The Content Brief Template That Tripled My Writing Speed

For years, I started every article the same way: staring at a blank Google Doc, hoping inspiration would strike.

Sometimes it worked. Most times it didn’t.

Then I discovered content briefs. Not the vague two-sentence kind (“write about SEO, make it 1000 words”), but comprehensive blueprints that make writing feel like filling in blanks instead of creating from scratch.

My writing speed tripled. My revision cycles dropped from 3-4 rounds to 1. Client satisfaction increased because I hit the brief on the first try.

Here’s the exact template I use, with real examples.

Why Most Content Briefs Suck

Bad brief:

“Write a blog post about email marketing. Target 1,200 words. Include keywords: email marketing, email campaigns, email tips.”

Problems:

• No target audience specified
• No angle or unique perspective
• No idea what problem we’re solving
• Keywords with zero search intent context
• No idea what outcome reader should achieve

This brief gives a writer nothing to work with beyond “talk about email marketing for 1,200 words.”

Good brief:

“Write for B2B SaaS marketers struggling with low email open rates. Angle: Most open rate advice is wrong because it focuses on tactics, not fundamentals. Prove that subject line formulas matter less than list segmentation and sender reputation. Target outcome: Reader understands why their current approach fails and has a framework to rebuild their email strategy.”

Now the writer knows:

• Who they’re writing for
• What problem they’re solving
• What perspective to take
• What the reader should walk away with

Let’s build that into a complete template.

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The Complete Content Brief Template

Section 1: Article Metadata

Working Title: [Draft headline - will refine after writing]

Target Word Count: [Be specific: 1,200-1,500 words, not “around 1,000”]

Content Type: [ ] How-To Guide [ ] Listicle [ ] Opinion/Thought Leadership [ ] Case Study [ ] Comparison [ ] Ultimate Guide [ ] Problem-Solution

Publish Date: [Deadline for first draft]

Author: [Who’s writing this]

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Section 2: Strategic Context

Primary Goal

What is this article supposed to accomplish?

Examples:

• Generate organic traffic from bottom-of-funnel keywords
• Build thought leadership on [topic]
• Support sales team with educational content for objection handling
• Earn backlinks from industry publications
• Nurture email list subscribers toward product awareness

Why this matters: Changes the angle and CTAs. Traffic-focused content differs from link-building content.

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Target Audience

Who is this for? Be specific. “Marketers” is too broad. “B2B SaaS content marketers with limited budgets who write all their content in-house” is perfect.

Template:

• Role: [Job title/function]
• Company type: [Industry, size, B2B/B2C]
• Experience level: [Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced]
• Current challenge: [What problem keeps them up at night?]
• Current knowledge: [What do they already know about this topic?]

Example:

• Role: Freelance content writers
• Company type: Solo freelancers, mostly B2B clients
• Experience level: Intermediate (2-5 years experience)
• Current challenge: Writing takes too long, can’t scale income
• Current knowledge: Knows basic SEO, unfamiliar with content brief frameworks

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Reader’s Journey

Before reading: What does the reader believe/know? After reading: What should they believe/know/be able to do?

Example:

• Before: Thinks faster writing means lower quality
• After: Understands that structured briefs enable both speed AND quality

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Section 3: SEO Strategy

Primary Keyword

[Main keyword to target]

Search Volume: [Monthly searches] Keyword Difficulty: [0-100 score from Ahrefs/SEMrush] Search Intent: [Informational/Commercial/Transactional/Navigational]

Secondary Keywords

List 5-10 related keywords to include naturally

Example:

• content brief template
• how to write content briefs
• content brief example
• seo content brief
• content writing process

SERP Analysis

Who’s currently ranking? (Top 5 competitors)

For each competitor, note:

1. URL: [Link]
2. Angle: [What’s their unique take?]
3. Strengths: [What do they do well?]
4. Gaps: [What do they miss?]
5. Differentiation: [How will we beat them?]

Example:

Competitor 1: contentmarketinginstitute.com/article/content-brief

• Angle: Template-focused, provides downloadable brief
• Strengths: Practical, includes examples
• Gaps: Doesn’t explain WHY each section matters, no before/after examples
• Our differentiation: Show actual speed/quality improvements with data

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Section 4: Content Structure

Hook/Opening (First 100 words)

Goal: Grab attention + establish credibility + promise value

Template:

1. Problem statement or bold claim (2-3 sentences)
2. Personal credibility (Why should they listen to you?)
3. Promise (What will they learn?)

