| name | content-brief-generator |
| description | Generate comprehensive content briefs for writers, ensuring clarity, alignment, and strategic content creation across all formats. |
Content Brief Generator
A comprehensive skill for creating detailed content briefs that guide writers, ensure consistency, and align content with business goals.
What This Skill Does
Helps you create professional content briefs for:
- Blog posts and articles - Thought leadership, tutorials, how-tos
- Technical documentation - API docs, guides, README files
- Marketing copy - Landing pages, email campaigns, ads
- Social media content - Posts, campaigns, threads
- Case studies - Customer success stories
- Whitepapers and reports - In-depth research content
- Product descriptions - E-commerce and product pages
- Video scripts - YouTube, explainer videos, demos
Why Content Briefs Matter
Without a brief:
- Unclear expectations and scope
- Multiple rounds of revisions
- Inconsistent tone and messaging
- Missing SEO opportunities
- Wasted time and resources
With a brief:
- Clear direction and goals
- Fewer revisions needed
- Consistent quality
- SEO-optimized content
- Efficient workflow
Core Components of a Content Brief
1. Content Overview
- Title/working title
- Content type (blog, doc, landing page, etc.)
- Target audience
- Primary goal (educate, convert, entertain, etc.)
- Key message or takeaway
2. Audience & Context
- Target persona
- Reader's knowledge level
- Pain points and needs
- Where they are in the funnel
- How they'll discover content
3. Strategic Elements
- Business objectives
- SEO keywords and intent
- Competitive landscape
- Success metrics
- CTAs and conversion goals
4. Content Requirements
- Tone and voice
- Length/word count
- Structure and sections
- Research requirements
- Visual/media needs
5. SEO & Distribution
- Primary and secondary keywords
- Search intent
- Meta description
- Internal/external links
- Distribution channels
Content Types & Templates
Blog Post Brief
Use for: Thought leadership, tutorials, listicles, how-tos
Key elements:
- Hook and introduction angle
- Main points (typically 3-7)
- Examples and data to include
- Call-to-action
- Internal linking strategy
Technical Documentation Brief
Use for: API docs, guides, developer documentation
Key elements:
- Technical accuracy requirements
- Code examples needed
- Audience technical level
- Prerequisites
- Related documentation
Landing Page Brief
Use for: Product pages, signup pages, campaign pages
Key elements:
- Value proposition
- Benefits vs. features
- Social proof requirements
- Conversion goal
- A/B testing plan
Case Study Brief
Use for: Customer success stories, testimonials
Key elements:
- Customer background
- Problem/solution/results framework
- Metrics and outcomes
- Quotes needed
- Industry context
Content Structure Frameworks
AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)
Best for: Marketing copy, sales pages
- Attention: Grab with headline
- Interest: Build with benefits
- Desire: Create want with proof
- Action: Drive with clear CTA
PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solve)
Best for: Blog posts, email campaigns
- Problem: Identify pain point
- Agitate: Emphasize urgency
- Solve: Present solution
Inverted Pyramid
Best for: News, technical docs
- Most important info first
- Supporting details
- Background context
Storytelling Arc
Best for: Case studies, narratives
- Setup (character/situation)
- Conflict (challenge)
- Resolution (solution)
- Takeaway (lesson)
SEO Integration
Keyword Strategy
- Primary keyword (1)
- Secondary keywords (2-3)
- Long-tail variations (3-5)
- LSI keywords (related terms)
Search Intent
- Informational: Learn about something
- Navigational: Find specific page
- Commercial: Compare options
- Transactional: Ready to buy
On-Page SEO
- Title tag (include primary keyword)
- Meta description (compelling + keyword)
- Headers (H1, H2, H3 with keywords)
- Image alt text
- Internal linking
Tone & Voice Guidelines
Tone Spectrum
- Formal ↔ Casual
- Serious ↔ Playful
- Respectful ↔ Irreverent
- Enthusiastic ↔ Matter-of-fact
Voice Attributes
Define your brand voice:
- Professional but approachable (like Stripe)
- Technical but friendly (like Twilio)
- Playful and bold (like Mailchimp)
- Authoritative and trustworthy (like HubSpot)
Writing Style
- Active vs. passive voice
- Person (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- Sentence length
- Paragraph structure
- Use of jargon
Research & Sourcing
Research Requirements
- Primary research: Interviews, surveys, original data
- Secondary research: Industry reports, competitor analysis
- Expert quotes: SME interviews, third-party experts
- Data and statistics: Credible sources, recent data
- Examples: Real-world cases, screenshots
Citation Standards
- Link to original sources
- Attribute quotes
- Recent data (within 1-2 years)
- Authoritative sources
- Fact-checking requirements
Visual & Media Requirements
Images
- Hero image specifications
- In-content images (how many, what type)
- Screenshots or diagrams
- Charts or infographics
- Alt text requirements
Video/Audio
- Video length and format
- Screen recordings needed
- B-roll requirements
