Programmatic SEO: Dominate SERPs Without Breaking a Sweat

What is Programmatic SEO?

Programmatic SEO (from the word programmer) is a cutting-edge approach that leverages code, automation, and data-driven insights to create and optimize web pages and create content at scale.

It’s a powerful approach for businesses looking to target specific keywords and niche markets without the need for manual labor.

This post is a step-by-step guide on how to get started with programmatic SEO.

Step-By-Step Guide on How To Start Programmatic SEO

Step 1 to Programmatic SEO: Identify the Opportunity

Research Keywords

• Utilize Tools: Leverage tools like Google’s Keyword Planner to identify high-potential keywords.
• Consider Programmatic Keywords: Think about how keywords can be programmatically generated or scraped. This can include publicly available datasets or APIs, scraping data from public websites, or manually collating data for smaller projects.
• Explore Data Sources: Check out 17 places to find data for your programmatic SEO sites as suggested by Practical Programmatic.

Analyze Competitors

• Understand Their Strategy: Analyze what your competitors are doing and find gaps in the market.
• Evaluate Their Data Sources: Look at how competitors are sourcing and utilizing data. Are they scraping public data, outsourcing data scraping, or using other methods?
• Assess Their Content: Examine the quality and uniqueness of their content. Bad data in equals bad content out, so ensure your data sources are reliable and relevant.

Set Goals

• Define Clear Objectives: What do you want to achieve with programmatic SEO? Whether it’s increasing organic traffic or targeting niche markets, have a clear vision.
• Determine KPIs: Set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure success. This could include metrics like organic traffic growth, conversion rates, or ranking improvements.
• Consider Data Needs: Understand the data requirements for your goals. If you need to scrape public data, consider the cost and time involved. Practical Programmatic mentions that scraping large datasets can cost $100-300, and it may be more efficient to outsource this task.

By taking a comprehensive approach to identifying opportunities, you can create a solid foundation for your programmatic SEO strategy.

Utilizing tools, analyzing competitors, and setting clear goals will guide your efforts and ensure that you are targeting the right keywords and markets.

Integrating insights from Practical Programmatic’s guide to finding datasets adds depth to your understanding of how data plays a crucial role in programmatic SEO.

Step 2 to Programmatic SEO: Design Your Page Template

Create a Wireframe

• Sketch the Layout: Start with a rough sketch of the layout of your pages. Think about the flow of information and how users will navigate through the content.
• Focus on User Experience: Consider the user’s journey on your page. Where will their eyes go first? What information is most important? Design with the user’s comfort and understanding in mind.
• Iterate and Refine: Don’t be afraid to make changes and refine your wireframe. It’s a dynamic process that evolves as you understand more about your content and audience.

Choose Tools

• Explore Options: There are many tools available for wireframing and design, such as Canva Whiteboard, Adobe XD, or Sketch. Explore different options to find what suits your needs.
• Consider Collaboration: If you’re working with a team, look for tools that allow collaborative editing and feedback. This can streamline the design process and ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Match Your Skill Level: Select a tool that matches your skill level. Some tools offer drag-and-drop functionality for beginners, while others provide more advanced features for experienced designers.

Align with User Intent

• Understand Your Audience: Who are you designing for? What are their needs, preferences, and pain points? Understanding your audience helps you create a design that resonates with them.
• Meet Expectations: Your design should align with what users expect to find when they land on your page. If they’re looking for specific information or a particular product, make sure it’s easy to find and prominently displayed.
• Incorporate SEO Best Practices: While focusing on user intent, don’t forget about SEO. Include elements that help with search engine ranking, such as clear headings, easy navigation, and well-structured content.

Designing your page template is a critical step in programmatic SEO. It’s not just about making things look good; it’s about creating a user-friendly experience that aligns with both user intent and SEO best practices.

By thoughtfully sketching wireframes, choosing the right tools, and focusing on your audience’s needs, you lay the groundwork for a successful programmatic SEO strategy.

P.S: A well-designed page not only attracts visitors but also keeps them engaged, leading to higher conversions and better rankings.

Step 3 to Programmatic SEO: Identify and Collect Your Data

Determine Content Needs

• Dynamic Content: If your site requires content that changes frequently, such as stock prices or weather updates, you’ll need to set up a system to pull this data regularly. For example, a travel website might use APIs to fetch real-time flight information.
• Static Content: For content that doesn’t change often, like product descriptions or company information, static content is suitable. An online bookstore might have static pages for each book, including the title, author, and synopsis.

