". Identifies content opportunities by finding topics and keywords your competitors cover that you do not. Reveals untapped content potential and strategic gaps in your content strategy. For broader competitive intelligence, see competitor-analysis. For general keyword discovery, see keyword-research.' license: Apache-2.0 metadata: author: aaron-he-zhu version: "2.0.0" geo-relevance: "medium" tags: - seo - geo - content gaps - content opportunities - topic analysis - content strategy - competitive content triggers: - "find content gaps" - "what am I missing" - "topics to cover" - "content opportunities" - "what do competitors write about" - "untapped topics" - "content strategy gaps" - "what topics am I missing" - "they cover this but I don't" - "where are my content blind spots"

Content Gap Analysis

SEO & GEO Skills Library · 20 skills for SEO + GEO · Install all: npx skills add aaron-he-zhu/seo-geo-claude-skills

<details> <summary>Browse all 20 skills</summary>

Research · keyword-research · competitor-analysis · serp-analysis · content-gap-analysis

Build · seo-content-writer · geo-content-optimizer · meta-tags-optimizer · schema-markup-generator

Optimize · on-page-seo-auditor · technical-seo-checker · internal-linking-optimizer · content-refresher

Monitor · rank-tracker · backlink-analyzer · performance-reporter · alert-manager

Cross-cutting · content-quality-auditor · domain-authority-auditor · entity-optimizer · memory-management

</details>

This skill identifies content opportunities by analyzing gaps between your content and competitors'. Find topics you're missing, keywords you could target, and content formats you should create.

When to Use This Skill

• Planning content strategy and editorial calendar
• Finding quick-win content opportunities
• Understanding where competitors outperform you
• Identifying underserved topics in your niche
• Expanding into adjacent topic areas
• Prioritizing content creation efforts
• Finding GEO opportunities competitors miss

What This Skill Does

1. Keyword Gap Analysis: Finds keywords competitors rank for that you don't
2. Topic Coverage Mapping: Identifies topic areas needing more content
3. Content Format Gaps: Reveals missing content types (videos, tools, guides)
4. Audience Need Mapping: Matches gaps to audience journey stages
5. GEO Opportunity Detection: Finds AI-answerable topics you're missing
6. Priority Scoring: Ranks gaps by impact and effort
7. Content Calendar Creation: Plans gap-filling content schedule

How to Use

Basic Gap Analysis

Find content gaps between my site [URL] and [competitor URLs]

What content am I missing compared to my top 3 competitors?

Topic-Specific Analysis

Find content gaps in [topic area] compared to industry leaders

What [content type] do competitors have that I don't?

Audience-Focused

What content gaps exist for [audience segment] in my niche?

Data Sources

See CONNECTORS.md for tool category placeholders.

With ~~SEO tool + ~~search console + ~~analytics + ~~AI monitor connected: Automatically pull your site's content inventory from ~~search console and ~~analytics (indexed pages, traffic per page, keywords ranking), competitor content data from ~~SEO tool (ranking keywords, top pages, backlink counts), and AI citation patterns from ~~AI monitor. Keyword overlap analysis and gap identification can be automated.

With manual data only: Ask the user to provide:

1. Your site URL and content inventory (list of published content with topics)
2. Competitor URLs (3-5 sites)
3. Your current traffic and keyword performance (if available)
4. Known content strengths and weaknesses
5. Industry context and business goals

Proceed with the full analysis using provided data. Note in the output which metrics are from automated collection vs. user-provided data.

Instructions

When a user requests content gap analysis:

1. Define Analysis Scope

   Clarify parameters:

   ### Analysis Parameters
   
   **Your Site**: [URL]
   **Competitors to Analyze**: [URLs or "identify for me"]
   **Topic Focus**: [specific area or "all"]
   **Content Types**: [blogs, guides, tools, videos, or "all"]
   **Audience**: [target audience]
   **Business Goals**: [traffic, leads, authority, etc.]
   

2. Audit Your Existing Content

   ## Your Content Inventory
   
   **Total Indexed Pages**: [X]
   **Content by Type**:
   - Blog posts: [X]
   - Landing pages: [X]
   - Resource pages: [X]
   - Tools/calculators: [X]
   - Case studies: [X]
   
   **Content by Topic Cluster**:
   
   | Topic | Articles | Keywords Ranking | Traffic |
   |-------|----------|------------------|---------|
   | [topic 1] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | [topic 2] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | [topic 3] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   
   **Top Performing Content**:
   1. [Title] - [traffic] visits - [keywords] keywords
   2. [Title] - [traffic] visits - [keywords] keywords
   3. [Title] - [traffic] visits - [keywords] keywords
   
   **Content Strengths**:
   - [Strength 1]
   - [Strength 2]
   
   **Content Weaknesses**:
   - [Weakness 1]
   - [Weakness 2]
   

3. Analyze Competitor Content

   ## Competitor Content Analysis
   
   ### Competitor 1: [Name/URL]
   
   **Content Volume**: [X] pages
   **Monthly Traffic**: [X] visits
   
   **Content Distribution**:
   | Type | Count | Est. Traffic |
   |------|-------|--------------|
   | Blog posts | [X] | [X] |
   | Guides | [X] | [X] |
   | Tools | [X] | [X] |
   | Videos | [X] | [X] |
   
   **Topic Coverage**:
   | Topic | Articles | Your Coverage |
   |-------|----------|---------------|
   | [topic] | [X] | [X or "None"] |
   
   **Unique Content They Have**:
   1. [Content piece] - [traffic] - [why it works]
   2. [Content piece] - [traffic] - [why it works]
   
   [Repeat for each competitor]
   

4. Identify Keyword Gaps

   ## Keyword Gap Analysis
   
   ### Keywords Competitors Rank For (You Don't)
   
   **High Priority Gaps** (High volume, achievable difficulty)
   
   | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Competitor | Their Position |
   |---------|--------|------------|------------|----------------|
   | [kw 1] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   | [kw 2] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   | [kw 3] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   
   **Quick Win Gaps** (Lower volume, low difficulty)
   
   | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Competitor | Their Position |
   |---------|--------|------------|------------|----------------|
   | [kw 1] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   
   **Long-term Gaps** (High volume, high difficulty)
   
   | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Competitor | Their Position |
   |---------|--------|------------|------------|----------------|
   | [kw 1] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   
   ### Keyword Overlap Analysis
   
   

   Venn Diagram Representation:

    You          Competitor 1
     ○               ○
    / \             / \
   /   \           /   \
   

   / A \ B / C
   / \ /
   ○─────────○─────○─────────○ Competitor 2

   A: Keywords only you rank for: [X] B: Overlap with Comp 1: [X] C: Keywords all competitors share: [X] Gap: Keywords they all have, you don't: [X]

   
   **Unique Keywords (Your Advantage)**:
   | Keyword | Your Position | Volume |
   |---------|---------------|--------|
   | [kw] | [pos] | [vol] |
   

5. Map Topic Gaps

   ## Topic Gap Analysis
   
   ### Topic Coverage Comparison
   
   | Topic Area | You | Comp 1 | Comp 2 | Comp 3 | Gap? |
   |------------|-----|--------|--------|--------|------|
   | [Topic 1] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | No |
   | [Topic 2] | ❌ 0 | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | **Yes** |
   | [Topic 3] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ❌ 0 | ✅ [X] | Partial |
   | [Topic 4] | ❌ 0 | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ❌ 0 | **Yes** |
   
   ### Missing Topic Clusters
   
   #### Gap 1: [Topic Area]
   
   **Why it matters**: [Business relevance]
   **Competitor coverage**: [Who covers it and how]
   **Opportunity size**: [Traffic/keyword potential]
   
   **Sub-topics to cover**:
   1. [Sub-topic] - [X] search volume
   2. [Sub-topic] - [X] search volume
   3. [Sub-topic] - [X] search volume
   
