Unlock SEO Potential: 25 Expert-Recommended ChatGPT Prompts
In today’s hyper-competitive digital landscape, staying ahead means leveraging the most powerful tools available. Artificial Intelligence, particularly large language models like ChatGPT, has fundamentally transformed the Search Engine Optimization industry. What was once a manual, time-consuming process can now be streamlined, enhanced, and scaled with unprecedented efficiency.
This isn’t about replacing the SEO professional; it’s about empowering them. By mastering the art of the prompt, you can turn ChatGPT into a tireless junior SEO assistant, ready to tackle everything from granular keyword research to complex technical audits.
This guide provides 25 battle-tested ChatGPT prompts designed by SEO experts for SEO experts. We’ll cover the full spectrum of optimization—from foundational strategy to advanced technicals—giving you the exact commands to supercharge your workflow and achieve remarkable results.
1. Foundational SEO: Keyword Research & Strategy
Every aspect of SEO begins with comprehending the terms and phrases that your target audience is inputting into search engines. Keyword research forms the foundational core of your overall strategy. ChatGPT is a tool that can significantly speed up this crucial process, reducing the time it takes from several hours to just a few minutes.
Prompt 1: Generate Seed Keywords and Topic Clusters
The Prompt:
Act as a senior SEO strategist. My business provides [describe your business, e.g., ‘sustainable, eco-friendly dog toys’]. My target audience is [describe your audience, e.g., ‘millennial and Gen Z pet owners in urban areas who are environmentally conscious’]. Generate a table with 10 seed keyword ideas and 5 potential topic clusters based on these keywords.
Why it Works: This prompt extends beyond just generating basic keywords. By requesting “topic clusters,” you are aligning your strategy with the way contemporary search engines, such as Google, comprehend content. The focus is on establishing topical authority, which is more effective than relying on individual, isolated keywords.
Pro-Tip: Ask ChatGPT for further development on a specific cluster: “Develop the ‘biodegradable dog chews’ cluster with 15 long-tail keywords and frequently asked user questions.”
Prompt 2: Uncover Search Intent
The Prompt:
Analyze the following list of keywords and classify each one by its primary search intent (Informational, Navigational, Commercial, Transactional). Present the result in a table. Keywords: – “best chew toys for puppies” – “how to clean dog toys” – “[Your Brand Name] login” – “buy durable dog ball” – “are rubber toys safe for dogs”
Why it Works: Grasping user intent is vital for effective Search Experience Optimization (SXO). This prompt aids you in crafting content that aligns seamlessly with user objectives, resulting in reduced bounce rates and enhanced engagement.
Prompt 3: In-Depth Competitor Keyword Analysis
The Prompt:
I am trying to rank for the primary keyword “[your target keyword, e.g., ‘organic dog food’]”. My main competitor is [competitor’s URL]. Analyze the likely keyword strategy for this competitor. Identify their primary and secondary keywords, find potential keyword gaps I can target, and suggest 5 LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords I should include in my content to compete effectively.
Why it Works: This prompt enables you to conduct a comprehensive competitive analysis without the need for costly tools. It allows you to grasp the SERP landscape and uncover strategic opportunities overlooked by your competitors.
Prompt 4: Discover Long-Tail, Question-Based Keywords
The Prompt:
Generate a list of 20 long-tail, question-based keywords related to the topic “[your topic, e.g., ‘training a rescue dog’]”. Group them by question type (Who, What, Why, How, etc.). These should be suitable for blog posts and FAQ sections.
Why it Works: Keywords formed as questions are invaluable for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). They are ideal for aiming at featured snippets, addressing “People Also Ask” sections, and catering to the increasing number of voice search inquiries.
2. On-Page SEO Mastery: Content Creation & Optimization
After establishing your keyword strategy, the next step is to produce content that achieves high rankings. ChatGPT can assist in crafting each on-page element, ensuring everything is optimized for search engines.
Prompt 5: Create SEO-Optimized Meta Titles Tags and Meta Descriptions
The Prompt:
Write 5 unique, click-worthy title tags and meta descriptions for a blog post titled “The Ultimate Guide to Puppy-Proofing Your Home.” The primary keyword is “puppy-proofing your home.” The title tag must be under 60 characters and the meta description under 160 characters. Include a call-to-action in the meta description.
Why it Works: This prompt helps you create several variations for the two key on-page elements that significantly impact click-through rates (CTR) from search engine results pages (SERP). It encourages you to be creative while ensuring compliance with strict character constraints.
Prompt 6: Build a Comprehensive Content Outline
The Prompt:
Create a detailed content brief and hierarchical outline (using H2, H3, and H4 tags) for an article about “[your topic, e.g., ‘the benefits of grain-free cat food’]”. Include a “Key Takeaways” section, an FAQ section based on common user questions, and ensure the structure logically flows from introduction to conclusion.
