Content Outline Generator — Frase Alternative

Generate a source-linked content outline from a search keyword. Analyze current Google results and public page headings to collect recurring topics, questions, and outline sections for a writer's research brief. For content strategists, the dataset returns a research brief that links its outline, topics, and questions to observed search sources.

Workflow: put the results to work

Choose one target keyword, language, and search market. Compare the topics and headings found on ranking pages, then give the outline and source links to a writer. The output supports research and planning; the writer still develops the article and checks its claims.

Best fit

• Give a writer a fresh, source-linked outline before drafting.
• Let an agent research one topic and save structured output to a dataset.
• Compare headings on current organic results without copying article text.
• Keep the research step bounded: one Google SERP and at most eight public HTML pages per run.

How it compares with Frase

Need	This Actor	Frase
Research unit	One query → current organic pages → JSON brief	Subscription workspace for research, writing, and optimization
Main result	Heading-based outline with source ranks and URLs	A finished content workflow, including drafting tools
Evidence	Source pages, collection time, sampled headings, and PARTIAL warnings	Product workflow and editor context
Automation	Run by API or an Apify task; consume dataset records	Browser workspace, integrations, and CMS publishing features
What it avoids	No score, rank promise, CMS write, or article generation	Those suite features are part of the broader Frase product

Frase describes its workflow as producing a finished draft rather than merely an outline, and its plans include additional suite features. This Actor stays smaller and easier to integrate by returning only the research and planning layer. See Frase pricing and plan features.

Input

{
    "keyword": "best project management software",
    "locationName": "United States",
    "languageCode": "en",
    "maxCompetitorPages": 5,
    "responseFormat": "concise"
}

keyword is required. maxCompetitorPages is an integer from 3 to 8. Use detailed only when you want a larger heading sample per page. The Actor uses owner-managed DataForSEO credentials; do not put API keys, logins, or passwords in task input.

Output

Each successful or partial brief becomes one dataset record:

{
    "keyword": "best project management software",
    "sourcePagesRequested": 5,
    "sourcePagesAnalyzed": 4,
    "sourcePages": [
        {
            "rank": 1,
            "url": "https://example.com/project-management-guide",
            "domain": "example.com",
            "pageTitle": "Project management software guide",
            "wordCount": 1840,
            "headingSample": [{ "level": "H2", "text": "How to choose a tool" }]
        }
    ],
    "recommendedOutline": [
        {
            "level": "H1",
            "heading": "best project management software",
            "observedOnPages": 0,
            "sourcePageRanks": []
        },
        {
            "level": "H2",
            "heading": "How to choose a tool",
            "observedOnPages": 3,
            "sourcePageRanks": [1, 2, 4]
        }
    ],
    "coverageTopics": [
        {
            "topic": "How to choose a tool",
            "observedOnPages": 3,
            "sourcePageRanks": [1, 2, 4]
        }
    ],
    "researchQuestions": ["How to choose a tool"],
    "contentSignals": {
        "basis": "Observed public HTML headings, titles, and word counts from current Google organic result pages. These signals are descriptive context, not ranking targets or a proprietary content score."
    },
    "source": "google_organic_serp_and_public_html",
    "fetchedAt": "2026-09-07T12:00:00.000Z",
    "warnings": ["1 selected public page was unavailable, non-HTML, oversized, or outside the safe-fetch boundary."],
    "status": "PARTIAL"
}

COMPLETE means every selected source page was analyzed. PARTIAL preserves a usable brief when a source page is unavailable, non-HTML, oversized, or rejected by the safe-fetch boundary. A run with no eligible SERP pages—or no safely analyzable selected page—returns VALID_EMPTY in OUTPUT; it does not invent an outline.

Run through the API

curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/khadinakbar~frase-alternative/runs?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "keyword": "best project management software",
    "locationName": "United States",
    "languageCode": "en",
    "maxCompetitorPages": 5,
    "responseFormat": "concise"
  }'

For an agent workflow, ask your Apify-connected assistant: “Run the Frase Alternative actor for best project management software in the United States, then use the returned source-linked outline as a research brief. Do not treat observed heading frequency as a ranking requirement.”

Responsible use

This Actor follows a bounded public-page research path. It validates URLs and DNS results, follows at most three safe redirects, rejects private-network destinations, limits HTML size and fetch time, and stores concise heading observations rather than reproducing source articles. Respect each source site’s terms and robots policy, and use the output as research input—not a claim that a specific outline will rank. Transient fetch failures receive one bounded retry; the Actor does not bypass a source's restrictions.

Builder notes

The output contract is intentionally stable for automation: a dataset record is written only after a source-linked brief validates, while OUTPUT and RUN_SUMMARY report clear COMPLETE, PARTIAL, VALID_EMPTY, INVALID_INPUT, CONFIG_ERROR, or UPSTREAM_FAILED outcomes. The Actor currently supports one query per run so each result remains attributable to one SERP snapshot.

Pricing and run costs

This Actor uses Pay per event plus Apify platform usage. The Pricing tab lists the current event rates and billing terms.

Event	Billing unit	When it applies
apify-actor-start	Actor Start	Charged when the Actor starts running. Number of events charged depends on Actor memory (one event per GB, minimum one event).
serp-request	Google SERP request	Charged once after a successful current Google organic SERP request used for the brief.
content-outline-brief	Source-linked content outline brief	Charged once for each validated heading-based content outline persisted to the dataset.

Run cost combines the charged events and Apify platform usage. Review the run charge limit and requested result count before starting.

Independent alternative

This Actor provides the specific workflow described above. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Frase; the named product and its trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Connect an AI agent

Use the Apify MCP configurator to choose an available client connection. Inspect this Actor’s current input schema and required credentials before running it.

Example agent request

Generate a source-linked content outline from a search keyword. Use the inputs I supply, confirm the result limit, and return the available results with their source context and any partial or missing-data outcome.