   **Recommended approach**:
   - Pillar content: [topic]
   - Cluster articles: [list]
   - Supporting content: [list]
   

6. Identify Content Format Gaps

   ## Content Format Gap Analysis
   
   ### Format Distribution Comparison
   
   | Format | You | Comp 1 | Comp 2 | Industry Avg |
   |--------|-----|--------|--------|--------------|
   | Long-form guides | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Tutorials | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Comparison posts | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Case studies | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Tools/calculators | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Templates | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Video content | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Infographics | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Original research | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   
   ### Format Gaps to Fill
   
   #### Gap: [Format Type]
   
   **Current state**: You have [X], competitors average [Y]
   **Best examples**: [Competitor content examples]
   **Opportunity**: [Description]
   **Effort to create**: [Low/Medium/High]
   **Expected impact**: [Low/Medium/High]
   
   **Recommended first project**:
   [Specific content idea]
   

7. Analyze GEO/AI Gaps

   ## GEO Content Gap Analysis
   
   ### AI-Answerable Topics Assessment
   
   **Topics where competitors get AI citations (you don't)**:
   
   | Topic | AI Cites | Why They're Cited | Your Gap |
   |-------|----------|-------------------|----------|
   | [topic 1] | [Comp] | [reason] | [what you need] |
   | [topic 2] | [Comp] | [reason] | [what you need] |
   
   ### GEO-Optimized Content Gaps
   
   **Missing Q&A Content**:
   | Question | Search Volume | Currently Answered By |
   |----------|---------------|----------------------|
   | [question] | [vol] | [competitor] |
   
   **Missing Definition/Explanation Content**:
   | Term | Search Volume | Best Current Source |
   |------|---------------|---------------------|
   | [term] | [vol] | [source] |
   
   **Missing Comparison Content**:
   | Comparison | Search Volume | Best Current Source |
   |------------|---------------|---------------------|
   | [A vs B] | [vol] | [source] |
   
   ### GEO Opportunity Score
   
   | Topic | Traditional SEO Value | GEO Value | Combined Priority |
   |-------|----------------------|-----------|-------------------|
   | [topic] | [score] | [score] | [priority] |
   

8. Map to Audience Journey

   ## Audience Journey Gap Analysis
   
   ### Funnel Stage Coverage
   
   | Stage | Your Content | Competitor Avg | Gap |
   |-------|--------------|----------------|-----|
   | Awareness | [X] articles | [X] articles | [+/-X] |
   | Consideration | [X] articles | [X] articles | [+/-X] |
   | Decision | [X] articles | [X] articles | [+/-X] |
   | Retention | [X] articles | [X] articles | [+/-X] |
   
   ### Journey Gap Details
   
   #### Awareness Stage Gaps
   - Missing: [topics/content]
   - Opportunity: [description]
   
   #### Consideration Stage Gaps
   - Missing: [topics/content]
   - Opportunity: [description]
   
   #### Decision Stage Gaps
   - Missing: [topics/content]
   - Opportunity: [description]
   

9. Prioritize and Create Action Plan

   # Content Gap Analysis Report
   
   ## Executive Summary
   
   **Analysis Date**: [Date]
   **Sites Analyzed**: [Your site] vs [Competitors]
   
   **Key Findings**:
   1. [Most significant gap]
   2. [Second significant gap]
   3. [Third significant gap]
   
   **Total Opportunity**:
   - Keywords gaps identified: [X]
   - Estimated traffic opportunity: [X]/month
   - Quick wins available: [X] pieces
   
   ---
   
   ## Prioritized Gap List
   
   ### Tier 1: Quick Wins (Do Now)
   
   | Content to Create | Target Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Impact |
   |-------------------|----------------|--------|------------|--------|
   | [Title idea] | [keyword] | [vol] | [diff] | High |
   | [Title idea] | [keyword] | [vol] | [diff] | High |
   
   **Why prioritize**: Low effort, immediate ranking potential
   
   ### Tier 2: Strategic Builds (This Quarter)
   
   | Content to Create | Target Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Impact |
   |-------------------|----------------|--------|------------|--------|
   | [Title idea] | [keyword] | [vol] | [diff] | High |
   
   **Why prioritize**: High value, requires more resources
   
   ### Tier 3: Long-term Investments (This Year)
   
   | Content to Create | Target Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Impact |
   |-------------------|----------------|--------|------------|--------|
   | [Title idea] | [keyword] | [vol] | [diff] | High |
   
   **Why prioritize**: Builds authority, competitive differentiator
   
   ---
   
   ## Content Calendar Recommendation
   
   ### Month 1
   | Week | Content | Type | Target Keyword | Status |
   |------|---------|------|----------------|--------|
   | 1 | [Title] | [Type] | [Keyword] | Planned |
   | 2 | [Title] | [Type] | [Keyword] | Planned |
   | 3 | [Title] | [Type] | [Keyword] | Planned |
   | 4 | [Title] | [Type] | [Keyword] | Planned |
   
   ### Month 2
   [Continue...]
   
   ### Month 3
   [Continue...]
   
   ---
   
   ## Success Metrics
   
   Track these to measure gap-filling success:
   
   | Metric | Current | 3-Month Target | 6-Month Target |
   |--------|---------|----------------|----------------|
   | Keyword coverage | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Topic clusters complete | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Traffic from new content | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | AI citations | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   

Validation Checkpoints

Input Validation

• [ ] Your content inventory is complete or representative sample provided
• [ ] Competitor URLs identified (minimum 2-3 competitors)
• [ ] Analysis scope defined (specific topics or comprehensive)
• [ ] Business goals and priorities clarified

Output Validation

• [ ] Every recommendation cites specific data points (not generic advice)
• [ ] Gap analysis compares like-to-like content (topic clusters to topic clusters)
• [ ] Priority scoring based on measurable criteria (volume, difficulty, business fit)
• [ ] Content calendar maps gaps to realistic timeframes
• [ ] Source of each data point clearly stated (~~SEO tool data, ~~analytics data, ~~AI monitor data, user-provided, or estimated)

Example

User: "Find content gaps for my SaaS marketing blog compared to HubSpot and Drift"

Output:

# Content Gap Analysis: SaaS Marketing Blog

## Executive Summary

Compared to HubSpot and Drift, your blog has significant gaps in:
1. **Interactive tools** - They have 15+, you have 0
2. **Comparison content** - Missing "[Your Tool] vs [Competitor]" pages
3. **GEO-optimized definitions** - No glossary or term definitions

Total opportunity: ~25,000 monthly visits from 45 keyword gaps

## Top Keyword Gaps

### Quick Wins (Difficulty <40)

| Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Who Ranks |
|---------|--------|------------|-----------|
| saas marketing metrics | 1,200 | 32 | HubSpot #3 |
| b2b email sequences | 890 | 28 | Drift #5 |
| saas onboarding emails | 720 | 25 | Neither! |
| marketing qualified lead definition | 1,800 | 35 | HubSpot #1 |

### Content Format Gaps

**You're missing**:
- [ ] Interactive ROI calculator (HubSpot gets 15k visits/mo from theirs)
- [ ] Email template library (Drift's gets 8k visits/mo)
- [ ] Marketing glossary (HubSpot's definition pages rank for 500+ keywords)

## Recommended Content Calendar

**Week 1**: "SaaS Marketing Metrics: Complete Guide" (Quick win)
**Week 2**: "What is a Marketing Qualified Lead?" (GEO opportunity)
**Week 3**: "B2B Email Sequence Templates" (Format gap)
**Week 4**: "[Your Tool] vs HubSpot" (Comparison gap)

Advanced Analysis

Competitive Cluster Comparison

Compare our topic cluster coverage for [topic] vs top 5 competitors

Temporal Gap Analysis

What content have competitors published in the last 6 months that we haven't covered?

