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Content Brief
Produce a complete, editor-ready content brief covering intent analysis, competitive SERP review, content outline, E-E-A-T requirements, and SEO targets.
Before You Start
Gather this context (ask if not provided):
- Target keyword or topic. The primary keyword this content should rank for.
- Business context. What does the company do? What should readers do after reading (sign up, buy, contact)?
- Content type preference. Blog post, landing page, guide, comparison, tutorial?
- Audience. Who is reading this? Beginners, practitioners, decision-makers?
Step 1: SERP Analysis
Analyze what currently ranks for the target keyword:
- Search the keyword (use web search) and review the top 5-10 results.
- Identify the dominant intent. Are results informational guides, product pages, listicles, tools?
- Note the content format. Average word count, heading structure, use of images/tables/videos.
- Find the gaps. What do all top results cover? What do none of them cover well?
Record:
| Rank | Title | URL | Format | Approx. Length | Unique Angle |
|---|
| 1 | ... | ... | guide / listicle / tutorial | ... | ... |
Step 2: Intent Mapping
Determine the exact user intent and map it to content structure:
- "How to" intent → Step-by-step tutorial with numbered sections
- "What is" intent → Definition + context + examples + next steps
- "Best X" intent → Curated list with comparison criteria and recommendations
- "X vs Y" intent → Side-by-side comparison table + verdict
- "Review" intent → Hands-on evaluation with pros/cons/alternatives
The content structure must match what the searcher expects to find.
Step 3: Content Outline
Build a detailed outline with:
Title Options (2-3 variants)
Select the formula that matches the content type:
| Content Type | Formula | Example |
|---|
| How-to / Tutorial | "How to [Goal] in [Timeframe]" | "How to Fix Crawl Errors in 30 Minutes" |
| How-to (objection) | "How to [Goal] Without [Objection]" | "How to Build Links Without Cold Outreach" |
| Listicle | "[N] [Adjective] [Topic] [Qualifier]" | "9 Proven Link Building Strategies for SaaS" |
| Comparison | "[A] vs [B]: Which Is Better for [Goal]?" | "Ahrefs vs SEMrush: Which Is Better for Keyword Research?" |
| Definition | "What Is [Topic]? [Short Clarifier]" | "What Is Topical Authority? How It Affects Rankings" |
| Ultimate guide | "The [Complete/Definitive] Guide to [Topic]" | "The Complete Guide to Technical SEO" |
| Mistakes | "[N] [Topic] Mistakes [Consequence]" | "7 Internal Linking Mistakes That Kill Rankings" |
CTR boosters — test adding these elements:
| Element | Expected CTR Impact |
|---|
| Add a number | +15-25% |
| Add current year | +10-15% |
| Add brackets or parentheses | +10-38% |
| Add a power word (Proven, Essential, Ultimate) | +5-12% |
Rules:
- Include the primary keyword
- Keep under 60 characters (55 for mobile safety)
- Use odd numbers in listicles (they outperform even)
- Rewrite if CTR is below 2% at positions 1-3 or below 5% at positions 4-10
Meta Description
Select a template and adapt:
| Content Type | Template |
|---|
| Blog / Guide | "Learn [topic] with our [qualifier] guide. Covers [point 1], [point 2], and [point 3]. [CTA]." |
| Question-answer | "[Question]? This [year] guide explains [what], [why], and [how]. Get actionable tips now." |
| Listicle | "Discover [N] [adjective] [topic] strategies that [result]. Backed by [proof element]. Read the guide." |
| Comparison | "[A] vs [B]: which is better for [use case]? We compared [criteria]. See the winner + detailed breakdown." |
| Product/Service | "[Product] helps you [benefit]. [Feature 1], [Feature 2], [Feature 3]. [Price/offer]. [CTA]." |
Rules:
- 150-160 characters (aim for 140-155 for mobile safety)
- Include the primary keyword naturally
- End with a clear value proposition or call to action
- Add numbers or statistics where possible (+5-15% CTR boost)
Heading Structure
Map out every H2 and H3 with brief guidance for each section:
H1: [Title]
H2: [Section 1] — what to cover, target length
H3: [Subsection] — specific points
H2: [Section 2] — what to cover
...
