Content Brief Generator

A comprehensive skill for creating detailed content briefs that guide writers, ensure consistency, and align content with business goals.

What This Skill Does

Helps you create professional content briefs for:

• Blog posts and articles - Thought leadership, tutorials, how-tos

• Technical documentation - API docs, guides, README files

• Marketing copy - Landing pages, email campaigns, ads

• Social media content - Posts, campaigns, threads

• Case studies - Customer success stories

• Whitepapers and reports - In-depth research content

• Product descriptions - E-commerce and product pages

• Video scripts - YouTube, explainer videos, demos

Why Content Briefs Matter

Without a brief:

• Unclear expectations and scope

• Multiple rounds of revisions

• Inconsistent tone and messaging

• Missing SEO opportunities

• Wasted time and resources

With a brief:

• Clear direction and goals

• Fewer revisions needed

• Consistent quality

• SEO-optimized content

• Efficient workflow

Core Components of a Content Brief

1. Content Overview

• Title/working title

• Content type (blog, doc, landing page, etc.)

• Target audience

• Primary goal (educate, convert, entertain, etc.)

• Key message or takeaway

2. Audience & Context

• Target persona

• Reader's knowledge level

• Pain points and needs

• Where they are in the funnel

• How they'll discover content

3. Strategic Elements

• Business objectives

• SEO keywords and intent

• Competitive landscape

• Success metrics

• CTAs and conversion goals

4. Content Requirements

• Tone and voice

• Length/word count

• Structure and sections

• Research requirements

• Visual/media needs

5. SEO & Distribution

• Primary and secondary keywords

• Search intent

• Meta description

• Internal/external links

• Distribution channels

Content Types & Templates

Blog Post Brief

Use for: Thought leadership, tutorials, listicles, how-tos

Key elements:

• Hook and introduction angle

• Main points (typically 3-7)

• Examples and data to include

• Call-to-action

• Internal linking strategy

Technical Documentation Brief

Use for: API docs, guides, developer documentation

Key elements:

• Technical accuracy requirements

• Code examples needed

• Audience technical level

• Prerequisites

• Related documentation

Landing Page Brief

Use for: Product pages, signup pages, campaign pages

Key elements:

• Value proposition

• Benefits vs. features

• Social proof requirements

• Conversion goal

• A/B testing plan

Case Study Brief

Use for: Customer success stories, testimonials

Key elements:

• Customer background

• Problem/solution/results framework

• Metrics and outcomes

• Quotes needed

• Industry context

Content Structure Frameworks

AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)

Best for: Marketing copy, sales pages

• Attention: Grab with headline

• Interest: Build with benefits

• Desire: Create want with proof

• Action: Drive with clear CTA

PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solve)

Best for: Blog posts, email campaigns

• Problem: Identify pain point

• Agitate: Emphasize urgency

• Solve: Present solution

Inverted Pyramid

Best for: News, technical docs

• Most important info first

• Supporting details

• Background context

Storytelling Arc

Best for: Case studies, narratives

• Setup (character/situation)

• Conflict (challenge)

• Resolution (solution)

• Takeaway (lesson)

SEO Integration

Keyword Strategy

• Primary keyword (1)

• Secondary keywords (2-3)

• Long-tail variations (3-5)

• LSI keywords (related terms)

Search Intent

• Informational: Learn about something

• Navigational: Find specific page

• Commercial: Compare options

• Transactional: Ready to buy

On-Page SEO

• Title tag (include primary keyword)

• Meta description (compelling + keyword)

• Headers (H1, H2, H3 with keywords)

• Image alt text

• Internal linking

Tone & Voice Guidelines

Tone Spectrum

• Formal ↔ Casual

• Serious ↔ Playful

• Respectful ↔ Irreverent

• Enthusiastic ↔ Matter-of-fact

Voice Attributes

Define your brand voice:

• Professional but approachable (like Stripe)

• Technical but friendly (like Twilio)

• Playful and bold (like Mailchimp)

• Authoritative and trustworthy (like HubSpot)

Writing Style

• Active vs. passive voice

• Person (1st, 2nd, 3rd)

• Sentence length

• Paragraph structure

• Use of jargon

Research & Sourcing

Research Requirements

• Primary research: Interviews, surveys, original data

• Secondary research: Industry reports, competitor analysis

• Expert quotes: SME interviews, third-party experts

• Data and statistics: Credible sources, recent data

• Examples: Real-world cases, screenshots

Citation Standards

• Link to original sources

• Attribute quotes

• Recent data (within 1-2 years)

• Authoritative sources

• Fact-checking requirements

Visual & Media Requirements

Images

• Hero image specifications

• In-content images (how many, what type)

