usulpro
/
banatie-strategy
1
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull Requests Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity

Compare commits

base: usulpro:0a7697c2dde2d7d9266a97676d998ae431d64610
Branches Tags
usulpro:master
usulpro:research
..
compare: usulpro:fc744943f77530363e51239fe26d6350c22cdd2a
Branches Tags
usulpro:master
usulpro:research

No commits in common. "0a7697c2dde2d7d9266a97676d998ae431d64610" and "fc744943f77530363e51239fe26d6350c22cdd2a" have entirely different histories.
0a7697c2dd ... fc744943f7

4 changed files with 109 additions and 325 deletions
Show Stats Expand all files Collapse all files

23
INDEX.md
View File

@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
# Banatie Strategy Documentation Index # Banatie Strategy Documentation Index
**Last Updated:** January 2, 2026 **Last Updated:** December 30, 2025
**Total Documents:** 20 (numbered in strategy/execution) + research (prefixed) **Total Documents:** 19 (numbered in strategy/execution) + research (prefixed)
**Next Available Number:** 20 **Next Available Number:** 19
**Project Stage:** Pre-launch / MVP Development **Project Stage:** Pre-launch / MVP Development
--- ---
@ -34,9 +34,7 @@
- 17 - Week 1 Launch Checklist - 17 - Week 1 Launch Checklist
- 18 - Production Infrastructure - 18 - Production Infrastructure
- 19 - Placeholder SEO Sprint **Next to assign:** 19
**Next to assign:** 20
--- ---
@ -58,8 +56,7 @@
- [Pricing Strategy](execution/10-pricing-strategy.md) - [Pricing Strategy](execution/10-pricing-strategy.md)
- [Validation Plan](execution/08-validation-plan.md) - [Validation Plan](execution/08-validation-plan.md)
**For SEO & Content:** ⭐ ACTIVE **For SEO & Content:** ⭐ NEW
- [Placeholder SEO Sprint](execution/19-placeholder-seo-sprint.md) - Current sprint plan ⭐
- [SEO Keyword Research: Placeholder Images](research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md) - Entry point cluster - [SEO Keyword Research: Placeholder Images](research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md) - Entry point cluster
- [Research Index](research/INDEX.md) - All research documentation - [Research Index](research/INDEX.md) - All research documentation
@ -198,12 +195,6 @@ Includes: Pre-launch checklist, launch day schedule, Reddit/Discord copy templat
Status: ✅ Live Status: ✅ Live
Includes: VPS setup, Cloudflare config, SEO, Analytics, Performance metrics Includes: VPS setup, Cloudflare config, SEO, Analytics, Performance metrics
**[19 - Placeholder SEO Sprint](execution/19-placeholder-seo-sprint.md)** (Jan 2, 2026) ⭐ ACTIVE
*Capture 31K+ monthly placeholder image searches*
Status: 🔄 Active Sprint
Tracks: Landing page `/placeholder-images`, Docs `/docs/placeholders/`, Homepage quick wins
Target: Zero-KD keywords + 14,800 vol main keyword
### Technical Documentation ### Technical Documentation
**[12 - Current Tech State](execution/12-the-current-tech-state.md)** (v1.0, Nov 1) **[12 - Current Tech State](execution/12-the-current-tech-state.md)** (v1.0, Nov 1)
@ -426,5 +417,5 @@ research/seo-keyword-research-*.md → ROADMAP.md (Content Sprint) → blog arti
--- ---
**Last maintained by:** @men **Last maintained by:** @men
**Version:** 4.3 (Placeholder SEO Sprint added Jan 2, 2026) **Version:** 4.2 (Project Knowledge integration docs added Dec 29-30)
**Next review:** End of Placeholder SEO Sprint (mid-January 2026) **Next review:** After Content Marketing Sprint (January 2025)

