--- name: Blog Rewrite slug: blog-rewrite category: SEO description: Blog Rewrite updates existing blog posts to improve Google SEO and AI citation visibility by replacing fabricated statistics with sourced data, applying answer-first formatting, adding images and SVG charts, and refreshing technical signals. Use it when the user asks to rewrite, optimize, update, improve, or fix a blog post. github: "https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-blog/tree/main/skills/blog-rewrite" language: Python stars: 1667 forks: 291 install: "npx degit https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-blog/tree/main/skills/blog-rewrite ~/.claude/skills/blog-rewrite" installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/blog-rewrite source_path: skills/blog-rewrite/SKILL.md collection_size: 25 category_size: 164 collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/AgriciDaniel/claude-blog" added: 2026-08-19T07:26:06.242Z last_synced: 2026-08-19T07:26:06.242Z canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/blog-rewrite" --- # Blog Rewrite Blog Rewrite updates existing blog posts to improve Google SEO and AI citation visibility by replacing fabricated statistics with sourced data, applying answer-first formatting, adding images and SVG charts, and refreshing technical signals. Use it when the user asks to rewrite, optimize, update, improve, or fix a blog post. **Install:** ```bash npx degit https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-blog/tree/main/skills/blog-rewrite ~/.claude/skills/blog-rewrite ``` ## README # Blog Rewriter: Optimize Existing Posts Rewrites and optimizes existing blog posts for dual ranking: Google search and AI citation platforms. Preserves the author's voice while applying the 6 pillars of optimization. **Key references:** - `skills/blog/references/quality-scoring.md` - 5-category scoring (Content 30, SEO 25, E-E-A-T 15, Technical 15, AI Citation 15) - `skills/blog/references/eeat-signals.md` - Experience, expertise, authority, trust markers - `skills/blog/references/internal-linking.md` - Linking strategy and anchor text rules - `skills/blog/references/visual-media.md` - Image sourcing and chart styling - `skills/blog/references/synthesis-contract.md` - 6 LAWs for re-citation hygiene during rewrite (v1.8.0; cross-skill ref lives in the orchestrator's references dir) - `skills/blog/references/research-quality.md` - cross-source clustering for replacement-statistic research (v1.8.0) ## Cross-reference For 21 evidence-led optimization prompts (quality follow-up, CTR audit, schema, PAA rewording, technical audit, ChatGPT visibility) directly applicable to rewrite work, see `/blog flow optimize`. ## Workflow ### Phase 1: Audit (Read-Only) 1. **Read the blog post** - Detect format (MDX, markdown, HTML) 2. **Run the quality checklist** against `skills/blog/references/quality-scoring.md`: - Count fabricated vs sourced statistics - Check answer-first formatting (H2 -> stat in first sentence?) - Count images and charts (type diversity?) - Review paragraph pacing in context; record length only as a descriptive aid - Check heading hierarchy (H1 -> H2 -> H3, no skips?) - Check schema presence and validity, prioritizing Article/BlogPosting, Person, Organization, and BreadcrumbList; FAQPage is optional entity markup only - Check freshness signals (lastUpdated, dateModified) - Assess self-promotion level - Evaluate citation tier quality 3. **Advisory editorial style scan**: - **Sentence-length variation** - Report it descriptively when rhythm needs review. It cannot determine authorship and has no pass/fail threshold. - **Known AI phrase scan** - Check for these high-frequency AI phrases: - "in today's digital landscape", "it's important to note", "dive into" - "game-changer", "navigate the landscape", "revolutionize", "seamlessly" - "cutting-edge", "harness the power of", "leverage" (as verb) - "delve", "crucial", "elevate", "foster", "landscape" (overused) - "multifaceted", "robust", "tapestry", "embark" - Full list in `agents/blog-writer.md` - **Vocabulary sample** - Report Type-Token Ratio (TTR) descriptively and interpret it against text length and specialist terminology. - Never estimate AI authorship from TTR, sentence-length variation, punctuation, or phrase density. These are advisory project-style observations only. - **Second-order structural reflex scan** (v1.8.0) - The first-order checks above are vocabulary-level. The second-order pass reviews structural repetition that can survive simple wording edits. Run against `skills/blog/references/ai-slop-detection.md`. Flag at minimum: - Repetitive question-cadence H2s that do not suit reader intent - Three or more "Here..." paragraph openers - Three-clause sentence rhythm above 50% in any 200-word window - More than 2 hedge words ("may," "often," "typically," "generally") in any 20-word span - Symmetric-list bloat (list-item word-count SD below 5) - More than 2 wrap-up rhetorical questions ("What does this mean for...?") - More than half of H2 openers starting with a transition word - "The key insight is..." or "What's important here is..." as sentence openers - Listicle pre-list intro above 250 words - Opening-word repetition: top three first-words above 25% share - Paragraph-shape SD below 25 (visual monotony) Apply editorial judgment; none of these metrics changes the score or blocks delivery. 