How to: SEO content briefs
Whether you're writing the content or assigning it to a freelancer, always use SEO content briefs to improve workflows and organic search rankings.
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How to create SEO content briefs to streamline the writing process (and rank on Google)
Are you tired of staring at a blank page because you have no idea how to start writing a new blog article that ranks? Or maybe you’re a marketer who works with freelance writers, but you never seem to receive exactly what you’re looking for.
SEO writing is a time-consuming task that requires deep focus and consistency, but with a detailed SEO content brief, you can put the process in motion, provide clarity, and make it easier to structure articles so they rank.
Whether you’re creating a content brief to improve your writing process or looping in a freelancer, read on to learn what an SEO content brief is, how to create one, and why it’s beneficial. You’ll also gain access to an example of a content brief template — a Google Doc I created — so you can easily make a copy and use it for your projects. I hope it’s helpful!
First things first…
What is an SEO content brief?
An SEO content brief is a detailed overview of everything needed to successfully create SEO content. You can use different content brief templates depending on the type of content you’re creating: a blog article, landing page, guide, or another format. This post provides a deep dive into creating SEO content briefs for blog articles.
Although every content manager has a slightly different approach to SEO content briefs, it’s important to include the following key elements:
Overview and objective
Target keyword (KW)
Funnel stage
Audience segment
Target word count
Call-to-action (CTA)
On-page SEO
Blog categories and tags
SERPs
Internal link building
Content specifications
Outline
Draft
How to create your SEO content brief
Now that you know what sections to include, here’s a closer look at how to do it:
1. Overview and objective
Insert information here about what you hope to achieve with this new piece of content. Are you trying to outrank a competitor for a specific keyword? Are you trying to explain the benefits of one of your products or services? Are you trying to convert blog readers into paying customers? Whatever it is, outline it here.
2. Target keyword (KW)
What KWs are you targeting with this new blog article? Choose a primary KW and secondary (related) KWs to use throughout the blog article. Here’s an article I wrote about free keyword research tools.
3. Funnel stage
Generally, SEO blog articles are a top-of-funnel (TOFU) content marketing strategy. By targeting KWs related to your products or services you can attract potential customers to your website.
🔎 Someone typing your target KW into Google is likely looking for information. They may have a problem they’re trying to solve or they’re looking for insights and they’re researching to learn more or get tips. This puts the reader at the top of the funnel — they’re likely problem-aware, and the goal of your content is to make them solution-aware.
However, you cannot expect to convert every first-time visitor. Offering a discount on first purchases or free tools in exchange for email addresses is a great lead-generation tactic so you can keep in touch with prospects. Then you can use middle-of-funnel (MOFU) and bottom-of-funnel (BOFU) content to nurture leads and increase conversions.
TOFU, MOFU, BOFU… I’m lost. Here’s a helpful article about the conversion funnel.
4. Audience segment
Who are you writing this new piece of content for? For example, if you sell beaded jewelry and want to attract potential customers, you could create a guide about how to clean beaded jewelry. The people you attract are already interested in beaded jewelry and by providing them with useful information, you can build trust and help them discover your brand.
Or, if your objective is to remind significant others that beaded jewelry is a great holiday gift, you could publish a holiday gift guide on your blog that’s geared toward gift-givers versus your end customer.
5. Target word count
There’s no set rule for this, but generally, your word count should be similar to what’s currently ranking for your target KW.
6. Call-to-action (CTA)
What primary action do you want visitors to take after reading your blog article? Do you want them to:
Order a new product.
Sign up for your newsletter.
Sign up for a course.
Provide their email address in exchange for a downloadable guide or free tool.
Whatever it is, make sure to include prominent CTAs throughout the article. I usually incorporate two to three CTAs. One shortly after the introduction, one in the middle, and I always insert one at the end of the article.
7. On-page SEO
Headline (60 characters): This is the title of the article that readers see at the top of the page.
Meta description (155 - 160 characters): This is the description of the article searchers see when your article ranks on Google.
Title tag (60 characters): This is the article title that searchers see when your article ranks on Google.
URL slug: Keep it short. For example, if your headline is “8 Tips For Cleaning Beaded Jewelry” and your target KW is “cleaning beaded jewelry”, your slug could be cleaning-beaded-jewelry.
Excerpt: This is the summary readers can see on your main blog page — it can be a version of your meta description.
📌 Tip: Use your target KW in all places listed above. At the beginning is better, but only if it feels natural.
👋 I want to make sure I’m creating content that’s relevant to you. Could you please respond to this poll before you keep reading? Thanks!
8. Blog categories and tags
Organizing blog articles into categories and tagging them can help with SEO. Come up with two to four categories initially and a list of tags that are relevant to your business. Ideally, you should have at least three to four blog articles within each category and tag.
9. SERPs
SERPs (search engine results pages) are the pages that are currently ranking in the top spots for your target KW. Make sure your page is better in quality, thoroughness, and format.
For example, when I search “cleaning beaded jewelry” in the US (at the time of writing this), these are the top three SERPs:
https://www.lunetacreations.com/blog/how-to-clean-vintage-jewellery
https://lackorecouture.com/blogs/guides/how-to-clean-beaded-jewelry
By reviewing the content that currently ranks, you can figure out the ideal structure for your blog article, the sections to include, how many images to use, approximately how long it should be, etc.
10. Internal link building
If you’re just starting your blog, internal link-building is hard to do. But once you’ve published a few articles, find a way to link them to and from each other. Here’s more information about internal link building for SEO. Here’s how you can incorporate this in your content brief:
Internal links to incorporate 3-5 (to existing blogs/landings):
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
Internal links to incorporate 3-5 (from existing blogs/landings):
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
11. Content specifications
Judging from what’s currently ranking for your target keyword, you can determine the content format that ranks best on Google. Keep this in mind for your blog article. For example, is it a long-form blog article broken up into sections with H2s and H3s? Is it short and sweet with lots of images? Is it a landing page instead of a blog article? If it’s the latter, you may want to consider a different angle for your blog article and publish a landing page to target the KW instead.
12. Outline
Outlining your blog article can help you determine each subtopic and structure based on the keyword and research before you start writing. While writing and researching further, you may decide to include additional ideas or modify sections.
📌 Tip: Your outline and article structure should be similar to the content that is currently ranking for your target KW.
13. Draft
Last but not least, include a section at the end of your content brief for the first draft of the blog article.
The benefits of SEO content briefs
You might be feeling overwhelmed by the thought of having to do so much work before the writing even starts, but a good SEO content brief improves the writing process and results in the following ways:
Clarity. Knowing how to structure your blog article, the keywords to include, and who you’re writing for provides a clear roadmap for success.
Costs. Providing as much context from the start means you’ll create or receive better first drafts, reducing production costs. Even if you’re the one writing the content, remember, time is money.
Consistency. Once you get into a rhythm of creating SEO content briefs, it can help you publish new content regularly.
Performance. Without reviewing SERPs, you won’t know what’s currently ranking. SEO content is competitive. It’s crucial to review the top-ranking pages for your target KW, so you know how you can be more thorough and helpful (and hopefully outrank the competition).
SEO content brief example
I’d like to invite you to use my SEO content brief template as a starting point and tweak it as necessary for your business or projects. 👉 Make a copy of the Google Doc here.
Over to you: create your SEO content brief
Creating SEO content briefs for blog articles can take anywhere from one to three hours depending on the topic and SERPs you’re trying to beat. Regardless of whether you’re writing the article or assigning it to a writer, always start with a brief and detailed outline.
Now it’s your turn.
💡Did this post spark questions or ideas? Feel free to comment below; I’ll do my best to address it in a future newsletter.