174
ROADMAP.md
View File

@ -15,13 +15,11 @@
## 🎯 Current Status ## 🎯 Current Status
**Phase:** Pre-launch / Full Stack Deployed **Phase:** Pre-launch / Full Stack Deployed (Testing WIP)
**Sprint:** Placeholder SEO Sprint ⭐ ACTIVE (Track A remaining) **Sprint:** Production Infrastructure + Testing
**Focus:** Capture 31K+ monthly placeholder image searches **Focus:** API Testing + SEO Foundation + Content Marketing Prep
**Next Task:** Create landing page `/placeholder-images` **Next Milestone:** Customer Interviews + Content Marketing
**Last Updated:** January 5, 2026 **Last Updated:** December 30, 2025
**See:** [19-placeholder-seo-sprint.md](execution/19-placeholder-seo-sprint.md)
--- ---
@ -43,67 +41,59 @@
- [x] **Master API key generated** - [x] **Master API key generated**
- [x] **Caddy reverse proxy configured** for all endpoints - [x] **Caddy reverse proxy configured** for all endpoints
- [x] **DNS records added** (api, cdn, storage subdomains) - [x] **DNS records added** (api, cdn, storage subdomains)
- [ ] **Full API testing** (generation, upload, CDN URLs) — planned - [ ] **Full API testing** (generation, upload, CDN URLs) — planned by Dec 27
**See:** [18-production-infrastructure.md](execution/18-production-infrastructure.md) **See:** [18-production-infrastructure.md](execution/18-production-infrastructure.md)
### DataForSEO Integration (Dec 26, 2025) ### DataForSEO Integration (Dec 26, 2025) ⭐ NEW
- [x] **DataForSEO MCP Server connected** to Claude Code - [x] **DataForSEO MCP Server connected** to Claude Code
- [x] **First keyword research completed** — "placeholder images" cluster - [x] **First keyword research completed** — "placeholder images" cluster
- [x] **Research methodology validated** — $0.14 per full research cycle - [x] **Research methodology validated** — $0.14 per full research cycle
- [x] **Content opportunities identified** — 5 articles with clear targets - [x] **Content opportunities identified** — 5 articles with clear targets
### Project Knowledge Integration (Dec 29-30, 2025) **See:** [research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md](research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md)
### Project Knowledge Integration (Dec 29-30, 2025) ⭐ NEW
- [x] **BANATIE-CONTENT-INTEGRATION.md** created in Project Knowledge - [x] **BANATIE-CONTENT-INTEGRATION.md** created in Project Knowledge
- Navigation map for banatie-content repository
- Multi-agent system (9 agents), content pipeline, research structure
- Strategic input channels defined (inbox, Perplexity threads)
- [x] **BANATIE-SERVICE-INTEGRATION.md** created in Project Knowledge - [x] **BANATIE-SERVICE-INTEGRATION.md** created in Project Knowledge
- Navigation map for banatie-service technical repository
- Monorepo structure, API docs paths, landing components
- Production URLs, deployment commands, key differentiators
**Purpose:** Enable @men to find authoritative information across repositories during strategy sessions.
### Known Issues (Minor)
- [ ] Healthcheck: containers show "unhealthy" (no curl in images)
- [ ] Cache permission: landing warns about `.next/cache`
--- ---
## ✅ Completed: Placeholder SEO Sprint — Tracks B+C (Jan 2-5, 2026) ## 🔄 Active Sprint: ICP External Validation + SEO Foundation
### Research Findings (Jan 2, 2026) ### Interview Preparation
- [x] **Deep dive completed** — 31K+ monthly searches discovered - [ ] Create interview scripts for each segment (4 scripts)
- [x] **Zero-KD keywords identified** — 10+ keywords with KD 0-5 - [ ] Identify specific outreach targets
- [x] **Direct user validation found** — r/ClaudeAI quote about MCP for placeholders - [ ] Prepare validation scorecard
