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

bash

./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

bash

./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

code

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

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.