seo-content-brief
This skill should be used when the user asks to "write an SEO brief", "create an SEO content brief", "brief a writer for SEO", "SEO brief template", "content brief for ranking", "write a brief with SEO requirements", "SEO-optimized content brief", "brief for a rankable article", or any variation of writing, creating, or templating content briefs that include SEO requirements for B2B SaaS content production.
SEO Content Brief
An SEO content brief adds ranking-specific requirements to a standard content brief. It tells the writer not just what to write, but what to include so the page ranks. Without SEO requirements in the brief, writers produce content that reads well but targets nothing — it's publishable but invisible.
The SEO content brief is where keyword research meets content production. Every ranking requirement — primary keyword, secondary keywords, search intent, competitor analysis, on-page elements — gets specified before writing begins.
SEO Brief Template
Section 1: Target keyword specification
| Field | What to specify | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Primary keyword | The single most important keyword this page targets | "hubspot vs salesforce" |
| Secondary keywords | 3-8 related keywords to include naturally | "hubspot salesforce comparison", "difference between hubspot and salesforce" |
| Long-tail variations | Question-format and conversational queries | "which is better hubspot or salesforce for small business" |
| Search volume | Monthly search volume for primary keyword | 8,100/month |
| Keyword difficulty | DR or KD score from Ahrefs/Semrush | KD 45 |
| Current ranking | Your current position (if any) for primary keyword | Not ranking / Position 18 |
Section 2: Intent and page type
| Field | What to specify | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Search intent | Informational, commercial investigation, or transactional | Commercial investigation |
| Page type | Comparison, listicle, how-to, definition, etc. | Comparison page |
| SERP analysis | What page types occupy top 10 results | 7/10 are comparison pages, 2 are listicles, 1 is a review |
| Featured snippet opportunity | Is there a snippet? What format? | Yes — table snippet showing feature comparison |
Section 3: Competitive analysis
| Competitor page | URL | Word count | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competitor A | [URL] | 2,800 | Great comparison table, current pricing | No FAQ section, no schema markup |
| Competitor B | [URL] | 1,500 | Good verdict, AEO-optimized | Thin content, missing feature details |
| Competitor C | [URL] | 3,200 | Very comprehensive, original data | Outdated (2024), poor structure |
Include for every brief. Knowing what to beat is essential for ranking.
Section 4: On-page SEO requirements
| Element | Specification | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Title tag | Include primary keyword, ≤ 60 characters | "HubSpot vs Salesforce (2026): Complete Comparison" |
| Meta description | Include primary keyword, ≤ 155 characters, earn the click | "HubSpot vs Salesforce compared: features, pricing, integrations, and which is better for your team." |
| H1 | Match or close to primary keyword | "HubSpot vs Salesforce: Which CRM Is Right for You?" |
| Required H2s | Specific section headers, question-shaped where possible | "What's the difference between HubSpot and Salesforce?", "HubSpot vs Salesforce pricing", "HubSpot vs Salesforce features" |
| URL slug | Include primary keyword, lowercase, hyphens | /vs/hubspot-vs-salesforce |
| Word count target | Based on competitor analysis | 2,000-2,500 (beat top competitor's 2,800 if content is better, or match if structure is stronger) |
Section 5: Content requirements for ranking
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Required topics to cover | List specific subtopics the page must address (from competitor analysis and keyword research) |
| Required tables | Comparison table (features), pricing table |
| Required FAQ questions | 5-8 questions from PAA + related queries |
| Internal links | Link to: [your pricing page], [your product page], [related comparison pages] |
| External links | 1-2 authoritative external sources where relevant |
| Images/media | Comparison screenshots, pricing table graphic |
Section 6: AEO requirements
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| First 50 words | Must contain verdict: "HubSpot is better for [use case]. Salesforce is better for [use case]." |
| Extractable answer | "HubSpot is a CRM designed for marketing-led B2B teams. Salesforce is an enterprise CRM built for complex sales cycles with custom objects and advanced automation." |
| Schema types | FAQPage + Article |
| AI search query | "What's the difference between HubSpot and Salesforce? Which is better for a 50-person SaaS company?" |
Brief-Writing Process
Step 1: Keyword research (10 min)
- Confirm primary keyword and pull volume/difficulty from Ahrefs or Semrush
- Identify 3-8 secondary keywords from related terms
- Pull PAA questions from Google SERP
- Test the query in AI engines and note AI phrasing
Step 2: SERP analysis (10 min)
- Search the primary keyword in Google
- Record page types in top 10 results
- Identify featured snippet format (if exists)
- Note SERP features present (PAA, images, videos, etc.)
Step 3: Competitor page analysis (15 min)
- Open top 3 competitor pages
- Record: word count, H2 structure, tables used, schema present, content freshness
- Note strengths (what they do well) and weaknesses (what you can do better)
- Identify content gaps (topics they miss that you should cover)
Step 4: Write the brief (15 min)
Fill in all sections of the template. Be specific on every field.
Total time per brief: 45-50 minutes. This investment saves 2-3 hours of revision cycles.
SEO Brief vs Standard Content Brief
| Element | Standard brief | SEO brief adds |
|---|---|---|
| Topic | Yes | Primary keyword with volume and difficulty |
| Audience | Yes | Search intent classification |
| H2 structure | Yes | H2s matched to keywords and PAA questions |
| Angle/thesis | Yes | Competitive positioning (what to do better than top 3) |
| Word count | Yes | Based on competitor word counts, not arbitrary |
| CTA | Yes | Matched to search intent |
| Title tag and meta description specifications | ||
| URL slug specification | ||
| Competitor page analysis with strengths/weaknesses | ||
| Featured snippet optimization instructions | ||
| AEO requirements (first 50 words, schema, extractable answer) | ||
| Internal/external link targets |
Pre-Handoff Checklist
Before giving an SEO brief to a writer:
- [ ] Primary keyword specified with volume and difficulty
- [ ] 3-8 secondary keywords listed
- [ ] Search intent classified from SERP analysis (not guessed)
- [ ] Page type specified based on SERP (not assumed)
- [ ] Top 3 competitor pages analyzed with strengths/weaknesses
- [ ] Title tag drafted (≤ 60 chars, includes primary keyword)
- [ ] Meta description drafted (≤ 155 chars, includes primary keyword)
- [ ] URL slug specified
- [ ] All H2s listed (question-shaped, matching keywords)
- [ ] Word count target set based on competitor analysis
- [ ] Featured snippet opportunity identified with format
- [ ] PAA questions captured and assigned as H2s or FAQ
- [ ] Internal link targets listed
- [ ] AEO requirements specified (first 50 words, extractable answer, schema type)
- [ ] Content gaps identified (what competitors miss that we should include)
Anti-Pattern Check
- Brief has no keyword specification → Without a primary keyword, the writer produces content that targets nothing. Every brief needs a primary keyword with volume and difficulty data
- SEO requirements added after the draft is written → Retrofitting SEO into finished content produces awkward keyword insertion and poor structure. SEO requirements belong in the brief, not the editing phase
- Word count is arbitrary ("write 2,000 words") → Base word count on competitor analysis. If top 3 competitors average 1,500 words, you don't need 3,000. Match or beat through quality, not just length
- No competitor analysis in the brief → Without seeing what ranks, the writer has no benchmark. Include top 3 competitor URLs with specific notes on what they do well and what they miss
- Title tag and meta description left to the writer → These are SEO-critical elements. The strategist should draft them in the brief. The writer can refine but shouldn't start from scratch
- No AEO requirements → Every SEO brief should include AEO requirements. The first 50 words, extractable answer, and schema type should be specified alongside traditional SEO elements
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