Overview
Great SEO briefs take an hour. This n8n workflow generates one in 90 seconds by combining SerpAPI results, an entity extraction pass, and a Claude-generated outline calibrated against the top 5 ranking pages. Writers get everything they need before opening a doc.
How it works
- Webhook input: {keyword, intent, wordcount_target}.
- SerpAPI fetch: top 10 organic results + PAA questions + related searches.
- Fetch each top result's <h1> and <h2> headings via a lightweight scraper.
- Claude synthesizes: entities to cover, outline (H1-H3), meta title (< 60 chars) and description (< 155).
- Return a Notion page with the full brief.
Benefits
- 60x faster than manual brief creation.
- Writers start with a strategic doc, not a keyword.
- Entity coverage improves ranking probability.
Use cases
- In-house SEO teams pushing 20+ briefs a month.
- Agencies scaling brief production for multiple clients.
- Solo bloggers who want a shortcut to competitive briefs.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1: Wire SerpAPI
Use n8n's HTTP node. Query params: q, num=10, gl=us, hl=en. Store the JSON.
Step 2: Scrape headings
Iterate top 5 URLs; extract h1/h2 (skip anything with 'cookie' or 'subscribe'). Respect robots.txt.
Step 3: Entity extraction pass
Small model: 'Given these 5 pages' headings, list the 20 entities and topics every ranking page mentions.'
Step 4: Outline generation
Claude Sonnet with the target keyword, intent, entities, and PAA. Output as markdown H1-H3.
Step 5: Meta + suggestions
Separate call for meta title/desc under the character limits, plus 5 internal link opportunities from your existing sitemap.
Step 6: Push to Notion
Create a page in your Briefs DB with sections: SERP snapshot, entities, outline, meta, internal links.
Example
Keyword: 'model context protocol'. Brief includes entity list (MCP, Claude Desktop, JSON-RPC, tools, servers), 8-section outline, meta title 'What Is MCP? Practical Guide to Model Context Protocol', 5 internal link candidates.