What is agentic SEO? 8 workflows run on a live site

Agentic search engine optimization means handing an outlined search engine optimization workflow to an AI agent that executes it for you. Achieved nicely, it saves money and time.

The distinction between the 2 is construction. 

Relatively than merely typing a immediate into an AI like “audit my website’s search engine optimization and inform me what to do,” agentic search engine optimization holds up while you cut up the work into 4 layers: 

1. A undertaking that carries your enterprise context
2. Abilities that carry the workflow for every step
3. Mannequin Context Protocols (MCPs) that pull reside knowledge
4. A immediate that solely carries the present process

I constructed all 4 and ran eight workflows in opposition to a reside website. Beneath is a free agentic search engine optimization setup together with the workflows and tips on how to use them.

What’s agentic search engine optimization?

Agentic search engine optimization is the apply of handing an outlined search engine optimization workflow to an AI that pulls its personal knowledge, follows a documented methodology, and returns the identical evaluation each time it runs.

The key phrase right here is “identical”. An AI search engine optimization agent that produces an excellent competitor evaluation as soon as and an unrecognizable one subsequent month has not automated something.

Two issues separate agentic search engine optimization from a well-written immediate: 

1. The system retrieves its personal knowledge as an alternative of ready so that you can paste an export, so it reads this week’s numbers slightly than those you occurred to obtain
2. It follows a way that lives exterior the dialog, so the checks that matter get utilized whether or not or not you remembered to ask for them

What makes an search engine optimization workflow agentic?

An search engine optimization workflow is agentic when 4 layers are used collectively: context, methodology, knowledge, and prompting. Every layer has one job:

1. Undertaking: A folder containing the entire context about your website, enterprise, and constraints through paperwork reminiscent of your marketing strategy, content material pointers, branding, and very best shopper profile. Accessible throughout each run; it’s how the AI remembers who you might be and your requirements.
2. Abilities: The tactic. Steps, checks, definitions, and the issues which can be by no means skipped. You write them as soon as, they usually get improved over time with use.
3. Mannequin Context Protocols (MCPs): Servers that pull reside knowledge from Semrush, Google Search Console, or Google Analytics as an alternative of ready on an export.
4. Immediate: This run’s ask. It’s saved brief, as a result of the opposite three layers carry every thing else.

Faizan Ali, search engine optimization & AI Search Strategist at Semrush, explains why it’s value making your workflows agentic: 

“With one lengthy immediate I would be re-explaining every thing each time, and the longer it will get the extra Claude drifts, loses context, and begins filling gaps with hallucinated stuff. Plus if one thing breaks, I do know precisely which layer to repair as an alternative of debugging a wall of textual content.”

Agentic search engine optimization vs. AI-assisted search engine optimization vs. workflow automation

Agentic search engine optimization differs from AI-assisted search engine optimization and from workflow automation on one axis: who decides what occurs subsequent.

	Workflow automation	AI-assisted search engine optimization	Agentic search engine optimization
Who chooses the steps	You, prematurely	You, per dialog	You outline the tactic as soon as
The place the information comes from	Wired-in integrations	No matter you paste in	The system retrieves it
On an surprising enter	Breaks, or produces nonsense	Is determined by your phrasing	A documented rule, or it escalates
Run-to-run consistency	Good, and rigid	Low	Excessive, and adaptable
Greatest for	Excessive-volume, unchanging duties	Exploration and one-off questions	Recurring evaluation that wants judgment
The place it fails	Something the foundations missed	Something you want twice	Duties with no repeatable methodology

Every methodology has its place. If a process differs each time you do it, there is no such thing as a methodology to put in writing down, and an agentic workflow provides overhead with no profit. To examine 50,000 URLs for a standing code, an automation script beats an agent. 

However for recurring duties that observe outlined steps, agentic search engine optimization can prevent hours of guide work and even spot errors and patterns many human evaluations would miss.

What it is advisable run an agentic search engine optimization workflow

To run an agentic search engine optimization workflow you want 4 issues: 

1. An AI surroundings (we use Claude)
2. MCP connections to your knowledge
3. A undertaking carrying your enterprise background, context, and directions
4. A set of expertise to execute the workflow

Any succesful chatbot can do a model of this. We use Claude all through as a result of its tasks and expertise options map straight onto the 4 layers, and since the eight workflows under have been constructed for it.

