SEO Content Template

What Is the SEO Content Template?

SEO Content Template is a content planning tool that generates data-driven briefs for new content. The tool analyzes the top 10 ranking pages in Google for your target keywords and provides specific recommendations to help you create competitive content.

Key features include:

Semantically related keywords to include in your content
Recommended text length based on top-ranking pages
Target readability score for optimal accessibility
Backlink target domains for outreach
Competitor keyword usage analysis
Integration with Google Docs via SEO Writing Assistant

SEO Content Template works in three steps:

1. Enter your target keywords. Enter one or multiple keywords you want to rank for in organic search. Select your target location (country, region, or city) and device type.

SEO Content template start page

2. Semrush analyzes top-ranking competitors. Semrush analyzes the top 10 ranking pages (called "rivals") for your keywords and extracts data on content structure, length, readability, keywords, and backlinks.

SEO recommendations showing a keyword with listed rival URLs and arrows labeling “Keyword” and “Rivals.”

3. Receive recommendations for your content. The tool generates a template with specific recommendations in two categories: Key Recommendations and Basic Recommendations.

What Recommendations Does SEO Content Template Provide?

Key Recommendations

Key Recommendations are based on competitive analysis of the top 10 ranking pages. These recommendations include:

Semantically related keywords. Related topics and terms to include in your content based on what top-ranking pages cover.
Backlink targets. Target domains to acquire backlinks from based on where competitors have earned links.
Readability score. Target readability level based on how easy top-ranking content is to read. Easier readability makes content more accessible and can improve performance.
Text length. Recommended word count based on the average length of top-ranking pages. Longer, in-depth content typically performs better for comprehensive topics.

Key SEO recommendations with related words, backlink domains, readability score, and text length.

Basic Recommendations

Basic Recommendations cover on-page optimization elements:

Page title. The optimal length and target keyword usage
Meta description. The optimal length
H1 heading. The target keyword usage
Body text. The target keyword usage

Basic recommendations listing keyword use in titles, meta descriptions, H1, and text.

How to View Competitor Content

SEO Content Template displays the top 10 ranking pages ("rivals") for each target keyword.

Your target keywords appear highlighted in orange for easy analysis. Select "Show more" to see the full article text.

Comparison table showing how competitors use target keywords with snippets from top-ranking pages.

You can switch between keywords at the top of the section to compare how competitors address different queries.

How to Export a Template

You can export your template to a Word document that includes recommendations for page title, meta description, body text, backlinks, and rival URLs.

SEO recommendations panel with an arrow pointing to the “Export to DOC” button.

You can access previous templates from the start screen using "View SEO template" or "Export to DOC" buttons.

How to Use a Template to Create Content

Click "Real-time Content Check" to use your template for content creation. You can choose between two options: SEO Writing Assistant and AI Article Generator.

SEO Writing Assistant

Create content from scratch with real-time SEO guidance. SEO Writing Assistant is an add-on for Google Docs, WordPress, and MS Word that analyzes your content as you write against your SEO Content Template recommendations.

To send your recommendations to Google Docs, first click "Real-time Content Check" and select “Open in SEO Writing Assistant.”

Real-time Content Check tab with arrow pointing to Open in SEO Writing Assistant button.

Then, click "Move to Google Docs" in the top right corner.

SEO Writing Assistant interface with an arrow pointing to the “Move to Google Docs” button.

In your new Google Doc, open “Extensions” at the top of the menu and select “SEO Writing Assistant.”

Google Docs menu showing “Extensions” with the Semrush SEO Writing Assistant option selected.

The add-on will open on the right side of your document and provide real-time optimization guidance as you write.

Google Doc with the Semrush SEO Writing Assistant panel showing an SEO score and content analysis metrics.

AI Article Generator

Generate a ready-to-publish SEO-rich article with AI with the AI Article Generator.

To start, click "Real-time Content Check" and select “Open in AI Article Generator.”

Real-time Content Check tab with arrow pointing to 'Open in AI Article Generator' button.

AI Article Generator automatically pre-fills the target keyword, location, language, recommended keywords, readability score, and text length from your template.

AI Article Generator setup showing pre-filled keywords, word count, and brand voice options.

When the article is generated, you can check the overall score, target keywords, word count, and brand voice.

An example of the generated article in AI Article Generator. On the right, the menu with the score and recommendations that were used in the article is highlighted.

You can publish via WordPress plugin, send to Google Docs, or share the article.

Publish and share the article options

Template creation limits depend on your subscription tier. SEO Content Template is part of the SEO Toolkit. The tool uses SEO Ideas units based on the number of keywords you analyze. Each keyword you analyze uses one unit.

Template limits by subscription:

Without SEO Toolkit: 1 template (lifetime limit) with up to 10 keywords | 10 SEO Ideas units per month
Pro SEO Toolkit: 1 template (lifetime limit) with up to 30 keywords | 500 SEO Ideas units per month
Guru SEO Toolkit: Unlimited templates with up to 30 keywords each | 800 SEO Ideas units per month
Business SEO Toolkit: Unlimited templates with up to 30 keywords each | 2,000 SEO Ideas units per month

How SEO Ideas units are charged:

Generating a template for one keyword charges one SEO Ideas unit
Generating a template for multiple keywords simultaneously charges one unit per keyword
Re-generating the same keyword charges one unit each time (templates are regenerated based on current search results)
Opening a template in SEO Writing Assistant does not charge additional units, even if you make changes

Learn more about SEO Ideas Units here.