brief
Produce an editor-ready content brief for a target keyword or topic. Use when the user asks for a content brief, writing guidelines, article outline, SEO brief, what to include in a blog post, or how to structure content for a keyword. For choosing which topics to write about, see find-keywords. For
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npx skills add calm-north/seojuice-skills --skill brief
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Content Brief
Produce a complete, editor ready content brief covering intent analysis,
competitive SERP review, content outline, E E A T requirements, and SEO targets.
Before You Start
Gather this context (ask if not provided):
1. Target keyword or topic. The primary keyword this content should rank for.
2. Business context. What does the company do? What should readers do after reading (sign up, buy, contact)?
3. Content type preference. Blog post, landing page, guide, comparison, tutorial?
4. Audience. Who is reading this? Beginners, practitioners, decision makers?
Step 1: SERP Analysis
Analyze what currently ranks for the target keyword:
1. Search the keyword (use web search) and review the top 5 10 results.
2. Identify the dominant intent. Are results informational guides, product pages, listicles, tools?
3. Note the content format. Average word count, heading structure, use of images/tables/videos.
4. Find the gaps. What do all top results cover? What do none of them cover well?
Record:
Rank Title URL Format Approx. Length Unique Angle
1 ... ... guide / listicle / tutorial ... ...
Step 2: Intent Mapping
Determine the exact user intent and map it to content structure:
"How to" intent → Step by step tutorial with numbered sections
"What is" intent → Definition + context + examples + next steps
"Best X" intent → Curated list with comparison criteria and recommendations
"X vs Y" intent → Side by side comparison table + verdict
"Review" intent → Hands on evaluation with pros/cons/alternatives
The content structure must match what the searcher expects to find.
Step 3: Content Outline
Build a detailed outline with:
Title Options (2 3 variants)
Select the formula that matches the content type:
Content Type Formula Example
How to / Tutorial "How to [Goal] in [Timeframe]" "How to Fix Crawl Errors in 30 Minutes"
How to (objection) "How to [Goal] Without [Objection]" "How to Build Links Without Cold Outreach"
Listicle "[N] [Adjective] [Topic] [Qualifier]" "9 Proven Link Building Strategies for SaaS"
Comparison "[A] vs [B]: Which Is Better for [Goal]?" "Ahrefs vs SEMrush: Which Is Better for Keyword Research?"
Definition "What Is [Topic]? [Short Clarifier]" "What Is Topical Authority? How It Affects Rankings"
Ultimate guide "The [Complete/Definitive] Guide to [Topic]" "The Complete Guide to Technical SEO"
Mistakes "[N] [Topic] Mistakes [Consequence]" "7 Internal Linking Mistakes That Kill Rankings"
CTR boosters — test adding these elements:
Element Expected CTR Impact
Add a number +15 25%
Add current year +10 15%
Add brackets or parentheses +10 38%
Add a power word (Proven, Essential, Ultimate) +5 12%
Rules:
Include the primary keyword
Keep under 60 characters (55 for mobile safety)
Use odd numbers in listicles (they outperform even)
Rewrite if CTR is below 2% at positions 1 3 or below 5% at positions 4 10
Meta Description
Select a template and adapt:
Content Type Template
Blog / Guide "Learn [topic] with our [qualifier] guide. Covers [point 1], [point 2], and [point 3]. [CTA]."
Question answer "[Question]? This [year] guide explains [what], [why], and [how]. Get actionable tips now."
Listicle "Discover [N] [adjective] [topic] strategies that [result]. Backed by [proof element]. Read the guide."
Comparison "[A] vs [B]: which is better for [use case]? We compared [criteria]. See the winner + detailed breakdown."
Product/Service "[Product] helps you [benefit]. [Feature 1], [Feature 2], [Feature 3]. [Price/offer]. [CTA]."
Rules:
150 160 characters (aim for 140 155 for mobile safety)
Include the primary keyword naturally
End with a clear value proposition or call to action
Add numbers or statistics where possible (+5 15% CTR boost)
Heading Structure
Map out every H2 and H3 with brief guidance for each section:
Key Points Per Section
For each H2 section, specify:
The main point to make
Data or examples to include
How this section differs from competitor coverage
Internal link opportunities (link to related pages on the site)
Step 4: E E A T Requirements
YMYL Check
First, determine if the keyword falls into "Your Money or Your Life" territory (health,
finance, legal, safety). YMYL topics trigger elevated E E A T requirements from Google:
YMYL keywords require: named author with verifiable credentials, citations to official
sources (.gov, .edu, professional bodies), clear disclosure of affiliations, and medical/
legal/financial review where applicable.