Why it Works: An organized and logical structure is crucial not only for enhancing the user experience but also for making sure search engine crawlers can efficiently navigate your content. By using this prompt, you ensure that your content is thoroughly organized, covering all the essential sub-topics effectively.
Prompt 7: Generate FAQ Schema Markup
The Prompt:
I have the following questions and answers for my webpage. Generate the appropriate FAQPage JSON-LD schema markup for them. Q1: What is the best temperature for a server room? A1: The ideal temperature for a server room is between 68° and 71° F (20° to 22° C). Q2: How do I monitor server room temperature? A2: You can use dedicated environmental monitoring systems with sensors that alert you to temperature fluctuations.
Why it Works: This technical prompt assists you in creating structured data, which can lead to the appearance of a rich snippet—a type of enhanced listing—in the search engine results pages (SERPs). This, in turn, boosts your webpage’s visibility and improves the click-through rate (CTR).
Prompt 8: Optimize Image Alt Text for SEO and Accessibility
The Prompt:
I have an image of a golden retriever puppy chewing on a red rubber bone in a living room. Write 3 variations of SEO-optimized alt text for this image. The primary keyword is “durable puppy chew toys.”
Why it Works: Alt text is a crucial yet frequently overlooked factor in SEO. This prompt guides you in crafting descriptive and keyword-relevant text that not only boosts your image search rankings but also enhances the accessibility of your website. By paying attention to alt text, you ensure that your content reaches a wider audience, including those who rely on screen readers, thereby improving both SEO performance and site usability.
Prompt 9: Craft Compelling URL Slugs
The Prompt:
Generate 5 short, SEO-friendly URL slug options for a page with the title “A Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Hiking Boots for Beginners.”
Why it Works: Clear and straightforward URLs are advantageous for both users and search engines. This particular prompt assists you in condensing a lengthy title into its core keywords, ensuring it remains effective while being easy to understand.
Prompt 10: Find Internal Linking Opportunities
The Prompt:
I have a new blog post titled “[Title of New Post]”. I also have existing articles on my site at these URLs: [URL 1], [URL 2], [URL 3]. Read the content of my new post (paste content here) and suggest 3 natural internal linking opportunities from the new post to the existing URLs, including the ideal anchor text for each link.
Why it Works: Internal linking is a valuable strategy that redistributes page authority across your website, providing an SEO boost. It aids Google in comprehending how different pieces of your content are interrelated. This particular prompt streamlines the task by automating the identification of relevant contextual links within your site, making it easier to enhance your overall SEO performance.
3. Technical SEO Audits & Enhancements with AI
Technical SEO can be intimidating, but ChatGPT can act as a helpful guide to demystify complex issues and generate necessary code.
Prompt 11: Create a Custom robots.txt File
The Prompt:
Act as a technical SEO expert. Generate a `robots.txt` file for a standard WordPress website. I want to disallow crawling of my `/wp-admin/` directory and my affiliate links under the `/go/` directory. Also, add the path to my XML sitemap, which is located at `https://www.yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml`.
Why it Works: A misconfigured `robots.txt` file can severely harm your SEO efforts. This prompt offers guidance by providing a safe, standard configuration template. It also allows for customization to fit your specific needs, ensuring search engine crawlers access and index only the desired parts of your website efficiently.
Prompt 12: Generate Hreflang Tags for International SEO
The Prompt:
I have a webpage that is available in three versions: 1. English for the United States: `https://www.yourwebsite.com/us/page/` 2. French for France: `https://www.yourwebsite.com/fr/page/` 3. A default English version for all other users: `https://www.yourwebsite.com/en/page/` Generate the correct `hreflang` tags to place in the “ section of each page’s HTML.
Why it Works: This is an enormous time-saving tool for Geo-Optimization (GEO). Hreflang tags play a crucial role in indicating to Google the existence of localized versions of your webpage. This ensures that users from various countries and language backgrounds are directed to the appropriate version tailored to them. Additionally, it helps to prevent issues related to duplicate content.
Prompt 13: Brainstorm Core Web Vitals Improvements
The Prompt:
My website’s PageSpeed Insights report shows a poor score for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). My site is built on [mention your platform, e.g., Shopify, WordPress]. Provide a checklist of 10 potential causes and actionable solutions I can investigate to improve these two Core Web Vitals metrics.
Why it Works: Although ChatGPT doesn’t have the capability to directly analyze your website, it does have access to a wide-ranging collection of information regarding web performance. This prompt provides you with an organized and actionable checklist to help identify and resolve common problems that negatively impact user experience and search engine rankings.
Prompt 14: Write Regular Expressions (RegEx) for Google Search Console
The Prompt:
Create a custom RegEx for the Google Search Console performance report filter. I want to see all queries that are questions containing the words “what”, “how”, “why”, or “can”.