Intent-Based Gaps

Find gaps in our [commercial/informational] intent content

Tips for Success

1. Focus on actionable gaps - Not all gaps are worth filling
2. Consider your resources - Prioritize based on ability to execute
3. Quality over quantity - Better to fill 5 gaps well than 20 poorly
4. Track what works - Measure gap-filling success
5. Update regularly - Gaps change as competitors publish
6. Include GEO opportunities - Don't just optimize for traditional search

Content Audit Comparison Framework

Content Coverage Matrix

Map content coverage across competitors by topic and format:

| Topic/Theme | Your Content | Competitor A | Competitor B | Gap? | Priority | |------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------|----------| | [Topic 1] | Blog post | Blog series, webinar | Nothing | Opp for B | High | | [Topic 2] | Nothing | Whitepaper | Blog, video | Gap for you | High | | [Topic 3] | Case study | Nothing | Case study | Parity | Low |

Content Type Coverage Matrix

| Content Format | You | Comp A | Comp B | Comp C | Market Expectation | |---------------|-----|--------|--------|--------|-------------------| | Blog posts | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Table stakes | | How-to guides | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Expected | | Video content | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Growing expectation | | Interactive tools | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Differentiator | | Research/data | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | High-value linkbait | | Templates/downloads | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | Lead generation | | Podcasts | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | Emerging | | Comparison pages | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Commercial intent |

Funnel Stage Gap Analysis

Content Funnel Mapping

| Funnel Stage | Content Purpose | Expected Formats | Gap Signals | |-------------|----------------|-----------------|------------| | Awareness | Attract new visitors | Blog, social, video, PR | Low organic traffic, low brand searches | | Consideration | Educate and engage | Guides, comparisons, webinars | High bounce rate, low pages/session | | Decision | Convert visitors | Case studies, pricing, demos, trials | Low conversion rate | | Retention | Keep customers | Help docs, email sequences, community | High churn, low engagement | | Advocacy | Turn customers to promoters | Review programs, referral content | Low referral traffic |

Gap Prioritization Scoring

Impact x Effort Matrix

Score each gap 1-5 on both dimensions:

| Impact Factor | Weight | How to Assess | |--------------|--------|--------------| | Search demand | 30% | Keyword volume for gap topic | | Competitive density | 25% | How many competitors cover this? | | Business relevance | 25% | How close to your core offering? | | Funnel stage need | 20% | Which funnel stages are weakest? |

Priority = High Impact + Low Effort first

Reference Materials

• Gap Analysis Frameworks — Content audit templates, funnel mapping, and gap prioritization methodologies

Related Skills

• keyword-research — Deep-dive on gap keywords
• competitor-analysis — Understand competitor strategies
• seo-content-writer — Create gap-filling content
• content-refresher — Refresh existing content to fill identified gaps
• internal-linking-optimizer — Identify and fix internal linking gaps
• backlink-analyzer — Analyze link gap opportunities
• memory-management — Track content gaps over time

File v2.0.0:_meta.json

{ "ownerId": "kn73qjxwmbna25qq8q051epqt980sys5", "slug": "content-gap-analysis", "version": "2.0.0", "publishedAt": 1771042967789 }

File v2.0.0:references/gap-analysis-frameworks.md

Gap Analysis Frameworks

Complete frameworks for systematic keyword gap identification, content format gap analysis, funnel stage gap mapping, opportunity scoring models, and content calendar integration. Use these frameworks to transform gap analysis from ad-hoc observation into repeatable process.

Overview

Content gap analysis answers three questions:

1. What are competitors covering that you are not? (Keyword and topic gaps)
2. What content formats are expected but missing? (Format gaps)
3. Where in the buyer journey does your content fail? (Funnel gaps)

This reference provides structured methodologies for each question, plus scoring and prioritization systems.

---

1. Systematic Keyword Gap Methodology

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Define Your Keyword Universe

Before finding gaps, establish what you already rank for:

| Data Source | What It Provides | How to Collect | |------------|-----------------|---------------| | ~~search console | Keywords driving impressions and clicks to your site | Export Performance report (last 6 months) | | ~~SEO tool | Full keyword profile including positions 1-100 | Domain keyword export | | Content audit | Topics covered by existing content | Manual or automated URL crawl + categorization |

Output: A master list of all keywords you currently rank for (positions 1-100).

Step 2: Build Competitor Keyword Profiles

For each competitor (3-5 recommended):

| Competitor | Total Keywords | Keywords in Top 10 | Keywords in Top 3 | Estimated Traffic | |-----------|---------------|-------------------|-------------------|------------------| | [Competitor A] | [Count] | [Count] | [Count] | [Monthly est.] | | [Competitor B] | [Count] | [Count] | [Count] | [Monthly est.] | | [Competitor C] | [Count] | [Count] | [Count] | [Monthly est.] | | You | [Count] | [Count] | [Count] | [Monthly est.] |

Step 3: Calculate Keyword Overlap

Identify four keyword segments:

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                          │
│  A: Keywords ONLY you rank for (your unique advantage)   │
│                                                          │
│  B: Keywords you AND competitors share (competitive)     │
│                                                          │
│  C: Keywords ONLY competitors rank for (your gaps)       │
│                                                          │
│  D: Keywords NO ONE ranks for (market opportunity)       │
│                                                          │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

| Segment | Size | Strategic Meaning | Action | |---------|------|------------------|--------| | A (Only you) | [Count] | Your content moat | Protect and strengthen | | B (Shared) | [Count] | Competitive battleground | Improve rankings | | C (Only them) | [Count] | Your content gaps | Prioritize and create | | D (No one) | [Count] | Untapped market | Evaluate and pioneer |

Step 4: Filter and Categorize Gaps (Segment C)

Not all gaps are worth filling. Filter by:

| Filter | Threshold | Purpose | |--------|-----------|---------| | Minimum search volume | >100/month (adjust for niche) | Ensure traffic potential | | Maximum keyword difficulty | <your domain's competitive range | Ensure you can rank | | Business relevance | Must relate to your product/service | Ensure strategic fit | | Intent match | Must match content types you can create | Ensure execution capability |

After filtering, categorize remaining gaps:

| Category | Description | Example | |----------|-----------|---------| | Topic gaps | Entire topics you haven't covered | Competitor has 10 articles on "technical SEO"; you have zero | | Depth gaps | You cover the topic but competitor goes deeper | You have 1 blog post; competitor has a pillar page + 8 cluster articles | | Angle gaps | Same topic but different perspective or audience | Competitor targets enterprise; you could target SMB | | Format gaps | Same keyword but different content format | Competitor has a video tutorial; you only have text | | Freshness gaps | Same topic but their content is more current | Competitor updated in 2026; yours is from 2024 |

Step 5: Prioritize Gaps

Use the scoring model from Section 4 below.

---

2. Content Format Gap Analysis

Format Audit Methodology

Step 1: Inventory Your Content Formats

Categorize all your published content:

| Format | Count | % of Total | Avg. Traffic/Page | Top Performer | |--------|-------|-----------|-------------------|--------------| | Blog posts (text) | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Long-form guides | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | How-to tutorials | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Comparison/vs pages | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Case studies | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Templates/downloads | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Interactive tools | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Video content | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Infographics | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Original research/data | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Glossary/definitions | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Webinars/recordings | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Podcasts/audio | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] |

Step 2: Benchmark Against Competitors

| Format | You | Comp A | Comp B | Comp C | Industry Benchmark | |--------|-----|--------|--------|--------|-------------------| | Blog posts | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Table stakes | | Long-form guides | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Expected for authority | | How-to tutorials | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Expected for SEO | | Comparison pages | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Required for commercial | | Case studies | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Expected for B2B | | Templates | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Lead gen standard | | Interactive tools | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Differentiator | | Video | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Growing expectation | | Original research | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Linkbait standard | | Glossary | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | GEO opportunity |

Step 3: Identify Format Gaps

For each format you are missing or underrepresenting:

| Missing Format | Competitor Proof | Estimated Effort | Expected Impact | Priority | |---------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|---------| | [Format 1] | [Which competitor succeeds + traffic est.] | [Low/Med/High] | [Low/Med/High] | [P0-P3] | | [Format 2] | [Evidence] | [Effort] | [Impact] | [Priority] |