You’ll need to arrange the next when you haven’t already:

Every of those is both free or has a free trial. SerpAPI offers you 250 credit per 30 days at no cost and Firecrawl offers you 1,000. That’s completely effective for many smaller websites.

Let’s get into setting every thing up.

1. A Claude surroundings

You’ve got two choices in your Claude surroundings: the web app or the desktop app. We advocate the desktop app, because it offers you essentially the most management over your agentic workflow, with extra choices for settings and scheduled runs. It additionally sits alongside Claude Code, the terminal model a number of the workflows under run finest in. 

Both manner, you get tasks, which maintain persistent context, and expertise, which maintain repeatable procedures. Each can be found on each plan together with the free one, although free accounts are capped at 5 tasks and one customized connector. 

2. MCP connections to search engine optimization knowledge and instruments

Mannequin Context Protocol (MCP) is an open customary for connecting AI to exterior instruments. MCP connections give workflow entry to reside knowledge, which makes an output present and true slightly than guessing. Our explainer on what an MCP connector is covers the mechanics.

Join the next MCPs:

• Semrush MCP for rankings, key phrases, opponents, backlinks, and Website Audit
• Google Search Console (GSC) for clicks, impressions, and index standing
• Google Analytics (by the identical MCP server as GSC) for engagement and conversions
• SerpAPI MCP for getting SERP AI overview knowledge
• Firecrawl MCP for scraping net knowledge
• Your content material administration system (CMS) reminiscent of WordPress
• GitHub, Slack, Google Drive, or a undertaking administration instrument for supply

Join the Semrush MCP in Claude by navigating to Settings > “Connectors.” Seek for “Semrush” and click on “Join,” then check in to your account, approve the connection, and return to Claude. Verify the connection by asking if it’s linked.

The simplest method to join the remaining is to start out a session in Claude, ask it to put in the MCPs, and provides it reside hyperlinks to MCP documentation for reference. It should inform you precisely what it is advisable do to put in it.

Right here’s a immediate you should use to have Claude help you. Keep in mind to switch the brackets with the rest you need to arrange, reminiscent of Slack or WordPress:

I need to join MCP servers to Claude so I can run agentic search engine optimization workflows. Stroll me by it.

Earlier than you begin, affirm whether or not I’m utilizing Claude on net or desktop or in Claude Code, and what plan I’m on. The free plan permits just one customized connector, so if I’m on it, inform me earlier than I start.

Learn these earlier than giving me any directions, and observe what they really say slightly than what you bear in mind:

I additionally need to join the next MCPs: [insert MCPs here, such as for WordPress, GitHub, Slack, etc.]

Then take me by one connector at a time. Give me the precise steps for my surroundings, await me to substantiate, and don’t transfer on till it really works.

Confirm every one earlier than continuing. Have me open a brand new chat and ask you to record your obtainable instruments, then affirm the anticipated instruments seem by identify. Don’t inform me a connector is working as a result of a settings display screen says linked. Solely your personal instrument record counts.

If a connector doesn’t seem, work by this with me so as: is the config file legitimate JSON, did I absolutely stop and reopen the app slightly than closing the window, does the command resolve on my PATH, and does the server run by itself from my terminal?

End with a abstract: which connectors are reside, what instruments every exposes, and which of the eight workflows I can now run.

When you’ve set all of them up, you possibly can ask Claude to check the connections and confirm that they’re all working. It should inform you if something isn’t working, and likewise instruct you on tips on how to repair it.

3. A Claude undertaking with persistent context

A Claude project holds every thing about your enterprise that doesn’t change between runs, so the AI remembers with out you needing so as to add the information into every particular person immediate.

Within the Claude app, click on “Initiatives” within the sidebar menu, then click on the “New undertaking” button. 

Identify your undertaking one thing like “search engine optimization Agent” and describe your undertaking (this received’t have an effect on how the AI works, it’s only for you and your group to know what the undertaking is for).