Example:

“For years, I started every article the same way: staring at a blank Google Doc, hoping inspiration would strike. [Problem]

Then I discovered content briefs. My writing speed tripled. My revision cycles dropped from 3-4 rounds to 1. [Credibility]

Here’s the exact template I use, with real examples. [Promise]“

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Outline (H2 and H3 Structure)

Map out the entire article structure before writing.

Template:

H2: [Main section title]

• H3: [Subsection 1]
• H3: [Subsection 2]
• Key points to cover: [Bullets]
• Examples to include: [Specific stories/data]

Full example outline:

H2: Why Most Content Briefs Suck

• Bad brief example (before)
• Good brief example (after)
• Key point: Specificity enables speed

H2: The Complete Content Brief Template

• H3: Section 1: Article Metadata
  • Working title, word count, content type, deadline
• H3: Section 2: Strategic Context
  • Primary goal, target audience, reader journey
• H3: Section 3: SEO Strategy
  • Keywords, search intent, SERP analysis
• H3: Section 4: Content Structure
  • Hook, outline, examples, CTAs

H2: How to Fill Out the Brief (Step-by-Step)

• Research phase
• Outlining phase
• Review phase

H2: Real Example: Before/After

• Show actual brief
• Show resulting article stats

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Examples and Data Points

Specific examples to include:

1. [Example 1 with context]
2. [Example 2 with context]
3. [Example 3 with context]

Data points to reference:

1. [Stat 1 with source]
2. [Stat 2 with source]
3. [Stat 3 with source]

Why this matters: No searching for examples mid-draft. It’s all pre-researched.

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Visual Elements

What visuals does this need?

• Screenshots
• Infographic
• Comparison table
• Flowchart
• Data visualization
• Template/downloadable

Specific visuals:

1. [Description of visual 1 - what it should show]
2. [Description of visual 2]

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Section 5: Tone and Style

Voice

[ ] Conversational [ ] Professional/Formal [ ] Casual/Funny [ ] Authoritative [ ] Empathetic

Perspective

[ ] First person (I/we) [ ] Second person (you) [ ] Third person (they)

Sentence Structure

[ ] Short, punchy sentences [ ] Mix of short and long [ ] Longer, flowing sentences

Terminology

Use: [Industry terms to include] Avoid: [Jargon to skip] Define: [Terms to explain for audience]

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Section 6: Calls-to-Action

Primary CTA

Placement: [End of article / Mid-article / Both] Type: [ ] Product signup [ ] Email capture [ ] Content download [ ] Related article Copy: [Exact CTA text]

Example:

“Want to systemize your content process? I create custom content frameworks that eliminate writer’s block and speed up production. [View my services]“

Secondary CTA

Internal links to include:

1. [Related article 1] - [Anchor text]
2. [Related article 2] - [Anchor text]
3. [Related article 3] - [Anchor text]

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Section 7: Research Resources

Sources to Reference

1. [Source 1 - URL]
2. [Source 2 - URL]
3. [Source 3 - URL]

Subject Matter Experts

Interview or quote:

• [Name, title, context for why they’re relevant]

Tools to Mention

1. [Tool name - why it’s relevant]
2. [Tool name - why it’s relevant]

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How to Fill Out This Brief (Step-by-Step)

Don’t overthink it. Here’s my exact process:

Phase 1: Research (30-45 minutes)

Step 1: Keyword research (10 min)

• Find primary keyword in Ahrefs
• Note search volume, difficulty, intent
• Export secondary keyword ideas

Step 2: SERP analysis (20 min)

• Open top 5 ranking articles
• Skim each, note angle and structure
• Identify gaps (what they’re missing)
• Screenshot standout sections

Step 3: Audience definition (5 min)

• Who is this REALLY for?
• What problem are they trying to solve?
• What do they already know vs. need to learn?

Step 4: Gather examples (10 min)

• Find 3-5 specific examples to include
• Screenshot or bookmark
• Add to “Examples and Data Points” section

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Phase 2: Outlining (20-30 minutes)

Step 1: Hook (5 min)

• Write 2-3 hook options
• Pick the strongest

Step 2: Structure (15 min)

• Map out H2s (main sections)
• Add H3s (subsections)
• Bullet point key ideas under each

Step 3: Flow check (5 min)

• Read through outline
• Does it tell a complete story?
• Any gaps in logic?

