Programmatic SEO
Programmatic SEO uses datasets + templates to publish many long-tail pages, connected via topic clusters to build topical authority.
Definition
Programmatic SEO (pSEO) scales indexable pages (glossary terms, templates, checklists, comparisons) using reusable templates and datasets, then connects them with intentional internal links. It's effective for content + tool sites that target long-tail demand.
Why it matters
- Scales long-tail traffic — one template generates hundreds of pages covering low-competition keywords
- Builds topical authority — Topic Cluster structure signals expertise to Google
- High ROI — upfront template investment, then just maintain data with minimal marginal cost
- Compound growth — more pages = denser internal link network = stronger overall authority (flywheel effect)
- Tool-driven conversion — glossary page → tool page → conversion creates natural user journey
- Sustainable updates — batch update when data changes to keep content fresh
- Developer-friendly — leverages SSG/prerender technologies where developers excel
How to implement
- Define quality bar — each page must answer a specific question, no thin or low-value content
- Design data structure — store terms, definitions, FAQs, examples in JSON/CSV for batch generation
- Build template system — one template covers: title, definition, why/how, examples, FAQ, internal links
- Plan internal link structure — Pillar (tutorials) ↔ Cluster (glossary) ↔ Tool (tools) interlinked
- SSG/Prerender — generate static HTML at build time for crawler accessibility
- Automate sitemap — update sitemap.xml with each build
- Monitor and iterate — track indexing and rankings in GSC, optimize underperforming pages
Examples
typescript
// glossary.json data structure
interface GlossaryTerm {
slug: string;
locales: {
'en': {
name: string;
title: string;
description: string; // meta description
definition: string; // main definition
why: string[]; // why it matters
how: string[]; // how to implement
examples: Example[]; // code examples
faq: FAQ[]; // FAQs
};
};
related: {
tutorials: Link[]; // link back to Pillar
tools: Link[]; // link to tools
};
}
// Template logic (React example)
function GlossaryPage({ term }: { term: GlossaryTerm }) {
return (
<>
<SEOHead {...term} />
<Breadcrumb />
<h1>{term.title}</h1>
<Definition text={term.definition} />
<WhySection items={term.why} />
<HowSection items={term.how} />
<ExampleSection examples={term.examples} />
<FAQSection faqs={term.faq} />
<RelatedLinks related={term.related} />
</>
);
}typescript
// vite.config.ts - SSG prerender setup
import { defineConfig } from 'vite';
import react from '@vitejs/plugin-react';
// Get all routes from glossary.json
import glossary from './src/content/glossary.json';
const glossaryRoutes = glossary.terms.flatMap(term => [
`/glossary/${term.slug}`,
`/zh/glossary/${term.slug}`,
]);
export default defineConfig({
plugins: [react()],
build: {
// SSG: prerender all routes
ssrManifest: true,
},
});
// prerender.ts - run after build
async function prerender() {
const routes = ['/', '/zh/', ...glossaryRoutes];
for (const route of routes) {
const html = await render(route); // SSR generate HTML
await writeFile(`dist${route}/index.html`, html);
}
await generateSitemap(routes); // auto-update sitemap
}Related
Tutorials
Tools
FAQ
Common questions about this term.