Step 4: Format-SERP Feature Alignment

Certain formats unlock specific SERP features:

| Content Format | Unlocks SERP Feature | Schema Required | |---------------|---------------------|----------------| | FAQ sections | FAQ rich results, PAA eligibility | FAQPage | | Step-by-step tutorials | How-To rich results, Featured Snippet (list) | HowTo | | Review/comparison content | Review stars, AI Overview citations | Review, AggregateRating | | Video content | Video carousel, Video rich result | VideoObject | | Product pages | Shopping results, Product rich results | Product | | Event pages | Event rich results | Event | | Glossary/definitions | Featured Snippet (paragraph), AI Overview | DefinedTerm (optional) | | Data tables | Featured Snippet (table), AI Overview | Table (optional) |

---

3. Funnel Stage Gap Identification

Funnel Coverage Mapping

Step 1: Define Funnel Stages and Content Expectations

| Funnel Stage | User Mindset | Content Need | Expected Formats | Typical Keywords | |-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------| | Awareness | "I have a problem/question" | Educational content | Blog posts, infographics, social content | "what is", "how to", "why does" | | Interest | "I want to learn more" | Deeper educational content | Guides, webinars, email courses | "guide to", "tutorial", "examples" | | Consideration | "What are my options?" | Comparison and evaluation | Comparison posts, reviews, case studies | "best", "vs", "review", "alternatives" | | Intent | "I'm narrowing my choices" | Decision-support content | Demos, free trials, pricing pages, ROI calculators | "pricing", "demo", "free trial" | | Purchase | "I'm ready to act" | Conversion content | Product pages, checkout, signup forms | "buy", "sign up", "get started" | | Retention | "I need help/value" | Support and engagement | Help docs, tutorials, community, newsletters | "[product] how to", "support" | | Advocacy | "I want to share/recommend" | Shareable and referral content | Case studies, review programs, referral incentives | "[product] review", "recommend" |

Step 2: Audit Content by Funnel Stage

For each stage, count your content and compare to competitors:

| Funnel Stage | Your Content Count | Comp A | Comp B | Gap Size | Gap Severity | |-------------|-------------------|--------|--------|----------|-------------| | Awareness | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Interest | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Consideration | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Intent | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Purchase | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Retention | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Advocacy | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] |

Gap Severity Criteria:

| Severity | Definition | |----------|-----------| | Critical | Zero content at this stage; users drop off here | | High | Significantly less content than competitors; measurable conversion drop | | Medium | Somewhat less content; competitors have advantage but you are present | | Low | Roughly on par; minor opportunities for improvement |

Step 3: Identify Drop-Off Points

Map your analytics data to funnel stages to find where users leave:

| Transition | Metric to Check | Drop-Off Signal | Content Gap Likely | |-----------|----------------|----------------|-------------------| | Awareness → Interest | Bounce rate on blog posts | >70% bounce rate | Missing "next step" content or CTAs | | Interest → Consideration | Pages per session | <2 pages/session | Missing comparison/evaluation content | | Consideration → Intent | Demo/trial requests | Low conversion from comparison pages | Missing trust content (case studies, reviews) | | Intent → Purchase | Cart/signup abandonment | High abandonment rate | Missing objection-handling content | | Purchase → Retention | Churn rate | High early churn | Missing onboarding/help content |

---

4. Opportunity Scoring Model

Multi-Factor Gap Scoring

Score each identified gap on 5 factors (1-5 scale each):

| Factor | Weight | Score 1 (Low) | Score 3 (Medium) | Score 5 (High) | |--------|--------|--------------|-----------------|----------------| | Search Demand | 25% | <100 monthly searches | 500-2,000 searches | >5,000 searches | | Competitive Density | 20% | All competitors cover it well | 1-2 competitors cover it | No competitor covers it | | Business Relevance | 25% | Tangential to your offering | Related to your offering | Core to your offering | | Creation Effort | 15% | Requires new capabilities | Moderate effort | Quick to create | | Conversion Potential | 15% | Pure awareness (top-funnel) | Consideration stage | Decision/transactional stage |

Gap Priority Score = Σ (Factor Weight x Score)

Priority Tiers

| Tier | Score Range | Timeline | Action | |------|-----------|----------|--------| | P0 -- Fill Immediately | 4.0-5.0 | This sprint / this week | High demand + low competition + high relevance | | P1 -- Fill This Quarter | 3.0-3.9 | Next 1-3 months | Good demand + some competition + relevant | | P2 -- Plan for Future | 2.0-2.9 | Next 3-6 months | Moderate opportunity, requires more resources | | P3 -- Monitor | 1.0-1.9 | Track quarterly | Low priority but may become relevant |

Quick-Win Identification

A "quick win" gap scores high on Demand + Relevance and low on Effort + Competition:

Quick Win Score = (Search Demand + Business Relevance) - (Creation Effort + Competitive Density)
                   Higher is better

| Quick Win Score | Assessment | |----------------|-----------| | 4+ | Strong quick win -- create this content first | | 2-3 | Moderate quick win -- include in next content sprint | | 0-1 | Not a quick win -- may still be strategically important | | Negative | Avoid -- high effort/competition relative to demand |

---

5. Content Calendar Integration

Gap-to-Calendar Workflow

Step 1: Group Gaps by Topic Cluster

Group related gaps into clusters rather than addressing them individually:

| Cluster | Related Gaps | Combined Volume | Pillar Needed? | Cluster Pages Needed | |---------|-------------|----------------|---------------|---------------------| | [Cluster A] | Gap 1, Gap 3, Gap 7 | [Sum of volumes] | [Yes/No] | [Count] | | [Cluster B] | Gap 2, Gap 5 | [Sum of volumes] | [Yes/No] | [Count] | | [Cluster C] | Gap 4, Gap 6, Gap 8, Gap 9 | [Sum of volumes] | [Yes/No] | [Count] |

Step 2: Sequence by Priority and Dependencies

| Order | Content Piece | Gap(s) Addressed | Priority | Dependencies | Target Publish | |-------|-------------|-----------------|---------|-------------|---------------| | 1 | [Pillar page for Cluster A] | Gap 1, 3, 7 (overview) | P0 | None | Week 1 | | 2 | [Quick-win article] | Gap 2 | P0 | None | Week 2 | | 3 | [Cluster A subtopic 1] | Gap 3 (deep dive) | P0 | Pillar published | Week 3 | | 4 | [Cluster A subtopic 2] | Gap 7 (deep dive) | P1 | Pillar published | Week 4 | | 5 | [Comparison page] | Gap 5 | P1 | None | Week 5 |

Step 3: Assign Resources and Track

| Content Piece | Writer | Reviewer | Target Date | Status | Gap Closed? | |-------------|--------|---------|------------|--------|------------| | [Title] | [Name] | [Name] | [Date] | [Draft/Review/Published] | [Yes/No/Partial] |

Calendar Cadence by Team Size

| Team Size | Monthly Output | Gap Fill Rate | Full Gap Close Timeline | |-----------|---------------|--------------|----------------------| | Solo | 4-6 pieces/month | 3-4 gaps/month | 6-12 months for 30 gaps | | Small (2-3) | 8-15 pieces/month | 6-10 gaps/month | 3-6 months for 30 gaps | | Medium (4-6) | 15-25 pieces/month | 10-20 gaps/month | 2-3 months for 30 gaps | | Large (7+) | 25+ pieces/month | 20+ gaps/month | 1-2 months for 30 gaps |

Post-Publication Gap Validation

After publishing gap-filling content, validate that the gap is actually closed:

| Checkpoint | Timeframe | What to Check | Success Criteria | |-----------|-----------|--------------|-----------------| | Indexing | 1-2 weeks | Is the page indexed? | Appears in Google index | | Initial ranking | 2-4 weeks | Is it ranking for target keyword? | Appears in top 100 | | Competitive ranking | 2-3 months | Has it reached competitive positions? | Top 20 or improving trend | | Traffic impact | 3-6 months | Is it driving meaningful traffic? | Meeting traffic projections | | Gap closure | 6 months | Has the gap been effectively closed? | Ranking comparable to competitors |

---

Framework Selection Guide

| Situation | Primary Framework | Secondary Framework | |-----------|------------------|-------------------| | "We need more traffic" | Keyword Gap Methodology | Content Calendar Integration | | "Competitors outrank us everywhere" | Keyword Gap + Format Gap | Opportunity Scoring | | "Our conversion rate is low" | Funnel Stage Gap | Format Gap (decision-stage formats) | | "We don't know what to write next" | All three gap types | Opportunity Scoring + Calendar | | "We have limited resources" | Opportunity Scoring (quick wins) | Keyword Gap (filtered by difficulty) | | "We're entering a new market" | Keyword Gap (comprehensive) | Format Gap + Funnel Gap |

Archive v1.0.3: 3 files, 12345 bytes

Files: references/gap-analysis-frameworks.md (16113b), SKILL.md (18948b), _meta.json (139b)

File v1.0.3:SKILL.md

---

name: content-gap-analysis description: Identifies content opportunities by finding topics and keywords your competitors cover that you don't. Reveals untapped content potential and strategic gaps in your content strategy. geo-relevance: "medium"

Content Gap Analysis

This skill identifies content opportunities by analyzing gaps between your content and competitors'. Find topics you're missing, keywords you could target, and content formats you should create.

