SEO Brief

SEO Content Brief

Purpose

Create a comprehensive content brief that guides a writer to produce a piece of content optimized for search engines while delivering genuine value to readers. The brief ensures content is strategically targeted and well-structured before writing begins.

When to Use

• Planning a new blog post, article, or landing page targeting organic search
• Briefing a content writer or freelancer on what to produce
• Auditing existing content for SEO improvements

Inputs

• Target keyword or topic: The primary search term to target
• Content type: Blog post, guide, landing page, comparison, etc. (optional)
• Target audience: Who this content is for (optional)
• Business goal: What action the reader should take (optional)
• Competitors or references: URLs of competing content to consider (optional)

Output Format

Produce a markdown document with the following sections:

1. Target Keyword

• Primary keyword: The main keyword to optimize for
• Secondary keywords: 3-5 related terms to incorporate naturally
• Long-tail variations: 3-5 longer, more specific search queries

2. Search Intent

Identify the dominant search intent:

• Intent type: Informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial investigation
• What the searcher wants: One sentence describing the searcher's goal
• Content format expectation: What format searchers expect (how-to guide, list, comparison table, etc.)

3. Content Specifications

• Recommended title: A working title (include primary keyword, under 60 characters)
• Meta description: 150-160 characters summarizing the page for search results
• Recommended word count: Based on the topic's depth requirements
• Tone: Formal, conversational, technical, etc.

4. Content Outline

A detailed H2/H3 heading structure for the article:

## H2: Section Title
   ### H3: Subsection
   ### H3: Subsection
## H2: Section Title

Include brief notes under each heading about what to cover.

5. Key Points to Cover

Bulleted list of specific facts, arguments, or angles the content must address. These are non-negotiable elements that make the content comprehensive.

6. Internal Linking Suggestions

• Pages on the site to link from this content
• Pages on the site to link to from this content
• Suggested anchor text for each link

If site structure is unknown, provide guidance on types of pages to link (e.g., "link to your pricing page when mentioning plans").

7. Call to Action

• Primary CTA: What the reader should do after reading
• CTA placement: Where in the content to position it
• Supporting CTAs: Secondary actions (newsletter signup, related content)

8. Competitive Notes

Brief observations on what competing content does well and where this piece can differentiate. If no competitors were provided, suggest what to look for.

Example

Input: "SEO brief for the keyword 'how to write a project proposal'"

Output: A brief targeting the primary keyword with secondary keywords (project proposal template, proposal writing tips, project proposal example), informational intent analysis, a recommended title ("How to Write a Project Proposal: A Step-by-Step Guide"), a content outline covering (what a project proposal is, when you need one, step-by-step writing process, common mistakes, template/example), key points (include real examples, address both internal and client-facing proposals, cover budget and timeline sections), internal linking suggestions (link to project management tools, templates page), and CTA (download a project proposal template).

Guidelines

• Prioritize search intent over keyword density -- the content must answer what the searcher is looking for
• Keep the outline actionable: a writer should be able to produce the content from this brief alone
• Include secondary keywords naturally in the outline -- do not force them
• The meta description should compel clicks, not just contain keywords
• Base word count recommendations on topic complexity, not arbitrary targets
• Focus on creating content that is genuinely more useful than existing results