How to Write a Content Brief: Things to Remember + a Customizable Template to Get You Started
According to a survey conducted by Orbit Media, 80% of bloggers report that blogging drives results for their businesses.
Despite what you may think, blogging isn’t going away anytime soon. Creating valuable, informative content online is still a primary way for businesses to engage with their audiences.
One of the most important parts of the content creation process involves content briefs.
Content briefs are short, to-the-point summaries of the piece you are requesting. They help writers understand what it is you want them to write, how you want them to write it, and what the purpose of the piece is.
In this article, we’ll talk about what you should include in your content briefs, some key things to remember while writing them, and a template that you can use to make writing content briefs simple.
Why Are Content Briefs Important?
Content briefs are important because they provide writers with key information that is needed in order to write pieces.
A content brief serves as an outline that writers can use and refer to when writing a piece to make sure that it fits the goals and purpose of the piece.
You should include information that is relevant to a specific piece in your content brief so that your writer can write the piece effectively.
What Goes Into a Content Brief?
Content briefs aren’t very long, but they should include important information detail in specific sections.
Here are all the things you should include in a content brief:
- A topic overview - This is good to include so that the topic of the piece is clear and easy to understand.
- Word count - It’s important to clarify the word count for each piece so that the writer can prepare and make sure they don’t go over or under it.
- Title - Including a temporary title can help a writer get a better idea of what the piece should look like.
- Purpose - One of the most important things to include in a content brief is the purpose. Include this to make sure the writer knows why they are writing the piece in the first place.
- Goals- What are the goals of the piece? To inform, educate, persuade? Make sure the goal of the piece is clear. This will help make the piece easier to understand for readers.
- Tone - Another thing you must include in your brief is the tone of the piece. How do you want the piece to sound to readers?
- Keywords - Keywords are important for SEO, and if you want your piece to rank on a search engine, you should include primary keywords for your piece in your content brief.
- Research and relevant pieces - If there is any research or other relevant articles, make sure you include them, so your writer knows where to start when writing the piece.
- Assets - Are there any images, videos, or extra pieces of content you want included in the piece? Mention these in your content brief.
Things to Remember When Writing a Content Brief
Here are a few things you should keep in mind while writing your content brief:
- The word ‘brief’ is used for a reason - Content briefs shouldn’t be super long. Keep them concise and to the point, while including all the important information.
- Why should I read this? - Your piece should answer this question. Give your readers a reason to want to read the piece, typically near the beginning of the piece.
- Style guides - If your company has a style guide, make sure you include it, or important aspects of it, in your content brief.
- Who do I want to read this? - Ask yourself this question, and make sure that the piece appropriately matches who you’re writing for.
- Relevant links, pieces, and statistics - A good way to make your content more engaging is by adding relevant links, pieces, and statistics to them. Include these in your content briefs.
Content Brief Template
Feel free to give this template a try, customize it to fit your needs, and use it to save time while writing content briefs.
Word Count: 1200 Words
Keywords: {formtext: name=how to write a content brief}
Purpose: {formparagraph: default=Inform readers on how to write a content brief}
Goals: {formparagraph: default=Provide tips on writing content briefs}
Tone: conversational
Assets: {formtext: name=content brief template}
Research links: include research links here
Piece to be completed by: {time: YYYY-MM-DD; shift=1W}
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We hope you enjoyed reading our article on how to write a content brief. Feel free to copy and use our content brief template to save time while writing your future content briefs.
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