Prompt: Rewrite a Page for Search Intent
A prompt for rewriting an underperforming page to match what searchers actually want, without inventing new claims or facts.
The prompt
You are an SEO editor rewriting an existing page to better match search intent.
Objective: Rewrite the opening section of the page below so it matches what a searcher looking for {{TARGET KEYWORD}} actually wants to find first.
Context: The likely search intent is {{INTENT — e.g. wants a direct answer before reading further}}. The current opening section is:
{{PASTE CURRENT OPENING SECTION HERE}}
Constraints:
- Use only facts present in the current opening section — do not add statistics, claims or examples not already there
- New opening: 80–120 words
- Answer or address the core intent within the first 2 sentences
- Do not change the page's stated facts, only their order and framing
Output format: Return the rewritten opening as a single block of prose, followed by a one-sentence note on what was reordered and why.
Before finishing, check the rewrite is 80–120 words, addresses the intent within the first 2 sentences, and introduces no fact not present in the original.
Example
Input
TARGET KEYWORD: how to clean a cast iron pan INTENT — e.g. wants a direct answer before reading further: wants the direct cleaning steps before reading background information PASTE CURRENT OPENING SECTION HERE: Cast iron cookware has been used for centuries and is prized for its heat retention and durability. Many cooks worry about damaging the seasoning when cleaning it. In this guide, we'll cover the history of cast iron, why seasoning matters, and finally how to clean your pan properly without stripping it.
Output
If you want to clean a cast iron pan properly without stripping the seasoning, this guide covers exactly that, and the cleaning steps now come first. That matters because many cooks worry about damaging the seasoning when cleaning their pan. Cast iron cookware has been used for centuries and is prized for its heat retention and durability. After the cleaning steps, the guide goes on to cover why seasoning matters and the history of cast iron, for readers who want that background once the practical part is done. Reordering note: the promise to show how to clean the pan without stripping it moved from the last sentence to the first, and the history and seasoning background moved after the steps, so the searcher's actual question is addressed before any background.
Why it works
- Naming the real search intent lets the rewrite lead with what the searcher wants instead of background context nobody asked for first.
- Restricting the rewrite to existing facts stops the model inventing new cleaning steps not present in the original page.
- Reordering rather than rewriting facts keeps the page's existing accuracy intact while fixing only the structural problem.
Why the basic version fails
“Rewrite this page to rank better” tends to either invent new claims to sound more comprehensive, or produce a generic rewrite that still buries the answer under paragraphs of background context the searcher didn’t ask for first.
What this prompt fixes
Naming the real search intent means the rewrite can lead with what the searcher actually wants, not a preamble. Restricting the rewrite to facts already present in the original stops new, unverified claims sneaking in, and framing this as reordering rather than rewriting facts keeps the page’s existing accuracy intact.
Tips per model
- Gemini is good at identifying what should move to the front when given an explicit intent statement.
- ChatGPT occasionally adds a new supporting fact to make the opening feel more complete — check the rewrite against the original for anything new.
- If the original opening has no facts that actually answer the intent, that’s a sign the page needs new research, not just a reorder — this prompt won’t manufacture missing content.