Scrape Websites

• Choose the Right Tools: Web scraping tools like Beautiful Soup or Scrapy can be used to gather information from other websites. For example, a real estate website might scrape property listings from various sources to compile a comprehensive database.
• Follow Legal Guidelines: Ensure that you’re scraping data legally and ethically. Always refer to the website’s terms of service and consider reaching out for permission if needed.
• Clean and Organize Data: Scraped data often needs to be cleaned and organized. If you’re scraping product reviews, you might need to remove duplicates or irrelevant information to ensure quality.

Curate Content

• Manually Enter Data: Sometimes, manual entry is required for specific or unique content. A food blog might manually enter recipes, including ingredients and cooking instructions, to ensure accuracy and originality.
• Utilize User-Generated Content: Encourage users to contribute content, such as reviews or testimonials. A community-driven travel guide might curate user-generated tips and recommendations for different destinations.
• Ensure Uniqueness and Engagement: Whether manually entering data or curating user-generated content, strive to create unique and engaging material. Adding personal insights, high-quality images, or interactive elements can make your content stand out.

Identifying and collecting data is a multifaceted process that requires careful consideration of your content needs, the tools you use, and the way you curate content.

Whether you’re dealing with dynamic data that changes frequently or static information that remains constant determines the requirements and using the right methods to gather and organize data is crucial.

Step 4 to Programmatic SEO: Build the Database with Content and Labels

Create a Database

• Map Content and Metadata: Build a database that maps each content piece, including essential metadata. For example, an e-commerce site might organize product information, such as names, descriptions, images, and prices.
• Choose the Right Tool: Selecting the right database software is crucial. You can explore various options, reviewing their features and benefits. I already reviewed TeamDesk which is one of the best online databases out there and within the post, we took a look at its popular alternatives. Additionally, check out the post on the best database software for more insights.
• Utilize Templates: Many database tools offer customizable templates to fit your needs. A blogger might use a content calendar template to schedule and track posts.
• Integrate with Other Platforms: Look for database software that allows integration with other platforms, such as analytics tools or social media channels, to pull data automatically.

Organize Information

• Structure Data: Organize your data in a logical and structured manner to ensure easy reference and accuracy. A travel agency might categorize data by destinations, travel dates, prices, and customer reviews.
• Use Labels and Tags: Labels and tags facilitate quick navigation and filtering. For instance, a recipe website might label recipes by cuisine type, difficulty level, or dietary preferences.
• Maintain Consistency: Consistent naming conventions and data formats across the database ensure smooth operations. If you’re managing a database of books, consistent labeling of genres, authors, and publication dates will facilitate better search and analysis.

Invest Time

• Recognize the Importance: Building a database is often time-consuming but is a crucial step for success. A well-organized database is the backbone of your programmatic SEO strategy.
• Quality Over Speed: Don’t rush this process. A healthcare provider building a database of medical articles would need to invest time in verifying the accuracy and relevance of the information.
• Regular Updates and Maintenance: Keep the database up-to-date and perform regular checks for errors or inconsistencies. An online news portal must continually update its database with the latest news articles and remove outdated content.

Building a database is a foundational step in programmatic SEO because every other thing will be built off it.

By carefully mapping content, choosing the right database software, and investing time in organization and maintenance, you create a robust system that supports your goals in the long run.

The process may vary depending on the tools you choose, so be sure to explore the options available in the comprehensive reviews linked above.

A well-structured database not only streamlines your operations and enhances the user experience— leading to higher engagement and better SEO performance— but saves you a lot of maintenance overhead in the future.

Step 5 to Programmatic SEO: Build the CMS Collection and Page Template

Choose a Platform

• Explore Options: There are various platforms available for creating CMS collections, such as Webflow, WordPress, or Joomla. Depending on your needs and technical expertise, you’ll want to choose the one that offers the features and flexibility you require.
• Consider SEO Capabilities: Look for a platform that supports SEO best practices, such as clean URLs, meta tags, and responsive design. For example, an online magazine might choose a platform that allows easy integration with social sharing and analytics tools.
• Evaluate Integration with Database Tools: Ensure that the platform can integrate smoothly with your database. For instance, WordPress is one of the CMS platforms that supports virtually all of the best database software. I believe many others do too.

