SEO tools are crucial—but they’re not cheap.

Especially the good ones.

Tools like Surfer SEO work well, but they come with a hefty price tag.

What if there was a smarter way to get those insights?

Google’s NotebookLM might just be the answer.

What is Google’s NotebookLM and how does it work?

Google’s NotebookLM is more than just an AI tool.

It’s like having a smart research assistant right by your side.

Powered by Google’s Gemini 1.5, NotebookLM can take in a ton of information—up to 50 sources at 200 MB each.

This means you can load up competitor blogs, research reports, articles—whatever you need to analyze.

And here’s the standout part: you can “chat” with your uploaded documents.

Imagine needing a quick answer about a topic or wanting a summary of trends across competitors.

Just type your question, and NotebookLM finds the answer, along with clickable citations that take you straight to the source.

Perfect for in-depth SEO research!

But there’s more.

NotebookLM doesn’t just help you collect data; it supports something called Correlational SEO.

This means it can help you benchmark your own blog post against high-ranking competitor content.

By understanding what works in top posts, you can create content that has a real shot at ranking well.

Using NotebookLM for Correlational SEO: Adding competitor URLs

Getting started with Correlational SEO in NotebookLM is simple.

But you want to be strategic.

Start by gathering a list of competitor URLs.

Look for blogs or articles that rank well for your main keywords.

Don’t overlook smaller sites with lower authority. They might have strategies that are working really well, despite their lower rankings.

Once you have a list, add each URL to open a new Notebook and upload your selected URLs and let NotebookLM organize them.

Now you’re all set.

NotebookLM is ready to dig into these sources, analyze them, and help you understand what’s working in your niche.

This is where the magic begins.

Running the analysis in NotebookLM

With your competitor URLs loaded, it’s time to run an in-depth analysis.

This is where NotebookLM shines, breaking down each competitor’s approach and revealing exactly what’s helping them rank.

Use the below prompt to guide NotebookLM through the analysis.

This will help you get detailed insights that you can apply directly to your own content:

Analyze the competitor blog posts I provided, and provide the following insights to write my own blog post on the topic: [TOPIC NAME]

- Word Count: What is the average word count, and what should my blog length be to compete?
- Target Audience: Who are these posts targeting (e.g., beginners, professionals)? Analyze tone, terminology, and complexity.
- Pain Points & Solutions: Identify key problems these blogs address and how they provide solutions.
- Introduction Style: How do these posts hook the reader (e.g., storytelling, data, direct approach)?
- Content Structure & Headings: How is content organized? Break down use of headings, subheadings, and formatting.
- Primary & Secondary Keywords: Identify the main and secondary keywords and how they’re integrated naturally.
- Recurring Topics/Themes: List recurring themes, products, or topics mentioned across all posts.
- Statistics & Data: Note frequently used statistics or data points and how they support the content.
- Internal & External Linking: Analyze internal and external linking strategies. How do they contribute to SEO?
- LSI or TF-IDF Keywords: Identify LSI or TF-IDF keywords and how they improve topical relevance.

Finally, create an outline for my blog post based on these findings, with subheadings and key points to cover under each section to ensure competitiveness.

With this prompt, NotebookLM gets to work.

It breaks down the competitor content’s word count, audience targeting, keywords, structure, and much more.

By the end, you’ll have a clear list of what’s needed to create a competitive post in your niche.

And if you’re short on time?

Ask NotebookLM to provide a full blog outline based on competitor content.

It’ll set you up with optimized headings, subheadings, keywords, and recurring themes. All you have to do is add your unique insights.

Benchmarking an existing blog post with NotebookLM

If you already have a blog post on the topic, you can also use NotebookLM to improve it.

By benchmarking your post against competitors, you’ll get a clear idea of where your content can improve.

Use the below prompt to guide the analysis:

Benchmark my existing blog post against these competitor posts. Identify any gaps in word count, tone, keywords, and structure. Provide recommendations on how I can enhance my post to improve relevance and ranking potential.

NotebookLM will check your content against competitors’ posts, looking at:

• Word count to see if it needs expansion
• Content gaps that could be filled with new keywords or themes
• Structure and tone to ensure you’re meeting audience needs

This gives you a targeted roadmap to update and refine your existing post, ensuring it hits all the right notes to compete with similar content.

Crafting the blog post with NotebookLM and ChatGPT

Once NotebookLM has given you a well-structured outline, you’re ready to dive into writing.

Here’s how to bring your content together using ChatGPT:

• Review and refine the outline: Ensure it aligns with your goals and topic before proceeding
• Use ChatGPT for section expansion: Input each outline section along with NotebookLM’s research data into ChatGPT.
• Add personal touch: Incorporate your own insights and experiences as ChatGPT expands each section to make the content more engaging
• Set word count targets: Establish section-specific word counts to maintain focus and readability
• Refine and enhance: Review ChatGPT’s output, adding examples, personal insights, and additional resources as needed

Also, don’t forget to link to related articles you’ve written.

This approach brings together the best of NotebookLM’s research power and ChatGPT’s creative assistance, helping you create content that truly stands out.

Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with!