When to Use This Skill

• Planning content strategy and editorial calendar
• Finding quick-win content opportunities
• Understanding where competitors outperform you
• Identifying underserved topics in your niche
• Expanding into adjacent topic areas
• Prioritizing content creation efforts
• Finding GEO opportunities competitors miss

What This Skill Does

1. Keyword Gap Analysis: Finds keywords competitors rank for that you don't
2. Topic Coverage Mapping: Identifies topic areas needing more content
3. Content Format Gaps: Reveals missing content types (videos, tools, guides)
4. Audience Need Mapping: Matches gaps to audience journey stages
5. GEO Opportunity Detection: Finds AI-answerable topics you're missing
6. Priority Scoring: Ranks gaps by impact and effort
7. Content Calendar Creation: Plans gap-filling content schedule

How to Use

Basic Gap Analysis

Find content gaps between my site [URL] and [competitor URLs]

What content am I missing compared to my top 3 competitors?

Topic-Specific Analysis

Find content gaps in [topic area] compared to industry leaders

What [content type] do competitors have that I don't?

Audience-Focused

What content gaps exist for [audience segment] in my niche?

Data Sources

See CONNECTORS.md for tool category placeholders.

With ~~SEO tool + ~~search console + ~~analytics + ~~AI monitor connected: Automatically pull your site's content inventory from ~~search console and ~~analytics (indexed pages, traffic per page, keywords ranking), competitor content data from ~~SEO tool (ranking keywords, top pages, backlink counts), and AI citation patterns from ~~AI monitor. Keyword overlap analysis and gap identification can be automated.

With manual data only: Ask the user to provide:

1. Your site URL and content inventory (list of published content with topics)
2. Competitor URLs (3-5 sites)
3. Your current traffic and keyword performance (if available)
4. Known content strengths and weaknesses
5. Industry context and business goals

Proceed with the full analysis using provided data. Note in the output which metrics are from automated collection vs. user-provided data.

Instructions

When a user requests content gap analysis:

1. Define Analysis Scope

   Clarify parameters:

   ### Analysis Parameters
   
   **Your Site**: [URL]
   **Competitors to Analyze**: [URLs or "identify for me"]
   **Topic Focus**: [specific area or "all"]
   **Content Types**: [blogs, guides, tools, videos, or "all"]
   **Audience**: [target audience]
   **Business Goals**: [traffic, leads, authority, etc.]
   

2. Audit Your Existing Content

   ## Your Content Inventory
   
   **Total Indexed Pages**: [X]
   **Content by Type**:
   - Blog posts: [X]
   - Landing pages: [X]
   - Resource pages: [X]
   - Tools/calculators: [X]
   - Case studies: [X]
   
   **Content by Topic Cluster**:
   
   | Topic | Articles | Keywords Ranking | Traffic |
   |-------|----------|------------------|---------|
   | [topic 1] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | [topic 2] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | [topic 3] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   
   **Top Performing Content**:
   1. [Title] - [traffic] visits - [keywords] keywords
   2. [Title] - [traffic] visits - [keywords] keywords
   3. [Title] - [traffic] visits - [keywords] keywords
   
   **Content Strengths**:
   - [Strength 1]
   - [Strength 2]
   
   **Content Weaknesses**:
   - [Weakness 1]
   - [Weakness 2]
   

3. Analyze Competitor Content

   ## Competitor Content Analysis
   
   ### Competitor 1: [Name/URL]
   
   **Content Volume**: [X] pages
   **Monthly Traffic**: [X] visits
   
   **Content Distribution**:
   | Type | Count | Est. Traffic |
   |------|-------|--------------|
   | Blog posts | [X] | [X] |
   | Guides | [X] | [X] |
   | Tools | [X] | [X] |
   | Videos | [X] | [X] |
   
   **Topic Coverage**:
   | Topic | Articles | Your Coverage |
   |-------|----------|---------------|
   | [topic] | [X] | [X or "None"] |
   
   **Unique Content They Have**:
   1. [Content piece] - [traffic] - [why it works]
   2. [Content piece] - [traffic] - [why it works]
   
   [Repeat for each competitor]
   

4. Identify Keyword Gaps

   ## Keyword Gap Analysis
   
   ### Keywords Competitors Rank For (You Don't)
   
   **High Priority Gaps** (High volume, achievable difficulty)
   
   | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Competitor | Their Position |
   |---------|--------|------------|------------|----------------|
   | [kw 1] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   | [kw 2] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   | [kw 3] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   
   **Quick Win Gaps** (Lower volume, low difficulty)
   
   | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Competitor | Their Position |
   |---------|--------|------------|------------|----------------|
   | [kw 1] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   
   **Long-term Gaps** (High volume, high difficulty)
   
   | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Competitor | Their Position |
   |---------|--------|------------|------------|----------------|
   | [kw 1] | [vol] | [diff] | [comp] | [pos] |
   
   ### Keyword Overlap Analysis
   
   

   Venn Diagram Representation:

    You          Competitor 1
     ○               ○
    / \             / \
   /   \           /   \
   

   / A \ B / C
   / \ /
   ○─────────○─────○─────────○ Competitor 2

   A: Keywords only you rank for: [X] B: Overlap with Comp 1: [X] C: Keywords all competitors share: [X] Gap: Keywords they all have, you don't: [X]

   
   **Unique Keywords (Your Advantage)**:
   | Keyword | Your Position | Volume |
   |---------|---------------|--------|
   | [kw] | [pos] | [vol] |
   

5. Map Topic Gaps

   ## Topic Gap Analysis
   
   ### Topic Coverage Comparison
   
   | Topic Area | You | Comp 1 | Comp 2 | Comp 3 | Gap? |
   |------------|-----|--------|--------|--------|------|
   | [Topic 1] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | No |
   | [Topic 2] | ❌ 0 | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | **Yes** |
   | [Topic 3] | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ❌ 0 | ✅ [X] | Partial |
   | [Topic 4] | ❌ 0 | ✅ [X] | ✅ [X] | ❌ 0 | **Yes** |
   
   ### Missing Topic Clusters
   
   #### Gap 1: [Topic Area]
   
   **Why it matters**: [Business relevance]
   **Competitor coverage**: [Who covers it and how]
   **Opportunity size**: [Traffic/keyword potential]
   
   **Sub-topics to cover**:
   1. [Sub-topic] - [X] search volume
   2. [Sub-topic] - [X] search volume
   3. [Sub-topic] - [X] search volume
   
   **Recommended approach**:
   - Pillar content: [topic]
   - Cluster articles: [list]
   - Supporting content: [list]
   

6. Identify Content Format Gaps

   ## Content Format Gap Analysis
   
   ### Format Distribution Comparison
   
   | Format | You | Comp 1 | Comp 2 | Industry Avg |
   |--------|-----|--------|--------|--------------|
   | Long-form guides | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Tutorials | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Comparison posts | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Case studies | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Tools/calculators | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Templates | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Video content | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Infographics | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Original research | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   
   ### Format Gaps to Fill
   
