# SEO Content Brief > Writes SEO content briefs with target keywords, competitor analysis, SERP feature opportunities, and outline structure. Use when assigning content to writers. - Skill: `reaperinvest/seo-content-brief` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/seo-content-brief` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/seo-content-brief/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Marketing & Growth - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/seo-content-brief --- # SEO Content Brief ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: - Create a detailed content brief for a writer or yourself before drafting - Analyze the current SERP to identify content gaps and opportunities - Define target keywords, word count, structure, and optimization targets - Provide a clear blueprint that produces SEO-optimized content without guesswork **DO NOT** use this skill for writing the actual content (use blog-post skill), keyword research (use keyword-research skill), or technical SEO audits. This is for the brief that precedes content creation. --- ## Core Principle A GREAT BRIEF ELIMINATES GUESSWORK — THE WRITER SHOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO WRITE, WHO TO WRITE FOR, AND WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE BEFORE TYPING A SINGLE WORD. --- ## Phase 1: Brief Inputs ### Required Inputs | Input | What to Ask | Default | |-------|------------|---------| | **Target keyword** | "What keyword should this content rank for?" | No default — must be provided | | **Secondary keywords** | "Any related keywords to include?" | Will suggest 3-5 | | **Business context** | "What does your business do and how does this content fit?" | General context | | **Target audience** | "Who is reading this?" | Your target customer | | **Content goal** | "What should the reader do after reading?" | Engage with your business | | **Existing content** | "Do you have related content to link to?" | None | **GATE: Confirm inputs before building the brief.** --- ## Phase 2: SERP Analysis ### Analyze Current Rankings For the target keyword, assess the top 5-10 results: ``` ## SERP Analysis **Current Page 1 Results:** | Position | Title | Domain | Type | Word Count | Gaps | |----------|-------|--------|------|-----------|------| | 1 | [Title] | [Domain] | [Guide/List/How-to] | ~[X] | [What's missing] | | 2 | [Title] | [Domain] | [Type] | ~[X] | [Gap] | | ... | | | | | | **SERP Features Present:** - [ ] Featured snippet (paragraph / list / table) - [ ] People Also Ask - [ ] Video results - [ ] Image pack - [ ] Local pack **Content Gap Analysis:** - What questions are NOT answered well by current results? - What angles are missing? - What depth or specificity could you add? ``` ### Competitive Insight Summary ``` ## What Competitors Do Well - [Strength 1] - [Strength 2] ## Where Competitors Fall Short - [Gap 1 — your opportunity] - [Gap 2 — your opportunity] ## Your Angle [How to differentiate from what's already ranking] ``` **GATE: Review the SERP analysis before building the content outline.** --- ## Phase 3: Content Brief Document ### The Brief ``` ## Content Brief: [Target Keyword] **Target keyword:** [Primary keyword] **Secondary keywords:** [3-5 related terms] **Search intent:** [Informational / Commercial / Transactional] **Content type:** [How-to guide / Listicle / Comparison / Deep dive] **Target word count:** [X]-[Y] words **Target audience:** [Who and what they care about] **Unique angle:** [What makes this piece different from existing results] --- ### Outline **H1:** [Title with target keyword] **H2:** [Section 1] (~[X] words) - Cover: [Key points] - Include: [Data, example, or resource] **H2:** [Section 2] (~[X] words) **H3:** [Subtopic A] **H3:** [Subtopic B] [Continue for all sections...] --- ### SEO Requirements - Target keyword in H1, first 100 words, and at least 1 H2 - Secondary keywords sprinkled naturally through body - Meta description: 150-160 characters with keyword and CTA - Internal links: [Specific pages to link to] - External links: Cite 2-3 authoritative sources - Image alt text: Include keyword variant in at least one image ### SERP Feature Targets - Featured snippet opportunity: [Question to answer in snippet format] - People Also Ask: [3-5 questions to address in the content] ### What NOT to Do - Do not [specific thing to avoid based on competitor analysis] - Do not [content pitfall for this topic] - Do not exceed [word count] — longer is not always better ### Success Metrics - Ranking on page 1 for target keyword within 90 days - [X]+ organic visits per month within 6 months - [Conversion action]: [X]% of readers take next step ``` --- ## Phase 4: Polish ### 1. Writer Instructions Add any style, tone, or formatting guidance specific to the brand or publication. ### 2. Reference Materials List URLs, studies, or resources the writer should consult during drafting. ### 3. Review Criteria Checklist for the editor or reviewer to evaluate the draft against the brief. --- ## Anti-Patterns - **Brief with no outline** — "Write 2,000 words about email marketing" is not a brief. Structure is the entire point. - **Ignoring the SERP** — writing without analyzing what's already ranking means you're guessing at format, depth, and angle. - **Over-specifying every sentence** — a brief guides structure and strategy. If you dictate every paragraph, you might as well write it yourself. - **No unique angle** — if the brief produces content that looks like every other result, it will not outrank them. - **Targeting unrealistic keywords** — a brief for a keyword your site cannot rank for wastes the writer's time and your budget. --- ## Recovery - **No SERP tools available:** Manually review top 5 Google results. Note titles, headings, word count estimates, and missing topics. - **Writer doesn't follow the brief:** Add a "mandatory checklist" section where the writer confirms each requirement before submitting. - **Multiple keywords, unsure which to target:** Pick the keyword with the best combination of relevance, rankability, and volume. Create separate briefs for separate keywords. - **Content already exists on the site:** Assess whether to update the existing page or create new content. Avoid keyword cannibalization.