Reference Your Database

• Map Fields Accurately: When creating CMS collections, ensure that each field is populated accurately from your database. For instance, an online store might have fields for product name, description, price, and images, all of which must be mapped correctly to the corresponding database entries.
• Automate Data Transfer: Utilize tools or plugins that allow automatic data transfer between your database and CMS. This ensures that changes in the database are reflected on the website without manual intervention.
• Test and Verify: Regularly test the connection between your database and CMS to ensure that the data is displayed correctly. An educational portal might run periodic checks to ensure that course information, schedules, and faculty details are up-to-date.

Customize as Needed

• Align with Branding: Tailor the template to fit your specific needs and branding. A fashion blog might customize fonts, colors, and layouts to reflect a chic and trendy vibe.
• Optimize for User Experience: Consider the user journey and customize the template to enhance navigation and engagement. A tech review site might include interactive elements like comparison tables, video reviews, and user ratings.
• Incorporate Unique Features: Don’t hesitate to add unique features that set your site apart. A travel booking site might include interactive maps, virtual tours, or personalized travel recommendations based on user preferences.

Building the CMS collection and page template is a creative and technical process that requires careful consideration of platform choice, database integration, and customization.

By choosing the right platform, accurately referencing your database, and tailoring the template to your specific needs, you create a cohesive and engaging online presence.

You could be an online store mapping product details or a travel booking site offering interactive features, the principles remain the same.

• attention to detail,
• alignment with branding, and
• a focus on user experience

… are key to creating a successful CMS collection and page template.

This step and sub-steps are not just about aesthetics; it’s about functionality, SEO, and delivering value to your audience.

Step 6 to Programmatic SEO: Connect the Database to the Website

Integrate with Tools

• Choose the Right Integration Tool: Tools like Whalesynch and others offer deep integrations between various platforms, such as databases, CMS, and third-party services. For example, a real estate website might integrate property listings from a database with mapping services and mortgage calculators.
• Consider Compatibility: Ensure that the integration tool is compatible with both your database and CMS.
• Set Up Automation: Automation ensures that changes in the database are automatically reflected on the site. A job portal might set up automation to display new job listings as soon as they are added to the database.

Test Connections

• Verify Data Accuracy: Regularly test the connection to ensure that the database content populates the site correctly. An online bookstore might periodically verify that book details, prices, and availability are displayed accurately.
• Check Across Different Devices: Test how the content appears on various devices and browsers to ensure a consistent user experience. A fitness blog might check how workout videos and nutrition guides appear on both desktop and mobile devices.
• Monitor Performance: Keep an eye on the site’s performance to ensure that the integration doesn’t slow down page loading times. A news website might monitor how quickly articles and images load during peak traffic hours.

Update as Needed

• Ensure Real-Time Updates: Set up the system to ensure that content updates in the database are immediately reflected on your site. A weather forecasting site might need real-time updates to provide accurate and current weather information.
• Plan for Scalability: As your site grows, you may need to update the integration to handle increased traffic and content. An e-learning platform might need to scale up integration as more courses and students are added.
• Maintain Security: Regularly update and monitor the integration to ensure data security. A healthcare provider’s website must ensure that patient information is securely transmitted between the database and the site.

Connecting the database to the website is a multifaceted task that requires careful planning, testing, and maintenance.

By integrating with the right tools, verifying connections, and ensuring timely updates, you create a dynamic and responsive online presence.

Step 7 to Programmatic SEO: Test the Site, Make Adjustments, and Go Live

Cross-Browser Testing

• Test Across Platforms: Check how your site appears and functions across different browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. For example, an online art gallery might test how high-resolution images of paintings are displayed across various browsers.
• Consider Mobile Devices: With the growing number of mobile users, it’s essential to test how your site performs on smartphones and tablets. A restaurant’s website might test how the online reservation system works on both Android and iOS devices.
• Address Compatibility Issues: If you find any inconsistencies or issues, address them promptly. A financial services website might need to adjust interactive charts or calculators to ensure they work seamlessly across all platforms.

Make Adjustments

• Refine Structure and Content: Based on testing results, make necessary refinements to the site’s structure, layout, and content. A travel agency might enhance the search functionality to make it easier for users to find specific destinations or deals.
• Improve User Experience: Focus on enhancing the overall user experience. An e-commerce site might streamline the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment rates.
• Optimize for SEO: Ensure that all SEO best practices are in place, including meta tags, alt text for images, and proper use of headings. A local bakery might optimize location-based keywords to attract nearby customers.

