How to Create Effective Content Briefs That Get Results

What should be included in every brief?

TLDR Summary

A content brief is a detailed document that outlines project goals, target audience, key messaging, and specific requirements for content creators. Effective briefs include clear objectives, research links, outlines, and brand guidelines to ensure content meets expectations and delivers results.

What Is a Content Brief?

Content briefs are comprehensive documents that serve as guidelines for content creators. They outline the project's goals, target audience, key messaging, tone, and specific requirements needed to produce effective content that aligns with brand objectives and audience needs.

Think of content briefs as the foundation for successful content creation. Without clear direction, content creators are left to guess what you want, often resulting in content that misses the mark, requires extensive revisions, or fails to achieve your marketing goals.

Why Are Content Briefs Critical for Quality Results?

Content marketing briefs align expectations from the start. When content creators receive detailed creative brief writing guidance upfront, they produce quality first drafts, reducing revisions and ensuring consistent brand voice across all projects. 

Content briefs also improve performance by targeting specific goals, audiences, and outcomes rather than leaving creators to guess what success looks like.

What Should Every Content Brief Include?

An effective content brief is focused and concise. We recommend including these core elements: 

Project Specifications

• What type of content will the writer be creating? (E.g., blog, white paper, email newsletter, etc.)
• Is there a minimum word count or length writers should aim for when creating the content?
• When is the first draft due?
• How many revisions are expected?
• When will the piece of content be published?

Working Title

You can recommend a title for the piece or require the writer to pitch three alternate versions for your team to choose from.

An Overall Goal or Main Takeaway

• What should readers learn or do after consuming the content?
• What is the primary objective (awareness, education, conversion, engagement)?
• Does your brand have a unique perspective on the topic that writers should be aware of?

A Project Summary

Describe how the assignment fits into your larger vision for your content strategy and relay how the content will be used.

A Content Outline or Key Items to Include

• Offer suggestions for headers and subheaders.
• Emphasize the key points writers should cover in each section.

• Tip: Indicate whether the outline is flexible or a strict structure to follow.

A Call-to-Action (CTA)

• Which action do you want readers to take after reading?
• Where should writers place CTAs within the content?
• If applicable, specify which internal link should be included in the CTA.

Internal Links

Have writers include 2–3 relevant links from your website throughout the copy. This is an SEO best practice.

Reference Links

• Include 2–3 current, credible sources (within 2–3 years) to help writers with research.
• Note any industry reports or data to reference.

Creative Brief Add-Ons That Boost Content Quality

If you’re looking to enhance your creative brief and provide more information to your writing team, consider adding the following details:

Target Audience Details

Oftentimes, this information lives in a brand’s style guide. If your brand does not have formalized editorial guidelines or your company targets a wide range of industries and target audiences, ensure you include details on which audience writers should be speaking to in the copy.

• Demographics and psychographics of the audience your writers will be addressing in the copy
• Pain points and challenges these users experience
• Is your audience’s preferred communication style:
  • Narrative-driven or direct?
  • Data-heavy and analytical or emotion-focused?
  • Detailed explanations or quick, scannable points?
• Level of topic expertise (beginner, novice, experienced)

Tone and Voice Guidelines

• For this piece of content, what tone and formality level should the writer adopt?
• Include brand voice examples if necessary.

Key Messages and Positioning

• If applicable, which products or services should writers highlight?
• What competitive differentiators should be mentioned?

SEO Guidance (if Applicable)

• What primary and secondary keywords should writers include?
• What search intent does this piece of content fall into? (e.g., informational, commercial, transactional, etc.)
• Are there any requirements for the SEO elements? (e.g., character count for title and meta description, header hierarchy, etc.)

Supporting Materials to Guide Content Creation

• Reference similar content that exemplifies your brand voice.
• Highlight competitor content for inspiration.
• Link to your brand guidelines or visual style preferences (formatting, use of bullet points, etc.)
• Attach design assets, if applicable.
• Include customer testimonials or case studies for writers to weave into the copy or review.

Brief Writing Best Practices

Before Writing Your Content Marketing Brief

1. Research the Topic Thoroughly: Understanding the subject matter helps you create more informed direction and identify key points that should be covered in your content project brief.
2. Review Existing Brand Guidelines: Ensure your editorial brief aligns with established brand voice, tone, and messaging standards.
3. Consider the Content's Purpose: Think about how this piece fits into your larger content strategy and what specific role it should play.

