seo-content-brief

SEO Content Brief Skill

Produces a complete SEO content brief that writers can use to create content that ranks — combining search intent analysis, competitive insights, and on-page optimisation requirements into a single actionable document.

Required Inputs

Ask the user for these if not provided:

• Target keyword or topic
• Target audience (who is searching for this?)
• Website or domain (for internal linking context)
• Content goal (rank for keyword / drive leads / build authority / support existing content)
• Current ranking or page (if improving existing content — optional)
• Word count target or preference (optional — if not provided, derive from search intent)

Output Structure

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SEO Content Brief: [Target Keyword]

Target keyword: [Primary keyword]

Secondary keywords: [Related terms to include naturally]

Search intent: [Informational / Navigational / Commercial / Transactional]

Target word count: [Range — e.g. 1,200–1,800 words]

Content type: [Blog post / Landing page / Guide / Comparison / Listicle]

Audience: [Who will read this]

CTA: [What action should this page drive?]

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Search Intent Analysis

What the searcher wants: [What someone typing this keyword is actually trying to accomplish]

What "good" looks like for this query:

• Format: [How results typically appear — guide, list, comparison table, etc.]
• Depth: [Surface-level overview vs. comprehensive deep dive]
• Tone: [Expert / Conversational / Technical / Beginner-friendly]

User's next question: [What they'll search for after reading a good answer — use for internal linking]

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Competitor Content Analysis

| Ranking page | Word count | Key sections covered | Gaps or weaknesses |

|---|---|---|---|

| [URL or description] | [~N words] | [Sections] | [What they're missing] |

Opportunity to differentiate: [Specific angle, data, or depth your content can add that competitors lack]

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Recommended Outline

Each heading is the exact H2/H3 to use (these are what Google reads):

[H1: Title — include primary keyword, under 60 characters]

Introduction (150–200 words)

• Hook with the problem or question
• State what the reader will learn
• Include primary keyword naturally in first 100 words

[H2: First main section]

• [Key points to cover]
• [Include secondary keyword: X]

[H2: Second main section]

• [Key points]

[H2: Third main section]

• [Key points — consider a table or list here for featured snippet opportunity]

[H2: FAQ section] (recommended for informational queries)

• Q: [Question from "People Also Ask" for this keyword]
• Q: [Question 2]

Conclusion (100–150 words)

• Summarise key takeaways
• Include CTA

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On-Page SEO Requirements

| Element | Requirement |

|---|---|

| Title tag | [60 chars max — primary keyword near start] |

| Meta description | [155 chars max — include keyword + benefit] |

| H1 | [Match or close to title tag] |

| Keyword density | [Use primary keyword 3–5x naturally; don't force it] |

| Image alt text | [Describe image + include keyword where natural] |

| Internal links | [3–5 internal links — see suggestions below] |

| External links | [1–2 authoritative sources to cite] |

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Internal Linking Suggestions

| Anchor text | Link to | Why |

|---|---|---|

| [Relevant phrase] | [/page-path] | [Topic relevance] |

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Quality Checks

• [ ] Search intent is correctly identified (informational vs commercial)
• [ ] Outline addresses the actual user question (not just the keyword)
• [ ] Competitor gaps are specific and actionable
• [ ] FAQ section addresses real "People Also Ask" questions
• [ ] Title tag is under 60 characters and includes the keyword
• [ ] Internal linking suggestions are relevant and specific

Example Trigger Phrases

• "Write an SEO brief for the keyword [keyword]"
• "Create a content brief for [topic]"
• "What should I include in a blog post about [keyword]?"
• "Build a content strategy brief for [topic]"

Anti-Patterns

• [ ] Do not write an outline that answers a different question than the actual search intent — the brief must match what the searcher wants, not what the brand wants to say
• [ ] Do not set keyword density targets so high that they produce unnatural writing — 3–5 natural mentions is guidance, not a quota
• [ ] Do not skip the competitor gap analysis — without it, the brief produces content that duplicates what already ranks
• [ ] Do not leave the FAQ section without real "People Also Ask" questions — fabricated questions miss search volume opportunities
• [ ] Do not write a title tag longer than 60 characters — it will be truncated in search results and undermine ranking