Monitor Performance

• Track Site Speed: Monitor how quickly your site loads, as this can significantly impact user engagement and SEO rankings. A video streaming service might optimize video loading times to provide a smooth viewing experience.
• Analyze User Behavior: Utilize tools like Google Analytics to understand how users are interacting with your site. A fitness platform might analyze which workout programs are most popular and adjust content accordingly.
• Set Up Alerts: Implement monitoring tools that alert you to any performance issues or downtime. A healthcare provider’s appointment scheduling system might set up alerts for any disruptions in service.

Go Live

• Announce the Launch: Once you’re confident that everything is in place, announce the launch to your audience through social media, email newsletters, or press releases. A new fashion brand might host a virtual launch event to showcase the latest collection.
• Provide Support: Offer support channels like live chat or FAQs to assist users with any questions or issues. An online education platform might provide tutorials and customer support to assist students in navigating the new courses.
• Continue to Monitor and Improve: Even after going live, continue to monitor performance, gather feedback, and make ongoing improvements. A tech review site might regularly update reviews based on new product releases or user feedback.

Testing the site, making adjustments, and going live is a dynamic and ongoing process that requires attention to detail, responsiveness to user needs, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

From cross-browser testing to performance monitoring, each sub-step plays a vital role in ensuring that your site is ready for the public.

The Problems You Might Face with Programmatic SEO

Programmatic SEO is an innovative approach, but it’s not without its challenges. Here’s what you might face:

1. Crawled but Not Ranked Issues

When publishing a large number of posts at scale, you might encounter situations where your pages are crawled by search engines but not ranked.

This phenomenon is known as “Crawled but Not Indexed,” and it can be a perplexing and frustrating issue. Here’s a closer look at what it means and how to address it:

a. Understand the Problem: The “Crawled but Not Indexed” status means that search engines have discovered your pages but have chosen not to include them in the search results. This can happen for various reasons, and understanding the underlying cause is the first step to resolving the issue.

b. Identify Common Causes:

• Thin or Low-Value Content: If your pages lack substantial content or offer little value to users, search engines may choose not to rank them.
• Duplicated Content: Pages with content that is identical or very similar to other pages on the web may be ignored by search engines.
• Technical Issues: Problems with your site’s structure, meta tags, or other technical aspects can prevent pages from being indexed.

c. Analyze and Diagnose: Utilize SEO tools and Google Search Console to analyze the affected pages and diagnose the specific issues. For example, you might discover that certain pages are marked as “noindex” or that canonical tags are misconfigured.

d. Implement Solutions:

• Enhance Content Quality: If thin or low-value content is the problem, work on enriching the pages with valuable information, images, videos, or other engaging elements.
• Resolve Duplication: Use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of a page if duplication is the issue.
• Fix Technical Errors: Address any technical problems that might be hindering indexing. This might include correcting meta tags, improving site structure, or enhancing mobile-friendliness.

e. Monitor and Adjust: Keep an eye on the affected pages and monitor their status in Google Search Console. It may take some time for changes to be reflected, so patience and continuous monitoring are key.

f. Seek Professional Help if Needed: If the issue persists and you’re unable to identify the cause, consider seeking professional SEO assistance. An expert can conduct a thorough analysis and implement targeted solutions.

g. Example: Imagine an e-commerce site that has created thousands of product pages through programmatic SEO. If these pages are simply listing products without detailed descriptions, reviews, or other valuable content, they may be crawled but not indexed. The solution would involve enhancing each page with unique and valuable content that serves the user’s needs.

By understanding the “Crawled but Not Ranked” issue and taking a systematic approach to diagnose and resolve it, you can ensure that your programmatic SEO efforts translate into visible and effective search engine rankings.

2. Technical Complexity

Programmatic SEO isn’t a plug-and-play solution. You or someone on your team will need technical knowledge to implement and manage the strategy. This might include understanding how to scrape data, work with APIs, or even write code.

3. Search Engine Penalties

If not done correctly, programmatic SEO might lead to search engine penalties. This can happen if the content is seen as spammy or if it violates search engine guidelines.

4. Crawled but Not Ranked Issues

As previously mentioned, publishing a large number of posts at scale might lead to situations where pages are crawled but not ranked.

5. Duplication of Content

Creating content at scale might lead to unintentional duplication, which can negatively impact SEO.

6. Maintenance Challenges

Keeping a large number of automated pages up to-date and relevant can be time-consuming and challenging.