Create context paperwork to place contained in the undertaking folder that embrace:

• The web site and first market
• Audience(s)
• Merchandise and conversion targets
• Essential opponents
• Precedence subject areas
• Model and editorial pointers
• Definitions of high-, medium-, and low-priority points
• Reporting necessities
• Actions that at all times require human approval

Should you don’t but have context paperwork, use the next immediate to get Claude to interview you and create the paperwork for you:

I am establishing a Claude Undertaking to run agentic search engine optimization workflows and I would like the context information first. Assist me construct them.

Interview me earlier than you write something. Ask in batches of not more than 5 questions and await my solutions earlier than the following batch. If a solution is imprecise, ask a follow-up slightly than filling the hole your self.

Cowl:

• The location, the first market, and the languages it serves
• Who buys, of their phrases slightly than advertising and marketing language, and what triggers the search
• Services or products, what counts as a conversion, and roughly what one is value
• Who I feel my opponents are, and who really seems when my consumers search
• The matters I need to personal, and the matters I’ve determined to not chase
• Model and editorial guidelines: voice, banned phrases, claims that want authorized evaluation, sources I cannot cite
• What makes an search engine optimization subject excessive, medium, or low precedence for this enterprise particularly, not on the whole
• Who reads the output, in what format, and the way typically
• Actions that at all times want my approval earlier than they occur

Push again on my competitor record. Ask how I do know, and whether or not these corporations really seem when a purchaser searches, or whether or not they’re merely corporations I take into consideration.

Then produce these as separate information I can add to the Undertaking data:

1. business-context.md — website, market, audiences, merchandise, conversions
2. opponents.md — the set, with one line every on why they qualify and the way assured I’m
3. content-priorities.md — matters to personal, matters to skip, and why
4. editorial-rules.md — voice, banned phrases, declare guidelines, linking guidelines
5. priority-definitions.md — what excessive, medium and low imply right here, with an instance of every
6. reporting-and-approvals.md — who will get what, how typically, and each motion requiring approval

Guidelines for each file:

• Use solely what I advised you. Don’t fill gaps with believable element.
• Mark something I didn’t reply as TO CONFIRM: slightly than guessing.
• Separate what I said as reality from what you inferred, and label the inferences.
• Hold every file underneath a web page. These load on each run.

When you get the paperwork again, evaluation them and make any changes. Once you’re proud of them, put all of them within the undertaking folder you linked the undertaking to. Now, each time you run a chat window inside that undertaking, Claude may have all of this context for each run.

And lastly, set the undertaking directions by clicking the “+” button within the Directions field. That is separate from the outline you set while you made the undertaking; Claude will use these directions for all of the chats inside the undertaking.

Guardrails and approval guidelines

First, set these 10 guardrails and approval guidelines in your Claude undertaking:

1. Hold manufacturing instruments read-only except I approve a write motion.
2. Present me your plan earlier than starting a multi-step workflow.
3. Use linked instruments to retrieve proof as an alternative of counting on assumptions.
4. Comply with the related Claude ability when one is offered.
5. If a instrument name fails, retry as soon as after which floor the error.
6. For every discovering, clarify the supporting proof in a single sentence.
7. Separate confirmed findings from hypotheses.
8. Flag lacking knowledge and low-confidence conclusions.
9. Cease when the workflow exceeds the agreed URL, consequence, or API-unit restrict.
10. Ask for approval earlier than publishing, redirecting, deleting, modifying code, merging modifications, or sending exterior messages.

Copy these undertaking directions

Our agentic search engine optimization undertaking directions are under, prepared to stick. Exchange the bracketed elements with your personal:

I am utilizing this Claude undertaking to run agentic search engine optimization workflows.

Enterprise context

• My website: [yoursite.com]
• My viewers: [describe]
• My major market: [country or region]
• Essential opponents: [comp1.com, comp2.com]
• What I am attempting to develop: [qualified traffic, signups, revenue, brand searches, or AI visibility]

Accessible knowledge and instruments

• search engine optimization knowledge: [Semrush MCP]
• Search efficiency: [Google Search Console]
• Web site analytics: [Google Analytics]
• Web site content material: [CMS, crawler, or Site Audit]
• Supply instruments: [Slack, Google Drive, Jira, GitHub, etc.]

