SEO briefs for copywriters

Input materials are the set of information from the company without which it is not possible to prepare reliable SEO briefs tied to the real offer. It is up to the client to provide data about the offer, the advantages and — if applicable — the price list, as well as FAQ and product materials. Existing content that can be reused or updated as part of the planned work is also important. This information is the basis for refining the subject matter and avoiding a mismatch between the content and what the company actually offers.

The completeness and quality of the input materials affect how precisely the requirements can be described in the brief and how smoothly the iterations at the review stage go. On their basis we also specify the communication constraints that must be reflected in the content. If the brief is for an update of an existing URL, the materials support the assessment of how consistent the current content is with the offer and the identification of gaps.

• Information about the company’s offer and advantages
• Price list (if applicable)
• FAQ
• Product materials
• Existing content to be reused

The scope of the brief package covers establishing the number of briefs, the languages/markets, the priorities of topics or URLs, and whether the work concerns updates of existing content or only new content. These parameters define what we work on first and how widely we spread the analysis across different markets or language versions. The scope also affects how thoroughly I plan topic coverage and how I arrange the queue of documents to be prepared. As a result, the briefs are produced in a logical order and are tied to the real priorities on the business and content side.

The arrangements on markets and languages carry over into the analysis of search results and intent, because different content formats and user expectations may dominate in different markets. In practice this means that for each agreed priority I carry out tailored topic and keyword research and compare the standard of the content competing in the results. On that basis I create the content structure design and the full set of guidelines needed to produce the piece. Each brief brings these elements together in a single working document: the goal and intent, the main topic, the set of queries, the outline, on-page guidelines, linking and checklists.

If the scope includes updates, the package contains briefs based on an assessment of existing URLs, including the identification of gaps, structure and metadata problems, and the risk of keyword cannibalisation. Regardless of whether a brief is for new content or an update, the scope of the package is not the same as a guarantee of results in the search results. A brief remains a set of guidelines, and the outcome depends, among other things, on the quality of the text written, the implementation, the competition and changes in the results. These conditions are worth taking into account when deciding which topics and URLs are priorities in the package.

• Number of briefs in the package
• Languages and markets
• Priorities of topics and URLs
• New content or updates of existing URLs

Designing the content structure means putting together an outline that specifies the H1/H2/H3 layout, the order of sections and the required information. In the structure I indicate the elements that must be included, such as definitions, examples, checklists and other components needed to cover the topic fully. The outline follows from the earlier arrangements on the purpose of the brief and from the analysis of search results and intent. If the brief is for an update of an existing URL, the structure also reflects the conclusions from the assessment of the current content in terms of gaps, consistency and the risks of duplication or keyword cannibalisation.

To the designed structure I add on-page, semantic and credibility guidelines and an internal linking plan, so that the brief is a complete instruction for preparing the content. For on-page, I provide proposals for the title, meta description and URL, rules for using headings, pointers on featured snippets and images with alt descriptions, and possible structured data, if it suits the page type. I also establish the industry terminology, tone and consistency of naming, and additionally mark the topics to avoid and the way of explaining concepts for the given audience. Separately, I specify where sources, data, quotes, practical experience or author/expert elements are needed and how to document claims, and I describe internal linking as a list of target pages with proposed placements and anchors and an indication of supporting pages.

• H1/H2/H3 outline and order of sections
• Required information and mandatory elements (e.g. definitions, examples, checklists)
• Proposals for the title, meta description and URL, and heading rules
• Pointers on featured snippets, images/alt and structured data (if it fits)
• Semantic and language guidelines (terminology, tone, consistency of naming, topics to avoid)
• Credibility guidelines (sources, data, quotes, author/expert elements, documenting claims)
• Internal linking plan (target pages, placements/anchors, supporting pages)