Brief Creation
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      1. ClearVoice Help Center
      2. Producers
      3. Brief Creation

      Brief Basics

      What should be included in every brief?

        Anatomy of an Effective Brief

        Creating an exceptional content brief involves a meticulous assembly of its core components:

        • Overall goal or main takeaway: Make the focus of the assignment crystal clear for the writer. Consider the following:

          • What should someone learn or do after reading?

          • What is the customer hoping to achieve with this topic (awareness, education, engagement, etc.)?

          • What audience or industry is the customer targeting?

          • What is the customer’s POV on the topic?

          • What tone should the writer aim for?

          • What products should be featured (if applicable)?

        • Project summary: Describe how the assignment fits into the customer’s larger vision for their content and relay how the content will be used. If available, attach a customer or competitor example.

        • Outline and key items to include: Research the topic and craft an outline with key points the writer should include. This includes headers and suggestions for each section. Also, ensure the writer understands whether the outline is for general guidance or should be adhered to strictly. 

        • CTA (if applicable): Add a CTA that makes sense for the topic, the goal of the piece, and the target audience. Ideally, this information lives in the customer’s brand profile. 

        • Internal links: Add one or two links from the customer’s website that make sense for the subject matter. This is crucial for SEO. The writer should incorporate these links into their copy.

        • Reference links: Add at least two up-to-date (within the past two to three years) reference links. The research you source should be relevant to the topic and should help the writer get started.

        • Add-ons (pre-dispatch): Ensure you have all the supportive information to help guide the writer for the add-on. For an SEO add-on, source relevant keywords for the brief. 

        Best Practices for Brief Creation:

        At ClearVoice, creating a precise and comprehensive 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.

        Specific scenarios:

        • 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 brief that may not make sense for the new topic, which can be confusing for the writer.
        • 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 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, with 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 campaigns or some other detail concerning fulfillment, freelancers, funds, or the brief itself, please reach out to your Content Project Manager (CPM).

        What if the customer provides the brief?


        The above guidelines apply even if a customer provides the brief. Your job as a producer is to review the customer-provided brief, ask your internal team any questions, and incorporate the customer's brief into a new assignment in the platform, ensuring that all gaps are filled in and that the writer is given the direction and information they need to succeed. 


        Please do not simply attach the customer's brief to a blank assignment and dispatch. Take time to thoroughly build out the brief so the writer knows exactly what they need to do to succeed.

        What if an assignment has an interview add-on? Is a “thinner” brief OK in these instances?


        Interviews always require a thorough brief. At ClearVoice, we can’t conduct an interview without one. For interview add-ons, if a customer has not provided enough info, producers should ask their CPMs to reach out to the customer for more direction on their behalf. 


        Once it’s created, the brief will always be approved by the customer. This process ensures that a writer has enough time to prep questions – and, more importantly, will ask the right questions – before the interview occurs.