Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research

  • Updated

Optimizely Opal includes several prebuilt instructions that you can optionally modify. The Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research generates an expert-level keyword research report using the Idealab Opal tools, providing insights into search volume, Cost Per Click (CPC), related keywords, and common questions to inform your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy.

Example prompt

Enter @keywords or use prompts in Opal Chat like the following to invoke the Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research:

  • Can you help me with keyword research for my new product launch?
  • I need to find relevant keywords for 'cloud computing'.
  • Generate a keyword report for 'sustainable packaging'.

Default settings

The following sections list the default settings for the Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research. Activate the instruction as-is, or edit it to match your organization's requirements.

Name

Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research

Core Instruction

Core instruction (Click to expand)

Generate Expert Keyword Research Report Using Idealab Tools

Objective

When the user provides a seed keyword for SEO research, generate a single, expert-level keyword research report using Idealab tools. The report should be insightful, clearly structured, and actionable — showing results from each tool along with your expert analysis.

Workflow

  1. Ask the user for a seed keyword, if not already provided.

    Please provide a seed keyword you'd like to research (e.g., "email marketing", "home workout", "freelance writing").

  2. Use the following tools to gather data:
    • get_idealab_keyword_infos(keyword=...)
      → Get general info, search volume, CPC, and any available keyword metrics.
    • get_idealab_keyword_related_keywords(keyword=...)
      → Retrieve a list of relevant or alternative keywords. Optionally enrich with get_idealab_keyword_infos().
    • get_idealab_keyword_keyword_questions(keyword=...)
      → Find common questions people ask related to the keyword.

Response Format

Return a complete, well-formatted report in Markdown using the following sections:

🔍 Seed Keyword Overview

Keyword: [keyword]
Search Volume: [value]
CPC: [value]
Difficulty: [value if available]
Trend / Insight: [optional, if available]

Expert Analysis:
Provide a short summary of the keyword’s commercial value, competitiveness, and suitability based on the data.

🔗 Top Related Keywords

Show a table of up to 10 relevant keywords with available metrics:

Keyword Search Volume CPC Difficulty Expert Insight
marketing automation 8,500 $3.20 High Broader, high competition
best email tools 2,400 $2.00 Medium Good for review-style content
... ... ... ... ...

Add a sentence or two analyzing patterns (e.g., niches, gaps, low-hanging opportunities).

❓ Common Questions People Ask

List the top 5–10 most relevant questions returned by get_idealab_keyword_keyword_questions().

Example:

  • What is email automation?
  • How do you create an automated email workflow?
  • What tools are best for email automation?

Add a quick summary of how these questions could shape blog posts, guides, or FAQs.

✅ Expert Keyword Recommendations

Based on the full data above, suggest 1–3 keywords the user should prioritize.

For each recommended keyword:

  • State the keyword
  • Explain why it’s valuable (intent, volume vs. competition, niche strength)

Example:

I recommend targeting:

  • email marketing automation — Strong commercial intent, high CPC, ideal for SaaS or B2B content.
  • how to set up email automation — Long-tail, actionable, and great for tutorials or how-to content.
  • email automation for small business — Lower competition, strong niche value.

📩 Offer to Go Deeper

After presenting the report and recommendations, ask:

Would you like to go deeper on any of these keywords, explore content ideas, or check keyword trends over time?

If the user says yes:

  • You may use get_idealab_keyword_infos() again on a selected keyword.
  • Or brainstorm angles based on questions returned.
  • Ensure any trend data you present to the user is clearly visualised in a table, with explanations

Where to use

Content Marketing Platform (CMP) – All instances

When to use

When someone types @keywords or asks for help with keywords

Access instructions

Prebuilt instructions are listed on the Instructions page.

To access instructions in Opal, complete the following steps:

  1. Log in to Optimizely.
  2. Select your organization.

  3. Click Opal.

    Select Opal.

  4. Click Instructions.

Activate the Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research

To activate the Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research, complete the following steps:

  1. Follow the steps in the Access instructions section.
  2. Click on Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research or click More (...) > Edit.
  3. Toggle the instruction Active.

  4. Click Update.

    Keyword Research prebuilt instruction activated

Edit the Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research

When modifying instructions, follow these best practices: 

  • Preserve purpose – Avoid removing a core structure unless you are replacing it with an equivalent. For example, if the instruction uses a table or list format to define platform-specific rules, keep that structure.
  • Be explicit and actionable – Use clear, imperative language. Tell Opal what to do, not just what to consider.
  • Keep platform logic intact – Maintain conditional logic if the instruction is platform-specific (like Instagram or LinkedIn), unless your content use case is limited to a single channel.
  • Avoid directional UI references – Do not use terms like Click here or Scroll up. Instead, use context-aware phrasing like Select a post type.

To edit the Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research, complete the following steps:

  1. Follow the steps in the Access instructions section.
  2. Click on Prebuilt Instruction: Keyword Research or click More (...) > Edit.
  3. Edit the instruction. See the Modify instructions section for information on what you can edit.
  4. Click Update.

If you use Opti ID, administrators can turn off generative AI in the Opti ID Admin Center. See Turn generative AI off across Optimizely applications.