SEO Article Writer: 5 Writing Modes

Five article modes, each engineered for a different content need. Select mode before writing — each has a distinct input set and output format.

Mode 1: Standard

Use when: Keyword target is known, no competitor research needed, straightforward informational or commercial content.

Inputs required:

• Primary keyword
• Target word count (or "match top result")
• Target audience (who is reading this)
• Tone (professional / conversational / authoritative)

Output structure:

1. H1 with primary keyword front-loaded
2. Intro: direct answer to search intent in first 150 words
3. H2 sections covering all subtopics the keyword implies
4. FAQ section with 5-7 PAA questions
5. CTA (if commercial intent)

NLP rules:

• Primary keyword in H1, first paragraph, 2+ H2s
• LSI terms: 5+ related phrases distributed naturally
• No keyword density targets — write for the reader, not a ratio

Mode 2: Research

Use when: Competitive content exists and needs to be beaten. Best for high-competition keywords.

Inputs required:

• Primary keyword
• Top 3-5 competitor URLs

Workflow:

1. Extract competitor H2 structure and word count
2. Score each competitor section: depth, recency, specificity, E-E-A-T
3. Build gap map: topics they missed entirely
4. Write article covering all competitor topics + 3+ exclusive sections from gap map
5. Match #1 word count + 15%
6. Apply PAS to intro: Problem (searcher's pain) → Agitate (why existing content falls short) → Solution (what this article delivers)

Mode 3: Brand-Integrated

Use when: Writing for a specific client from their website URL + a target keyword. Article must reflect their actual services, geography, and voice.

Inputs required:

• Client website URL
• Target keyword
• Desired word count (1500+ default)

Workflow:

1. Extract from client URL: services, location, differentiators, brand voice, existing FAQs
2. Keyword-modify all geo references to match their service area
3. Weave client-specific details into body: real service names, actual team/process references, specific locations served
4. Add FAQ section from PAA data for that keyword
5. End with branded CTA pointing to client's primary conversion page

Rule: Every article in this mode must be unshareable without attribution — too specific to their brand to be generic.

Mode 4: Rewrite

Use when: Existing content needs to be made unique (multi-location, AI-generated, or duplicate content risk).

Three axes of uniqueness:

| Axis | What It Measures | Target | |------|-----------------|--------| | Uniqueness | Phrase-level originality vs source | 80%+ new phrases | | Burstiness | Sentence length variation | Mix of 6-word and 25-word sentences | | Perplexity | Vocabulary unpredictability | Avoid word repetition within 150-word window |

Workflow:

1. Read source content once — understand the argument structure
2. Close source — write from memory, not reference
3. Use different examples, analogies, and supporting data
4. Run burstiness check: count sentences under 10 words and over 20 words — both should appear
5. Jaccard similarity score target: 0.75-0.85 vs source (unique but on-topic)

Mode 5: Editorial (E-E-A-T + AIDA/PAS)

Use when: High-stakes content requiring maximum authority signals — pillar pages, cornerstone content, topical authority builders.

AIDA structure:

• Attention: Hook that stops scanning (stat, counterintuitive claim, question)
• Interest: Context that makes the reader care (why this matters now)
• Desire: The transformation the reader wants (outcome + proof)
• Action: CTA that connects to the desire (not generic "learn more")

E-E-A-T requirements for editorial mode:

• Experience: First-person observation or client case data with specific numbers
• Expertise: Author credentials or methodology citation
• Authoritativeness: 3+ external citations to recognized sources
• Trust: All stats linked, all dates current, no hedged claims without citation

Length: 1500-3000 words. No arbitrary floor — length comes from topic depth, not word count targets.

Mode Selection Guide

| Situation | Mode | |-----------|------| | Fresh keyword, no research done | Standard | | Competitive keyword, need to outrank | Research | | Writing for a specific client's site | Brand-Integrated | | Repurposing for multi-location | Rewrite | | Building topical authority, cornerstone | Editorial |

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