How to Write an SEO Content Brief

An SEO content brief gives a writer one search question to answer, a reader who needs that answer and a way to check the finished article. A useful test is to hand the brief to a second writer. Could they tell what belongs in the opening, which facts need checking and when the reader has enough information to act?

Download the editable SEO content brief template (Word). Replace the prompts on its single page, or use the pottery studio example below to draft your own assignment.

Start with the moment behind the search

Imagine a visitor looking up “beginner pottery class” while planning a weekend trip. That phrase could come from someone choosing between hand-building and a wheel class. It could also come from someone who has already picked a class but leaves town on Sunday. The first person needs a comparison. The second needs to know what happens to the piece after class.

For this fictional assignment, suppose the studio received this enquiry: “I’m only in town for the weekend. Can I take the bowl home on Sunday?” The question gives the writer a reason to lead with collection arrangements. It says nothing about how often visitors ask or whether this studio offers shipping. In a real brief, record where the question came from and ask the studio to confirm its policy.

A filled-in content brief for a pottery studio

Working title and search phrase. “Can I Take My Pottery Home After a Weekend Class?” Use “can I take my pottery home after class” as the working search phrase. It is a writing prompt for this example. Its search volume has not been measured.

Reader and decision. The reader has found a class that fits their travel dates. They need to decide whether they can book it and still receive the finished piece after leaving town.

Evidence and open questions. The sample enquiry establishes a Sunday departure. Ask the studio manager which class the answer applies to, when work is usually ready, how participants are notified, and whether shipping or collection by another person is available.

Opening to hand the writer. Draft with placeholders until the studio replies: “For our [class name], your piece will be ready [confirmed collection window]. If you leave on Sunday, [confirmed option for this class].” Remove every placeholder before publication. If the studio cannot promise a date, say what it can confirm and give the reader a contact.

Put the reader’s questions in order

1. Can I leave the class with my piece? Give the answer for the specific session. Add only enough detail about the studio’s process to explain the timing.

2. When and how can I collect it? Explain when the studio will get in touch, where collection happens and whether another person can collect. Verify each detail against the current procedure.

3. What if I leave town first? Describe the option the manager confirms, including any limits or costs. End with the relevant class listing or the contact for an unresolved question. A history of ceramics can wait for a different article.

Check the draft against the booking decision

Ask a colleague to read the opening as the weekend visitor. Can they tell whether this session works for them and what to do next? Then check that the booking page and the article give the same collection information. If the studio later changes its policy, the editor now knows which claims and links need another look.

For help with the reader research, Found for a Reason includes the 32-page guide Map the Reader’s Situation. When you have the question and need to organise the draft, An Article Worth Finding includes Plan the Architecture of an Article and a separate structure checklist.