Why it Works: Regular expressions, commonly known as RegEx, are a potent yet often intricate tool used for filtering data with precision. By utilizing this prompt within Google Search Console (GSC), you have the opportunity to access more profound insights that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. It enables you to effortlessly analyze and evaluate the performance of keywords based on questions, such as those starting with “what,” “how,” “why,” or “can.” This deep-dive approach can significantly enhance your understanding of how users engage with your website through search queries.
4. Authority Building: Link Building & Outreach
Backlinks continue to be one of the most crucial factors in search engine ranking. ChatGPT can assist you in enhancing and expanding your link-building strategies by simplifying the processes of identifying potential link partners and conducting effective outreach communications.
Prompt 15: Identify Link Building Prospects
The Prompt:
I have a blog post about “[Your Post Topic, e.g., ‘the benefits of remote work for mental health’]”. Identify 5 types of websites that would be likely to link to this content. For each type, provide 3 example search queries I can use in Google to find them.
Why it Works: This prompt encourages you to think strategically about who might find your content valuable. It goes beyond standard “guest post” search queries and guides you to identify more relevant and higher-quality link prospects. By considering specific types of websites, you can better target your outreach efforts and increase the likelihood of securing backlinks from sources that truly align with your content.
Prompt 16: Draft Personalized Outreach Emails
The Prompt:
Draft a friendly and concise outreach email for link building. My Name: [Your Name] My Website: [Your Website URL] My Article: [URL to Your Article] Their Website: [Prospect’s Website URL] Their Name: [Prospect’s Name, or leave blank] The email should compliment a specific article on their site ([URL to their article]), briefly introduce my complementary resource, explain the value it provides to their audience, and ask for a link. Keep the tone professional but not corporate.
Why it Works: Generic email blasts often result in low response rates and minimal engagement. By using this prompt, you can create a highly personalized email template that greatly enhances your odds of receiving a positive reply. This tailored approach not only improves communication but also increases the likelihood of securing a valuable backlink for your website.
Prompt 17: Brainstorm Creative “Linkable Assets”
The Prompt:The Prompt:
I am in the [your industry, e.g., ‘personal finance’] niche. Brainstorm 5 ideas for “linkable assets” that I could create to attract high-quality backlinks. The ideas should be more creative than a standard blog post. Think about tools, calculators, comprehensive guides, or original data studies.
Why it Works: Creating content that is inherently valuable and engaging is the most effective strategy for acquiring backlinks. This prompt guides you in brainstorming high-impact content pieces that naturally draw links, forming the foundational element of a successful link-building strategy.
Prompt 18: Build Trust with E-A-T Enhancements
The Prompt:
Act as a Google Quality Rater assessing my website for E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). My website is about [your topic]. Provide a checklist of 10 actionable ways I can improve my site’s E-A-T signals, focusing on author bios, schema, external validation, and on-page trust factors.
Why it Works: E-A-T, which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, is extremely important, particularly for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) subjects, as these can significantly impact a user’s health, financial stability, or overall well-being. By using this prompt, you receive a detailed list of specific actions that you can implement to enhance trustworthiness and credibility, both from the perspective of your website users and Google’s evaluation criteria.
5. Dominating Niche & Local SEO
SEO requires a customized approach. ChatGPT can assist in fine-tuning your strategy to engage specific audiences, whether they’re local to your area or utilizing cutting-edge technologies.
Prompt 19: Optimize a Google Business Profile (GBP) Description
The Prompt:
Write an SEO-optimized Google Business Profile description for my business. Business Name: [Your Business Name] Services: [List 3-4 key services] Location: [City, State] Target Audience: [Your audience] Key Differentiators: [What makes you unique?] The description must be under 750 characters and naturally include my main services and location.
Why it Works: A properly optimized Google Business Profile serves as the foundation for effective local SEO strategies. This prompt assists you in developing an engaging and keyword-rich description that attracts and captivates local customers’ attention.
Prompt 20: Generate Localized Content Ideas
The Prompt:
Generate 5 blog post ideas for a [type of business, e.g., ‘plumbing company’] specifically targeting customers in [City, State]. The ideas should address local concerns, landmarks, or regulations.
Why it Works:This geographically-focused prompt aids in crafting content that is highly relevant to a specific local audience. By doing so, it demonstrates your strong ties and engagement with the community, while also capturing those valuable “near me” searches that users frequently perform.
Prompt 21: Optimize for Voice Search Queries
The Prompt:
My business is a [type of business, e.g., ‘local coffee shop’]. List 10 common voice search queries a user might ask their smart speaker (like Alexa or Google Assistant) to find a business like mine. Focus on conversational, full-sentence questions.
