Content Brief Template

This is the brief structure I use when I commission articles. It covers the SEO basics, a proper look at what already ranks, and the details that help a page get quoted in AI search, so the writer has everything in one place.

It works for in-house writers, freelancers and business owners writing their own content. Copy it into your Google Drive, fill in the green fields and send it.

What’s included

• Article details: target keyword, secondary keywords, search intent, funnel stage, word count and deadlines in one table.
• Meta title and description: fields with character guidance and a worked example.
• Answer-first summary: the 40 to 60 word direct answer the article is built around.
• SERP review: a top 10 table covering format, angle, length and what each result misses.
• Outline and questions: an H1 to H3 skeleton, plus People Also Ask questions mapped to sections.
• Links and sources: internal links to and from the page with agreed anchor text, plus external sources to cite.
• AI search notes: definitions, quotable facts and original insight that AI answers can lift and attribute.
• Editor's checklist: 14 checks to run before the article goes live.

How to use it

1. Make a copy of the doc for each article and rename it with the working title.
2. Fill in the article details and target keyword, then search the keyword and complete the SERP review table.
3. Use what you found in the SERP review and People Also Ask to build the entity list and heading outline.
4. Add the internal links, sources, media, schema type and CTA, then share the brief with your writer.
5. When the draft comes back, work through the editor's checklist before you publish.

Tips from my client work

• Search your keyword in a private window and note which format dominates page one. If the top results are all short cost guides, a 3,000-word essay is unlikely to match what searchers want.
• Write the answer-first summary yourself before briefing the writer. If you can't answer the question in 60 words, the angle isn't clear enough yet.
• Agree internal link anchors before writing starts, and check them against existing pages so the same anchor never points to two different URLs.
• Be honest in the 'what they miss' column. That gap is usually the reason your article deserves to rank, so it should shape your angle.
• Keep feedback as comments in the brief rather than in email threads, so the next writer can see exactly what was asked for.

FAQs

What should a content brief include?

At minimum: the target keyword, search intent, a heading outline, a word count range and the questions the article must answer. This template adds a SERP review, internal links, sources, schema and AI search notes, which are the parts that most often get skipped.

How long should a content brief be?

Long enough that the writer doesn't need to come back with questions. For most blog posts, a filled-in version of this template runs to two or three pages. Very short briefs tend to produce generic articles.

Who should write the content brief?

Whoever owns the SEO strategy, usually an SEO or content manager. The writer can help with research, but the keyword, intent and angle should be settled before writing starts.