7. Legal and Ethical Considerations

Depending on how data is collected and used, there may be legal and ethical considerations to take into account, especially concerning data privacy and copyright laws.

8. Costs

Depending on the tools and resources used, programmatic SEO can be costly, especially if it requires investment in specialized software or hiring experts.

9. Integration Challenges

Integrating various tools and platforms to create a seamless workflow for programmatic SEO can be complex and may lead to issues if not done correctly.

10. Monitoring and Analytics

Understanding the performance of a large number of automated pages can be challenging. Implementing proper tracking and analytics is essential but can be complex.

11. User Experience (UX) Concerns

If not carefully designed, automated pages might not provide the best user experience, leading to high bounce rates and low engagement.

12. Potential Over-Optimization

There’s a risk of over-optimizing pages for specific keywords, which might appear unnatural to search engines and users.

13. Server Load

Handling a large number of dynamically generated pages might put a strain on the server, leading to performance issues.

14. Alignment with Brand Voice and Guidelines

Ensuring that automated content aligns with the brand’s voice and guidelines can be challenging, especially when creating content at scale.

15. Risk of Negative SEO

If competitors identify a pattern in programmatic SEO, they might target those pages for negative SEO tactics.

16. Content Quality Issues

Automating content creation can sometimes lead to lower quality or generic content that doesn’t resonate with users. Maintaining quality while scaling can be a significant challenge.

17. More Knowledge Needed Than This Post Delivers

While this post provides a solid start, mastering programmatic SEO requires ongoing learning and adaptation. Staying up-to-date with the latest trends, tools, and techniques is essential for success.

Examples of Programmatic SEOs

Programmatic SEO is a powerful strategy used by various industries to create and optimize content at scale. By automating the process, businesses can target specific keywords and niche markets efficiently. Here are some examples:

• Weather Data Sites: Websites like Weather.com create individual pages for weather forecasts in different locations. These pages might target queries such as “What is the weather in New York in July?” or “San Francisco weather forecast 10-day.” By using programmatic SEO, they can generate thousands of such pages to cover every possible location and time frame.
• Crime Statistics Sites: Some websites utilize government datasets to build pages targeting keywords related to crime statistics. For example, a site might create pages for “crime rate in Chicago 2021” or “Los Angeles violent crime statistics.” This approach allows them to provide specific information for various cities, regions, or types of crime.
• Product Comparison Sites: Websites like PriceGrabber or Shopzilla use scraped data to compare products across different categories, models, and price ranges. They might create pages for “best smartphones under $500” or “top-rated washing machines 2021.” Programmatic SEO enables them to keep these comparisons up-to-date and relevant to user searches.
• Travel and Booking Platforms: Sites like Kayak or Expedia use programmatic SEO to create landing pages for various travel destinations, flight routes, and hotel options. They might target searches like “flights from New York to Paris” or “best hotels in Miami Beach.” This approach helps them cater to the diverse and specific needs of travelers.
• Real Estate Portals: Real estate websites like Zillow leverage programmatic SEO to create pages for individual properties, neighborhoods, or market trends. They might target queries such as “homes for sale in Austin, TX” or “San Francisco real estate market report.” By automating the creation of these pages, they can provide comprehensive coverage of the real estate market.
• E-commerce Platforms: Large e-commerce sites like Amazon use programmatic SEO to create pages for various products, categories, and brands. They might target searches like “wireless headphones for running” or “best kitchen appliances 2021.” This strategy allows them to offer a vast selection of products tailored to specific user needs.

Programmatic SEO vs SaaS

Both Programmatic SEO and Software as a Service (SaaS) are powerful tools in the digital landscape, but they serve different purposes:

• Programmatic SEO: Focuses on automating the creation of SEO-optimized content at scale. It leverages data and algorithms to generate pages that target specific keywords and user intents.
• SaaS: Refers to cloud-based software solutions that are provided to users on a subscription basis. SaaS can include tools that support Programmatic SEO, such as database software, content management systems, and analytics platforms.

Conclusion: The Power of Programmatic SEO

Programmatic SEO is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it offers significant advantages for the right business.

With careful planning, research, and execution, you can create a programmatic SEO strategy that enhances your online presence and drives organic traffic.

Interested in exploring more advanced SEO strategies? Dive into related topics like optimizing content for search intent, analyzing weaknesses in search results, and discovering the best SEO content optimization tools.

Frequently Asked Questions about Programmatic SEO: