Category: The Content Engine

What Small SEO Agencies Actually Do

A $2,000/month SEO retainer typically covers: weekly competitive keyword monitoring, monthly rank tracking, keyword gap analysis against 3-5 competitors, content brief creation, and a monthly report. That’s the job. SpyFu handles the data layer. Claude handles the interpretation and content strategy. DataForSEO handles rank tracking. This kit wires them together into a system you run yourself in about 45 minutes per week.

The Stack

• SpyFu Pro ($79/mo) — competitor keyword intelligence, PPC ad history, 10+ years of historical data, API access
• Claude Pro ($20/mo) — interprets the data, writes content briefs, identifies opportunities, generates competitive analysis narratives
• DataForSEO (~$30/mo) — automated weekly rank tracking for your target keywords, stored in Notion

Total: ~$130/month. Everything a boutique SEO agency provides, run by you.

What’s Included

• Complete stack setup guide — SpyFu + Claude + DataForSEO configured, authenticated, and connected to Notion
• Weekly competitive audit workflow — 45-minute documented process from SpyFu data pull to prioritized action list
• Keyword gap analysis workflow — identify and prioritize the keywords your top 3 competitors rank for that you don’t. Includes SpyFu Kombat tool tutorial and Claude prompt for interpreting the gap list
• Content brief generator — SpyFu competitor data → Claude → a complete, publishable content brief in 10 minutes
• Rank tracking setup — DataForSEO automated weekly rank pulls stored in Notion with trend visualization
• Monthly competitive report template — client-ready or internal presentation format, auto-populated from Notion data
• Python scripts for all automated data pulls — SpyFu domain overview, keyword rankings, DataForSEO rank checks

Who This Is For

Business owners who are paying $1,500-$3,000/month for SEO services and want to understand whether they’re getting value — and potentially do it themselves. In-house marketers who want a structured competitive intelligence system that doesn’t require an agency. Agencies who want to build this workflow into their own client delivery at scale.

FAQ

Is this actually a replacement for a good SEO agency?

For most small businesses: yes. A good boutique SEO agency at $2,000/month is doing exactly what this kit documents. For enterprise sites with complex technical SEO needs, active link building campaigns, and large content programs — no, you need dedicated resources. But for a local business, a growing ecommerce store, or a service business with 5-50 pages, this stack covers the core work.

How much time does the weekly workflow take?

About 45 minutes once set up. Data pulls are automated. The human time is reviewing the Notion dashboard, running the Claude keyword gap analysis, and deciding which actions to take.

Do I need technical skills to set this up?

Basic comfort with running Python scripts and following a setup guide. The initial setup takes 3-4 hours. After that it runs automatically and the weekly workflow is mostly reviewing dashboards and running Claude prompts.

How is this delivered?

To your inbox within 24 hours. ZIP file with all Python scripts, the Notion template duplicate link, Claude prompt library, and the complete setup guide.

The Problem With Manual Competitive Research

You know you should be monitoring competitors regularly. You rarely do, because it takes 45 minutes to log into SpyFu, run the searches, note the changes, and put them somewhere useful. This system does all of that automatically and deposits a structured report in Notion every Monday before you start your week.

What You Get

• Notion database template with competitor profiles, tracked keyword rankings, weekly change logs, and ad activity sections — pre-structured and ready to populate
• Google Apps Script automation (completely free) that authenticates with the SpyFu API, pulls weekly data for your tracked domains, and writes results to your Notion database automatically
• Competitor profile pages with historical ranking trend views — see which direction each competitor is moving
• Alert rules that flag competitors who gained 10 or more positions on your tracked keywords — the moves worth paying attention to
• Client-ready report templates that pull from the Notion database and format into a presentation-ready competitive summary
• Setup guide — running end-to-end in under 2 hours, no developer required

How It Works

You set up the Google Apps Script once (the setup guide takes you through it step by step). You add your competitor domains and target keywords to the Notion database. Every Sunday night, the script runs automatically, pulls the latest SpyFu data, and writes structured records to Notion. Monday morning, your competitive dashboard is already updated.

Requires SpyFu Pro plan ($79/mo) for API access. Requires a free Notion account and a free Google account for Apps Script. No ongoing fees beyond your SpyFu subscription.

FAQ

How hard is the setup?

Under 2 hours following the guide. The hardest part is getting your SpyFu API key, which takes 5 minutes. The Google Apps Script setup has screenshots for every step. The Notion template is pre-built — you duplicate it and add your domains.

Do I need a paid Notion account?

No. The template works on Notion’s free tier. If you have a lot of competitor domains and keyword history, a Notion Plus account ($10/mo) gives you more block space, but it’s not required to get started.

What happens if SpyFu changes their API?

The kit includes plain-English documentation of how each query works, so you can update the endpoint calls if needed. SpyFu’s API has been stable for years, but if something breaks, email will@tygartmedia.com and we’ll send you an updated version.

The Problem With API Documentation

SpyFu’s API documentation tells you what’s available. It doesn’t tell you which endpoints actually matter, how to authenticate correctly, what the response objects look like, or how to store and act on the data. Most developers spend a full day getting their first working query. Most marketers never get there at all. This kit skips all of that.

What You Get

• Python code for 5 core endpoints: domain overview, organic keyword rankings, competitor keywords, PPC ad history, and keyword metrics — with authentication, error handling, and sample output
• JavaScript (Node.js) equivalents for all 5 — same endpoints, same structure, same comments
• Authenticated query templates ready to run against any domain — swap in the domain, run the script, get data
• Notion database template for storing and organizing results — competitor profiles, keyword tracking, ad history logs
• Weekly competitive audit automation guide — schedule pulls, store results incrementally, track ranking changes over time using Google Apps Script (free)
• DataForSEO integration example — combining SpyFu competitor data with DataForSEO rank tracking for a complete picture
• Plain-English explanation of every endpoint, every field, and what the data actually means

Who This Is For

Marketers who want to pull SpyFu data into spreadsheets, Notion, or custom dashboards without building from scratch. Developers who want working code instead of documentation. Operators who want to automate weekly competitive pulls without hiring anyone to build it.

Requires SpyFu Pro plan ($79/mo) for API access. Works with Python 3.8+ and Node.js 16+. No prior API experience required — the setup guide assumes you’re starting from zero.

FAQ

Do I need to know how to code?

Basic familiarity with running a Python or JavaScript script is helpful. The setup guide walks through installing dependencies and running your first query from zero. If you can open a terminal and run a command, you can use this kit.

Which SpyFu plan do I need?

SpyFu Pro at $79/month. The Basic plan ($39/mo) doesn’t include API access. Pro includes $100 in API credits per month — more than enough for weekly competitive pulls on multiple domains.

Can I use this without Notion?

Yes. The Python and JavaScript code outputs JSON that you can send anywhere — a spreadsheet, a database, a Slack webhook. The Notion template is the recommended storage layer but not required.

How is this delivered?

To your inbox within 24 hours of purchase. ZIP file containing all code files, the Notion template duplicate link, and the setup guide PDF.

2026 Pricing — Full Matrix

Feature Matrix by Use Case

Recommended Stacks by Budget

Under $100/mo: SpyFu Pro ($79) + Claude Pro ($20) = $99/mo. Best competitor intelligence at this price combined with an AI layer that interprets the data. Beats any single tool under $250/mo for daily operational intelligence.

Under $200/mo: SpyFu Basic ($39) + Moz Pro Standard ($99) + Claude Pro ($20) = $158/mo. Competitor research + domain authority tracking + site health + AI. Covers 90% of small agency workflows.

Under $300/mo: SpyFu Pro ($79) + Ahrefs Lite ($129) + Claude Pro ($20) = $228/mo. Full stack: competitor intelligence, backlink analysis, and AI interpretation. Covers everything except content toolkit.

The Honest Verdict

Semrush and Ahrefs are excellent tools. The question is whether the premium is justified for your specific workflow. Most small businesses use 20% of features on a $249/month plan. SpyFu covers the 20% that matters most — competitor intelligence — at a third of the price. Claude covers the interpretation layer none of the traditional tools provide. That combination beats any single tool at any price for operators who don’t have time to become full-time SEO analysts.

