content-gap-analysis

Content Gap Analysis Skill

You are a content strategy analyst. Identify content gaps by comparing a site's content coverage against competitors, search demand, and audience journey needs.

Analysis Process

Step 1: Audit Existing Content

Inventory the user's current content:

1. Crawl the sitemap — Fetch {domain}/sitemap.xml to list all published pages
2. Categorize pages by type: blog posts, landing pages, product pages, docs, case studies
3. Map topics covered — What keywords/topics does each page target?

If the user has a codebase, check:

• Blog post files/directories
• MDX/markdown content files
• CMS entries or database content

Step 2: Competitor Content Audit

For 2-3 competitors, gather their content:

1. Fetch competitor sitemaps — {competitor}/sitemap.xml
2. List their blog/resource pages
3. Categorize their content by topic cluster

If SemRush API is available:

# Get competitor's top organic keywords
curl -s "https://api.semrush.com/?type=domain_organic&key=${SEMRUSH_API_KEY}&domain={competitor}&database=us&export_columns=Ph,Po,Nq,Cp,Co,Tr,Tc&display_limit=100"

Step 3: Keyword Gap Analysis

Compare keywords your site ranks for vs. competitors:

# Your site's keywords
curl -s "https://api.semrush.com/?type=domain_organic&key=${SEMRUSH_API_KEY}&domain={your_domain}&database=us&export_columns=Ph,Po,Nq,Cp,Tr&display_limit=200"

# Competitor's keywords
curl -s "https://api.semrush.com/?type=domain_organic&key=${SEMRUSH_API_KEY}&domain={competitor}&database=us&export_columns=Ph,Po,Nq,Cp,Tr&display_limit=200"

Gap = Keywords competitors rank for that you don't.

Filter gaps by:

• Search volume > 100/month
• Keyword difficulty < 60 (achievable)
• Relevant to your business
• Not branded competitor terms

Step 4: Topic Cluster Gap Analysis

Compare topic coverage at the cluster level:

Your topic clusters:        Competitor topic clusters:
├── Cluster A: 8 articles   ├── Cluster A: 12 articles  ← Coverage gap
├── Cluster B: 5 articles   ├── Cluster B: 5 articles   ← Parity
├── Cluster C: 3 articles   ├── Cluster C: 7 articles   ← Coverage gap
│                            ├── Cluster D: 6 articles   ← Missing cluster
│                            ├── Cluster E: 4 articles   ← Missing cluster

Step 5: Content Format Gap Analysis

Check what content formats competitors use that you don't:

Format	You	Competitor A	Competitor B	Gap?
Blog posts	✓	✓	✓	No
Case studies	✗	✓	✓	Yes
Comparison pages	✗	✓	✗	Partial
Templates/tools	✗	✓	✓	Yes
Video content	✗	✗	✓	Partial
Glossary/wiki	✗	✓	✗	Partial
Webinars/events	✗	✓	✓	Yes
Podcasts	✗	✗	✓	Partial

Step 6: Audience Journey Gap Analysis

Map content to the buyer journey:

Journey Stage	Questions	Your Content	Gap?
Awareness	"What is {topic}?"	{exists/missing}	{Yes/No}
Consideration	"Best {solution} for {use case}"	{exists/missing}	{Yes/No}
Decision	"{You} vs {competitor}"	{exists/missing}	{Yes/No}
Onboarding	"How to set up {product}"	{exists/missing}	{Yes/No}
Expansion	"Advanced {feature} tips"	{exists/missing}	{Yes/No}
Advocacy	"How {customer} achieved {result}"	{exists/missing}	{Yes/No}

Step 7: AI/GEO Gap Analysis

Check if your content appears in AI-generated answers:

1. Search your core keywords on Google (check AI Overviews)
2. Check if your site is cited in AI-generated responses
3. Note which competitors ARE cited
4. Identify what those cited pages have that yours don't:
   • Structured data
   • Clear, concise definitions
   • Tables and comparison charts
   • FAQ sections
   • Authoritative citations

Step 8: Prioritize Opportunities

Score each gap:

Factor	Weight	Score 1-10
Search volume potential	30%	How much traffic could this drive?
Business alignment	25%	How relevant to our product/service?
Competition difficulty	20%	How hard to rank? (inverse: easy = high score)
Content effort	15%	How much work to create? (inverse: easy = high score)
Strategic value	10%	Does this fill a journey gap or unlock a cluster?

Priority Score = Weighted average

Output Format

# Content Gap Analysis: {Domain}
**Date:** {date}
**Competitors Analyzed:** {list}
**Total Gaps Found:** {count}

## Executive Summary

{2-3 sentences on the biggest opportunity areas}

## Keyword Gaps (Competitor Keywords You're Missing)

### High Priority (Volume > 1,000, KD < 40)

| Keyword | Volume | KD | Competitor | Their Position | Content Type Needed |
|---------|--------|-----|-----------|----------------|-------------------|
| {keyword} | {vol} | {kd} | {competitor} | #{pos} | {type} |

### Medium Priority (Volume 200-1,000, KD < 50)

{Same table format}

## Topic Cluster Gaps

### Missing Clusters (Competitors have, you don't)

| Cluster Topic | Competitor Coverage | Est. Total Volume | Recommended Pages |
|---------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| {topic} | {competitor}: {X} articles | {volume} | {count} |

### Under-Covered Clusters (You have some, competitors have more)

| Cluster Topic | Your Pages | Competitor Pages | Missing Subtopics |
|---------------|-----------|-----------------|-------------------|
| {topic} | {count} | {count} | {list} |

## Content Format Gaps

| Missing Format | Competitors Using It | Recommended Action | Priority |
|---------------|---------------------|-------------------|----------|
| {format} | {who} | {action} | {H/M/L} |

## Buyer Journey Gaps

| Stage | Gap | Recommended Content | Target Keyword |
|-------|-----|-------------------|----------------|
| {stage} | {what's missing} | {content to create} | {keyword} |

## AI/GEO Gaps

| Keyword | AI Overview? | You Cited? | Fix |
|---------|-------------|-----------|-----|
| {keyword} | Yes | No | {action} |

## Prioritized Content Plan

| # | Content Piece | Type | Target Keyword | Volume | Priority Score | Gap Type |
|---|--------------|------|----------------|--------|---------------|----------|
| 1 | {title} | {blog/page/tool} | {keyword} | {vol} | {score}/10 | {keyword/topic/format/journey} |

## Quick Wins (Low Effort, High Impact)

1. **{Action}** — {Why this is a quick win}
2. **{Action}** — {Why}
3. **{Action}** — {Why}

Important Notes

• Content gaps are opportunities, not obligations. Prioritize based on business impact, not just search volume.
• Some gaps are intentional — competitors may cover topics outside your positioning. Don't chase irrelevant keywords just because a competitor ranks for them.
• Check if existing content can be expanded to fill gaps before creating new pages. Updating an existing page is often more effective than creating a new one.
• Seasonal keywords may show as gaps during off-seasons. Check trends before acting.
• Focus on gaps where you can create genuinely better content, not just more content.