Standard operating procedure

SOP: Creating a Content Brief

Turn a target keyword into a brief a writer can follow without guessing.

SOP7 stepsAbout 60 minIntermediate

Objective

Give the writer every decision they need up front, so the first draft matches search intent and needs few changes.

When to use

  • Before any new page or blog post is written.
  • When refreshing content that has lost rankings.

Prerequisites

  • An approved target keyword from the keyword map.
  • The Content Brief Template.
  • The client’s tone and brand notes.

Steps

  1. Confirm intent

    Review the top results and describe what searchers want in one sentence.

  2. Summarize the competition

    Note format, depth and angles of the top pages.

  3. Build the outline

    Write H2s and H3s in the order a reader needs them.

  4. Add must-cover points

    Facts, examples, FAQs and comparisons.

  5. Plan internal links

    Pages to link to, and pages that should link back.

  6. Set format and length

    Word count range, images, tables and the call to action.

  7. Review with the client or editor

    Fix gaps before the writer starts.

Quality checklist

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Download

A plain-text Markdown copy (.md) that opens in any editor and pastes cleanly into Google Docs, Notion or ClickUp.

Download SOP (Markdown)

Templates for this SOP

  • Template Content Brief Template A fill-in-the-blanks brief that gives writers everything they need: keyword, intent, audience, outline, must-cover points and…
  • Template Content Calendar Template Plan, assign and track content from idea to published post, with target keywords and funnel stage…

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