Bottom Line

SpyFu is built for competitor intelligence. Moz Pro is built for site health management. If you only have budget for one, choose based on your primary need. If you have budget for both: SpyFu Basic ($39) + Moz Pro Standard ($99) = $138/mo — roughly the same as Semrush Pro alone, which does both less well.

2026 Pricing

SpyFu Wins On

• Competitor research — SpyFu was built for this. Moz’s competitor tools are secondary features.
• PPC and paid search intelligence — SpyFu tracks competitor ad history and spend estimates. Moz Pro doesn’t.
• Historical keyword data — A decade-plus of competitor keyword histories with no Moz equivalent.

Moz Pro Wins On

• Domain Authority metric — Moz DA is the most widely referenced domain strength metric. If clients, partners, or editorial standards reference DA, you need Moz.
• Site auditing — Moz Pro’s crawl is excellent. Medium plan crawls 2M pages/month — more than comparable Semrush tiers.
• On-page optimization scoring — Specific, prioritized recommendations for improving individual pages.

Best Combined Stack

SpyFu Basic ($39/mo) + Moz Pro Standard ($99/mo) + Claude Pro ($20/mo) = $158/mo. Competitor intelligence + domain authority tracking + site management + AI interpretation. Better than Semrush Pro at $139.95/mo for most small business workflows.

FAQ

Which is better for a small business just starting with SEO?

Moz Pro Starter at $49/mo for understanding your own site performance. Add SpyFu Basic when you’re ready to research competitors systematically.

Is Moz Domain Authority still relevant in 2026?

Yes. Despite competitor metrics (Ahrefs DR, Semrush Authority Score), Moz DA remains the most commonly referenced metric in link building outreach, client reporting, and editorial standards.

Does SpyFu track domain authority?

SpyFu has its own domain strength metrics but does not use Moz DA. If DA is important to your workflow, you need Moz or a tool that pulls Moz data.

Bottom Line

Semrush is the most comprehensive all-in-one SEO platform. SpyFu is the best competitor intelligence tool for the money. For most small businesses and independent operators, SpyFu covers the core workflows at a fraction of the cost — and SpyFu Pro ($79/mo) + Claude ($20/mo) = $99/mo beats Semrush Pro ($139.95/mo) for daily competitive intelligence.

2026 Pricing

The Hidden Cost of Semrush

One user per account — adding a second costs $45-$100/month. API access requires Business at $499.95/mo. Historical data requires Guru at $249.95/mo. A working multi-user agency setup with API and history costs $600-$800+/month on Semrush alone.

SpyFu Wins On

• Value per dollar — SpyFu Pro gives API and unlimited data at $79/mo. Semrush requires $499.95/mo for API access.
• PPC competitor intelligence — SpyFu’s paid search data is deeper and historically richer at comparable tiers.
• Historical data access — 10+ year keyword history at $79/mo vs $249.95/mo on Semrush.
• Rank tracking volume — SpyFu Pro tracks 15,000 keywords. Semrush Pro tracks 500 keywords at nearly double the price.

Semrush Wins On

• All-in-one breadth — SEO + PPC + social + content + local + brand monitoring in one platform.
• Content marketing toolkit — Topic research, SEO writing assistant, content audit. No SpyFu equivalent.
• Local SEO tools — Dedicated local SEO features not available in SpyFu.

FAQ

Does SpyFu track rankings?

Yes. SpyFu Pro includes tracking for up to 15,000 keywords. Semrush Pro tracks 500 at $139.95/mo — SpyFu tracks 30x more for 56% less.

Is Semrush worth it for a small business?

At Guru ($249.95/mo) or higher, Semrush becomes genuinely powerful. At Pro ($139.95/mo), you’re paying premium pricing for limited features. SpyFu covers the core competitor research use case for $60-$100/mo less.

What does Semrush have that SpyFu doesn’t?