- Audio quality standards
Other Media
- Code snippets
- Downloadable resources
- Interactive elements
- Embedded content
Workflow & Process
1. Brief Creation (This Skill)
Use generate_brief.sh to create comprehensive brief
2. Research & Outline
Writer researches and creates outline
3. First Draft
Writer creates content following brief
4. Review & Edit
Editor reviews against brief requirements
5. SEO Optimization
SEO review and optimization
6. Final Approval
Stakeholder sign-off
7. Publication
Publish and distribute
8. Performance Tracking
Monitor metrics defined in brief
Success Metrics by Content Type
Blog Post
- Organic traffic
- Time on page (3+ minutes)
- Scroll depth
- Social shares
- Backlinks
- Lead generation
Technical Documentation
- Page views
- Time on page
- Search rankings
- Feedback ratings
- Support ticket reduction
Landing Page
- Conversion rate
- Bounce rate
- Time on page
- Click-through rate
- Form submissions
Case Study
- Downloads
- Leads generated
- Sales pipeline influence
- Share rate
Common Content Brief Mistakes
❌ Avoid These
Too Vague:
"Write about our product"
→ No clear audience, goal, or angle
No Research:
Missing competitor analysis and keyword research
→ Content won't rank or differentiate
Unclear Voice:
"Make it engaging"
→ Not specific enough for consistency
Missing CTAs:
No clear next step for readers
→ Missed conversion opportunities
Ignoring SEO:
No keyword strategy
→ Content won't be discovered
✅ Do This Instead
Specific:
"Write 1500-word tutorial for junior developers on JWT authentication, including code examples in Node.js"
Research-Backed:
"Target keyword 'JWT authentication tutorial' (2.4K monthly searches), compete with existing articles from Auth0 and FreeCodeCamp"
Clear Voice:
"Technical but approachable - explain like a senior dev mentoring a junior, use examples, avoid jargon"
Action-Oriented:
"CTA: Sign up for free API key, secondary: Join Discord community"
SEO-Optimized:
"Primary: 'JWT authentication', Secondary: 'JSON web token Node.js', 'secure API authentication'"
Using This Skill
Generate a Content Brief
./scripts/generate_brief.sh
Interactive workflow will guide you through:
- Content type and audience
- Goals and objectives
- SEO requirements
- Structure and requirements
- Success metrics
Validate a Brief
./scripts/validate_brief.sh path/to/brief.md
Checks for:
- Required sections present
- Keyword strategy defined
- Target audience specified
- Success metrics included
- Completeness score
Access Templates
references/content_brief_template.md - Complete template
references/seo_guidelines.md - SEO best practices
references/content_frameworks.md - Structure frameworks
references/tone_voice_guide.md - Voice guidelines
Content Brief Checklist
Quick Start Examples
"Create a blog post brief"
System generates comprehensive brief with:
- SEO keyword strategy
- Audience targeting
- Structure recommendations
- Success metrics
"Write technical documentation brief for API"
System creates technical brief with:
- Technical requirements
- Code example specifications
- Audience skill level
- Documentation standards
"Generate landing page brief"
System builds conversion-focused brief with:
- Value proposition guidance
- CTA strategy
- A/B testing recommendations
- Conversion metrics
Best Practices
1. Start With Research
- Analyze top-ranking content
- Understand search intent
- Identify content gaps
- Review competitor approach
2. Be Specific
- Exact word count
- Specific examples needed
- Clear tone guidelines
- Defined success metrics
3. Align With Strategy
- Connect to business goals
- Fit content calendar
- Support funnel stage
- Match brand voice
4. Make It Actionable
- Clear deliverables
- Specific requirements
- Concrete examples
- Measurable outcomes
5. Iterate and Improve
- Track performance
- Update based on results
- Refine over time
- Learn from top performers
Integration With Other Workflows
Content Calendar
Brief creation triggers calendar entry
SEO Tools
Keywords from SEMrush, Ahrefs, etc.
Project Management
Brief becomes Jira/Asana task
CMS
Brief exported to content management system
Analytics
Success metrics tracked in dashboards
Tips for Different Writer Types
Content Writers
- Focus on audience and storytelling
- Emphasize research requirements
- Clear brand voice guidelines
Technical Writers
- Specify technical accuracy needs
- Define audience knowledge level
- Include code example requirements
Copywriters
- Highlight conversion goals
- Specify A/B testing needs
- Clear CTA strategy
Content Marketers
- Connect to funnel stage
- Define distribution strategy
- Specify lead generation goals
Resources
All reference materials included:
- Complete content brief template
- SEO optimization guidelines
- Content structure frameworks
- Tone and voice development guide
- Copywriting formulas and examples
Summary
Content briefs ensure:
- Clarity - Everyone knows expectations
- Efficiency - Fewer revisions needed
- Quality - Consistent, strategic content
- Results - Content that achieves goals
Use this skill to create comprehensive briefs that guide writers to success.
Remember: Time spent on a good brief saves 10x time in revisions. Get it right before writing begins.