- [x] **Execution plan created** — 19-placeholder-seo-sprint.md
### Track C: Homepage Quick Wins ✅ COMPLETE ### Content Marketing System
- [x] **Keywords in metadata** — added placeholder-related keywords - [x] Multi-agent content pipeline designed (8 agents)
- [x] **PromptUrlsSection** — updated to mention placeholders first - [x] Author personas defined (Henry, Nina)
- [x] **DataForSEO integrated for real keyword data** ⭐ NEW
- [ ] First batch of articles for dev.to, Hashnode
### Track B: Docs Section ✅ COMPLETE ### SEO Foundation ⭐ NEW (High Priority)
- [x] **Live URLs docs enhanced** — added placeholder section with examples - [ ] **Create `/placeholder-images` landing page** — target: 14,800 searches/mo
- [x] **Guides section created** — `/docs/guides/` - [ ] **Write "Placeholder Images API" tutorial** — target KD 12, dev.to + blog
- [x] **Placeholder Images guide** — `/docs/guides/placeholder-images/` - [ ] Integrate DataForSEO into @spy/@strategist agents
- Templates (general, photorealistic, illustration, etc.) - [ ] Research additional keyword clusters (use-case, tech stack)
- Dark mode and color control
- Common use cases (avatars, heroes, products)
- File-based workflow
--- ### Production Testing
- [ ] Test image generation via API
## 🔄 Active: Placeholder SEO Sprint — Track A - [ ] Verify CDN URLs working correctly
- [ ] Document API for early users
### Track A: Landing Page `/placeholder-images` ⏳ TODO
**Goal:** Capture 14,800+ monthly searches for core "placeholder image" keyword
**Target Keywords:**
| Keyword | Volume | KD |
|---------|--------|-----|
| placeholder image | 14,800 | 18 |
| image placeholder | 14,800 | 17 |
| ai placeholder images | — | — |
| placeholder image generator | 480 | 32 |
**Page Structure:**
- Hero with instant demo
- How It Works (3 steps)
- Interactive size grid
- Comparison table (vs placehold.co, picsum)
- Production bridge CTA
**File:** `apps/landing/src/app/(landings)/placeholder-images/page.tsx`
--- ---
@ -112,25 +102,40 @@
| URL | Purpose | Status | | URL | Purpose | Status |
|-----|---------|--------| |-----|---------|--------|
| https://banatie.app/ | Landing page | ✅ Live | | https://banatie.app/ | Landing page | ✅ Live |
| https://banatie.app/docs/guides/placeholder-images | Placeholder guide | ✅ Live | | https://api.banatie.app/ | API service | 🔄 Deployed (testing pending) |
| https://api.banatie.app/ | API service | 🔄 Deployed | | https://cdn.banatie.app/ | Image CDN | 🔄 Deployed (testing pending) |
| https://cdn.banatie.app/ | Image CDN | 🔄 Deployed | | https://storage.banatie.app/ | MinIO Console | 🔄 Deployed (testing pending) |
--- ---
## 📅 Next Up: Content Marketing Sprint (After Placeholder Landing) ## 📅 Upcoming: Content Marketing Sprint (January 2025)
### SEO-Driven Content (from keyword research) **Duration:** 2 weeks intensive
**Goal:** Establish thought leadership, drive organic traffic
| Priority | Content Type | Target Keyword | Volume | KD | ### SEO-Driven Content (from keyword research) ⭐ NEW
|----------|--------------|----------------|--------|-----|
| 🥇 | Landing page | placeholder images | 14,800 | 18 | | Priority | Content Type | Target Keyword | Volume | KD | Platform |
| 🥈 | Dev tutorial | placeholder images api | 90 | 12 | |----------|--------------|----------------|--------|-----|----------|
| 🥈 | Tutorial | image placeholder html | 320 | 34 | | 🥇 | Landing page | placeholder images | 14,800 | 32 | banatie.app |
| 🥇 | Dev tutorial | placeholder images api | 90 | 12 | dev.to + blog |
| 🥈 | Listicle | placeholder image generator | 480 | 32 | dev.to + blog |
| 🥈 | Tutorial | image placeholder html | 320 | 34 | blog |
| 🥉 | Blog post | random image api | 110 | 17 | blog |
