If you’re part of a marketing team, you know content optimization is a necessary grind. It’s repetitive, time-consuming, and way too easy to let things slip through the cracks—or burn hours fiddling with the same five steps. The good news: you can automate a big chunk of your workflow using Frase. This isn’t about “AI magic” or setting-it-and-forgetting-it—just real, practical ways to get your team moving faster and avoid brain-melting busywork.
This guide breaks down how to actually automate content optimization in Frase. You’ll get the real steps, what’s worth your time, what’s not, and how to avoid common traps. If you’re responsible for content quality (and sanity) at a small or mid-sized company, this is for you.
Step 1: Map Out Your Actual Content Workflow (Don’t Skip This)
Before you start clicking around in Frase, take an honest look at your team’s real workflow. Write it down. Seriously—most teams think they have a process, but it’s usually half in someone’s head and half in a spreadsheet from last year.
Common steps include:
- Researching keywords and topics
- Creating content briefs
- Drafting (either in-house or outsourced)
- Optimizing for SEO and readability
- Reviewing and editing
- Publishing and tracking
Pro tip:
Don’t automate what’s not working. If your process is already a mess, automating it just makes the mess happen faster. Clean it up first.
Step 2: Set Up Your Frase Project and Templates
If you haven’t already, create a workspace in Frase for your team’s main content projects. This keeps everything organized, especially if you’re juggling multiple clients or brands.
Creating and Using Templates
Frase lets you build custom templates for briefs, outlines, or optimization checklists. Spend 30 minutes making templates that match your actual workflow. You’ll save hours later.
What actually matters in a template:
- Sections for primary/secondary keywords (don’t rely 100% on Frase’s suggestions)
- Competitor URLs for benchmarking
- Notes or voice guidelines specific to your brand
- Content structure (headings, word counts, CTAs)
What doesn’t:
Filling your template with pointless fields just because you can. Keep it tight and relevant.
Step 3: Automate Brief Creation With Frase’s Research Tools
This is where automation starts to pay off. Frase can scrape SERPs, analyze competitors, and pull together outlines in minutes.
How to Automate Brief Creation:
- Enter your target keyword: Frase will pull top results, common questions, related topics, and more.
- Use “Automated Brief” features: Frase can generate a draft brief with headings, questions, and key points. Don’t just accept it as-is—edit for clarity and relevance.
- Save as a template: If you like the structure, save it to use again.
What works:
Frase is solid for pulling competitor headings, FAQs, and giving you a quick sense of what’s ranking.
What doesn’t:
Blindly copying competitor outlines. Google cares about relevance, not your ability to remix what’s already out there. Use automation for grunt work, but add your own spin.
Step 4: Automate On-Page Optimization Suggestions
Frase’s Content Optimization tool is its bread and butter. It’ll scan your draft, compare it to top-ranking content, and spit out actionable suggestions.
How to Use It:
- Paste your draft into Frase’s editor or connect it to your existing content (Google Docs, CMS exports, etc.).
- Run the optimization: Frase analyzes keyword use, content gaps, and topic coverage.
- Review and apply suggestions: The tool will highlight missing topics, overused terms, and average word count.
What works:
- Quick identification of major gaps (e.g., you’re missing two big subtopics everyone else covers)
- Fast keyword density checks (without overdoing it)
What doesn’t:
- Obsessing over hitting every suggested keyword. You’ll end up with robotic content.
- Chasing a “Content Score” just for the number. Remember, readers aren’t grading you on a dashboard.
Step 5: Automate Internal Collaboration and Feedback
Content optimization isn’t just about keywords—it’s about getting feedback and edits fast, without endless Slack threads or lost Google Docs comments.
Frase Collaboration Features:
- Team Comments: Tag teammates directly in a doc for specific feedback.
- Assign tasks: Assign a piece for review or update, so people know what’s on their plate.
- Version Control: Frase keeps track of edits, so you’re not playing “which draft is latest?”
What works:
Using comments and assignments for clear, trackable feedback.
What doesn’t:
Relying on Frase for heavy-duty project management. Stick to your main PM tool (Asana, Trello, etc.) for deadlines and scope. Frase is best for content-specific feedback.
Step 6: Integrate With Other Tools to Eliminate Manual Steps
Automation isn’t just about what happens inside Frase. The real time-saver is connecting it to the rest of your stack so you’re not copying and pasting between tools.
Popular Integrations & Automations:
- Zapier: Connect Frase to Google Sheets, Trello, Slack, your CMS, etc.
- Example: When a Frase doc is marked “Ready,” automatically move a Trello card or ping your editor in Slack.
- Google Docs Export: Push optimized drafts directly to Google Docs for further editing or final review.
- WordPress Plugin: Publish straight to WordPress without downloading and re-uploading files.
What’s worth it:
Automating hand-offs (e.g., status updates, new draft notifications). Anything that cuts out busywork.
What’s not:
Trying to automate subjective review or human editing. No tool can replace an actual expert’s eyes.
Step 7: Set Up Reporting and Continuous Improvement
Automating reporting saves you from endless “how did this piece do?” emails.
Frase Reporting Features:
- Content Analytics: Track organic rankings, keyword growth, and traffic from within Frase.
- Shareable Reports: Generate simple reports for stakeholders without reinventing the wheel.
What works:
Automated monthly or quarterly reports. Keep them simple—focus on outcomes, not vanity stats.
What doesn’t:
Relying on Frase for deep analytics. Use Google Analytics/Search Console for the real numbers, but Frase is handy for high-level overviews.
What to Ignore (At Least for Now)
- AI-Generated Full Articles: Frase’s AI can draft articles, but they’re rarely publish-ready. Use it for outlines, intros, or getting past blank page syndrome—not as your main writer.
- Over-Optimization Tools: Don’t get lost in the weeds with every advanced suggestion. Focus on what actually moves rankings: clear structure, coverage of key topics, and quality writing.
- Automating Creativity: No tool can automate a good headline, a sharp hook, or an actual point of view. Use Frase to save time, not to cut corners.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Automating your content optimization workflow in Frase isn’t about flipping every switch all at once. Start with the steps above, see what actually saves you time, and skip what doesn’t fit your team. The best setups are usually the simplest—and get tweaked over time, not built in a day.
If you keep your process tight, clear, and focused on the real work, automation in Frase can give your team back hours a week—without turning your content into AI-flavored oatmeal. Try it, tweak it, and keep what works.