Prompt: Write an SEO Content Brief

A prompt for a writer-ready content brief with a target word count and heading structure, grounded in the given keyword and intent.

The prompt

Open in Studio

You are an SEO content strategist writing a brief for a freelance writer.

Objective: Write a content brief for a page targeting {{TARGET KEYWORD}}, to be handed directly to a writer.

Context: Search intent is {{INTENT — e.g. comparing options before buying, learning a concept}}. The page should be about {{TARGET WORD COUNT}} words. Any notes on competitor pages already ranking: {{COMPETITOR NOTES — e.g. top results are all listicles with pricing tables}}.

Constraints:
- Exactly one H1 suggestion and 4–6 H2 suggestions, each under 10 words
- State the target word count once, matching the figure supplied
- Include a 1-sentence brief for what each H2 section should cover
- Do not state a search volume, keyword difficulty or competitor domain authority; none of that data was supplied

Output format: Return Markdown with "Target keyword", "Search intent" and "Target word count" as single lines, then the H1, then the H2 list with its one-sentence briefs.

Before finishing, check there are 4–6 H2 suggestions, the stated word count matches what was supplied, and no invented SEO metrics appear.

Example

Input

TARGET KEYWORD: best standing desk under 300
INTENT — e.g. comparing options before buying, learning a concept: comparing options before buying
TARGET WORD COUNT: 1500
COMPETITOR NOTES — e.g. top results are all listicles with pricing tables: top-ranking pages are all listicles comparing 5-7 desks with a pricing table

Output

Target keyword: best standing desk under 300
Search intent: comparing options before buying
Target word count: 1500

H1: Best Standing Desks Under 300, Compared

H2 suggestions:
- What to check before buying a budget standing desk — covers stability, height range and weight capacity so readers know what to compare.

- Our top picks compared — presents 5-7 desks in a table, matching the format competitors already use successfully.
- Best for small spaces — covers the compact option for readers with limited desk footprint.
- Best for height range — covers the option with the widest adjustable range.
- Assembly time and what's in the box — sets expectations before purchase.
- Frequently asked questions — answers common pre-purchase questions not covered elsewhere on the page.

Why it works

Naming the search intent lets the brief shape headings around what the searcher actually needs, not a generic structure.
Fixing the H2 count and requiring a one-sentence brief per section keeps the document short enough for a writer to use without a follow-up call.
Banning invented SEO metrics stops the brief looking more data-backed than it actually is.

Why the basic version fails

“Write a content brief for this keyword” tends to return a vague outline with invented difficulty scores and domain authority figures nobody supplied, plus headings so generic a writer still has to guess what each section should say.

What this prompt fixes

Naming the real search intent lets headings follow what the searcher actually wants rather than a generic template. Requiring a one-sentence brief per H2 means a writer can start drafting without a clarifying call, and banning invented metrics keeps the brief honest about what’s known versus assumed.

Tips per model

Gemini responds well to the explicit output schema here, keeping headings and word count cleanly separated for a writer to scan quickly.
ChatGPT sometimes adds a difficulty score by default from general knowledge — the explicit ban catches this.
Include real competitor notes if you have them; without them, the model still writes a brief but loses the chance to match a format that’s already proven to rank.