Working guidelines

• Hold manufacturing instruments read-only except I approve a write motion.
• Present me your plan earlier than starting a multi-step workflow.
• Use linked instruments to retrieve proof as an alternative of counting on assumptions.
• Comply with the related Claude ability when one is offered.
• If a instrument name fails, retry as soon as after which floor the error.
• For every discovering, clarify the supporting proof in a single sentence.
• Separate confirmed findings from hypotheses.
• Flag lacking knowledge and low-confidence conclusions.
• Cease when the workflow exceeds the agreed URL, consequence, or API-unit restrict.
• Ask for approval earlier than publishing, redirecting, deleting, modifying code, merging modifications, or sending exterior messages.

Earlier than beginning a workflow, affirm:

1. Which ability you’ll use
2. Which linked instruments you want
3. What output you’ll produce
4. Which actions require human approval

Should you would slightly have Claude tailor the foundations to your enterprise than begin from the template above, use this immediate as an alternative:

Write the undertaking directions for a Claude Undertaking that runs agentic search engine optimization workflows. The output goes straight into the “Set undertaking directions” subject, so give me one paste-ready block.

If I’ve already uploaded my context information, learn them first and don’t ask me something they reply.

Then ask me solely what’s lacking, in a single batch:

• Which instruments are linked proper now, and that are read-only versus read-write
• What counts as excessive, medium and low precedence for my enterprise particularly
• Which actions mustn’t ever occur with out my specific approval
• Who reads the output, in what format, and the way typically
• Any exhausting restrict on URLs, rows, or API items per run

Then produce the block, structured as:

1. One line on what this undertaking is for
2. The instruments obtainable, every labeled with what it’s the supply of reality for
3. Working guidelines, written as imperatives
4. What to substantiate earlier than beginning any workflow: which Talent, which instruments, what output, what wants approval
5. What to do when knowledge is lacking or a instrument name fails

Guidelines for the output:

• Hold it underneath 400 phrases. This hundreds into each dialog, so size prices me context.
• Each rule have to be checkable. “Be correct” shouldn’t be a rule. “Report lacking data slightly than estimating them” is.
• Don’t record a instrument I’ve not advised you is linked.
• Omit my enterprise context, audiences, opponents and matters. These reside within the data information, not right here.
• Mirror my phrasing the place I gave you specifics. Don’t easy my precedence definitions into generic ones.

Present me the block, then inform me in a single line what you overlooked and why.

Reply any questions Claude asks, tweak the output if mandatory, and paste it into your directions subject.

4. Claude expertise for repeatable search engine optimization procedures

A Claude ability is a written process the mannequin hundreds and follows, which is what turns immediate right into a repeatable workflow.

A ability is a folder containing a “SKILL.md” file that describes when to make use of it, what knowledge it wants, the ordered steps, the scoring guidelines, the output format, and the actions that require human approval. It could carry reference information and scripts. Claude hundreds it when the duty matches its description, so that you shouldn’t have to invoke it by identify.

The undertaking provides enterprise context. The ability provides the tactic. 

With no ability, Claude could strategy the identical process otherwise every time. With one, the method is constant, testable, and reusable, and an enchancment made as soon as applies to each run afterward.

The eight expertise on this information cowl diagnosing content material decline, prioritizing Website Audit points, investigating competitor development, constructing content material briefs, discovering inner linking alternatives, auditing a content material portfolio, analyzing AI quotation gaps, and checking a website after a migration.

Faizan has revealed all eight on GitHub. To put in them in Claude Code, copy the “expertise/” folder into your “.claude/expertise/” listing. To put in them on the internet or desktop, add the pre-zipped expertise from the “dist/” folder one by one.

Then confirm. Ask Claude to record its obtainable expertise; all eight ought to return. If one is lacking, the frontmatter in that folder is the place to look.

Eight agentic search engine optimization workflows you possibly can put into apply

Every workflow is one ability. Load the abilities as soon as, then invoke the one you want and reply its questions. The ability is aware of what knowledge to tug, which checks to use, and what handy again, so it’s fairly plug-and-play. Invoke a ability with the slash command “/skill-name-here” or simply ask: “Use the [skill name] to….”

All eight are on GitHub.

