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:

Step 6: Audience Journey Gap Analysis

Map content to the buyer journey:

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:

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)


{Action} — {Why this is a quick win}
{Action} — {Why}
{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.