Scaling SEO by automatically generating thousands of optimized landing pages using templates and data.
Ever feel like you are creating a lot of content, but there are still so many search terms you are not covering? What if you could create thousands of pages of content almost instantly, all perfectly optimized for SEO? It sounds like magic, but it is real, and it is called Programmatic SEO. I have been using this powerful strategy for 15 years to help my clients get massive traffic. I am going to explain what is Programmatic SEO? and show you how to use it for your business. Let’s get to it!
What is Programmatic SEO?
So, what is Programmatic SEO? It is the process of using data and a special template to automatically create many similar pages for a website. Instead of writing each page by hand, I use a program to build them for me. This is perfect for creating pages that follow a simple pattern, like a city guide, a product list, or a tool. It is about creating a system, not just a single page.
For example, if I wanted to create a page for “best coffee shops in every city,” I would not write 1,000 pages one by one. I would use a spreadsheet with all the city names and then a template. The program would then fill in the city name for me to create all the pages automatically. This allows me to scale my content in a way that is just not possible with a human team.
How Programmatic SEO Works
The first step in Programmatic SEO is to find a good idea. I look for a type of content that people search for often that has a lot of small changes. For example, “best [thing] in [city].” The “thing” and the “city” change, but the rest of the page is the same. I then create a spreadsheet with all the data I need, like the city names, the businesses, and their addresses.
Next, I build a single template that will be used for all the pages. I add special placeholders for the data from my spreadsheet. The program then takes the template and fills in the data for each row in the spreadsheet. In the end, I have a thousand pages that are all unique but follow the same pattern. It is an efficient way to create a massive amount of content.
Programmatic SEO on Different CMS Platforms
Programmatic SEO is a more advanced strategy, and not every CMS is built for it. I choose the right platform based on the project’s needs.
WordPress
WordPress is a good option for Programmatic SEO because of its plugins. I can use a plugin like “WP All Import” to upload my spreadsheet and create thousands of pages at once. It takes some setting up, but once it is done, the process is very simple. I also use a lot of custom fields to make sure the data is structured correctly.
Shopify
Shopify is not as flexible as WordPress for this, but it can still be done. I use apps that let me create product pages and blog posts from a spreadsheet. This is a great way to handle a huge number of products or to create content that is specific to different locations. It is perfect for scaling an ecommerce store.
Wix
Wix is not ideal for this type of SEO because it is not built for managing a large number of pages in an automated way. It is a more manual platform. I would not choose Wix for a project that requires Programmatic SEO. I would use a more flexible platform that can handle a lot of content at once.
Webflow
Webflow is a great tool for Programmatic SEO. I can use its “CMS Collections” feature to create a template and then upload all my data from a spreadsheet. Webflow automatically creates a beautiful, custom page for each item in my list. This is a super powerful way to create a huge number of pages that all look great and are perfectly optimized.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, I have the most power and control. I can build a system that is perfectly designed for Programmatic SEO. I can have a developer create a script that takes my data and creates pages with the correct code and formatting. This is the best option for large, complex projects that need a lot of unique pages. It is the gold standard for this type of work.
Programmatic SEO in Various Industries
I use Programmatic SEO in different ways depending on the industry. It is all about finding a repetitive pattern that people are searching for.
Ecommerce
For an ecommerce site, I use Programmatic SEO to create a huge number of product pages for different colors, sizes, and styles. I also use it to create pages for “best [product] in [city]” or “reviews of [product] by [brand].” This helps me get found for many specific search terms and bring in a lot of customers.
Local Businesses
For a local business, I can use this to create pages for “services in [city].” If I am a plumber, I can create pages for “plumber in London,” “plumber in Birmingham,” and “plumber in Manchester.” This helps me attract local customers from all over the country. It is a great way to expand my reach without a ton of work.
SaaS (Software as a Service)
For a SaaS company, I use Programmatic SEO to create guides and tools. I might create a page for “how to calculate [metric] for [industry].” I would then use my data to create a page for each industry. This helps me get found by people in different industries who have a specific problem that my software can solve.
Blogs
On a blog, I use Programmatic SEO to create lists or guides. For example, a travel blog can create a page for “best places to visit in [country]” and create a page for every country in the world. This helps them get found for a lot of different search terms and brings in a huge amount of traffic.
FAQ
What is Programmatic SEO?
Programmatic SEO is an advanced SEO strategy that uses data and templates to automatically create a large number of unique, optimized web pages. It is used to quickly scale content for repetitive search queries.
Is Programmatic SEO a “black hat” SEO tactic?
No, it is not a “black hat” tactic as long as the content is high-quality and helpful. Google does not have a problem with automated content as long as it is valuable to the user. The key is to use real data and create content that truly helps people. It is a smart, “white hat” way to create a lot of content.
What kind of data do I need for this?
You need structured data that is easy to put into a spreadsheet. This could be a list of cities, product names, phone numbers, or any other information that follows a clear pattern. The data must be accurate and helpful to your users.
Is Programmatic SEO right for every website?
No, it is not. It works best for websites that have a huge number of search terms that follow a similar pattern. If your business is unique and you only need a few pages, then traditional SEO is a better choice. It is a strategy for scaling content, not for every business.