H2: FAQ — 3-5 questions from People Also Ask
Key Points Per Section
For each H2 section, specify:
- The main point to make
- Data or examples to include
- How this section differs from competitor coverage
- Internal link opportunities (link to related pages on the site)
Step 4: E-E-A-T Requirements
YMYL Check
First, determine if the keyword falls into "Your Money or Your Life" territory (health, finance, legal, safety). YMYL topics trigger elevated E-E-A-T requirements from Google:
- YMYL keywords require: named author with verifiable credentials, citations to official sources (.gov, .edu, professional bodies), clear disclosure of affiliations, and medical/ legal/financial review where applicable.
- Non-YMYL keywords still benefit from E-E-A-T but don't require the same rigor.
Author Qualification
Specify what credentials the author needs for this topic:
| Topic Type | Author Requirement |
|---|
| YMYL (health, finance, legal) | Licensed professional or verifiable expert with public credentials |
| Technical (code, engineering) | Demonstrated practitioner experience (portfolio, GitHub, publications) |
| Business/marketing | Industry experience or named case studies |
| General informational | Byline with bio is sufficient |
Evidence Floor
Set the minimum evidence bar for this piece:
| Content Type | Minimum Sources | Source Tier Requirement |
|---|
| Research/data-driven | 5+ citations | At least 2 primary sources (official docs, studies, .gov/.edu) |
| How-to / tutorial | 2-3 citations | Official documentation for tools/methods referenced |
| Opinion / thought leadership | 3+ citations | Data to support each major claim |
| Comparison / "best X" | 1 per item reviewed | First-hand testing evidence for each |
E-E-A-T Signals
Specify what the content needs:
- Experience: First-hand examples, case studies, screenshots, "we tested this" statements
- Expertise: Cite specific data, reference industry standards, show depth beyond surface-level
- Authoritativeness: Link to authoritative external sources, reference recognized frameworks
- Trustworthiness: Include dates, update frequency, author bio, transparent methodology
E-E-A-T Priority by Content Type
Different content types weight E-E-A-T signals differently. Focus effort where it matters most:
| Content Type | Experience | Expertise | Authority | Trust | Top Priority |
|---|
| Product review | Critical | High | Medium | High | Experience — hands-on testing evidence |
| How-to guide | High | Critical | Medium | High | Expertise — demonstrate deep knowledge |
| Research/data | Medium | Critical | Critical | Critical | Authority + Trust — sourced data, methodology |
| Opinion piece | Critical | High | High | Medium | Experience — personal credentials and POV |
| Comparison | High |
Content Quality Checklist (Top Priorities)
For every piece, verify at minimum:
- Author identified with relevant credentials visible on page
- At least 1 first-hand experience element (case study, screenshot, "we tested")
- All statistics have named sources and dates
- At least 2 references to primary sources (not just other blog posts)
- Published date visible; content updated within 18 months
- No unsupported superlatives ("best", "fastest", "most effective") without evidence
Step 5: SEO Targets
| Element | Target |
|---|
| Primary keyword | [keyword] |
| Secondary keywords | [2-3 related terms] |
| Word count range | [min-max based on SERP analysis] |
| Internal links to include | [list specific pages to link to] |
| External links to include | [types of sources to cite] |
| Images/media | [count and types: screenshots, diagrams, tables] |
| Featured snippet target | [yes/no — if yes, which format: paragraph, list, table] |
Step 6: Differentiation Angle
The brief must specify what makes this piece better than what already ranks:
- More current: Updated data, recent examples
- More practical: Templates, checklists, step-by-step screenshots
- More comprehensive: Covers subtopics competitors skip
- More specific: Targets a niche the broad pieces miss
- Original data: Survey results, internal data analysis, expert quotes
Pick 1-2 angles. Trying to win on all dimensions produces generic content.
Output Format
Content Brief: [target keyword]
Overview
- Target keyword: [keyword]
- Search intent: [type]
- Content format: [blog post / guide / comparison / etc.]
- Target word count: [range]
- Target audience: [who]
- Business goal: [what readers should do after]
SERP Competitive Landscape [Table from Step 1]
Title Options
- [option 1]
- [option 2]
- [option 3]
Meta Description [150-160 char description]
Content Outline [Full heading structure with guidance per section]
SEO Targets [Table from Step 5]
E-E-A-T Checklist
- First-hand experience demonstrated
- Expert-level depth on core topic
- Authoritative sources cited
- Trust signals included (dates, author, methodology)
Differentiation [What makes this piece better than current top results]
Pro Tip: Use the free Keyword Density Analyzer and TF-IDF Tool to benchmark competitor content depth for your target keyword. SEOJuice MCP users can run /seojuice:keyword-analysis for search volume and difficulty, and /seojuice:content-strategy to check if the topic fits an existing cluster or fills a content gap.
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