A content brief template is a reusable form a writer receives before every piece of content, with the same fields each time: goal, target query, search intent, reader, angle, outline, sources, internal links, length, call to action, owner and deadline. Copy the blank template below into Google Docs, Notion or your project tool, fill in each field (the guide under the template says what to write and where to find it), then run the checklist before you hand it over.
If you'd rather see finished briefs first, our content brief examples page has six filled-in versions for different types of content.
Key takeaways
- A brief template keeps the same 14 fields in the same order, so writers know where to look and editors can spot gaps in seconds.
- Fill the decisions first (query, intent, reader, angle) and the logistics last. A brief with a great outline and no angle produces a copy of the current top result.
- Pull secondary queries and questions from real data. Search Console, People Also Ask and the headings of the top-ranking pages beat guesswork.
- One to two pages is enough. Link background research rather than pasting it in.
- Check it before you send it. Most rewrites trace back to a blank field, not a bad writer.
The content brief template (copy and paste)
Copy everything in the box. Lines in square brackets are prompts; replace them with your answer.
CONTENT BRIEF
1. WORKING TITLE
[The promise of the piece in the reader's words]
2. GOAL
[What this piece should achieve: rank for X, get sign-ups, support sales, answer support tickets]
3. PRIMARY QUERY
[The one search this piece must win] · Monthly volume: [ ] · Difficulty: [ ]
4. SECONDARY QUERIES AND QUESTIONS
[3–8 related searches and People Also Ask questions to cover]
5. SEARCH INTENT AND FORMAT
[Informational / commercial / transactional] · Format: [how-to steps, list, comparison table, landing page]
What the top 5 results have in common: [ ]
6. READER
[Who they are, what they already know, what problem brought them here]
7. ANGLE
[Why our page deserves to rank above the current top results: our data, experience, examples, a better format]
8. OUTLINE
H2 [ ]
H3 [ ]
H2 [ ]
H2 FAQ (questions from section 4)
9. MUST INCLUDE
[Facts, numbers and examples, each with its source link] · [Screenshots or visuals needed]
10. MUST AVOID
[Claims we can't back up, competitors not to mention, outdated terms, legal or brand no-gos]
11. INTERNAL LINKS
[URL] with anchor "[text]" · [URL] with anchor "[text]" · Pages that should link to this one: [ ]
12. VOICE
[2–3 words for tone] · Point of view: [we / you] · Reading level: [ ] · Link to style guide: [ ]
13. LENGTH AND CALL TO ACTION
[Word range] · CTA: [what the reader should do next, with the link]
14. OWNER AND DATES
Writer: [ ] · Editor/reviewer: [ ] · Subject-matter expert: [ ] · Draft due: [ ] · Publish: [ ]To use it as a table instead (handy in Google Sheets or a Notion database), put the 14 field names in the first column and one brief per column to the right. That turns your briefs into a running editorial calendar.
How to fill in each field
| Field | What to write | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Working title | The topic plus the promise ("with template", "for beginners", "in 10 minutes") | The wording of the primary query and the titles that rank |
| Goal | One measurable outcome | Your content plan or the page's role in the funnel |
| Primary query | The single search this piece targets, with volume and difficulty | A keyword tool, or Outrank's free keyword research tool |
| Secondary queries | Close variants and sub-questions worth an H2 or FAQ | Search Console (Performance → Queries) for existing pages, People Also Ask, related searches |
| Search intent and format | What searchers want and how the top results deliver it | Search the query in a private window and note the format of the top 5 |
| Reader | One sentence on who they are and what they already know | Sales calls, support tickets, your customer interviews |
| Angle | The one thing your page offers that the top results don't | Your own data, experience, examples, tools or a better format |
| Outline | H2s that mirror the secondary queries, in the order a reader needs them | The queries above plus headings that recur across the top results |
| Must include | Facts with links, examples, screenshots, quotes from your experts | Primary sources: official docs, original studies, your product data |
| Must avoid | Unverifiable claims, outdated terms, topics legal won't approve | Your style guide and past edits |
| Internal links | 3–6 relevant pages with descriptive anchors | Your sitemap or topic cluster map |
| Voice | Tone words and a link to the style guide | Your brand guidelines (see brand consistency) |
| Length and CTA | A word range, not a target, and one next step | The depth of the top results; the goal field |
| Owner and dates | Names and deadlines | Your editorial calendar |
Three fields deserve more care than the rest:
Search intent and format. Google rewards pages that match what searchers expect. If the top results for "content brief template" are all downloadable templates, a 3,000-word essay on why briefs matter is the wrong format, however well written. Our guide to blog post formats maps common query patterns to formats.