1. Determine content material decay

Invoke: /content-decline-diagnosis

This workflow helps you determine content material with declining natural visitors, and potential causes for the decline, plus a prioritized record based mostly in your particular priorities. It asks in your area or folder, your comparability home windows, and a materiality flooring (which means the minimal drop value investigating, by default a 30% decline and a minimum of 100 clicks misplaced).

The ability works down a set order: 

1. Pull period-over-period efficiency from Search Console
2. Drop every thing underneath the ground
3. Examine indexation earlier than the rest
4. Take a look at rankings, demand, hyperlinks and cannibalization

Studying the output: You get a ranked desk of URLs with clicks misplaced, the seemingly trigger, the proof behind that decision, and a major and fallback motion. A web page that misplaced rankings wants a rewrite, a web page that misplaced demand wants nothing, and a web page that misplaced its canonical wants a five-minute repair.

What occurred after we ran it: Three URLs dropped considerably throughout a 90-day year-over-year comparability. One web page had a 230-click drop, however was a deliberate 301 from a deliberate consolidation, caught by the indexation examine at step three. A second web page turned out to be listed however lacking from the submitted sitemap, which is a five-minute repair. 

2. Flip a Website Audit right into a technical search engine optimization dash

Invoke: /technical-seo-sprint-triage

This workflow requires an current Site Audit undertaking. The Semrush MCP can’t return full rendered web page content material, create a Website Audit undertaking, set off a crawl, or export the crawled URL set from a snapshot. 

The ability will learn the undertaking and the way a lot capability you could have. It then teams points by root trigger slightly than by subject sort, joins the affected URLs to visitors and rankings, scores affect in opposition to effort and confidence, and verifies its high gadgets in opposition to reside pages earlier than producing a prioritized record of fixes.

Studying the output: You get a backlog of 10 to 15 gadgets, every with a root trigger, a repair sort, and acceptance standards written so a developer who shouldn’t be an search engine optimization can affirm the repair. Learn the 2 lists beneath the desk as nicely: what it excluded and why, and which fixes rely on different fixes transport first.

What occurred after we ran it: The workflow discovered 10 “short-term redirect” rows with a single root trigger: inner CTA hyperlinks with no trailing slash. And it discovered that two of the positioning’s 5 reported errors have been the identical javascript:void(0) hyperlink on a web page with no visitors. 

3. Examine competitor visitors spikes

Invoke: /competitor-growth-investigation

This workflow pulls natural area and URL stories, isolates the pages and key phrases behind any motion, separates branded from non-branded, and assessments every change in opposition to a driver: new content material, improved rankings, seasonality, a migration, or a knowledge artifact.

Studying the output: You get one row per competitor with the visitors change, the pages accountable, the seemingly driver, the relevance to you, and a confidence degree. Deal with the driving force and confidence columns as the reply. A big quantity with a low confidence rating is a immediate to analyze, not a motive to react.

What occurred after we ran it: It discovered a competitor getting most of their high-intent visitors from simply two pages, even with an identical backlink profile. That advised us the place to construct comparable pages on our shopper’s website. This advised me it could be sensible to re-create comparable pages on my shopper’s website.

4. Flip a search alternative into an entire content material transient

Invoke: /search-opportunity-to-brief

This workflow asks for a seed subject, your viewers and your enterprise goal. Earlier than writing something it checks your current protection and decides between create, replace, consolidate, and no motion. If a quick is warranted, it expands the key phrase area, teams queries by viewers drawback slightly than by string similarity, and reads what presently ranks.

Studying the output: You get a full transient with a working title, reader drawback, intent, really helpful headings, inquiries to reply, proof required, inner hyperlinks, cannibalization dangers, and claims needing verification. It ends on a single determination with a confidence degree, and that call is the half to learn first.

What occurred after we ran it: We aimed it on the transient a human wrote for this text. It agreed the piece was value writing, then discovered 4 issues the transient had missed. One was a key phrase we meant to focus on that brings up a very completely different sort of search consequence, so it didn’t belong on this web page. One other was three questions individuals have solely not too long ago began trying to find. What it couldn’t do was determine tips on how to construction the article. A human nonetheless made that decision.