4. **Video embed check**: - Count existing YouTube embeds in the post - If 0 embeds, flag: "No video embeds. Consider adding relevant high-quality YouTube embeds when they add useful context." - If present, check: lazy loading? aria-labels? noscript fallback? VideoObject schema? 5. **Cannibalization check**: - Identify the post's primary keyword from title, H1, and first paragraph - Search the blog directory for other posts targeting the same keyword: - Grep headings and meta descriptions across all blog posts - Flag any posts with significant keyword overlap - If cannibalization found, report: - Which posts compete for the same keyword - Recommend: **merge** (combine into one stronger post) or **differentiate** (shift one post to a related but distinct keyword) 6. **Calculate current score** across 5 categories: - Score across 5 categories (Content Quality 30, SEO Optimization 25, E-E-A-T Signals 15, Technical Elements 15, AI Citation Readiness 15) - Total: 0-100 7. **Present audit summary** with specific findings, advisory style diagnostics, video status, cannibalization status, and score 8. **Enter plan mode** - Present section-by-section optimization plan Wait for user approval before proceeding. ### Phase 2: Research 1. **Identify the blog's core topic** from existing content 2. **Find replacement statistics** for any fabricated/unsourced data: - Search: `[topic] study 2025 2026 data statistics` - Target tier 1-3 sources only 3. **Find images** if post has fewer than 3: - Prefer original screenshots, product visuals, diagrams, or data graphics when available - For stock, use official provider APIs such as Openverse, Unsplash, Pexels, or Pixabay so license, creator, source URL, and download URL are captured - Download approved assets locally, store attribution, and reject `javascript:`, `data:`, and `file:` URLs - If `blog-image` is available, offer AI generation for missing or insufficient images and record the selected model ID 4. **Plan charts** if post has fewer than 2: - Identify data suitable for visualization - Select diverse chart types ### Phase 3: Chart Generation (Built-In) When the post needs more visual elements, invoke the `blog-chart` sub-skill: 1. Select chart type using the diversity rule (no repeated types per post) 2. Pass: chart type, title, data values, source, platform format 3. Embed the returned SVG directly within a `
` wrapper 4. Target 2-4 charts per 2,000-word post See `skills/blog/references/visual-media.md` for chart type selection and styling rules. ### Phase 4: Content Rewrite Apply changes in this order: #### 4a. Preserve What Works - Keep the author's voice and unique perspective - Preserve original insights and first-hand experience - Keep existing quality images and charts - Maintain internal links #### 4b. Fix Frontmatter - Update `lastUpdated` only when the rewrite materially changes facts, methods, or recommendations - Keep original `date` unchanged - Fix the meta description so it accurately and specifically summarizes the visible content - Add `coverImage` + `coverImageAlt` + `ogImage` if missing - Search Pixabay/Unsplash/Pexels for wide hero image (1200x630) - Or generate custom SVG cover via `blog-chart` (text-on-gradient with key stat) - Or generate custom AI image via `blog-image` sub-skill when available; record the model ID - Verify tags/categories are appropriate #### 4c. Apply Purpose-First Formatting State the point of important sections early, then add the verified evidence and context each claim needs. Do not force statistics or word bands. #### 4d. Replace Fabricated Statistics - Search for patterns: "X% of...", "X out of Y...", unsourced claims - Replace with real data from tier 1-3 sources - Give each material claim enough provenance to verify and interpret it. Include publisher or document details, relevant dates, methodology, limitations, and a stable URL when the claim requires them; do not force a fixed citation form. #### 4e. Improve Headings - Use question or declarative headings according to reader intent; no ratio target - Ensure keyword appears in 2-3 headings naturally #### 4f. Fix Paragraph Length - Split