# Deep Research

In Frase, research isn’t something you do *before* the real work starts. It **is** the real work.

Research is how you decide *what’s worth creating*, *how it should be structured*, and *where you actually have a chance to win*. Frase Research helps you understand what search engines expect, what competitors are doing well, and where opportunities exist that others haven’t captured yet.

### Why Research Comes First

Research helps you answer the right questions *before* you invest time writing.

* Is this topic even worth pursuing?
* What’s already working in this space?
* What does Google expect to see here?
* Where can my content do something better—or different?

That’s it. No guessing. No wasted effort.

### The Four Types of Research in Frase

Frase offers four distinct research types. Each one helps you answer a different strategic question before you write.

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<details>

<summary>Topic Research</summary>

**Use this when you’re deciding what to write about.**

Topic Research analyzes a keyword or idea at a high level so you can quickly judge demand and competitiveness.

It helps you:

* Validate ideas before committing
* Understand search interest
* See related questions and subtopics

{% hint style="success" %}
This is often where content planning begins.
{% endhint %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Competitor Analysis</summary>

**Use this when you want to understand what’s already working.**

Competitor Research analyzes specific websites and their content strategies.

It shows you:

* Top-performing pages
* Keywords competitors rank for
* Strengths and gaps in their content

{% hint style="success" %}
This helps you learn from real-world results, not assumptions.
{% endhint %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Gap Analysis</summary>

**Use this when you want to find opportunities you’re missing.**

Content Gap Research identifies topics and keywords competitors rank for that you don’t.

It’s especially useful for:

* Finding high-impact content ideas
* Expanding topical coverage
* Catching up—or pulling ahead

{% hint style="success" %}
Many teams start here to prioritize what to create next.
{% endhint %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>SERP Analysis</summary>

**Use this when you want to understand what Google wants to rank.**

SERP Research analyzes the top-ranking pages for a keyword to reveal patterns across winners.

It helps you identify:

* Common topics and headings
* Ideal content length
* Structural expectations

{% hint style="success" %}
This is how you align your content with real ranking behavior.
{% endhint %}

</details>

### Where Research Fits in the Content Workflow

Research is the first step in Frase’s content flow:

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### **Research**

You research to decide what matters.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Brief

You brief to plan structure and focus.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Content

You write with clarity and intent.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

### How Research Flows Into Briefs

Frase lets you move from research into briefs in two ways:

* You can intentionally research first, then create briefs using what you’ve learned.
* Or you can jump straight into creating a brief and let Frase research topics and competitors automatically in the background.

Either way, every brief is grounded in SERP insights—so writers (and AI) know what matters before drafting begins.

{% hint style="success" %}
**The result:** clearer briefs, fewer revisions, and content that starts aligned instead of hoping to get there later.
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