   #### Gap: [Format Type]
   
   **Current state**: You have [X], competitors average [Y]
   **Best examples**: [Competitor content examples]
   **Opportunity**: [Description]
   **Effort to create**: [Low/Medium/High]
   **Expected impact**: [Low/Medium/High]
   
   **Recommended first project**:
   [Specific content idea]
   

7. Analyze GEO/AI Gaps

   ## GEO Content Gap Analysis
   
   ### AI-Answerable Topics Assessment
   
   **Topics where competitors get AI citations (you don't)**:
   
   | Topic | AI Cites | Why They're Cited | Your Gap |
   |-------|----------|-------------------|----------|
   | [topic 1] | [Comp] | [reason] | [what you need] |
   | [topic 2] | [Comp] | [reason] | [what you need] |
   
   ### GEO-Optimized Content Gaps
   
   **Missing Q&A Content**:
   | Question | Search Volume | Currently Answered By |
   |----------|---------------|----------------------|
   | [question] | [vol] | [competitor] |
   
   **Missing Definition/Explanation Content**:
   | Term | Search Volume | Best Current Source |
   |------|---------------|---------------------|
   | [term] | [vol] | [source] |
   
   **Missing Comparison Content**:
   | Comparison | Search Volume | Best Current Source |
   |------------|---------------|---------------------|
   | [A vs B] | [vol] | [source] |
   
   ### GEO Opportunity Score
   
   | Topic | Traditional SEO Value | GEO Value | Combined Priority |
   |-------|----------------------|-----------|-------------------|
   | [topic] | [score] | [score] | [priority] |
   

8. Map to Audience Journey

   ## Audience Journey Gap Analysis
   
   ### Funnel Stage Coverage
   
   | Stage | Your Content | Competitor Avg | Gap |
   |-------|--------------|----------------|-----|
   | Awareness | [X] articles | [X] articles | [+/-X] |
   | Consideration | [X] articles | [X] articles | [+/-X] |
   | Decision | [X] articles | [X] articles | [+/-X] |
   | Retention | [X] articles | [X] articles | [+/-X] |
   
   ### Journey Gap Details
   
   #### Awareness Stage Gaps
   - Missing: [topics/content]
   - Opportunity: [description]
   
   #### Consideration Stage Gaps
   - Missing: [topics/content]
   - Opportunity: [description]
   
   #### Decision Stage Gaps
   - Missing: [topics/content]
   - Opportunity: [description]
   

9. Prioritize and Create Action Plan

   # Content Gap Analysis Report
   
   ## Executive Summary
   
   **Analysis Date**: [Date]
   **Sites Analyzed**: [Your site] vs [Competitors]
   
   **Key Findings**:
   1. [Most significant gap]
   2. [Second significant gap]
   3. [Third significant gap]
   
   **Total Opportunity**:
   - Keywords gaps identified: [X]
   - Estimated traffic opportunity: [X]/month
   - Quick wins available: [X] pieces
   
   ---
   
   ## Prioritized Gap List
   
   ### Tier 1: Quick Wins (Do Now)
   
   | Content to Create | Target Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Impact |
   |-------------------|----------------|--------|------------|--------|
   | [Title idea] | [keyword] | [vol] | [diff] | High |
   | [Title idea] | [keyword] | [vol] | [diff] | High |
   
   **Why prioritize**: Low effort, immediate ranking potential
   
   ### Tier 2: Strategic Builds (This Quarter)
   
   | Content to Create | Target Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Impact |
   |-------------------|----------------|--------|------------|--------|
   | [Title idea] | [keyword] | [vol] | [diff] | High |
   
   **Why prioritize**: High value, requires more resources
   
   ### Tier 3: Long-term Investments (This Year)
   
   | Content to Create | Target Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Impact |
   |-------------------|----------------|--------|------------|--------|
   | [Title idea] | [keyword] | [vol] | [diff] | High |
   
   **Why prioritize**: Builds authority, competitive differentiator
   
   ---
   
   ## Content Calendar Recommendation
   
   ### Month 1
   | Week | Content | Type | Target Keyword | Status |
   |------|---------|------|----------------|--------|
   | 1 | [Title] | [Type] | [Keyword] | Planned |
   | 2 | [Title] | [Type] | [Keyword] | Planned |
   | 3 | [Title] | [Type] | [Keyword] | Planned |
   | 4 | [Title] | [Type] | [Keyword] | Planned |
   
   ### Month 2
   [Continue...]
   
   ### Month 3
   [Continue...]
   
   ---
   
   ## Success Metrics
   
   Track these to measure gap-filling success:
   
   | Metric | Current | 3-Month Target | 6-Month Target |
   |--------|---------|----------------|----------------|
   | Keyword coverage | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Topic clusters complete | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Traffic from new content | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | AI citations | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   

Validation Checkpoints

Input Validation

• [ ] Your content inventory is complete or representative sample provided
• [ ] Competitor URLs identified (minimum 2-3 competitors)
• [ ] Analysis scope defined (specific topics or comprehensive)
• [ ] Business goals and priorities clarified

Output Validation

• [ ] Every recommendation cites specific data points (not generic advice)
• [ ] Gap analysis compares like-to-like content (topic clusters to topic clusters)
• [ ] Priority scoring based on measurable criteria (volume, difficulty, business fit)
• [ ] Content calendar maps gaps to realistic timeframes
• [ ] Source of each data point clearly stated (~~SEO tool data, ~~analytics data, ~~AI monitor data, user-provided, or estimated)

Example

User: "Find content gaps for my SaaS marketing blog compared to HubSpot and Drift"

Output:

# Content Gap Analysis: SaaS Marketing Blog

## Executive Summary

Compared to HubSpot and Drift, your blog has significant gaps in:
1. **Interactive tools** - They have 15+, you have 0
2. **Comparison content** - Missing "[Your Tool] vs [Competitor]" pages
3. **GEO-optimized definitions** - No glossary or term definitions

Total opportunity: ~25,000 monthly visits from 45 keyword gaps

## Top Keyword Gaps

### Quick Wins (Difficulty <40)

| Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Who Ranks |
|---------|--------|------------|-----------|
| saas marketing metrics | 1,200 | 32 | HubSpot #3 |
| b2b email sequences | 890 | 28 | Drift #5 |
| saas onboarding emails | 720 | 25 | Neither! |
| marketing qualified lead definition | 1,800 | 35 | HubSpot #1 |

### Content Format Gaps

**You're missing**:
- [ ] Interactive ROI calculator (HubSpot gets 15k visits/mo from theirs)
- [ ] Email template library (Drift's gets 8k visits/mo)
- [ ] Marketing glossary (HubSpot's definition pages rank for 500+ keywords)

## Recommended Content Calendar

**Week 1**: "SaaS Marketing Metrics: Complete Guide" (Quick win)
**Week 2**: "What is a Marketing Qualified Lead?" (GEO opportunity)
**Week 3**: "B2B Email Sequence Templates" (Format gap)
**Week 4**: "[Your Tool] vs HubSpot" (Comparison gap)

Advanced Analysis

Competitive Cluster Comparison

Compare our topic cluster coverage for [topic] vs top 5 competitors

Temporal Gap Analysis

What content have competitors published in the last 6 months that we haven't covered?