Step 4: Visual planning (5 min)

• Note where visuals would help
• Specify what each should show

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Phase 3: Review (10 minutes)

Ask yourself:

• Is the target audience crystal clear?
• Does the outline answer their core question?
• Have I differentiated from competitors?
• Are all examples/data pre-identified?
• Is the desired outcome achievable?
• Can someone else write this from this brief?

That last question is key. If someone else couldn’t write a solid first draft from your brief, it’s incomplete.

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Real Example: Before & After

Before (Bad Brief)

Topic: Content briefs Keywords: content brief, content template, writing brief Word count: 1,500 Audience: Content marketers Outline:

• What is a content brief
• Why content briefs matter
• How to create a content brief
• Examples
• Conclusion

Time to write: 4 hours (lots of staring at screen, multiple rewrites)

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After (Good Brief - This Article)

Working Title: “The Content Brief Template That Tripled My Writing Speed”

Target Audience:

• Freelance content writers and in-house content marketers
• Struggling with slow writing process, writer’s block
• Understand SEO basics but no formal content brief process

Primary Goal: Generate organic traffic + demonstrate expertise

Outline:

• Hook: Personal story of struggle → solution
• Why most briefs fail: Bad vs good example
• Complete template: Section-by-section walkthrough
• How to fill it out: Step-by-step process
• Real example: Show this brief itself
• Action steps: What to do today

Examples Pre-Identified:

• Bad brief vs. good brief comparison
• SERP analysis example
• Hook template with fill-in-the-blank
• This article as meta-example

Time to write: 90 minutes (brief took 1 hour, writing took 90 min, total 2.5 hrs vs 4 hrs)

Result:

• First draft accepted with minor edits
• Hit all SEO targets
• Included all required sections
• No second-guessing mid-write

Savings: 1.5 hours per article × 20 articles/month = 30 hours saved monthly

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The Brief Template (Copy-Paste Version)

# CONTENT BRIEF

## 1. METADATA
- Working Title:
- Word Count Target:
- Content Type:
- Deadline:
- Author:

## 2. STRATEGY
- Primary Goal:
- Target Audience:
  - Role:
  - Company Type:
  - Experience Level:
  - Current Challenge:
- Reader Journey:
  - Before:
  - After:

## 3. SEO
- Primary Keyword:
- Search Volume:
- Difficulty:
- Search Intent:
- Secondary Keywords: [list]
- Top 5 Competitors:
  1. URL, Angle, Strengths, Gaps

## 4. STRUCTURE
- Hook (First 100 words):
  - Problem:
  - Credibility:
  - Promise:
- Outline:
  - H2:
    - H3:
    - Key Points:
    - Examples:
- Visual Elements Needed:

## 5. TONE
- Voice:
- Perspective:
- Terminology to Use:
- Jargon to Avoid:

## 6. CTAs
- Primary CTA:
- Secondary CTAs:
- Internal Links:

## 7. RESOURCES
- Sources:
- SMEs to Quote:
- Tools to Mention:

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Your Action Plan

This week:

1. Copy this template into your favorite doc tool
2. Brief one article you’re planning to write
3. Time yourself filling out the brief (should take 60-90 min)
4. Write the article from the brief
5. Compare time spent vs. articles without briefs

This month:

1. Create 5 briefs before writing anything
2. Track writing time for each
3. Measure revision cycles (target: 1 round max)
4. Calculate time savings (brief time + writing time vs. old method)

This quarter:

1. Systematize briefing into your workflow
2. Train team members on template (if applicable)
3. Build brief library for content clusters
4. Refine template based on what works for your niche

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Isn’t spending an hour on a brief overkill?

A: The brief saves 2-3 hours on writing and revisions. Net time savings: 1-2 hours per article.

Q: What if I’m writing for myself, not clients?

A: The brief helps even more. It forces you to clarify your own thinking before writing.

Q: Can I skip sections?

A: Yes. Adapt to your needs. But if you skip too much, you lose the speed benefits.

Q: Should I brief every article?

A: Depends on complexity. Quick 600-word posts? Maybe not. 2,000+ word guides? Always.

Q: What if the brief changes mid-project?

A: Update the brief. Don’t let it become outdated. The brief should always reflect current plan.

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Bottom Line

Content briefs aren’t bureaucratic overhead. They’re performance optimization.

Every hour spent briefing saves 2+ hours writing and revising. Every brief you create makes the next one faster. Every outline prevents writer’s block.

Stop winging it. Start briefing.

Your writing speed (and quality) will thank you.

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Struggling with slow content production or need help creating briefs that your team can execute on? I specialize in building content systems that scale. Let’s streamline your content process.