• Screenshots or diagrams

• Charts or infographics

• Alt text requirements

Video/Audio

• Video length and format

• Screen recordings needed

• B-roll requirements

• Audio quality standards

Other Media

• Code snippets

• Downloadable resources

• Interactive elements

• Embedded content

Workflow & Process

1. Brief Creation (This Skill)

Use generate_brief.sh to create comprehensive brief

2. Research & Outline

Writer researches and creates outline

3. First Draft

Writer creates content following brief

4. Review & Edit

Editor reviews against brief requirements

5. SEO Optimization

SEO review and optimization

6. Final Approval

Stakeholder sign-off

7. Publication

Publish and distribute

8. Performance Tracking

Monitor metrics defined in brief

Success Metrics by Content Type

Blog Post

• Organic traffic

• Time on page (3+ minutes)

• Scroll depth

• Social shares

• Backlinks

• Lead generation

Technical Documentation

• Page views

• Time on page

• Search rankings

• Feedback ratings

• Support ticket reduction

Landing Page

• Conversion rate

• Bounce rate

• Time on page

• Click-through rate

• Form submissions

Case Study

• Downloads

• Leads generated

• Sales pipeline influence

• Share rate

Common Content Brief Mistakes

❌ Avoid These

Too Vague: "Write about our product" → No clear audience, goal, or angle

No Research: Missing competitor analysis and keyword research → Content won't rank or differentiate

Unclear Voice: "Make it engaging" → Not specific enough for consistency

Missing CTAs: No clear next step for readers → Missed conversion opportunities

Ignoring SEO: No keyword strategy → Content won't be discovered

✅ Do This Instead

Specific: "Write 1500-word tutorial for junior developers on JWT authentication, including code examples in Node.js"

Research-Backed: "Target keyword 'JWT authentication tutorial' (2.4K monthly searches), compete with existing articles from Auth0 and FreeCodeCamp"

Clear Voice: "Technical but approachable - explain like a senior dev mentoring a junior, use examples, avoid jargon"

Action-Oriented: "CTA: Sign up for free API key, secondary: Join Discord community"

SEO-Optimized: "Primary: 'JWT authentication', Secondary: 'JSON web token Node.js', 'secure API authentication'"

Using This Skill

Generate a Content Brief

./scripts/generate_brief.sh

Interactive workflow will guide you through:

• Content type and audience

• Goals and objectives

• SEO requirements

• Structure and requirements

• Success metrics

Validate a Brief

./scripts/validate_brief.sh path/to/brief.md

Checks for:

• Required sections present

• Keyword strategy defined

• Target audience specified

• Success metrics included

• Completeness score

Access Templates

references/content_brief_template.md - Complete template references/seo_guidelines.md - SEO best practices references/content_frameworks.md - Structure frameworks references/tone_voice_guide.md - Voice guidelines

Content Brief Checklist

• Clear title and content type

• Target audience defined with persona details

• Primary goal and business objective

• Keyword research completed

• Search intent identified

• Tone and voice specified

• Word count target

• Structure and key sections outlined

• Research sources identified

• Examples and data requirements

• Visual needs specified

• CTAs defined

• Success metrics established

• Competitor content analyzed

• Distribution plan outlined

Quick Start Examples

"Create a blog post brief"

System generates comprehensive brief with:

• SEO keyword strategy

• Audience targeting

• Structure recommendations

• Success metrics

"Write technical documentation brief for API"

System creates technical brief with:

• Technical requirements

• Code example specifications

• Audience skill level

• Documentation standards

"Generate landing page brief"

System builds conversion-focused brief with:

• Value proposition guidance

• CTA strategy

• A/B testing recommendations

• Conversion metrics

Best Practices

1. Start With Research

• Analyze top-ranking content

• Understand search intent

• Identify content gaps

• Review competitor approach

2. Be Specific

• Exact word count

• Specific examples needed

• Clear tone guidelines

• Defined success metrics

3. Align With Strategy

• Connect to business goals

• Fit content calendar

• Support funnel stage

• Match brand voice

4. Make It Actionable

• Clear deliverables

• Specific requirements

• Concrete examples

• Measurable outcomes

5. Iterate and Improve

• Track performance

• Update based on results

• Refine over time

• Learn from top performers

Integration With Other Workflows

Content Calendar

Brief creation triggers calendar entry

SEO Tools

Keywords from SEMrush, Ahrefs, etc.

Project Management

Brief becomes Jira/Asana task

CMS

Brief exported to content management system

Analytics

Success metrics tracked in dashboards

Tips for Different Writer Types

Content Writers

• Focus on audience and storytelling

• Emphasize research requirements

• Clear brand voice guidelines

Technical Writers

• Specify technical accuracy needs

• Define audience knowledge level

• Include code example requirements

Copywriters

• Highlight conversion goals

• Specify A/B testing needs

• Clear CTA strategy

Content Marketers

• Connect to funnel stage

• Define distribution strategy

• Specify lead generation goals

Resources

All reference materials included:

• Complete content brief template

• SEO optimization guidelines

• Content structure frameworks

• Tone and voice development guide

• Copywriting formulas and examples

Summary

Content briefs ensure:

• Clarity - Everyone knows expectations

• Efficiency - Fewer revisions needed

• Quality - Consistent, strategic content

• Results - Content that achieves goals

Use this skill to create comprehensive briefs that guide writers to success.

Remember: Time spent on a good brief saves 10x time in revisions. Get it right before writing begins.