Skip to content
SEOL

    Writing a content brief

    A brief turns research into instructions a writer can follow. It defines the reader, the goal, what makes the page better, and how it connects to the rest of the site.

    Time
    16 min
    Level
    intermediate
    Reviewed
    5 November 2026

    After this lesson you can

    • Write a brief that a writer, or you a month later, can follow without guessing.
    • Base the brief on results-page research and first-hand knowledge.
    • Use AI tools to assist with briefs without handing them the judgement.

    A brief is the bridge between research and writing. A good one means a writer can produce the right page the first time, and it lets you check the result against a clear standard.

    What a brief contains

    The Content tab in your Workspace has these fields:

    FieldPurpose
    Main keyword, topic, intent, format, target URLWhat the page targets and where it will live
    AudienceWho reads it, and what they already know
    Searcher's goalWhat they want to achieve, as shown by the results page
    What makes this page betterThe reason it deserves to exist
    OutlineMain heading and sections, in order
    Questions to answerFrom customers, People also ask and Search Console
    First-hand experience and evidencePhotos, tests, measurements, cases or quotes
    SourcesWhere facts will be checked
    Internal linksPages to link to, and pages that should link here
    Next step for the readerWhat they should do after reading

    Research the results page

    Before writing the brief, search the main keyword and study the top results:

    • Format: guides, lists, comparisons, tools, videos, category pages?
    • Coverage: what do they all cover? That is the baseline.
    • Gaps: what do they miss, or get wrong? Outdated prices, no local information, no real photos, unanswered questions.
    • Angle: what can you add that only you know?

    Using AI for briefs

    AI tools can speed up parts of brief writing, such as suggesting questions, grouping keywords or drafting an outline to react to.

    What AI cannot provide is the part that makes a page worth ranking: your experience, your data, your photos and your judgement about what the reader needs. Keep those fields human.

    After publishing

    Mark the item as published in the Content tab (it records the date), add the internal links from the brief, add the page to the Pages tab for on-page tracking, and review its performance after a few months.

    Practice

    Read the lesson, pass the quiz and do the exercise to complete it.

    Knowledge check

    4 questions. Get at least 4 right to pass.

    1. 1. What is the most important part of a brief?
    2. 2. Where should the outline's questions come from?
    3. 3. You use an AI tool to draft an outline. What does Google's guidance on generative AI ask?
    4. 4. Why include internal links in the brief?

    Exercise: Write one complete brief (stage 3 project, part 2)

    Pick the top item in your Content tab. Research its main keyword's results page (formats, what the top results cover and miss), collect the questions to answer, and fill in every required brief field in the Workspace. Then export it as Markdown.

    Deliverable: A complete brief in the Content tab (all required fields filled), exported as a Markdown file.

    Check your work honestly against each point
    Write up your work and meet every point to finish.

    Sources

    Checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Next review by 5 May 2027.

    Terms

    Checklist items

    Tools