SEO Content Brief Template

Use this brief template before assigning any SEO-focused content piece to a writer. A well-written brief cuts revision cycles in half and ensures every article targets the right keyword, matches search intent, and includes the structural elements needed to rank. Fill out one brief per content piece.

Content Brief: {{Article Title}}

Target Keyword Data

Field	Value
Primary keyword	{{keyword}}
Monthly search volume	{{MSV}}
Keyword difficulty	{{KD score, e.g., 45/100}}
Secondary keywords	{{2-4 related terms}}
Current ranking (if updating)	{{position or “New”}}
Target URL slug	/blog/{{slug}}

Search Intent Analysis

Before writing, check the SERP for the primary keyword and classify the intent:

Intent Type	Definition	Signals in SERP
Informational	Searcher wants to learn	Blog posts, guides, “what is” results
Commercial Investigation	Searcher is comparing options	Listicles, “best X” results, comparison pages
Transactional	Searcher wants to buy/sign up	Product pages, pricing pages, demo CTAs
Navigational	Searcher wants a specific page	Brand name results, login pages

Intent for this keyword: {{Select one}}

Evidence: {{Describe what the top 5 results look like — all blog posts? Mix of tools and articles? Product pages?}}

Competitive Analysis

Analyze the top 5 ranking pages:

#	URL	Word Count	Key Topics Covered	Gaps / Weaknesses
1	{{url}}	{{count}}	{{topics}}	{{what’s missing}}
2
3
4
5

Our angle: {{What will we do differently? More depth on X? Original data? Better structure? Unique expert perspective?}}

Content Specifications

Field	Value
Content type	{{Blog post / Guide / Comparison / Template}}
Target word count	{{X — Y words}}
Target audience	{{Persona, e.g., “RevOps managers at Series B-D companies”}}
Reading level	{{e.g., “Practitioner — assumes familiarity with B2B SaaS”}}
Tone	{{e.g., “Direct, practical, no fluff”}}
CTA	{{Primary conversion action, e.g., “Sign up for free trial” or “Download template”}}

Proposed Outline

H1: {{Article title — include primary keyword}}

Introduction (100-150 words)
- Hook: {{What problem does this solve?}}
- Context: {{Why does it matter now?}}
- Promise: {{What will the reader get from this article?}}

H2: {{Section 1 — cover the most important subtopic first}}
  H3: {{Subsection}}
  H3: {{Subsection}}

H2: {{Section 2}}
  H3: {{Subsection}}
  H3: {{Subsection}}

H2: {{Section 3}}
  H3: {{Subsection}}

H2: {{Section 4}}

H2: {{FAQ or Key Takeaways}}

Conclusion (50-100 words)
- Summarize key points
- Clear CTA

Internal Linking Requirements

Include links to these pages within the article body (where contextually relevant, not forced):

Anchor Text (suggested)	Target URL	Notes
{{natural phrase}}	{{/features/X}}	Link in {{section}}
{{natural phrase}}	{{/blog/X}}	Link in {{section}}
{{natural phrase}}	{{/playbooks/X}}	Link in {{section}}

Also link TO this new page FROM these existing pages after publishing:

Source Page	Suggested Location
{{/blog/existing-post}}	{{paragraph or section}}
{{/blog/another-post}}	{{paragraph or section}}

On-Page SEO Checklist

• Primary keyword in H1
• Primary keyword in first 100 words
• Primary keyword in meta title (under 60 characters)
• Meta description written (120-155 characters, includes keyword)
• Secondary keywords used naturally in H2s and body copy
• At least 2 internal links included
• At least 1 external link to a credible source (not a competitor)
• Images include descriptive alt text with keyword where natural
• URL slug is clean and includes primary keyword
• Content is scannable: short paragraphs, bullet points, tables, headers every 200-300 words

Visual & Media Requirements

Asset	Description	Source
Featured image	{{description}}	Design team / Stock
{{Diagram/Chart}}	{{what it shows}}	{{who creates it}}
{{Screenshot}}	{{what to capture}}	{{product team}}

Writer Instructions

Do:

• Write for practitioners, not beginners. Assume the reader has been in B2B marketing for 2+ years.
• Use specific examples with real numbers, timeframes, and tool names.
• Include at least one data table or comparison chart per major section.
• Reference the keyword research framework if discussing keyword strategy within the content.

Do not:

• Use filler phrases like “in this article, we will discuss…”
• Write an introduction longer than 150 words.
• Add sections just to increase word count. Every section must deliver new information.
• Use passive voice when active voice is clearer.

Review & Approval

Stage	Reviewer	Focus Area	Due Date
First draft	Content Lead	Structure, depth, accuracy	{{date}}
SEO review	SEO Lead	Keywords, meta tags, internal links	{{date}}
SME review	{{Name}}	Factual accuracy, examples	{{date}}
Final edit	Editor	Grammar, tone, readability	{{date}}
Publish	Content Lead	CMS formatting, images, scheduling	{{date}}

Track all briefs and their status in your content calendar.

How to Customize

• For programmatic SEO pages, strip this brief down to just the keyword data, intent, and outline sections. Programmatic pages follow a fixed template, so the brief only needs to capture what varies between pages. This is particularly relevant for SEO ops at scale.
• For thought leadership pieces, remove the competitive analysis section and replace it with “Unique Perspective” — what point of view does your company hold that no competitor would agree with? These pieces rank on backlinks and social shares, not keyword optimization.
• For content updates, add a “Current Performance” section at the top showing existing traffic, ranking, and conversion data from Google Search Console and your analytics setup. The brief should explain what the update needs to fix.