**See:** [research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md](research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md)
### Additional Planned Content ### Additional Planned Content
- Personal articles (dev.to, LinkedIn): 2-3 pieces - Personal articles (dev.to, LinkedIn): 2-3 pieces
- Henry persona articles: 4-6 pieces - Henry persona articles (dev.to, Hashnode): 4-6 pieces
- Nina persona (Instagram, creative): ongoing
### Platforms
- dev.to
- Hashnode
- daily.dev
- LinkedIn
- Product Hunt (later)
--- ---
@ -160,23 +165,41 @@
--- ---
### GATE 3: PMF Validation (Target: Q2-Q3 2025)
**Success criteria:**
- $1-2K MRR achieved
- <5% monthly churn
- Organic word-of-mouth
---
## 📋 Backlog ## 📋 Backlog
### Technical ### Technical
- [ ] Docs page with API examples - [ ] Docs page with API examples
- [ ] Signup flow automation
- [ ] MCP Server implementation - [ ] MCP Server implementation
- [ ] SDK TypeScript/Python - [ ] SDK TypeScript/Python
- [ ] CLI tool - [ ] CLI tool
- [ ] Image transformations
### Marketing ### Marketing
- [ ] Reddit r/cursor launch post - [ ] Reddit r/cursor launch post
- [ ] Discord Cursor community engagement
- [ ] Product Hunt launch - [ ] Product Hunt launch
- [ ] Case studies - [ ] Case studies
### SEO & Content ### SEO & Content ⭐ NEW
- [ ] Research additional keyword clusters - [ ] Research additional keyword clusters
- [ ] Expand content-system to cover website pages
- [ ] Competitor keyword gap analysis (fal.ai, runware.ai) - [ ] Competitor keyword gap analysis (fal.ai, runware.ai)
### Infrastructure
- [ ] Healthcheck fix in Dockerfiles
- [ ] Self-hosted Umami migration
- [ ] Email service integration
--- ---
## 🎯 Success Definitions ## 🎯 Success Definitions
@ -184,25 +207,30 @@
### Current Phase Success ### Current Phase Success
- ✅ Full stack deployed and working - ✅ Full stack deployed and working
- ✅ Landing page live with good SEO - ✅ Landing page live with good SEO
- ✅ Keyword research methodology validated - ✅ Keyword research methodology validated ⭐ NEW
- ✅ Placeholder docs/guide created
- ⏳ Placeholder landing page
- ⏳ ICP validated externally - ⏳ ICP validated externally
- ⏳ First paying customers - ⏳ First paying customers
### Q1 2025 Success ### Q1 2025 Success
- $500-1K MRR - $500-1K MRR
- 10-20 active users - 10-20 active users
- Top-10 rankings for target keywords - Clear PMF signals
- Top-10 rankings for target keywords ⭐ NEW
### Q2 2025 Success
- $2-3K MRR
- Sustainable growth
- Content marketing working
--- ---
**Roadmap Owner:** @men + Oleg **Roadmap Owner:** @men + Oleg
**Last Updated:** January 5, 2026 **Last Updated:** December 26, 2025
**Next Review:** After placeholder landing page deployment **Next Review:** After ICP validation interviews
**Version:** 4.4 (Sprint progress updated Jan 5, 2026) **Version:** 4.2 (Project Knowledge integration docs added Dec 29-30)
**Key Documents:** **Key Documents:**
- [19-placeholder-seo-sprint.md](execution/19-placeholder-seo-sprint.md) — Current sprint ⭐ - [research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md](research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md) - Keyword research ⭐ NEW
- [research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md](research/seo-keyword-research-placeholder-images.md) — Keyword research - [18-production-infrastructure.md](execution/18-production-infrastructure.md) - Deployment details
- [18-production-infrastructure.md](execution/18-production-infrastructure.md) — Deployment details - [13-competitive-analysis.md](strategy/13-competitive-analysis.md) - Competitive landscape
- [14-icp-segmentation-unified.md](strategy/14-icp-segmentation-unified.md) - Unified ICP segments