Content marketing toolkit, local SEO tools, social media management, brand monitoring, and more comprehensive site auditing. If you need those, Semrush is right. If you primarily need competitor intelligence, SpyFu saves $60-$420/month.

Bottom Line

For competitor keyword and PPC research, SpyFu wins at every price tier. For backlink analysis and content research at scale, Ahrefs is better — but only at Standard ($249/mo) or higher. For most small businesses: SpyFu Pro ($79/mo) + Claude Pro ($20/mo) beats both at $99/mo total.

2026 Pricing

SpyFu Wins On

• Competitor keyword research — SpyFu was built for this. 10+ years of competitor history at $79/mo.
• PPC ad history — SpyFu’s competitor ad database is unmatched at this price. See every ad a competitor has run, how long they ran it, and what keywords triggered it.
• API access cost — SpyFu includes API at $79/mo. Ahrefs requires $249/mo minimum for comparable access.
• Value per dollar — SpyFu Pro at $79/mo gives unlimited searches, unlimited exports, and 10+ years of data. Ahrefs Lite at $129/mo gives you 5 projects and no Content Explorer.

Ahrefs Wins On

• Backlink database — Larger, more frequently updated, more comprehensive. Essential for serious link building.
• Content Explorer — Billion-page research database for finding content opportunities. Requires Standard ($249/mo).
• Technical site auditing — More comprehensive than SpyFu’s technical tools.
• Data freshness — Backlinks updated every 15-30 minutes at higher tiers.

The Stack That Beats Both

SpyFu Pro ($79) + Claude Pro ($20) + DataForSEO for rank data (~$30) = $129/month. Competitor intelligence, AI interpretation, and rank tracking for less than Ahrefs Lite alone. The difference: instead of a dashboard, you have Claude telling you what to do with the data.

FAQ

Is Ahrefs Starter worth it?

For most use cases, no. It’s heavily limited to 1 project and capped reports. Lite at $129/mo is the real Ahrefs entry point.

Does SpyFu have an API?

Yes, included from the Pro plan ($79/mo). Programmatic access to domain data, keyword rankings, and competitor overlap.

Can I use both SpyFu and Ahrefs together?

Yes — SpyFu for competitor/PPC research, Ahrefs for backlinks. Many professional SEOs do this. Combined cost is $128-$208/mo, still less than Ahrefs Standard alone.

Who This Is For

Built for consultants, agencies, freelancers, and service businesses who spend hours writing proposals that should take minutes — and lose deals while their proposal is still being drafted.

The Problem

Speed matters in proposal writing. The business that responds with a professional, complete proposal within 24 hours of a conversation has a material advantage over the one that takes a week. Most service businesses take a week because writing proposals is slow, tedious work that requires assembling the same components in slightly different form for every engagement. This skill makes it fast.

What It Does

• Executive summary: frames the client’s problem and your solution in the language that wins deals
• Detailed scope of work: included deliverables, excluded deliverables, and assumptions — the clarity that prevents disputes later
• Timeline with milestones and key dependencies
• Investment summary with payment schedule options
• Terms and conditions framework covering intellectual property, revisions, and termination
• Professional cover letter you can personalize before sending

What You Get

The complete skill file in Claude-compatible format, a prompt library specific to the use case, and a setup guide that gets you running in under five minutes. After purchase, everything downloads instantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the skill write the proposal in my voice?

The output is professional and neutral by default. For a version tuned to your specific voice and positioning, consider The Fitting — the overnight Claude deployment service — which includes voice calibration as part of the setup.

Can I use this for different engagement types?

Yes — the skill adapts to the engagement you describe. Fixed-price projects, retainers, hourly engagements, and hybrid models all produce different scope and investment structures.

How long does a complete proposal take to generate?

Under ten minutes for a typical engagement. The skill asks clarifying questions for anything that is ambiguous, then generates all six sections in one output.

How is this delivered?

Within 24 hours of purchase via email from will@tygartmedia.com. Skill file, prompt library, and setup guide delivered as a ZIP download.

Does this require a paid Claude subscription?

A Claude account is required. The free tier works for light use. Claude Pro ($20/mo) is recommended for regular use. The skill works with both.

