SEO Content Brief Template With a Worked Example

6 steps to a reviewable draft

1. 01

   Write the query decision

   Define which query and reader task the page should own, plus the proposed URL. Do not treat a keyword list as an article brief.

   Result: One primary intent and a boundary against competing pages on the site.

2. 02

   Record what the SERP shows

   Capture current result types, repeated topics, page formats and unanswered reader needs. Preserve URLs and capture dates rather than relying on memory.

   Result: A SERP note that distinguishes observation from editorial judgment.

3. 03

   Check the evidence before outlining

   List the claims the page will need, each source and its owner. Mark missing proof rather than asking the writer to fill a gap with plausible copy.

   Result: A claim ledger with usable sources and open questions.

4. 04

   Build the brief

   Fill the downloadable form first. If you use an assistant, give it only your captured observations and source ledger; inspect every proposed section before handing the brief to a writer.

   Result: A brief that gives the writer a useful page to make instead of a summary of ranking pages.

   Your prompt

   Copy prompt

   Create an SEO content brief from the supplied research.
   
   Primary query and page purpose: {{query}}
   Current SERP observations with URLs and dates: {{serp_notes}}
   Reader task and editorial angle: {{reader_angle}}
   Claims, exact sources, permissions and owners: {{claim_ledger}}
   Existing site pages and possible internal links: {{sources_links}}
   
   Return a writer-ready brief with the page decision (create, refresh or merge), reader task, direct answer, distinct contribution, section jobs, evidence for each section, internal links, unresolved claims, review owners and freshness triggers. Label an inference as [EDITOR HYPOTHESIS] and an unsupported claim as [NEEDS SOURCE]. Do not invent search volume, ranking difficulty, competitor traffic, Google requirements or source facts.

   Example input

   Query: seo content brief template. SERP notes: dated links to editable templates and filled examples. Reader: editor assigning a source-grounded page. Claim ledger: template file exists; ranking outcome has no evidence.

   Example output

   Decision: refresh the existing workflow, not a second URL. Direct answer: link to the blank form. Distinct contribution: a claim/source/owner ledger and a completed brief. Ranking result: [NOT MEASURED]. Review owner: editor.

5. 05

   Check for overlap

   Compare the brief with nearby site pages and the observed results. Merge the angle with an existing page if it would duplicate that page without a new reader benefit.

   Result: A distinct page plan with a defensible query boundary.

6. 06

   Publish the writing brief

   Give the writer the completed brief and source links. Name who approves claims and what must be checked before the draft is accepted.

   Result: A brief a writer can use without guessing about sources, page purpose or approval.