Why it Works: Voice search operates in a conversational manner, reflecting the way people naturally speak when interacting with their devices. This prompt aids in grasping the everyday language and phrases that your customers typically use. By understanding this, you can refine and tailor your website content, particularly sections like FAQ pages and Google Business Profile descriptions, to effectively address and respond to these inquiries in a direct way.
Prompt 22: Brainstorm SEO-Friendly Video Content Ideas
The Prompt:
I want to create YouTube videos to support my website’s SEO. My website is about [your topic, e.g., ‘home gardening for beginners’]. Generate 5 video ideas that are well-suited for ranking on both YouTube and Google. For each idea, suggest a compelling title and a brief description.
Why it Works: Videos serve as a highly effective medium for engaging audiences. This prompt assists in crafting a video strategy that aligns seamlessly with your overarching SEO objectives, focusing on topics with substantial search interest across the two leading search engines globally.
6. Performance Measurement & Continuous Improvement
Improvement is impossible without measurement. By leveraging ChatGPT, you can effectively analyze data, identify trends, and plan strategic tests aimed at continuous optimization.
Prompt 23: Interpret SEO Data Trends
The Prompt:
Act as a data analyst. My organic traffic from Google dropped by 20% last month, while my impressions remained stable. What are 5 potential reasons for this decline in traffic and CTR? Suggest how I would use Google Search Console and Google Analytics to investigate each possibility.
Why it Works: This prompt encourages a critical analysis of your data. It offers a structured approach to diagnosing performance issues, helping you pinpoint potential causes behind declines without resorting to a panicked or aimless examination.
Prompt 24: Generate A/B Testing Ideas
The Prompt:
I want to improve the conversion rate of my landing page at [URL]. The goal is to get more free trial sign-ups. Generate 5 A/B testing hypotheses I can run. For each, specify the element to change (e.g., headline, CTA button color, form length) and the expected outcome.
Why it Works: Continuous improvement plays a crucial role in Search Experience Optimization (SXO). This prompt delivers specific and actionable testable concepts designed to enhance the effectiveness of your web pages. By implementing these strategies, you can optimize your pages to encourage user engagement and actions, thereby increasing the conversion of site visitors into loyal customers.
Prompt 25: Prepare for Algorithm Updates
The Prompt:
Summarize the core principles of Google’s most recent major algorithm updates (e.g., the Helpful Content Update, Spam Updates). Based on these principles, create a 10-point “future-proofing” checklist for my website’s content strategy to ensure it remains resilient to future updates.
Why it Works: It’s crucial to keep yourself updated in the fast-evolving world of SEO. Utilizing this prompt enables you to break down and simplify intricate details regarding algorithm changes, transforming them into a practical, actionable checklist. This ensures that your SEO strategy is prepared to adapt proactively, rather than merely responding to changes after they occur.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about ChatGPT Prompts for SEO Optimization
Q1: Can You Use ChatGPT for SEO?
Certainly! ChatGPT serves as a highly effective tool for various SEO activities. It excels in tasks such as keyword research, crafting content, enhancing on-page elements, generating technical SEO code, and conducting link-building outreach. It functions optimally as a supportive aid to human SEO specialists, speeding up processes and providing innovative suggestions.
Q2: Does Google Penalize AI-Generated Content?
Google’s position, as outlined in its Helpful Content guidelines, emphasizes rewarding high-quality content, no matter how it is generated. Content crafted with user benefit in mind is acceptable. Conversely, low-quality, spammy content produced merely to manipulate rankings—whether by AI or human effort—faces penalties. The main strategy is to leverage AI as a tool to develop genuinely helpful, original content with a focus on Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T), which should always undergo review and editing.
Q3: What are the Benefits of Using ChatGPT for SEO?
The main advantages are enhanced efficiency and scalability. ChatGPT automates monotonous tasks, swiftly generates ideas, breaks through writer’s block, and offers fresh insights in data analysis. This liberates SEO specialists to concentrate on strategic planning, creative pursuits, and nuanced tasks best suited for human expertise.
Q4: What are the Limitations of Using ChatGPT for SEO?
ChatGPT faces notable constraints. It lacks the ability to access real-time data, browse active websites, or employ SEO tools. Its database is only updated until its most recent training session. Additionally, it may occasionally generate “hallucinations” or deliver inaccurate information. Consequently, human experts must validate, revise, and polish all outputs.
Conclusion: Embracing AI for Continued Success
ChatGPT isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for SEO, but it significantly amplifies your efforts. Utilizing these 25 advanced prompts in your routine can boost your strategy, enhance content production speed, and secure a substantial competitive advantage.
The future of SEO isn’t a battle between humans and machines; it’s about collaboration. By adopting AI as your creative ally and strategic aide, you’ll be equipped to master the changing search landscape and enduring success.