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Using AI for SEO optimization

6 min read

From: gregisenberg

AI is transforming Search Engine Optimization (SEO), enabling individuals and small teams to compete with large companies that have massive marketing budgets [00:04:06]. This approach allows for the creation of websites that can rank #1 on Google with demonstrable proof and examples [00:00:03].

Key Concepts and Tools

Several key concepts and tools are central to leveraging AI for SEO:

  • Schema (Structured Data): Schema is a way to get extra traffic via SEO [00:00:33]. It helps Google understand the content on a website in its own format [00:07:09]. For example, a recipe website would use recipe schema [00:07:16]. AI can write an entire schema for you, which can then be plugged into your site [00:09:01]. Implementing schema correctly has a massive impact on search rankings [00:15:50].
  • Webflow: Used for creating websites and landing pages [00:00:45]. It offers a visual building interface and a Content Management System (CMS) where collections (like restaurants or hotels) can be created [00:34:31]. It’s easy to use, with many free components available to copy and paste [00:33:57].
  • Appify: A tool for scraping data from various online sources like TikTok, Google Maps, Instagram, and LinkedIn [00:00:49], [00:37:17]. This allows for gathering real-world information and repurposing it for AI content generation [00:36:08]. The Google Maps Business Scraper is particularly useful for extracting detailed information about places [00:37:41].
  • Zapier: Connects different tools and automates workflows [00:00:59]. It can be used to link data input (e.g., from Google Sheets) to Appify, then to AI (like Claude), and finally to Webflow to automatically generate and publish content [00:44:06], [00:49:09].
  • Claude (or ChatGPT): AI models that can generate content, repurpose data, and even write code [00:39:36]. Claude is noted for producing more human-like output [00:32:37]. These AI engines are also becoming search engines, and content ranking well in Google can also be indexed back into AI models [01:03:59].

Case Studies and Applications

Guilty Chef (Recipe Directory)

Guilty Chef is a side project that leveraged AI to rank number one on Google for specific search terms in six months [00:00:25], [00:04:28].

  • AI Content Generation: Thousands of recipes were created with minimal effort using ChatGPT and Zapier [00:05:43]. Entire pages, including descriptions, prep time, cook time, ingredients, directions, FAQs, and even images, were automatically generated [00:06:33].
  • Schema Implementation: By inputting just a restaurant name and a menu item (e.g., “McDonald’s Big Mac”), a full page with schema for recipes is generated within a minute [00:09:16]. This helps the site rank highly, even above major competitors like Trip Advisor and Taco Bell, by having Google display information directly in rich snippets [00:14:23], [00:15:08].
  • Monetization: Despite being a side project with zero ad spend, Guilty Chef was projected to exceed 100,000 monthly traffic by December, just seven to eight months after launch [01:11:50]. It has a paid section for generating recipes [01:11:23]. Monetization opportunities include sponsorships, partnerships with food brands, or even future AI-powered advertising platforms based on ingredients [01:18:21].

Best Dubai (Travel Directory)

Best Dubai is another example of an AI-powered directory, built in just two to three weeks, leveraging the same processes as Guilty Chef [00:26:01], [00:26:04].

  • Content Generation: Every element, including scores for places (based on reviews and information), best times to visit, and popular data, is AI-generated [00:26:25]. Claude was used to write the algorithm for scoring [00:26:40].
  • Dynamic Menu Generation: AI helped create a Chrome extension that scrapes up-to-date restaurant menus and pricing from delivery services (like Deliveroo and Talabat) and automatically formats them into a styled page [00:30:56], [00:31:17]. This allows the site to serve the highly underserved keyword niche of “restaurant name + menu” [00:31:47].
  • Rapid Ranking: Within 30 days, Best Dubai was ranking as the fourth organic link for “Parkers Dubai reviews,” competing with major players like Trip Advisor, despite having no marketing budget [00:27:07].
  • Monetization Potential: The platform can create its own “awards” (e.g., Dubai’s Best 100) that restaurants might pay to display [00:29:41]. Another strategy is to automatically embed a reference to the site in outbound links, making restaurants aware of the traffic coming from the directory [00:49:26]. This could lead to proactive outreach from businesses [00:50:20].

Building an AI-Powered Directory (Step-by-Step)

The general process for creating a directory involves:

  1. Define Your Niche: Choose any industry or topic for your directory (e.g., gardening tips, travel cities) [00:33:07]. For a travel directory, select a city (e.g., Montreal) [00:35:11].
  2. Gather Data with Appify:
    • Use Appify’s scrapers, like the Google Maps Business Scraper, to gather detailed information about places [00:37:39].
    • Find the “Place ID” for specific locations using the Google Developer Platform’s Place ID Finder [00:38:01].
    • Input the Place ID into Appify to run the scraper and get rich data in JSON format [00:38:56].
  3. Process Data with AI (Claude/ChatGPT):
    • Feed the raw JSON data from Appify into Claude [00:40:02].
    • Instruct Claude to extract and repurpose the content, specifying desired information (e.g., name, address, operating hours, popular times, review scores) and output format [00:42:07], [00:42:25], [00:43:53].
    • Use Python code snippets within Zapier to process Claude’s single text block output into individual data strings, based on specific formatting rules (e.g., using asterisks as indicators) [01:07:09].
  4. Automate with Zapier:
    • Set up a Zapier workflow (a “Zap”) with Google Sheets as the trigger [00:45:19]. Inputting a Place ID into a Google Sheet row will initiate the automation [00:45:41].
    • Connect Zapier to Appify to run the scraper [00:46:32].
    • Add a Python step in Zapier to format Appify’s JSON output into a single string for Claude [00:52:18].
    • Add a Claude step to generate the desired content based on the data and your specific prompts [00:55:09].
    • Add another Python step to break down Claude’s response into individual data fields [01:07:41].
  5. Build with Webflow:
    • Create a CMS collection in Webflow for your directory items (e.g., “Restaurants”) [01:09:01].
    • Define fields in your CMS collection to match the data points you’re extracting (e.g., name, total score, URL) [01:09:10].
    • Design a template page in Webflow for your collection items [01:10:00].
    • Connect Zapier to Webflow to automatically create live CMS items [01:09:47]. Map the data fields from Zapier’s processed output to the corresponding fields in your Webflow CMS [01:11:21].
    • Dynamically link design elements on your Webflow template to the data fields in your CMS [01:25:40].

This workflow enables the creation of vast amounts of SEO-optimized, valuable content with minimal manual effort, allowing for rapid expansion and competition in various niches.

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