June 27, 2026 · Content Process
The SEO content brief template we use for every client
A weak brief produces weak content. Not because the writer is bad, but because the content is only as good as the direction it was given. The brief is where SEO content either becomes yours or becomes generic.
This is the template we use for every sprint at SEO Sandwich. It covers the questions we ask before we plan a single heading. If you want more context on why the brief matters so much, our post on how to brief a content writer covers the thinking behind it. This one is the working document.
Part 1: Business and audience context
Before touching any keyword research, we need to understand what your business actually does and who buys from it.
What does your business do, and what makes you different from competitors? Not the marketing version. The real version. What do you do that competitors do not, or do better?
Who is the target reader for this content? Be specific. Not “business owners” but “operations managers at manufacturing companies with 20 to 200 staff.” The more specific the reader, the better the content can speak to what they actually care about.
What does this reader know already? Are you writing for someone who has never heard of this topic, or someone who is comparing options and needs detail? The answer changes the depth and tone of the piece completely.
What action do you want the reader to take? Book a call, download something, buy now, come back to the site? Every piece of content needs a next step. If you do not specify one, the writer will guess, and they will usually guess wrong.
Part 2: SEO targeting
What is the primary keyword or query this piece should rank for? One target, not a list. If you want multiple keywords ranked, you need multiple pieces.
What is the search intent behind that query? Is the person searching for information, comparing options, or ready to buy? The content structure changes significantly depending on the answer. We wrote about why search intent is the part most content gets wrong if you want to go deeper on this. An informational query needs depth and answers. A commercial query needs evidence and a clear next step.
Which existing pages on your site are most relevant to this content? We will build internal links from those pages and back to them. Internal linking is not an afterthought. It is part of the structure that helps the content rank.
Is this piece part of a content silo? If so, what is the pillar page and which other supporting pages are planned? Silo architecture changes how individual pieces are scoped: each page covers its subtopic and defers everything else to the pillar or sister pages.
Are there any competitor pages ranking for this query that we should study? Not to copy them, but to understand what level of depth Google is rewarding, and where the gaps are.
Part 3: Expert content
This is the part most briefs skip. It is also the part that separates content that ranks from content that gets ignored. Google’s helpful content guidance is explicit about this: content should be written by people with direct experience of the topic, not assembled from what already exists online.
What does your business know about this topic that a generalist writer would not? Specific processes, customer observations, industry knowledge, opinions developed from experience. This is the material that makes content genuinely useful rather than a rephrasing of what already exists online.
Do you have any examples, case stories, or data we can reference? Real examples are worth more than any amount of general advice. A specific example from your experience outperforms three paragraphs of well-written generality every time.
Is there anything that is commonly said about this topic that you disagree with, or that you think is oversimplified? A genuine perspective, even a mild one, makes content more useful and more distinctive.
Are there any claims, statistics, or sources you want us to use or avoid? Especially important in regulated industries or anywhere accuracy is non-negotiable.
Part 4: Format and constraints
Approximate word count target. Not for the sake of hitting a number, but because different queries reward different depths. A local service page might be 600 words. A comparison guide might be 2,500.
Tone of voice notes. Three or four words that describe how the brand writes. Formal or informal? Direct or conversational? Technical or plain English?
Anything that must be included or avoided. Legal disclaimers, brand names to use or avoid, topics that are off-limits for this piece.
Using this template
You do not need to answer every question for every piece. Some will not apply. But the more of these you can answer before writing starts, the less revision you will need afterward.
When you order with SEO Sandwich, we send a brief form that covers these questions. The answers feed directly into our keyword research and content planning before we touch the outline. The brief is what makes the content actually yours rather than a version of what already exists online.