Free Programmatic SEO Resources, Templates & Guides

📋 Programmatic SEO Implementation Checklist

Phase 1: Planning & Research (Week 1-2)

Identify your data source (product catalog, locations, topics, etc.)Conduct keyword research to find repeatable patternsAnalyze top 10 SERP results for each keyword patternMap keyword patterns to user intent (informational, transactional, etc.)Choose your tech stack based on budget and technical skills

Phase 2: Template Design (Week 3-4)

Design 1-3 page templates matching SERP intentIdentify dynamic content sections (where data will be injected)Create static content sections (unique per template, not per page)Design internal linking structure (hub pages, related items)Implement schema markup (Product, Article, LocalBusiness, etc.)Optimize meta titles and descriptions with variables

Phase 3: Data Preparation (Week 4-5)

Clean and structure your data in spreadsheet/databaseGenerate unique content for each variation (AI or manual)Add location-specific or category-specific detailsCreate FAQs unique to each category/locationQuality check: Ensure 30%+ content differentiation between pages

Phase 4: Launch & Indexing (Week 6-8)

Start with pilot batch: 100-500 pagesGenerate and submit XML sitemap to Google Search ConsoleVerify robots.txt allows crawling of programmatic pagesMonitor indexing rate in GSC (target 80%+ indexed)Check for crawl errors and fix issuesMonitor page speed (target LCP <2.5s)

Phase 5: Scale & Optimize (Month 3+)

Analyze pilot batch performance (traffic, rankings, conversions)Gradually scale to 1,000-5,000 pages/week based on resultsPrune low-performing pages (bottom 10%)A/B test template variations for better performanceBuild backlinks to hub pages and high-performing contentSet up conversion tracking and optimize for business metrics

🔍 Keyword Pattern Identification Guide

Finding Your Keyword Pattern

A programmatic SEO keyword pattern consists of two parts: a Head Term (constant) and a Modifier (variable).

Pattern Formula:

[Head Term] + [Modifier] = Keyword

Example 1: E-commerce

Head: "best" + Modifier: "[product type] for [use case]"

→ "best running shoes for flat feet"

Example 2: Local Services

Head: "[service]" + Modifier: "in [city/neighborhood]"

→ "plumbers in Brooklyn"

Example 3: SaaS Integrations

Head: "[action]" + Modifier: "[app A] to/from [app B]"

→ "connect Slack to Trello"

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Brainstorm head terms: What are the main topics/services/products?
2. Identify modifiers: What changes between variations? (location, category, use case, etc.)
3. Use Ahrefs "Matched Terms": Find related keywords with the same pattern
4. Check search volume: Each variation should have 50+ monthly searches
5. Assess difficulty: Target KD <30 for easier ranking
6. Verify intent: Do SERPs show similar content types?

High-Value Pattern Types

1. Comparison Keywords

Pattern: "[Product A] vs [Product B]" or "[Product] alternatives"

High intent, great for SaaS and e-commerce

2. Location-Based Keywords

Pattern: "[Service/Product] in [City/State/ZIP]"

Perfect for local services, real estate, travel

3. Use Case Keywords

Pattern: "best [product] for [specific use case]"

High conversion rate, great for e-commerce

4. Calculator/Tool Keywords

Pattern: "[topic] calculator" or "[topic] estimator"

High engagement, great for lead generation

5. Process/Guide Keywords

Pattern: "how to [action] in [location/context]"

Educational intent, builds authority

📝 Page Template Structure

Recommended Template Sections

1. Hero Section (Above the Fold)

• H1 title with keyword: e.g., "Best {{product}} for {{use_case}}"
• Brief description (2-3 sentences) with dynamic content
• Primary CTA button
• Trust signals (reviews, ratings, stats)

2. Main Content Area

• Dynamic paragraph (200-300 words) specific to this variation
• Comparison table or feature list (if applicable)
• Unique data points (pricing, specs, statistics)
• Images or media relevant to the variation

3. Benefits/Features Section

• 3-6 key benefits or features
• Icons or visual elements
• Short descriptions (can be partially templated)

4. FAQ Section (Unique per Category)

• 5-8 questions specific to this variation
• Structured data markup (FAQPage schema)
• Targets "People Also Ask" SERP feature

5. Related Content/Internal Links

• "Related {{category}}" section with 4-8 links
• Link to parent hub page
• Breadcrumbs for navigation
• Links to sibling pages (same category, different modifier)

6. Conversion Section

• Secondary CTA with compelling copy
• Social proof (testimonials, logos, case studies)
• Trust badges or guarantees

⚙️ Technical SEO Checklist

✓ URL Structure

• Use clean, descriptive URLs: /category/subcategory/page-name
• Keep URLs under 100 characters when possible
• Use hyphens (-) not underscores (_) to separate words
• Include target keyword in URL slug

✓ Meta Tags

• Title tag: 50-60 characters, include keyword + modifier
• Meta description: 150-160 characters, compelling + unique
• Unique titles/descriptions for every page (no duplicates!)
• Include location/category in meta tags when relevant

✓ Structured Data (Schema.org)

• Article schema for blog/guide content
• Product schema for e-commerce pages
• FAQPage schema for FAQ sections
• LocalBusiness schema for location pages
• Breadcrumb schema for navigation

✓ XML Sitemap

• Generate automatically as pages are added
• Split into multiple sitemaps if >50K URLs
• Submit to Google Search Console
• Update sitemap index in robots.txt

✓ Page Speed Optimization

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): <2.5 seconds
• First Input Delay (FID): <100 milliseconds
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): <0.1
• Lazy load images below the fold
• Use WebP or AVIF image formats
• Minimize JavaScript and CSS
• Enable CDN for faster content delivery

✓ Canonical Tags

• Set self-referencing canonical on each page
• Use canonical to consolidate similar pages if needed
• Ensure canonical URLs match preferred version (http/https, www/non-www)

✓ Internal Linking

• Every page should have at least 3 internal links pointing to it
• Create hub pages linking to related programmatic pages
• Use descriptive anchor text (not "click here")
• Implement breadcrumb navigation

Need Personalized Help?

These resources are a great start, but every business is unique. Book a free consultation with Claudio Tota to get a custom roadmap tailored to your specific needs.

In our free 30-minute call, you'll get:

Custom keyword pattern recommendations

Perfect tech stack for your budget

Step-by-step implementation timeline

Expected ROI and traffic projections

Schedule Free Consultation →

✓ No credit card required • ✓ 100% free • ✓ 30 minutes with ex-Google consultant

Programmatic SEO Resources