--- 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 1. **Attention:** Grab with headline 2. **Interest:** Build with benefits 3. **Desire:** Create want with proof 4. **Action:** Drive with clear CTA ### PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solve) **Best for:** Blog posts, email campaigns 1. **Problem:** Identify pain point 2. **Agitate:** Emphasize urgency 3. **Solve:** Present solution ### Inverted Pyramid **Best for:** News, technical docs 1. Most important info first 2. Supporting details 3. Background context ### Storytelling Arc **Best for:** Case studies, narratives 1. Setup (character/situation) 2. Conflict (challenge) 3. Resolution (solution) 4. 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 ```bash ./scripts/generate_brief.sh ``` Interactive workflow will guide you through: 1. Content type and audience 2. Goals and objectives 3. SEO requirements 4. Structure and requirements 5. Success metrics ### Validate a Brief ```bash ./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 - [ ] **Clear title** and content type - [ ] **Target audience** defined with persona details - [ ] **Primary goal** and business objective - [ ] **Keyword research** completed - [ ] **Search intent** identified - [ ] **Tone and voice** specified - [ ] **Word count** target - [ ] **Structure** and key sections outlined - [ ] **Research sources** identified - [ ] **Examples** and data requirements - [ ] **Visual needs** specified - [ ] **CTAs** defined - [ ] **Success metrics** established - [ ] **Competitor content** analyzed - [ ] **Distribution plan** outlined ## 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.