How to use the Competitor Keyword Gap agent skill

What is an agent skill, and what does competitor-gap do?

An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions that an AI agent (such as Claude) reads when a task matches the skill's description. Once installed, the agent follows the skill's workflow instead of improvising.

The competitor-gap skill finds keywords a competitor ranks for that your site doesn't. It then sorts them into three buckets: gaps, where you need new content; behind, where you rank but the competitor is at least 5 spots ahead, so you should improve an existing page; and ahead, where you already outrank them.

• Gap: competitor ranks in the top 20 and you have zero impressions. New content is needed.
• Behind: you both rank, but they are 5 or more spots ahead. Improve the existing page.
• Ahead: you outrank them. The skill reports this briefly as a strength to protect.
• Output: a verdict on the size of the gap, a gap table, a behind table, and a top-10 action list.

Install the skill from the ZIP

Download the ZIP for skills/competitor-gap from this page and unzip it. The skill is a single file, SKILL.md. Put the unzipped folder in one of these locations:

• Personal skills: ~/.claude/skills/ (available across your projects).
• Project skills: a .claude/skills/ folder inside your project (available only in that project).
• Claude apps: upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

Connect the required tools

The skill depends on the free Ryze MCP connector and on your Google Search Console connection. In Claude Code, add the connector with the command below. In claude.ai, Claude Desktop or Cursor, add it as a custom connector using the same URL.

The skill also uses DataForSEO tools available in your workspace. If DataForSEO is not exposed, it falls back to connected ahrefs or semrush providers. If none is available, the skill stops and tells you which connection is missing.

• Ryze MCP connector (free): https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp
• Google Search Console connection: required for your keyword data.
• DataForSEO tools or a connected ahrefs/semrush provider: required for competitor keyword data.

How to trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need a special command. Ask in plain language, and the agent will use the skill when your request matches its description. The skill is designed for requests such as the examples below.

Name the competitor's domain in your request. The skill works from the competitor's ranked keywords, so a clear domain helps.

• "What does competitor.com rank for?"
• "Keyword gap vs competitor.com"
• "Steal competitor keywords from competitor.com"
• "Why do they outrank us?"

What the output looks like

The skill starts with a verdict that states how big the gap is, in keywords and estimated traffic. It then gives a gap table (keyword, their position, volume, suggested page), a behind table (keyword, their position, your position, your page, fix), and a top-10 action list.

The skill labels which numbers are estimates and which are real. Competitor rankings and volumes are estimates from DataForSEO. Your impressions and positions come from your Search Console data.

• Competitor numbers: third-party estimates, which can differ from actual rankings.
• Your numbers: real data from Google Search Console, covering the last 90 days.
• Branded competitor terms are dropped unless you ask for comparison pages. If you do, they are listed separately as "vs / alternative" page candidates.

Safety notes: network use and scripts

According to the skill's metadata, it does not run scripts, but it does use the network. It calls the connected tools (Ryze, DataForSEO or ahrefs/semrush, and Google Search Console) to retrieve data. Review the connectors you authorize, since they are what send requests and return data.

Treat competitor figures as estimates rather than exact numbers when you plan content.

• Runs scripts: no.
• Uses network: yes, through the connected tools listed above.

Tips for getting useful results

Start with a competitor that directly competes for the same customers, so the gap list is relevant to your product. Review the priorities the skill suggests against your own knowledge of the product before writing anything.

Use the Behind bucket for quick wins: pages you already have that rank close to a competitor's page can often be improved rather than replaced.

• Choose a direct competitor for the most relevant gap list.
• Check that your Search Console connection covers the site you care about.
• Use the Behind bucket to find existing pages worth updating first.
• Ask for comparison pages explicitly if you want branded "vs" or "alternative" terms.