How to Write a Content Brief

Start with the target keyword and confirmed search intent

State the primary keyword, its estimated search volume and difficulty, and — critically — the confirmed intent based on what's actually ranking in the live SERP right now (not assumed intent). This single section prevents the most common and costly brief failure: a writer producing a well-written piece in the wrong format for what the query actually wants.

Include a competitive summary, not just a keyword list

Summarize what the top 3-5 currently ranking pages cover, their approximate length, and any notable gaps or weaknesses — this gives the writer genuine competitive context rather than writing in a vacuum, and it directly informs the outline that follows.

Provide a researched outline, not just a topic

Build the H2/H3 structure from the subtopics the top-ranking pages and the People Also Ask box consistently surface, rather than leaving the writer to invent structure from scratch. A pre-researched outline is one of the highest-leverage things a brief can include, since it removes the guesswork most likely to produce either under-coverage or unfocused rambling.

Specify target audience and required depth explicitly

State who this is for (a beginner, an experienced practitioner, a specific role) and how deep the content needs to go accordingly — the same topic requires very different depth and vocabulary for a 'beginner's guide' versus an 'advanced technical deep-dive,' and leaving this unstated produces inconsistent results across a content calendar with multiple writers.

List internal linking requirements

Specify 2-4 existing pages the new content should link to, and flag any existing pages that should be updated to link into the new piece once published — internal linking is easy to forget in the writing phase if it isn't explicitly required by the brief.

Include any brand voice, formatting, and CTA requirements

Note any brand-specific style requirements (tone, terms to use or avoid), required formatting elements (a comparison table, an FAQ section, a specific CTA per the site's funnel-stage CTA plan), and word count as a rough guideline tied to genuine topic coverage rather than an arbitrary fixed number.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Handing over just a keyword and a word count with no competitive research or outline.
• Writing a brief so rigid it leaves no room for the writer's own expertise and judgment to add genuine value.
• Skipping the intent-confirmation step and assuming a content format without checking the live SERP.

Related terms

• Keyword Intent
• Content Gap Analysis
• Heading Hierarchy
• Internal Linking