An SEO content brief tells a writer who the article helps, which question it must answer, what evidence it needs and where the reader can go next. Keep it short enough to use while writing. Give clear requirements without prescribing every sentence.
Define the reader and the decision
Write one sentence about the reader’s situation. Then name the decision the article should help them make. “A small business owner choosing between a website builder and a custom website” is more useful than “people interested in websites.”
Set a boundary. An article about choosing a platform does not need to teach the reader every part of web development.
Choose one primary topic
Describe the main question in plain English. Check the current search results and your own site for pages that already answer it. If you already have a useful page, decide whether to improve it before creating a competing article.
List supporting questions based on the reader’s next concerns: cost factors, limitations, setup effort and who each option suits. Treat keywords as clues to those questions, not phrases to repeat a fixed number of times.
Give the writer a usable outline
For a website-platform article, a practical outline might be:
- A direct answer explaining the main trade-off.
- When a builder suits a small business.
- When custom development is worth considering.
- Costs and responsibilities to check before choosing.
- A short example showing how requirements change the choice.
- A relevant next step for readers who need help.
Explain the purpose of each section. Avoid assigning a word count simply to match a competitor’s page.
Specify evidence and originality
Ask for official sources for product features, prices and policy claims. Record when those facts were checked. Require a clear label for hypothetical examples. If the article says a tool was tested, require the actual method and observations.
Google’s people-first content guidance is a useful review standard. A brief should make room for real expertise rather than ask the writer to restate other pages.
Include links and a conversion purpose
Choose related guides that help the reader continue. Use an internal linking plan to avoid orphan pages and unrelated anchors.
Name the service destination and the reason a reader might need it. For example, a migration guide can offer help planning a website move. The CTA should explain what the business provides without promising an outcome the service cannot guarantee.
Copy this brief structure
- Reader and current problem.
- Main question and article scope.
- Primary topic and supporting questions.
- Outline with a purpose for each section.
- Required sources and facts to verify.
- Original examples or evidence available.
- Related articles and suitable service destination.
- Editorial owner and acceptance checks.
Before approving the draft, check that it answers the main question, supports factual claims and gives a useful next step. Remove sections that exist only to fill the outline.