5. Discover inner linking alternatives and orphaned pages

Invoke: /internal-linking-rescue

This workflow builds a candidate pool from pages that already rank or earn hyperlinks, reads them, finds passages straight associated to every vacation spot, and applies a reader-value check: would somebody partway by this sentence really need to go there subsequent? Give it the precedence pages you need strengthened. 

Studying the output: You get two deliverables. First, internal link suggestions with supply, vacation spot, anchor and the precise sentence to connect them to. Second, a structural report on internal link mistakes like orphaned pages, damaged inner hyperlinks, and necessary pages linked solely from low-value sections.

What occurred after we ran it: It appeared on the 4 pages bringing in 96% of the positioning’s visitors and advised us not simply which pages to hyperlink from, however the precise sentence to place every hyperlink in. It additionally discovered that the positioning’s second-biggest web page, value 27% of all visitors, had no inner hyperlinks pointing to it in any respect. It sat within the sitemap and nowhere else.

6. Construct a content material portfolio determination engine

Invoke: /content-portfolio-decisions

Runs finest in: Claude Code

This workflow helps you audit your content. It asks in your scope, your enterprise guidelines, and the way aggressive you need to be. It then builds one stock keyed on URL from efficiency, rating, hyperlink, freshness and conversion knowledge, then applies ordered determination guidelines the place the protecting ones fireplace first. Above just a few hundred URLs it runs a bundled script so the foundations apply identically to each row.

Studying the output: You get each URL categorized as hold, replace, consolidate, redirect, take away, or examine, with supporting and conflicting indicators proven individually. Examine is an actual reply, not a failure. It means the proof doesn’t help a call but, and flags it for a guide evaluation.

What occurred after we ran it: This specific website didn’t have conversion knowledge correctly arrange, so it got here again with a variety of “0” conversion knowledge. To ensure that this report back to be helpful, we would want to set up conversion tracking in GA4 and re-run the report after just a few weeks of information have are available.

7. Flip AI quotation gaps right into a digital PR queue

Invoke: /ai-citation-influence-mapping

This workflow teams prompts by subject and shopping for stage, finds the domains and pages cited most, separates supply sorts that can assist you select the angle, then reads the cited pages to work out what would earn you a point out.

Studying the output: You get a prioritized queue with the really helpful asset and outreach angle per supply, plus a separate record of sources the place the suitable reply isn’t any outreach in any respect (for instance, boards and competitor-owned properties).

What occurred after we ran it: We requested 4 AI instruments 32 questions and picked up the 693 sources they cited. Until the model was named within the immediate, it didn’t present up within the solutions. The instrument surfaced locations we may pitch to get included in the listicles AI cited and, hopefully, get into the reply.

For ongoing monitoring, the Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit handles immediate monitoring, share of voice and citations. For the self-discipline behind this workflow, see our information to answer engine optimization. 

8. Monitor search engine optimization regressions after a launch or migration

Invoke: /seo-release-regression-guard

Runs finest in: Claude Code

This workflow wants a pre-release crawl, a post-release crawl with matching settings, and your approved-change record. It confirms the 2 crawls are comparable earlier than diffing something, runs the diff throughout standing codes, redirects, canonicals, robots directives, sitemap membership, inner hyperlinks and rendered content material, then classifies every distinction as anticipated, anticipated however applied incorrect, or unplanned.

Studying the output: You get an inventory of regressions ranked P0 (excessive severity) to P2 (low) with before-and-after proof, an proprietor, acceptance standards, and a verification step. Save the report. When fixes ship, the identical ability hundreds it again and re-checks every merchandise in opposition to its recorded standards slightly than accepting “fastened” as an enter.

What occurred after we ran it: The comparability discovered two critical points: cross-domain and trailing-slash redirects issued as short-term, and an authorised web page elimination that by no means obtained executed within the migration. 

Begin with one workflow, not an autonomous search engine optimization division

You don’t want eight expertise, seven connections and a scheduler to get began with agentic search engine optimization. 

As a substitute, join the Semrush free trial, join the Semrush MCP as your single connection, set up one ability, and run it. The technical dash triage is the quickest one to show out, as a result of you possibly can level it at a Website Audit you have already got and choose the end in minutes.