Your article has the
wrong shape.
Two articles can target the same keyword and rank vastly differently because one matches the shape readers and Google expect, and the other doesn't. Paste a keyword. See the dominant shape ranking. Compare yours.
Free. First detection runs without an account. Create a free account to save results and run it more often.
What this detector does.
Search intent is more than informational vs commercial. It's a specific expectation about the structure of the article that answers the query. We call that structure the article's shape.
Enter a keyword. The detector fetches the top 10 ranking results, reads each one, and classifies its shape using our 8-shape taxonomy.
You get back the dominant shape (and any secondary shapes) ranking for that query. If you also enter your own article URL, the detector classifies your shape and tells you the gap, plus the specific structural changes that would close it.
A listicle competing against a market full of deep guides loses. A comparison post in a market that wants tutorials loses. This is the rank gap nobody talks about.
The 8 content shapes.
Every article you've ever read has one of these underlying structures. They aren't categories the writer picked. They're patterns readers and search engines recognize. Once you can name them, you can choose them on purpose.
Deep guide
/guideOne comprehensive source of truth on a topic. Long. Authoritative. Often the only article a reader needs.
Tells: long word count, table of contents, "complete guide to" or "everything you need to know," covers sub-topics that smaller articles cover individually.
Listicle
/listA numbered or bulleted set of items, usually ranked or curated. Designed for skimming.
Tells: numeric title ("7 best..."), H2 headings that name items, short sections per item, often comparison features per item.
Comparison
/vsHead-to-head between two or three specific options. Reader is choosing between known alternatives.
Tells: "X vs Y" title, parallel structure, feature-by-feature comparison tables, explicit "winner" or "when to choose each."
Case study
/caseOne specific situation walked through end-to-end. Real numbers, real outcome, real lessons.
Tells: named subject (person, company, project), date range, before/after metrics, narrative arc, specific tactics with results.
Tutorial
/how-toStep-by-step instructions to accomplish a specific task. Reader has a goal and wants the path.
Tells: "How to" title, numbered steps, screenshots or code blocks, prerequisites section, expected outcome stated upfront.
Definition
/defineWhat a term means and how it's used. Short, surgical, often the quick answer Google promotes to a snippet.
Tells: "What is X" title, definition in the first paragraph, examples follow, often a "types of" section.
Roundup
/roundupCurated collection of external sources, experts, or examples. Author is the editor, not the source.
Tells: "X experts on..." or "X examples of..." title, named contributors, mostly excerpted material, light original commentary.
Opinion / Take
/takeArgumentative piece. Author has a thesis and defends it. Reader is here for a perspective.
Tells: provocative title, first-person voice, a clear thesis stated early, opposing views addressed, conclusion as a stance not a summary.
What a shape mismatch looks like.
Keyword: "how to start a content business". A real example of why the article you wrote isn't ranking.
8 of the top 10 results are deep guides
- ▸ 2,500+ word average length
- ▸ Table of contents with 8-12 sections
- ▸ Cover positioning, audience, monetization, distribution, tooling, all in one article
- ▸ First paragraphs frame the whole journey, not one specific step
Your article is a listicle
- ▸ 1,100 words, 7 items
- ▸ Each item gets one paragraph
- ▸ Wrong shape for someone asking "how to start" (a process question)
- ▸ Right shape for "tips to grow" (an enrichment question)
The fix: rewrite as a 2,500-word deep guide structured by stage of the journey (audience → positioning → first asset → distribution → monetization). Keep your 7 listicle items as sub-points inside the relevant stages. Same research, restructured to match the shape readers are looking for.
Who this is for.
Writers with an article that stalled in position 15-30 and can't figure out why the content "feels good but won't move."
Marketers deciding what shape to write before they start drafting. Better to pick the shape on purpose than discover the mismatch six months later.
SEO consultants explaining to clients why "the content is fine" isn't enough.
Niche site builders running content audits and looking for the lowest-effort fixes (shape changes often beat rewrites).
Questions people ask.
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The structural pattern of an article. Deep guide. Listicle. Comparison. Case study. Tutorial. Definition. Roundup. Opinion. Each shape sets reader expectations differently and ranks for different kinds of queries. Two articles with the same word count on the same keyword can be totally different shapes, and only one of them will rank.
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Most SERP analyzers give you keyword data: search volume, difficulty, related terms. They don't tell you what structure the ranking articles have. We do exactly that. We read each ranking page and classify its shape. The output is a shape recommendation, not a keyword list.
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Yes. Shape encodes what the reader is actually asking for. Someone Googling "how to start a content business" is asking a process question and expects a deep guide that walks them through it. Someone Googling "best content business tools" is asking for a comparison or listicle and will bounce from a deep guide. Match the shape and you can rank with weaker domain authority. Mismatch the shape and even great writing won't crack the top 10.
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Yes. The detector just does it faster and more consistently than scrolling through 10 articles. Once you know the 8 shapes, you can spot them in 30 seconds per result. We built the tool because we got tired of doing it manually for every client.
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Yes. First run needs no signup. Three reruns per month if you give us your email. Ten or more per month with a free account. The paid SitePerfector product folds shape detection into a full content engine across your whole site.
Pick the shape on purpose
before you write.
Free account. Magic-link signup. Run the detector across your editorial calendar before you commit a writer to a draft.