paragraphs only when doing so improves comprehension - Use paragraph length as an optional planning observation, not a fixed target - Ensure each paragraph starts with its most important sentence #### 4g. Add Visual Elements - Embed new images after H2 headings, spaced evenly - Embed charts within relevant sections - If `blog-image` is available: generate custom images for sections lacking good stock matches, prefer the current image model registry, and record the model ID - Adapt embed format to detected platform (MDX vs markdown vs HTML) #### 4h. Add Video Embeds If the post lacks YouTube video embeds: - Search 2-3 relevant videos using quality criteria from `skills/blog/references/video-embeds.md` - Embed using platform-appropriate format (srcdoc lazy loading) - Place: 1 after introduction, 1-2 in mid-article sections - Include noscript fallback for AI crawlers #### 4i. Add/Improve FAQ - If the query set warrants it and no FAQ exists, add one (3-5 questions) - If FAQ exists, ensure answers are complete and contain verified support where needed - FAQPage is optional entity markup only. Google FAQ rich results were fully retired for all sites on 2026-05-07, so do not make FAQPage a core Google rich-result gate. #### 4j. Reduce Self-Promotion - Max 1 brand mention (author bio context only) - Remove "At [Company], we..." patterns - Convert promotional sections to educational content #### 4k. Evidence-Backed Explanation For important claims, generate or improve a self-contained explanation with enough context and verified support to stand on its own. Do not pad every H2. - Placed naturally within the section body, not as a separate callout Example: ```markdown [Verified source title], a [method or sample description] published on [date], found [specific metric] for [audience or market] ([Source name](https://example.com/full-report), retrieved YYYY-MM-DD). In practical terms, connect the evidence to one action the reader should take before making a claim or changing a workflow. ``` Do not pad explanations to a fixed length or add them solely to earn readiness points. #### 4l. Project Voice and Repetition Review Apply these transformations only where they improve the configured voice: - **Eliminate em dashes** - Replace every U+2014 character with a comma, hyphen, colon, or period. Split sentences if needed. This is a project style rule. - **Replace flagged phrases** - Swap every detected AI phrase (from the scan in Phase 1 step 3) with a natural alternative. Examples: - "it's important to note" -> "worth noting" or "keep in mind" - "in today's digital landscape" -> "right now" or "in [specific year]" - "leverage" -> "use", "apply", "take advantage of" - "delve" -> "look at", "explore", "dig into" - "robust" -> "strong", "solid", "reliable" - "crucial" -> "key", "essential", "critical" (or restructure the sentence) - **Vary sentence length deliberately** - After rewriting, scan each paragraph. Inject short punchy sentences (5-10 words) between longer ones (18-25 words). Target: no more than 3 consecutive sentences within 5 words of each other's length. - **Use rhetorical questions sparingly** - Add one only when it clarifies the reader's next decision. - **Use contractions naturally** - Replace formal constructions with contractions where they sound natural: "it is" -> "it's", "we have" -> "we've", "do not" -> "don't", "is not" -> "isn't". - **Support first-hand language** - Keep "we tested" or "in our experience" only when methodology, observations, or evidence can substantiate the claim. #### 4m. Summary Box (Key Takeaways) If the post lacks a summary box, add one immediately after the introduction: ```markdown > **Key Takeaways** > - [Core finding with statistic and source] > - [Second key insight or recommendation] > - [Third actionable takeaway] > (Use concise bullets sized to the material. Keep the summary self-contained so the reader gets > the core value without reading the full article.) ``` Default label is "Key Takeaways", but this is configurable per persona or brand voice (e.g., "The Bottom Line", "Quick Summary", "What You Need to Know"). If an existing TL;DR box is useful, convert it to concise Key Takeaways and verify every factual statement is supported. Do not add a statistic merely to fit the format. #### 4n. Information Gain Marker Injection Review the post for original value and tag it: - `[ORIGINAL DATA]` - Any proprietary data, survey results, experiments, or case study metrics the author collected first-hand - `[PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]` - First-hand observations, lessons learned - `[UNIQUE INSIGHT]` - Novel analysis, contrarian perspectives backed by data If the post lacks original value markers: - Ask the author for first-hand data or