Intent-Based Gaps

Find gaps in our [commercial/informational] intent content

Tips for Success

1. Focus on actionable gaps - Not all gaps are worth filling
2. Consider your resources - Prioritize based on ability to execute
3. Quality over quantity - Better to fill 5 gaps well than 20 poorly
4. Track what works - Measure gap-filling success
5. Update regularly - Gaps change as competitors publish
6. Include GEO opportunities - Don't just optimize for traditional search

Content Audit Comparison Framework

Content Coverage Matrix

Map content coverage across competitors by topic and format:

| Topic/Theme | Your Content | Competitor A | Competitor B | Gap? | Priority | |------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|------|----------| | [Topic 1] | Blog post | Blog series, webinar | Nothing | Opp for B | High | | [Topic 2] | Nothing | Whitepaper | Blog, video | Gap for you | High | | [Topic 3] | Case study | Nothing | Case study | Parity | Low |

Content Type Coverage Matrix

| Content Format | You | Comp A | Comp B | Comp C | Market Expectation | |---------------|-----|--------|--------|--------|-------------------| | Blog posts | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Table stakes | | How-to guides | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Expected | | Video content | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Growing expectation | | Interactive tools | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Differentiator | | Research/data | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | High-value linkbait | | Templates/downloads | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | Lead generation | | Podcasts | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | Emerging | | Comparison pages | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Commercial intent |

Funnel Stage Gap Analysis

Content Funnel Mapping

| Funnel Stage | Content Purpose | Expected Formats | Gap Signals | |-------------|----------------|-----------------|------------| | Awareness | Attract new visitors | Blog, social, video, PR | Low organic traffic, low brand searches | | Consideration | Educate and engage | Guides, comparisons, webinars | High bounce rate, low pages/session | | Decision | Convert visitors | Case studies, pricing, demos, trials | Low conversion rate | | Retention | Keep customers | Help docs, email sequences, community | High churn, low engagement | | Advocacy | Turn customers to promoters | Review programs, referral content | Low referral traffic |

Gap Prioritization Scoring

Impact x Effort Matrix

Score each gap 1-5 on both dimensions:

| Impact Factor | Weight | How to Assess | |--------------|--------|--------------| | Search demand | 30% | Keyword volume for gap topic | | Competitive density | 25% | How many competitors cover this? | | Business relevance | 25% | How close to your core offering? | | Funnel stage need | 20% | Which funnel stages are weakest? |

Priority = High Impact + Low Effort first

Reference Materials

• Gap Analysis Frameworks — Content audit templates, funnel mapping, and gap prioritization methodologies

Related Skills

• keyword-research — Deep-dive on gap keywords
• competitor-analysis — Understand competitor strategies
• seo-content-writer — Create gap-filling content
• content-refresher — Refresh existing content to fill identified gaps
• internal-linking-optimizer — Identify and fix internal linking gaps
• backlink-analyzer — Analyze link gap opportunities
• memory-management — Track content gaps over time

File v1.0.3:_meta.json

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File v1.0.3:references/gap-analysis-frameworks.md

Gap Analysis Frameworks

Complete frameworks for systematic keyword gap identification, content format gap analysis, funnel stage gap mapping, opportunity scoring models, and content calendar integration. Use these frameworks to transform gap analysis from ad-hoc observation into repeatable process.

Overview

Content gap analysis answers three questions:

1. What are competitors covering that you are not? (Keyword and topic gaps)
2. What content formats are expected but missing? (Format gaps)
3. Where in the buyer journey does your content fail? (Funnel gaps)

This reference provides structured methodologies for each question, plus scoring and prioritization systems.

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1. Systematic Keyword Gap Methodology

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Define Your Keyword Universe

Before finding gaps, establish what you already rank for:

| Data Source | What It Provides | How to Collect | |------------|-----------------|---------------| | ~~search console | Keywords driving impressions and clicks to your site | Export Performance report (last 6 months) | | ~~SEO tool | Full keyword profile including positions 1-100 | Domain keyword export | | Content audit | Topics covered by existing content | Manual or automated URL crawl + categorization |

Output: A master list of all keywords you currently rank for (positions 1-100).

Step 2: Build Competitor Keyword Profiles

For each competitor (3-5 recommended):

| Competitor | Total Keywords | Keywords in Top 10 | Keywords in Top 3 | Estimated Traffic | |-----------|---------------|-------------------|-------------------|------------------| | [Competitor A] | [Count] | [Count] | [Count] | [Monthly est.] | | [Competitor B] | [Count] | [Count] | [Count] | [Monthly est.] | | [Competitor C] | [Count] | [Count] | [Count] | [Monthly est.] | | You | [Count] | [Count] | [Count] | [Monthly est.] |

Step 3: Calculate Keyword Overlap

Identify four keyword segments:

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                          │
│  A: Keywords ONLY you rank for (your unique advantage)   │
│                                                          │
│  B: Keywords you AND competitors share (competitive)     │
│                                                          │
│  C: Keywords ONLY competitors rank for (your gaps)       │
│                                                          │
│  D: Keywords NO ONE ranks for (market opportunity)       │
│                                                          │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

| Segment | Size | Strategic Meaning | Action | |---------|------|------------------|--------| | A (Only you) | [Count] | Your content moat | Protect and strengthen | | B (Shared) | [Count] | Competitive battleground | Improve rankings | | C (Only them) | [Count] | Your content gaps | Prioritize and create | | D (No one) | [Count] | Untapped market | Evaluate and pioneer |

Step 4: Filter and Categorize Gaps (Segment C)

Not all gaps are worth filling. Filter by:

| Filter | Threshold | Purpose | |--------|-----------|---------| | Minimum search volume | >100/month (adjust for niche) | Ensure traffic potential | | Maximum keyword difficulty | <your domain's competitive range | Ensure you can rank | | Business relevance | Must relate to your product/service | Ensure strategic fit | | Intent match | Must match content types you can create | Ensure execution capability |

After filtering, categorize remaining gaps:

| Category | Description | Example | |----------|-----------|---------| | Topic gaps | Entire topics you haven't covered | Competitor has 10 articles on "technical SEO"; you have zero | | Depth gaps | You cover the topic but competitor goes deeper | You have 1 blog post; competitor has a pillar page + 8 cluster articles | | Angle gaps | Same topic but different perspective or audience | Competitor targets enterprise; you could target SMB | | Format gaps | Same keyword but different content format | Competitor has a video tutorial; you only have text | | Freshness gaps | Same topic but their content is more current | Competitor updated in 2026; yours is from 2024 |

Step 5: Prioritize Gaps

Use the scoring model from Section 4 below.

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2. Content Format Gap Analysis

Format Audit Methodology

Step 1: Inventory Your Content Formats

Categorize all your published content:

| Format | Count | % of Total | Avg. Traffic/Page | Top Performer | |--------|-------|-----------|-------------------|--------------| | Blog posts (text) | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Long-form guides | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | How-to tutorials | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Comparison/vs pages | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Case studies | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Templates/downloads | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Interactive tools | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Video content | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Infographics | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Original research/data | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Glossary/definitions | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Webinars/recordings | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] | | Podcasts/audio | [X] | [X]% | [X] | [URL] |

Step 2: Benchmark Against Competitors

| Format | You | Comp A | Comp B | Comp C | Industry Benchmark | |--------|-----|--------|--------|--------|-------------------| | Blog posts | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Table stakes | | Long-form guides | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Expected for authority | | How-to tutorials | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Expected for SEO | | Comparison pages | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Required for commercial | | Case studies | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Expected for B2B | | Templates | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Lead gen standard | | Interactive tools | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Differentiator | | Video | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Growing expectation | | Original research | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | Linkbait standard | | Glossary | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] | GEO opportunity |

Step 3: Identify Format Gaps

For each format you are missing or underrepresenting:

| Missing Format | Competitor Proof | Estimated Effort | Expected Impact | Priority | |---------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|---------| | [Format 1] | [Which competitor succeeds + traffic est.] | [Low/Med/High] | [Low/Med/High] | [P0-P3] | | [Format 2] | [Evidence] | [Effort] | [Impact] | [Priority] |

Step 4: Format-SERP Feature Alignment

Certain formats unlock specific SERP features:

| Content Format | Unlocks SERP Feature | Schema Required | |---------------|---------------------|----------------| | FAQ sections | FAQ rich results, PAA eligibility | FAQPage | | Step-by-step tutorials | How-To rich results, Featured Snippet (list) | HowTo | | Review/comparison content | Review stars, AI Overview citations | Review, AggregateRating | | Video content | Video carousel, Video rich result | VideoObject | | Product pages | Shopping results, Product rich results | Product | | Event pages | Event rich results | Event | | Glossary/definitions | Featured Snippet (paragraph), AI Overview | DefinedTerm (optional) | | Data tables | Featured Snippet (table), AI Overview | Table (optional) |

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3. Funnel Stage Gap Identification

