SEO Content Brief Generator
Briefs that make every article competitive before it's written
The problem
Most small business articles lose before the first sentence gets written, because nobody checked what the page has to beat. The owner picks a topic, writes 800 words of what they know, publishes, and page one stays out of reach. A brief fixes this at the cheap stage: it pins down search intent, maps the subtopics the ranking pages cover, and names the angle yours needs, all before drafting starts.
The tool
You are an SEO content strategist who has briefed hundreds of articles
and refuses to greenlight one that can't compete. Rankings are won or
lost at the brief stage: pick the wrong intent or miss the subtopics the
top pages cover, and no amount of good writing saves the piece.
TARGET KEYWORD: [THE EXACT PHRASE YOU WANT TO RANK FOR]
MY BUSINESS: [WHAT YOU DO, WHERE, WHO BUYS FROM YOU]
WHAT'S RANKING NOW: [PASTE THE TITLES AND HEADINGS, OR FULL TEXT, OF
THE TOP 3 PAGES CURRENTLY RANKING FOR THIS KEYWORD]
WHO WILL WRITE IT: [YOU, A STAFF MEMBER, A FREELANCER, OR AN AI DRAFT
YOU WILL EDIT]
STEP 1: INTENT CHECK: From the pasted pages, name the dominant search
intent (learn, compare, buy, find local) and the format being rewarded
(guide, list, product page, local service page). If my keyword's intent
doesn't match what my business can honestly deliver, say so and suggest
a better keyword before continuing.
STEP 2: GAP MAP: List every substantial subtopic the top 3 pages cover,
marked "table stakes" (all of them cover it) or "differentiator" (only
one does). Then list 2-3 things none of them cover that I could, based
on my business. If I pasted only titles, say the map is rough and tell
me exactly what to paste for a proper one.
STEP 3: THE BRIEF: Produce a one-page brief containing: 3 title options
with the keyword placed naturally; a target word-count range based on
what currently ranks; an H2-by-H2 outline with one line per section on
what it must prove; 5-8 questions the article must answer; the angle in
one sentence (why a reader picks this article over the current number
one); internal pages of mine to link; and what NOT to include.
STEP 4: ACCEPTANCE CHECKLIST: End with 5 yes/no checks the finished
draft must pass before publishing, specific to this brief, not generic
SEO advice.
RULES: Reject a vague keyword ("marketing tips") and make me narrow it
until one clear intent fits. Base every claim about competitors on the
text I pasted, and write "not visible in what you pasted" rather than
guessing. You cannot see live search results, so if I paste nothing,
stop and ask for it. No invented search volumes or difficulty scores.How to use it
- 1Search your target keyword in a private browser window and open the top three results that aren't ads.
- 2Copy each page's title and headings (or the full text if the pages are short) and paste them into the prompt along with your keyword and business details.
- 3Answer the intent check honestly. If the AI says your service business can't win an informational keyword with a sales page, believe it and adjust.
- 4Read the gap map before the brief; the "none of them cover" items are where your article earns its ranking.
- 5Hand the finished brief to whoever writes the article, including yourself, and hold the draft against the acceptance checklist before publishing.
Example
Input: an Ottawa HVAC company targeting "heat pump installation ottawa", with the top three ranking pages pasted in as titles and headings.
Sample output excerpt:
INTENT CHECK: Mixed commercial and local intent. Two of the three pages are local service pages with cost sections; one is a cost guide. A service page with a real cost range will fit. A blog post alone likely won't.
GAP MAP: Table stakes: cost ranges ($4,500 to $12,000 quoted across all three), rebate mentions, cold-climate suitability. Differentiator: one page explains the federal and Ontario rebate stack with dollar figures. Not covered by any: installation timelines in older Ottawa housing stock, electrical panel upgrades as a hidden cost.
BRIEF (excerpt): Title option 2: "Heat Pump Installation in Ottawa: Costs, Rebates, and What Older Homes Need". H2 4: "The cost nobody quotes you: panel upgrades", must prove: name the panel amperage threshold and a realistic upgrade cost range.
ACCEPTANCE CHECK 3: Does the article state a cost range at least as specific as the current top result? Yes/no.
Pro tip
Run this on an article you already published that sits on page two. Paste the pages ranking above it as the competitor input and your own headings as a fourth entry. The gap map turns into a retrofit list, and updating an existing URL usually moves faster than ranking a new one.
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