There's a Science to Content Briefs - Here's How to Nail It Every Time
Co-Founder / CTO
If you ever feel like you’re shooting in the dark with your content, this is for you.
Creating killer content is all about nailing the strategy because, let’s be honest – we aren’t Stephen King, and we don’t write fiction.
A solid content strategy isn't born in the middle of writing or during last-minute edits. It starts way before that - with a content brief.
Table of Contents
Understand the anatomy of a content brief
Let's start with the basics. Every content brief needs these core elements:
- Topic and angle → What are we talking about, and what's our unique take?
- Target audience → Who are we writing for? Get specific – age, interests, pain points.
- Word count → How long should this piece be?
- Key points to cover → The must-include information.
- Desired outcome or call-to-action → What do we want readers to do after reading?
But again, these are just part of the foundation, the “skeleton”.
To take your briefs to the next level, do the following:
- Competitor analysis → Analyze your competitors’ content and see what’s missing and what can be improved.
- Tone and voice guidelines → Give examples. If you want "friendly but professional," show what that looks like in a sentence or two.
- SEO insights → Beyond keywords, include search intent. Are people looking for how-to guides, reviews, or quick answers?
- Content structure suggestions → Outline potential headings or sections to give writers a framework without boxing them in.
How to figure out the objectives of a content piece
Often the missing piece between your goals for a content piece and the writers’ or your draft is the final objective of that content piece.
Here’s what I mean by that.
You need to know what your content should achieve.
What's the overarching goal of your content strategy? Are you looking to boost brand awareness, generate leads, or establish thought leadership? Your content objectives should align with these broader aims.
For instance, if you want to improve your lead gen efforts, your content might focus on showcasing your expertise and including strong calls to action.
Next, get specific about this particular piece of content.
What role does it play in your audience's journey? Is it meant to attract new readers, nurture existing leads, or push people towards a purchase?
Understanding where this content fits in your funnel helps clarify its purpose. An awareness-stage blog post will have very different objectives from a bottom-of-funnel case study.
Your target audience + your brief = The perfect article
Think of creating content like throwing the ultimate dinner party. You know your guests' favorite foods, their dietary restrictions, and even their guilty pleasures. With that info, you craft the perfect menu and shopping list.
That's exactly what we're doing with content creation.
Once you've nailed down your audience, you're creating content for real people with real needs, just like cooking for friends you know well.
A brief essentially tells your writer, "Here's what we need to cover, how we should say it, and why our readers will love it." A good brief takes all that audience knowledge and turns it into a solid game plan.
How approaching a single keyword differently can change the nature of your brief
Keywords can have multiple search intents.
Google “content marketing tool,” and you’ll see what I mean.
You'll find listicles, in-depth reviews, buyer's guides, and even videos. Each of these results targets a different aspect of the user's journey. Some folks might be ready to buy, while others are just starting their research.
The key is recognizing that one keyword can serve multiple intents and being able to pick the best intent.
If you’re an experienced strategist, you probably excel at this kind of keyword analysis. Or you can always use Yahini to do the heavy lifting for you, but the brief needs to highlight the intent you’ve chosen, guiding your writer to create content that aligns perfectly with your chosen intent.
SEO is important, but don’t focus too much on it
Focusing on SEO only is tempting, as you just need to choose a bunch of keywords, plug them into a tool, and you’ve got a neat, data-driven plan for your content. It feels super productive, doesn’t it?
Well, that’s exactly why the internet is drowning in cookie-cutter content. We’re all chasing the same keywords, using the same tools, and ending up with similar articles.
My top advice is to use search volumes as a guide only. Sure, look at the numbers, but don’t let them dictate your strategy.
What about structure?
Different types of content need different structures.
A how-to guide might follow a step-by-step format, while a listicle needs clear, punchy subheadings.
Your brief should sketch out this structure.
Maybe you want an attention-grabbing intro, three main points with examples, and a strong conclusion with a call to action.
Whatever it is, spell it out.
Does your brief need to nail search intent and funnel stage?
Absolutely, yes.
Think about it. Someone searching "what is content marketing" is in a very different headspace from someone looking up "best content marketing tools 2024".
The first person needs a broad, informative piece that covers the basics. The second is probably comparing options, maybe even ready to make a purchase.
Your brief needs to reflect these differences.
For the awareness stage, your brief might call for a more educational approach, with plenty of definitions and examples. As you move down the funnel, your briefs should shift towards more specific, action-oriented content. The structure, tone, and even the call-to-action will all change based on where your reader is in their journey.
Better content than your competitors, through content briefs
Let’s go the extra mile.
Spend a few more minutes going through some of your competitors’ content and try to come up with a list of differentiators you can explore in your content.
- Look into what pain points your competitors address in their content and try to come up with more;
- Cover unique angles no other competitor is covering;
- Plug in more data and research that others have missed.
Your competitors are probably targeting the same keywords and topics as you, there’s no doubt about that. But your content can be superior if you put a lot of thought into the brief and strategy.
Content art isn't enough; the science is what drives the results
Without a solid strategy, even the most brilliant ideas can fall flat.
Ready to build perfect content briefs but not sure where to start?
Yahini offers you the strategic advice you need to create a content strategy from the ground up. Its AI has been trained by seasoned content strategists, providing you with expert-level content briefs right at your fingertips.
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