Funnel Coverage Mapping

Step 1: Define Funnel Stages and Content Expectations

| Funnel Stage | User Mindset | Content Need | Expected Formats | Typical Keywords | |-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------| | Awareness | "I have a problem/question" | Educational content | Blog posts, infographics, social content | "what is", "how to", "why does" | | Interest | "I want to learn more" | Deeper educational content | Guides, webinars, email courses | "guide to", "tutorial", "examples" | | Consideration | "What are my options?" | Comparison and evaluation | Comparison posts, reviews, case studies | "best", "vs", "review", "alternatives" | | Intent | "I'm narrowing my choices" | Decision-support content | Demos, free trials, pricing pages, ROI calculators | "pricing", "demo", "free trial" | | Purchase | "I'm ready to act" | Conversion content | Product pages, checkout, signup forms | "buy", "sign up", "get started" | | Retention | "I need help/value" | Support and engagement | Help docs, tutorials, community, newsletters | "[product] how to", "support" | | Advocacy | "I want to share/recommend" | Shareable and referral content | Case studies, review programs, referral incentives | "[product] review", "recommend" |

Step 2: Audit Content by Funnel Stage

For each stage, count your content and compare to competitors:

| Funnel Stage | Your Content Count | Comp A | Comp B | Gap Size | Gap Severity | |-------------|-------------------|--------|--------|----------|-------------| | Awareness | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Interest | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Consideration | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Intent | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Purchase | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Retention | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] | | Advocacy | [X] | [X] | [X] | [+/- X] | [Low/Med/High/Critical] |

Gap Severity Criteria:

| Severity | Definition | |----------|-----------| | Critical | Zero content at this stage; users drop off here | | High | Significantly less content than competitors; measurable conversion drop | | Medium | Somewhat less content; competitors have advantage but you are present | | Low | Roughly on par; minor opportunities for improvement |

Step 3: Identify Drop-Off Points

Map your analytics data to funnel stages to find where users leave:

| Transition | Metric to Check | Drop-Off Signal | Content Gap Likely | |-----------|----------------|----------------|-------------------| | Awareness → Interest | Bounce rate on blog posts | >70% bounce rate | Missing "next step" content or CTAs | | Interest → Consideration | Pages per session | <2 pages/session | Missing comparison/evaluation content | | Consideration → Intent | Demo/trial requests | Low conversion from comparison pages | Missing trust content (case studies, reviews) | | Intent → Purchase | Cart/signup abandonment | High abandonment rate | Missing objection-handling content | | Purchase → Retention | Churn rate | High early churn | Missing onboarding/help content |

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4. Opportunity Scoring Model

Multi-Factor Gap Scoring

Score each identified gap on 5 factors (1-5 scale each):

| Factor | Weight | Score 1 (Low) | Score 3 (Medium) | Score 5 (High) | |--------|--------|--------------|-----------------|----------------| | Search Demand | 25% | <100 monthly searches | 500-2,000 searches | >5,000 searches | | Competitive Density | 20% | All competitors cover it well | 1-2 competitors cover it | No competitor covers it | | Business Relevance | 25% | Tangential to your offering | Related to your offering | Core to your offering | | Creation Effort | 15% | Requires new capabilities | Moderate effort | Quick to create | | Conversion Potential | 15% | Pure awareness (top-funnel) | Consideration stage | Decision/transactional stage |

Gap Priority Score = Σ (Factor Weight x Score)

Priority Tiers

| Tier | Score Range | Timeline | Action | |------|-----------|----------|--------| | P0 -- Fill Immediately | 4.0-5.0 | This sprint / this week | High demand + low competition + high relevance | | P1 -- Fill This Quarter | 3.0-3.9 | Next 1-3 months | Good demand + some competition + relevant | | P2 -- Plan for Future | 2.0-2.9 | Next 3-6 months | Moderate opportunity, requires more resources | | P3 -- Monitor | 1.0-1.9 | Track quarterly | Low priority but may become relevant |

Quick-Win Identification

A "quick win" gap scores high on Demand + Relevance and low on Effort + Competition:

Quick Win Score = (Search Demand + Business Relevance) - (Creation Effort + Competitive Density)
                   Higher is better

| Quick Win Score | Assessment | |----------------|-----------| | 4+ | Strong quick win -- create this content first | | 2-3 | Moderate quick win -- include in next content sprint | | 0-1 | Not a quick win -- may still be strategically important | | Negative | Avoid -- high effort/competition relative to demand |

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5. Content Calendar Integration

Gap-to-Calendar Workflow

Step 1: Group Gaps by Topic Cluster

Group related gaps into clusters rather than addressing them individually:

| Cluster | Related Gaps | Combined Volume | Pillar Needed? | Cluster Pages Needed | |---------|-------------|----------------|---------------|---------------------| | [Cluster A] | Gap 1, Gap 3, Gap 7 | [Sum of volumes] | [Yes/No] | [Count] | | [Cluster B] | Gap 2, Gap 5 | [Sum of volumes] | [Yes/No] | [Count] | | [Cluster C] | Gap 4, Gap 6, Gap 8, Gap 9 | [Sum of volumes] | [Yes/No] | [Count] |

Step 2: Sequence by Priority and Dependencies

| Order | Content Piece | Gap(s) Addressed | Priority | Dependencies | Target Publish | |-------|-------------|-----------------|---------|-------------|---------------| | 1 | [Pillar page for Cluster A] | Gap 1, 3, 7 (overview) | P0 | None | Week 1 | | 2 | [Quick-win article] | Gap 2 | P0 | None | Week 2 | | 3 | [Cluster A subtopic 1] | Gap 3 (deep dive) | P0 | Pillar published | Week 3 | | 4 | [Cluster A subtopic 2] | Gap 7 (deep dive) | P1 | Pillar published | Week 4 | | 5 | [Comparison page] | Gap 5 | P1 | None | Week 5 |

Step 3: Assign Resources and Track

| Content Piece | Writer | Reviewer | Target Date | Status | Gap Closed? | |-------------|--------|---------|------------|--------|------------| | [Title] | [Name] | [Name] | [Date] | [Draft/Review/Published] | [Yes/No/Partial] |

Calendar Cadence by Team Size

| Team Size | Monthly Output | Gap Fill Rate | Full Gap Close Timeline | |-----------|---------------|--------------|----------------------| | Solo | 4-6 pieces/month | 3-4 gaps/month | 6-12 months for 30 gaps | | Small (2-3) | 8-15 pieces/month | 6-10 gaps/month | 3-6 months for 30 gaps | | Medium (4-6) | 15-25 pieces/month | 10-20 gaps/month | 2-3 months for 30 gaps | | Large (7+) | 25+ pieces/month | 20+ gaps/month | 1-2 months for 30 gaps |

Post-Publication Gap Validation

After publishing gap-filling content, validate that the gap is actually closed:

| Checkpoint | Timeframe | What to Check | Success Criteria | |-----------|-----------|--------------|-----------------| | Indexing | 1-2 weeks | Is the page indexed? | Appears in Google index | | Initial ranking | 2-4 weeks | Is it ranking for target keyword? | Appears in top 100 | | Competitive ranking | 2-3 months | Has it reached competitive positions? | Top 20 or improving trend | | Traffic impact | 3-6 months | Is it driving meaningful traffic? | Meeting traffic projections | | Gap closure | 6 months | Has the gap been effectively closed? | Ranking comparable to competitors |

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Framework Selection Guide

| Situation | Primary Framework | Secondary Framework | |-----------|------------------|-------------------| | "We need more traffic" | Keyword Gap Methodology | Content Calendar Integration | | "Competitors outrank us everywhere" | Keyword Gap + Format Gap | Opportunity Scoring | | "Our conversion rate is low" | Funnel Stage Gap | Format Gap (decision-stage formats) | | "We don't know what to write next" | All three gap types | Opportunity Scoring + Calendar | | "We have limited resources" | Opportunity Scoring (quick wins) | Keyword Gap (filtered by difficulty) | | "We're entering a new market" | Keyword Gap (comprehensive) | Format Gap + Funnel Gap |