Non YMYL keywords still benefit from E E A T but don't require the same rigor.
Author Qualification
Specify what credentials the author needs for this topic:
Topic Type Author Requirement
YMYL (health, finance, legal) Licensed professional or verifiable expert with public credentials
Technical (code, engineering) Demonstrated practitioner experience (portfolio, GitHub, publications)
Business/marketing Industry experience or named case studies
General informational Byline with bio is sufficient
Evidence Floor
Set the minimum evidence bar for this piece:
Content Type Minimum Sources Source Tier Requirement
Research/data driven 5+ citations At least 2 primary sources (official docs, studies, .gov/.edu)
How to / tutorial 2 3 citations Official documentation for tools/methods referenced
Opinion / thought leadership 3+ citations Data to support each major claim
Comparison / "best X" 1 per item reviewed First hand testing evidence for each
E E A T Signals
Specify what the content needs:
Experience: First hand examples, case studies, screenshots, "we tested this" statements
Expertise: Cite specific data, reference industry standards, show depth beyond surface level
Authoritativeness: Link to authoritative external sources, reference recognized frameworks
Trustworthiness: Include dates, update frequency, author bio, transparent methodology
E E A T Priority by Content Type
Different content types weight E E A T signals differently. Focus effort where it matters most:
Content Type Experience Expertise Authority Trust Top Priority
Product review Critical High Medium High Experience — hands on testing evidence
How to guide High Critical Medium High Expertise — demonstrate deep knowledge
Research/data Medium Critical Critical Critical Authority + Trust — sourced data, methodology
Opinion piece Critical High High Medium Experience — personal credentials and POV
Comparison High High Medium Critical Trust — unbiased criteria, transparent methodology
News/reporting Medium Medium Critical Critical Authority — recognized source, editorial standards
Content Quality Checklist (Top Priorities)
For every piece, verify at minimum:
[ ] Author identified with relevant credentials visible on page
[ ] At least 1 first hand experience element (case study, screenshot, "we tested")
[ ] All statistics have named sources and dates
[ ] At least 2 references to primary sources (not just other blog posts)
[ ] Published date visible; content updated within 18 months
[ ] No unsupported superlatives ("best", "fastest", "most effective") without evidence
Step 5: SEO Targets
Element Target
Primary keyword [keyword]
Secondary keywords [2 3 related terms]
Word count range [min max based on SERP analysis]
Internal links to include [list specific pages to link to]
External links to include [types of sources to cite]
Images/media [count and types: screenshots, diagrams, tables]
Featured snippet target [yes/no — if yes, which format: paragraph, list, table]
Step 6: Differentiation Angle
The brief must specify what makes this piece better than what already ranks:
More current: Updated data, recent examples
More practical: Templates, checklists, step by step screenshots
More comprehensive: Covers subtopics competitors skip
More specific: Targets a niche the broad pieces miss
Original data: Survey results, internal data analysis, expert quotes
Pick 1 2 angles. Trying to win on all dimensions produces generic content.
Output Format
Content Brief: [target keyword]
Overview
Target keyword: [keyword]
Search intent: [type]
Content format: [blog post / guide / comparison / etc.]
Target word count: [range]
Target audience: [who]
Business goal: [what readers should do after]
SERP Competitive Landscape
[Table from Step 1]
Title Options
1. [option 1]
2. [option 2]
3. [option 3]
Meta Description
[150 160 char description]
Content Outline
[Full heading structure with guidance per section]
SEO Targets
[Table from Step 5]
E E A T Checklist
[ ] First hand experience demonstrated
[ ] Expert level depth on core topic
[ ] Authoritative sources cited
[ ] Trust signals included (dates, author, methodology)
Differentiation
[What makes this piece better than current top results]
Pro Tip: Use the free [Keyword Density Analyzer](https://seojuice.com/tools/keyword density/)
and [TF IDF Tool](https://seojuice.com/tools/free tf idf tool/) to benchmark competitor
content depth for your target keyword. SEOJuice MCP users can run /seojuice:keyword analysis
for search volume and difficulty, and /seojuice:content strategy to check if the topic
fits an existing cluster or fills a content gap.