A content brief tells a writer exactly what to create. Use this template so every post is built to rank.
A good brief is the difference between content that ranks and content that just fills a page. Spend ten minutes here and you save hours of edits, and the writer knows the target, the angle and the bar before they start.
The basics
- Target keyword and search intent
- Working title and the angle
- Who the reader is and what they want
Structure
- The H2s to cover, drawn from the top-ranking results
- Questions to answer, from "people also ask"
- Internal links to include
The bar
- The information needed to satisfy the reader, without a fixed word-count target
- Sources or data to cite
- One clear call to action
First move: Use search results to understand intent, then build an original outline around the reader’s needs and evidence you can contribute.
Putting it to work
Fill one out before every post and reuse it as a template across your team. The structure section matters most. Research can reveal common questions, but repeating competitors’ outlines is not proof of quality or a ranking guarantee.
Further reading: Google people-first content guidance.