171
execution/19-placeholder-seo-sprint.md
View File

@ -1,171 +0,0 @@
# Placeholder SEO Sprint
**Date Created:** January 2, 2026
**Status:** Active — Track A remaining
**Priority:** HIGH
**Owner:** Oleg
**Last Updated:** January 5, 2026
---
## Sprint Summary
@spy research uncovered major SEO opportunity:
| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Total search volume | 31,000+/month |
| Zero-KD keywords | 10+ keywords (profile, ios, dark mode) |
| AI competitors | **ZERO** |
| Direct user validation | r/ClaudeAI quote about MCP for placeholders |
**Strategic approach:** "Trojan Horse" — capture placeholder traffic, convert to full generation users.
**Source:** `/banatie-content/research/keywords/placeholder-niche-deep-dive-2026-01-02.md`
---
## Research Key Findings
### Top Keywords by Priority
| Keyword | Volume | KD | Status |
|---------|--------|-----|--------|
| placeholder image | 14,800 | 18 | → Landing page |
| image placeholder dark | 4,400 | 2 | ✅ Covered in guide |
| app placeholder image | 1,900 | 2 | ✅ Covered in guide |
| profile placeholder image | 720 | 0 | ✅ Covered in guide |
| placeholder image url | 390 | 21 | ✅ Covered in Live URLs docs |
### Zero-KD Opportunities (all covered in guide)
- profile placeholder image — 720 vol, KD 0
- ios placeholder image — 590 vol, KD 0
- loading image placeholder — 170 vol, KD 0
- image placeholder dark — 4,400 vol, KD 2
- app placeholder image — 1,900 vol, KD 2
### Direct User Validation
From r/ClaudeAI:
> "right now my instructions are to just do placeholder image in various sizes... I am wondering if there is an mcp that can create or fetch these images for Claude instead."
---
## Execution Status
### Track A: Landing Page `/placeholder-images` ⏳ TODO
**Goal:** Capture 14,800+ monthly searches for core placeholder keywords
**Target Keywords:**
- placeholder image (14,800)
- image placeholder (14,800)
- ai placeholder images
- placeholder image generator
- placeholder image url
**Page Structure:**
```
1. HERO
├── H1: "AI Placeholder Images"
├── Subhead: "Generate contextual placeholders instantly"
└── CTA: "Try It Free"
2. HOW IT WORKS (3 steps)
3. SIZE GRID (interactive)
├── Avatar (200×200)
├── Thumbnail (300×200)
├── Card (400×300)
└── Hero (1200×630)
4. COMPARISON TABLE
| placehold.co | Gray boxes |
| picsum.photos | Random stock |
| Banatie | AI-generated, contextual |
5. PRODUCTION BRIDGE
└── "Same images work in production"
6. FOOTER CTA
```
**File to create:**
- `apps/landing/src/app/(landings)/placeholder-images/page.tsx`
---
### Track B: Docs Updates ✅ COMPLETE
| Task | Status | Location |
|------|--------|----------|
| Live URLs — placeholder section | ✅ Done | `/docs/live-urls/` |
| Guides section created | ✅ Done | `/docs/guides/` |
| Placeholder Images guide | ✅ Done | `/docs/guides/placeholder-images/` |
**Guide covers:**
- Quick Start with Live URLs
- Templates (general, photorealistic, illustration, etc.)
- Dark mode and color control
- Common use cases (avatars, heroes, products, testimonials)
- File-based workflow (API download)
---
### Track C: Homepage Quick Wins ✅ COMPLETE
| Task | Status |
|------|--------|
| Keywords in metadata | ✅ Added placeholder-related keywords |
| PromptUrlsSection subtitle | ✅ Updated to mention placeholders |
---
## Success Metrics
### Completed ✅
- [x] Placeholder guide live at `/docs/guides/placeholder-images/`
- [x] Live URLs docs enhanced with placeholder examples
- [x] Homepage keywords updated
- [x] All pages in sitemap
### Week 1 Targets
- [ ] `/placeholder-images` landing live and indexed
- [ ] GSC submission for new pages
### Month 1 Targets
- [ ] GSC shows impressions for placeholder keywords
- [ ] First organic clicks from placeholder searches
### Month 3 Targets
- [ ] Top 20 for "placeholder image" (14,800 vol)
- [ ] Top 10 for "image placeholder dark" (4,400 vol, KD 2)
---
## Next Steps
1. **Create landing page** `/placeholder-images`
- Use research findings for structure
- Include interactive size grid
- Show comparison with competitors
2. **Submit to GSC** after deployment
3. **Monitor rankings** for target keywords
---
## Reference Documents
- Research: `/banatie-content/research/keywords/placeholder-niche-deep-dive-2026-01-02.md`
- Guide revision task: `/banatie-service/inbox/task-placeholder-guide-revision.md` (if created)
- Docs SEO analysis: `/banatie-content/research/keywords/docs-seo-analysis-2026-01-02.md`
---
**Document Owner:** @men
**Last Updated:** January 5, 2026
**Next Review:** After landing page deployment
**Status:** Track B+C complete, Track A in progress