During Brief Creation

1. Be Specific and Detailed: Provide as much context as possible. Remember, you know more about your brand and goals than the content creator does.
2. Think Like a Content Creator: Ask yourself: "If I were writing this piece, what information would I need to do my best work?"
3. Include Context and Background: Explain not just what you want, but why you want it. Context helps creators make better decisions throughout the writing process.

Before Finalizing

1. Review from the Writer’s Perspective: Read through your content marketing brief and identify any areas that might be unclear or leave room for misinterpretation.
2. Check for Completeness: Ensure all essential elements are included and nothing important has been overlooked in your content project brief.

Content Brief Creation Checklist

Before sending your content brief to a writer, verify you've included most of the following information:

Project details: word count, deadline, revision timeline, etc.
Clear goal and main takeaway for the piece
Project summary
Detailed content outline with key points and suggested flow
Specific call-to-action instructions
2-3 internal links from your website
2-3 current reference links for research
Target audience details
Voice/tone, messaging, and brand guidelines
Examples of similar successful content (if available)

Common Content Brief Mistakes to Avoid

Being Too Vague or General

Phrases like "make it engaging" or "write something good" don't provide actionable direction for content creators.

Forgetting to Include Target Audience Details

Without knowing who they're writing for, creators can't tailor the message, tone, or complexity appropriately.

Skipping the Research Phase

Failing to provide reference links or background research forces creators to start from scratch, often missing key insights.

Not Explaining the "Why"

Content creators produce better work when they understand not just what you want, but why you want it — and how it fits into your wider content strategy.

Brief Creation at ClearVoice

At ClearVoice, creating a precise and comprehensive editorial brief blends analytical and creative thinking:

• Template Use: Starting with our robust template ensures no critical element is overlooked and helps maintain uniformity across various content types. Each customer account is set up with brief templates for each of their content types.
• Thorough Review: Adopting a writer’s perspective during reviews ensures the brief is devoid of ambiguities, providing clear, concise directions.
• Integrating Customer Input: When customers provide briefs, we meticulously integrate their details into a new, enriched assignment to ensure full alignment and clarity.
• Addressing Unique Needs: Soliciting customer feedback is essential for complex projects to customize the brief to their specific requirements and expectations.

Best Practices for ClearVoice Producers

• When creating a new brief, duplicate from the appropriate assignment template – not an existing assignment. 
  • Why is this important? If you duplicate an existing assignment, you might unknowingly copy over attachments to the new creative brief that may not make sense for the new topic, which can be confusing for the writer. Payouts may also be incorrect.
• Be as detailed as possible.
  • Remember: At this point, you know more about the customer request than the writer. When crafting a brief, be as thorough and clear as you can, providing context so the writer produces their best work.
• Put on your writer cap.
  • If you were writing the piece you were creating the brief for, what would you want to know? What would be most helpful as you got started? Keep this top of mind.
• You reap what you sow.
  • The editorial brief you create for a writer will either result in a well-written piece that the customer is happy with, or it will result in an article filled with fluff and no clear direction — leading to an unhappy customer and a potential rewrite (i.e., more work for you).
• Review the brief carefully before dispatching. 
  • Taking an extra minute to double-check your work ensures success!

Note: If you have a question for the customer or are unsure about some other detail concerning fulfillment, freelancers, funds, or the brief itself, please reach out to your Content Project Manager (CPM).

Ready to Create Better Content Briefs?

Remember: The quality of your content brief directly impacts the quality of the final content. Taking time to create thorough briefs saves time in revisions and produces content that better serves the customer’s goals.

Questions about brief creation or ClearVoice processes? Contact your Content Project Manager for guidance and support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a good reference link?

Reference links should be current (within 2–3 years), from credible sources, and directly relevant to your topic. Industry reports, reputable publications, and authoritative websites work best. Avoid competitor links at all costs.

How detailed should my content outline be?

This is entirely up to you and your vision for the piece. We recommend including suggested headers and 1–2 key points for each section. Specify whether writers should follow the outline strictly or use it as inspiration.

What should I do if a customer provides an incomplete content brief?

Don't simply attach the customer's brief to a blank assignment. Review it thoroughly, identify gaps, and create a complete brief that gives writers all the direction they need to succeed.

What if I'm unsure about specific brief requirements?

Contact your Content Project Manager for guidance on campaigns, fulfillment details, or brief specifications. It's better to clarify before dispatching an assignment to avoid confusion for writers.