experience to include - At minimum, add analytical insights that connect existing research in new ways - Target: at least 2-3 markers per post Use HTML comments (``) or visible callouts depending on the post's style. ### Phase 5: Verification After rewriting, verify all quality gates pass: #### Core Quality Gates 1. Important claims state their point clearly and include verified support where needed 2. Paragraph and sentence pacing suits the audience; length alone cannot fail review 3. Zero fabricated statistics 4. Heading hierarchy is clean 5. Article-priority schema present and valid; FAQPage only if useful as optional entity markup 6. Images have descriptive alt text 7. Cover image present in frontmatter (coverImage + ogImage) 8. If MDX: build the project to verify no compilation errors #### New Element Verification 9. Optional summary is useful and contains no unsupported claims 10. Any information-gain markers identify supported original material 11. Important reusable claims are self-contained and evidence-backed 12. Internal linking zones marked or actual links present (5-10 per 2,000 words) 13. Configured project style-list terms reviewed in context #### Editorial Style Check 14. Sentence-length variation reviewed descriptively, with no authorship verdict 15. Contractions used naturally throughout 16. Rhetorical questions used only where useful 17. No unsupported first-hand claims 18. Score improved across all 5 categories vs Phase 1 audit 19. YouTube video embeds present with lazy loading, aria-labels, and noscript fallback ### Phase 6: Summary ``` ## Blog Optimization Complete: [Title] ### Score Change - Before: [X]/100 ([Rating]) - Content Quality: [X]/30 - SEO Optimization: [X]/25 - E-E-A-T Signals: [X]/15 - Technical Elements: [X]/15 - AI Citation Readiness: [X]/15 - After: [Y]/100 ([Rating]) - Content Quality: [Y]/30 - SEO Optimization: [Y]/25 - E-E-A-T Signals: [Y]/15 - Technical Elements: [Y]/15 - AI Citation Readiness: [Y]/15 ### Editorial Style Diagnostics - Configured style-list terms reviewed: [N] - Sentence-length variation: [descriptive observation] - These observations do not infer authorship and do not affect the score. ### Cannibalization - [Status: none found / flagged N posts / resolved] ### Changes Made - [X] statistics replaced with sourced data - [X] SVG charts added (types: ...) - [X] images added from Pixabay/Unsplash - Answer-first formatting applied to [N] H2 sections - FAQ section updated with [N] questions; FAQPage emitted only as optional entity markup if appropriate - TL;DR box: [added/updated] - Information gain markers: [N] ([types]) - Evidence-backed explanations improved: [N] - Configured project style-list terms reviewed: [N] - lastUpdated set to [date] - Self-promotion reduced to [N] mentions ### Visual Elements - Charts: [count] ([types]) - Images: [count] - YouTube videos: [count] ([titles]) ### Ready for - `/blog analyze ` to verify final score - Publishing / deploying ``` ## Phase 5.5: Delivery Contract Enforcement (v1.9.0) Before presenting the rewritten draft, run the 5-gate delivery contract per `skills/blog/references/blog-delivery-contract.md`. The contract applies to rewrites the same way it applies to new posts: the user is never the first reviewer. Steps: 1. **Hero check**: if the existing post already has a hero image referenced and still on disk, keep it. If the rewrite changed the topic substantially OR the hero is missing, regenerate via `python3 scripts/generate_hero.py --topic "" --tags "" --out `. 2. **Re-render**: run `python3 scripts/blog_render.py --md .md --out-dir ` to refresh the `.html` and `.pdf` from the updated `.md`. 3. **Reviewer dispatch**: dispatch the `blog-reviewer` agent against the rendered `.html`. Threshold: score 90/100 or higher AND zero P0 issues. 4. **Preflight**: run `python3 scripts/blog_preflight.py --draft --strict`. Exit 0 = ship; exit 1 = block. 5. **Iterate on failure**: maximum 3 iterations. After the 3rd failure, STOP and present the diagnostic from `/preflight-report.json`. Rewrites have a higher implicit threshold because the existing draft was presumably already published. Re-presenting something worse than the original is not acceptable. If the rewritten score is lower than the original score, that itself is a P0 condition. ## Update Mode When invoked as `/blog update `, focus on freshness: 1. Update statistics to latest available data (2025-2026) 2. Add new developments since last update 3. Refresh images if older than 1 year 4. Update `lastUpdated` in frontmatter 5. Preserve the existing structure - minimize rewrites 6. Target: genuine freshness only. Replace stale statistics, add real new developments, and update `lastUpdated`/`dateModified`; do not rewrite to hit a percentage-change threshold.