Angle. Google's helpful content guidance asks whether content provides "original information, reporting, research, or analysis" and "insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond the obvious". The angle field is where you write down how this piece will do that. If you can't fill it in, the piece probably shouldn't be written yet.
Must include. Ask for facts with source links in the brief, not after the draft. It's the cheapest way to avoid invented statistics, which are also the first thing a careful reader (or an editor) catches.
Template variations
The 14 fields cover most pieces. A few common variations change or add fields:
| Variation | Change these fields | Add these fields |
|---|---|---|
| Blog post brief template | None, it's the default | Featured image idea, FAQ questions |
| Website content brief template (service, product or landing page) | Shorter outline; goal is a conversion | Page URL and place in the sitemap, primary CTA above the fold, proof (reviews, logos, certifications), schema type |
| Content writing brief for freelancers | Voice gets a full style guide link | Rate and payment terms, deliverable format (Google Doc, CMS draft), revision rounds, whether AI tools may be used |
| Content strategy brief template (a quarter or a topic, not one piece) | Replace outline with a list of planned pieces | Business goal, topic cluster, publishing cadence, budget, success metrics |
| Refresh brief (updating an existing page) | Outline becomes "keep, change, remove, add" | Current position and clicks, URL to keep, date of last update |
For planning above the level of a single piece, use the website content planning template or the SEO strategy template. To find the pages worth a refresh brief, start with a content audit.
Before you send the brief: a checklist
Tick these off before the brief goes to a writer. Your progress is saved in this browser.
Interactive checklist
Content brief checklist
0/14
Strategy
0/5Content
0/5Logistics
0/4Your progress is saved in this browser, so you can come back to it later.
How to write a content brief, step by step
- Start from the query, not the topic. Pick the one search the piece must win and check its volume and difficulty. If you're choosing between several, our guide on how to pick keywords helps.
- Read the results page. Note the format, the sub-topics that every top result covers and what none of them covers. That last list is your angle.
- Collect the secondary queries. For an existing page, Search Console's Queries tab shows what it already gets impressions for. For a new one, use People Also Ask and related searches.
- Write the outline from the queries. Turn each query cluster into an H2. Put the direct answer first, then the detail. Our blog post outline guide covers this in depth.
- Add the facts and sources. List the numbers and examples the piece must contain, each with its source.
- Fill in the logistics. Internal links, voice, length, CTA, owner and dates.
- Run the checklist above and send it.
When you can skip the brief
Not every piece needs a human-written brief. For routine long-tail articles, a tool can do the research and structure: Outrank, for example, picks the keyword, studies the pages that already rank and writes the article with H2/H3 structure, internal and external links, images and an FAQ, then publishes it to your CMS. Keep hand-written briefs for the pieces that depend on your own knowledge: comparisons, opinion pieces, original research and anything with legal or medical weight.
FAQ
What is a content brief template?
A content brief template is a reusable document with fixed fields (goal, target keyword, intent, reader, angle, outline, sources, internal links, length, CTA, owner, deadline) that you fill in for each new piece of content. Using the same template every time makes briefs faster to write and easier for writers to follow.
What should a blog post brief include?
A blog post brief should include the primary and secondary keywords, the search intent and expected format, a description of the reader, a unique angle, an H2/H3 outline, required facts with sources, internal links, tone of voice, a word range, a call to action and the deadline. The template above has all of them in that order.
How do I write a content brief?
Start with the target query, search it and note the format and gaps in the top results, collect related queries and questions, turn them into an outline, list the facts and sources the piece needs, then add links, voice, length, CTA and deadlines. Check it against a short checklist before sending it to the writer.
Can I use this content brief template in Google Docs or Notion?
Yes. Paste the text version into a Google Doc or a Notion page and save it as a template (in Notion, save it as a database template or a template button; in Google Docs, keep a master copy and duplicate it). For a sheet-based workflow, put the fields in rows and one brief per column.
How do you train writers to use content briefs?
Walk a new writer through one finished brief and the article it produced, then have them fill in a brief themselves for their first piece and review it together. Keep the field order identical across briefs, and add a "questions for the editor" line so gaps surface before the draft, not after.
