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How to Write a Content Marketing Brief
A content brief turns a broad topic into an assignment a writer can complete and an editor can assess. It should explain what the reader needs, which evidence is available and what a successful piece enables the reader to do.
Name the audience and question
Describe the reader’s situation and the specific question the resource answers. Identify what the person is likely to know already and what requires explanation. Separate the main task from adjacent topics so the article does not become a generic introduction to everything the business sells.
Specify scope and evidence
List the facts that need current sources, the internal information that can support them and any claims that should not be made. Assign responsibility for checking technical, legal or time-sensitive statements. Do not ask the writer to fabricate a first-person experience, customer quote or result to fill an evidence gap.
Outline the explanation and links
Choose headings that follow the reader’s task. Identify relevant supporting pages and describe why each would help. Google’s link guidance recommends descriptive, relevant anchor text; linking every keyword or adding a directory of unrelated products does not help explain the subject.
Agree the review and maintenance
Name the editor, subject reviewer where needed and the person responsible for later corrections. Check whether the draft answers the question and whether its title and description match the final content. Remove promises of a template, video or download if that resource will not actually be supplied. Publish a date change when the content has been substantively updated, not as a substitute for editing.