The 12 Programmatic SEO Playbooks
Beyond mixing and matching data point permutations, these are the proven playbooks for programmatic SEO.
Contents
- Templates
- Curation
- Conversions
- Comparisons
- Examples
- Locations
- Personas
- Integrations
- Glossary
- Translations
- Directory
- Profiles
- Choosing Your Playbook (Match to Your Assets, Combine Playbooks)
1. Templates
Pattern: "[Type] template" or "free [type] template" Example searches: "resume template", "invoice template", "pitch deck template"
What it is: Downloadable or interactive templates users can use directly.
Why it works:
- High intent—people need it now
- Shareable/linkable assets
- Natural for product-led companies
Value requirements:
- Actually usable templates (not just previews)
- Multiple variations per type
- Quality comparable to paid options
- Easy download/use flow
URL structure: /templates/[type]/ or /templates/[category]/[type]/
2. Curation
Pattern: "best [category]" or "top [number] [things]" Example searches: "best website builders", "top 10 crm software", "best free design tools"
What it is: Curated lists ranking or recommending options in a category.
Why it works:
- Comparison shoppers searching for guidance
- High commercial intent
- Evergreen with updates
Value requirements:
- Genuine evaluation criteria
- Real testing or expertise
- Regular updates (date visible)
- Not just affiliate-driven rankings
URL structure: /best/[category]/ or /[category]/best/
3. Conversions
Pattern: "[X] to [Y]" or "[amount] [unit] in [unit]" Example searches: "$10 USD to GBP", "100 kg to lbs", "pdf to word"
What it is: Tools or pages that convert between formats, units, or currencies.
Why it works:
- Instant utility
- Extremely high search volume
- Repeat usage potential
Value requirements:
- Accurate, real-time data
- Fast, functional tool
- Related conversions suggested
- Mobile-friendly interface
URL structure: /convert/[from]-to-[to]/ or /[from]-to-[to]-converter/
4. Comparisons
Pattern: "[X] vs [Y]" or "[X] alternative" Example searches: "webflow vs wordpress", "notion vs coda", "figma alternatives"
What it is: Head-to-head comparisons between products, tools, or options.
Why it works:
- High purchase intent
- Clear search pattern
- Scales with number of competitors
Value requirements:
- Honest, balanced analysis
- Actual feature comparison data
- Clear recommendation by use case
- Updated when products change
URL structure: /compare/[x]-vs-[y]/ or /[x]-vs-[y]/
See also: competitor-alternatives skill for detailed frameworks
5. Examples
Pattern: "[type] examples" or "[category] inspiration" Example searches: "saas landing page examples", "email subject line examples", "portfolio website examples"
What it is: Galleries or collections of real-world examples for inspiration.
Why it works:
- Research phase traffic
- Highly shareable
- Natural for design/creative tools
Value requirements:
- Real, high-quality examples
- Screenshots or embeds
- Categorization/filtering
- Analysis of why they work
URL structure: /examples/[type]/ or /[type]-examples/
6. Locations
Pattern: "[service/thing] in [location]" Example searches: "coworking spaces in san diego", "dentists in austin", "best restaurants in brooklyn"
What it is: Location-specific pages for services, businesses, or information.
Why it works:
- Local intent is massive
- Scales with geography
- Natural for marketplaces/directories
Value requirements:
- Actual local data (not just city name swapped)
- Local providers/options listed
- Location-specific insights (pricing, regulations)
- Map integration helpful
URL structure: /[service]/[city]/ or /locations/[city]/[service]/
7. Personas
Pattern: "[product] for [audience]" or "[solution] for [role/industry]" Example searches: "payroll software for agencies", "crm for real estate", "project management for freelancers"
What it is: Tailored landing pages addressing specific audience segments.
Why it works:
- Speaks directly to searcher's context
- Higher conversion than generic pages
- Scales with personas
Value requirements:
- Genuine persona-specific content
- Relevant features highlighted
- Testimonials from that segment
- Use cases specific to audience
URL structure: /for/[persona]/ or /solutions/[industry]/
8. Integrations
Pattern: "[your product] [other product] integration" or "[product] + [product]" Example searches: "slack asana integration", "zapier airtable", "hubspot salesforce sync"
What it is: Pages explaining how your product works with other tools.
Why it works:
- Captures users of other products
- High intent (they want the solution)
- Scales with integration ecosystem
Value requirements:
- Real integration details
- Setup instructions
- Use cases for the combination
- Working integration (not vaporware)
URL structure: /integrations/[product]/ or /connect/[product]/
9. Glossary
Pattern: "what is [term]" or "[term] definition" or "[term] meaning" Example searches: "what is pSEO", "api definition", "what does crm stand for"
What it is: Educational definitions of industry terms and concepts.
Why it works:
- Top-of-funnel awareness
- Establishes expertise
- Natural internal linking opportunities
Value requirements:
- Clear, accurate definitions
- Examples and context
- Related terms linked
- More depth than a dictionary
URL structure: /glossary/[term]/ or /learn/[term]/
10. Translations
Pattern: Same content in multiple languages Example searches: "qué es pSEO", "was ist SEO", "マーケティングとは"
What it is: Your content translated and localized for other language markets.
Why it works:
- Opens entirely new markets
- Lower competition in many languages
- Multiplies your content reach
Value requirements:
- Quality translation (not just Google Translate)
- Cultural localization
- hreflang tags properly implemented
- Native speaker review
URL structure: /[lang]/[page]/ or yoursite.com/es/, /de/, etc.
11. Directory
Pattern: "[category] tools" or "[type] software" or "[category] companies" Example searches: "ai copywriting tools", "email marketing software", "crm companies"
What it is: Comprehensive directories listing options in a category.
Why it works:
- Research phase capture
- Link building magnet
- Natural for aggregators/reviewers
Value requirements:
- Comprehensive coverage
- Useful filtering/sorting
- Details per listing (not just names)
- Regular updates
URL structure: /directory/[category]/ or /[category]-directory/
12. Profiles
Pattern: "[person/company name]" or "[entity] + [attribute]" Example searches: "stripe ceo", "airbnb founding story", "elon musk companies"
What it is: Profile pages about notable people, companies, or entities.
Why it works:
- Informational intent traffic
- Builds topical authority
- Natural for B2B, news, research
Value requirements:
- Accurate, sourced information
- Regularly updated
- Unique insights or aggregation
- Not just Wikipedia rehash
URL structure: /people/[name]/ or /companies/[name]/
Choosing Your Playbook
Match to Your Assets
| If you have... | Consider... |
|---|---|
| Proprietary data | Stats, Directories, Profiles |
| Product with integrations | Integrations |
| Design/creative product | Templates, Examples |
| Multi-segment audience | Personas |
| Local presence | Locations |
| Tool or utility product | Conversions |
| Content/expertise | Glossary, Curation |
| International potential | Translations |
| Competitor landscape | Comparisons |
Combine Playbooks
You can layer multiple playbooks:
- Locations + Personas: "Marketing agencies for startups in Austin"
- Curation + Locations: "Best coworking spaces in San Diego"
- Integrations + Personas: "Slack for sales teams"
- Glossary + Translations: Multi-language educational content