64
inbox/2026-01-02-mcp-competitive-landscape.md
View File

@ -1,64 +0,0 @@
# Strategy Alert: MCP Integration Now Industry Standard
**Date:** 2026-01-02
**Type:** Technology Shift
**Urgency:** High
## Summary
Both Replicate and fal.ai now have official MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers documented and promoted. This means MCP integration has moved from "nice-to-have" differentiator to table stakes for AI image APIs targeting developers using Claude Code and Cursor.
## Details
**Replicate MCP:**
- Official server at replicate.com/docs/reference/mcp
- Supports model discovery, running predictions via natural language
- Enables: "Search Replicate for upscaler models and compare them"
**fal.ai MCP:**
- Official integration at docs.fal.ai/model-apis/mcp
- Documented specifically for Cursor integration
- Full fal ecosystem accessible from IDE
**Runware:**
- No visible MCP integration
- May be falling behind on developer experience
**Community:**
- Multiple third-party MCP servers for image generation on GitHub
- r/mcp subreddit (82K subscribers) actively discussing AI image MCP servers
- Cursor users expect MCP integration for AI services
## Strategic Implications
1. **Our MCP server is no longer a differentiator — it's required**
- Must ship and document MCP to compete with Replicate/fal.ai
- Delaying MCP means losing developer mindshare
2. **Documentation must match competitor quality**
- Both competitors have dedicated MCP pages
- Include Cursor setup, Claude Desktop, Claude Code guides
- Show real workflow examples
3. **Live URLs + MCP = Unique Combination**
- Neither competitor has URL-based generation without API calls
- MCP + Live URLs enables: "Generate a placeholder image at this URL"
- This is our defensible position
4. **Market validation**
- MCP adoption confirms AI-first developers are target audience
- IDE integration is the battleground for developer workflows
## Recommended Actions
1. **Prioritize MCP server shipping** — move up in roadmap if not already top priority
2. **Pre-write documentation** — have MCP docs ready when feature ships
3. **Emphasize Live URLs in MCP context** — unique capability competitors lack
4. **Monitor Runware** — if they ship MCP, market is fully consolidated on this expectation
## Sources
- https://replicate.com/docs/reference/mcp
- https://docs.fal.ai/model-apis/mcp
- https://www.reddit.com/r/mcp/comments/1p1l9tn/falai_mcp_server_enables_claude_desktop_and_other/
- https://cursorintro.com/mcp-fal