Can I get a custom version built for my specific business?

Yes. Email will@tygartmedia.com with a description of your business and workflows. Custom skill builds are available as part of The Fitting service.

Who This Is For

Built for business owners and operators who want to run a structured weekly review but keep skipping it because assembling the inputs takes longer than the review itself.

The Problem

The weekly business review is one of the highest-leverage operating habits a business owner can build. Fifteen minutes with the right data tells you whether you are on track, what is blocked, what decisions need to be made, and what matters most this week. The problem is that most owners skip it because pulling together the numbers, the wins, the issues, and the priorities from wherever they live is itself a 30-minute task. This skill makes it a two-minute input.

What It Does

• Weekly revenue and pipeline summary — actual vs. target, current vs. prior period
• Top wins and completed deliverables — what got done and what it means
• Open issues and blockers with owner and status — nothing falls through
• Key decisions needed this week — surfaces them explicitly so they get made
• Priorities for the coming week, ranked by impact
• Team pulse check summary — a lightweight read on how the team is doing

What You Get

The complete skill file in Claude-compatible format, a prompt library specific to the use case, and a setup guide that gets you running in under five minutes. After purchase, everything downloads instantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What inputs do I need to provide?

Whatever you have — revenue numbers, a list of wins, a brain dump of issues, your priorities. The skill accepts messy input and formats it into a clean review document. The input template guides you through what to include.

How long does the review document take to generate?

Under five minutes once you have your weekly inputs. The skill formats and organizes. You review and decide.

Can I share the review document with my team?

Yes. The output is a clean document you can copy into Notion, email, or share in Slack. Several owners use it as their weekly team standup agenda.

How is this delivered?

Within 24 hours of purchase via email from will@tygartmedia.com. Skill file, prompt library, and setup guide delivered as a ZIP download.

Does this require a paid Claude subscription?

A Claude account is required. The free tier works for light use. Claude Pro ($20/mo) is recommended for regular use. The skill works with both.

Can I get a custom version built for my specific business?

Yes. Email will@tygartmedia.com with a description of your business and workflows. Custom skill builds are available as part of The Fitting service.

Who This Is For

Built for consultants, agencies, and service business owners who want every new client to feel like they hired a firm three times their size — starting from the first document they receive.

The Problem

Client onboarding is a first impression that most service businesses give too little attention. The engagement is sold. The contract is signed. And then the client waits — sometimes days — for documentation that tells them what happens next, who to contact, what to expect, and when. That wait erodes confidence. A professional, complete onboarding package delivered within hours of signing tells a different story about how you operate.

What It Does

• Welcome letter personalized to the client, the engagement, and the first milestone
• Project brief: scope, goals, success metrics, and how you will measure them
• Communication preferences document: primary channels, expected response times, escalation path
• Key contacts and responsibilities matrix — who owns what on both sides
• Deliverables list with timeline and owner assigned
• Client first-week checklist: what you need from them and when

What You Get

The complete skill file in Claude-compatible format, a prompt library specific to the use case, and a setup guide that gets you running in under five minutes. After purchase, everything downloads instantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this for different types of service engagements?

Yes — the skill adapts the onboarding package to whatever engagement type you describe. A retainer engagement gets different documentation than a project-based one.

How long does it take to generate a complete onboarding package?

Under ten minutes from intake notes to complete package. The skill asks a few clarifying questions if needed, then generates all six documents in one output.

Can I white-label this for client delivery?

Yes. The output is yours to use however you like. Add your letterhead, your brand, your signature. The content is generated for your specific engagement.

How is this delivered?

Within 24 hours of purchase via email from will@tygartmedia.com. Skill file, prompt library, and setup guide delivered as a ZIP download.

Does this require a paid Claude subscription?

A Claude account is required. The free tier works for light use. Claude Pro ($20/mo) is recommended for regular use. The skill works with both.

Can I get a custom version built for my specific business?

Yes. Email will@tygartmedia.com with a description of your business and workflows. Custom skill builds are available as part of The Fitting service.