Research the question before setting the outline
Read the competing pages, not only their headings. What type of answer is ranking: a service, product, comparison or explanation? Which details actually help the reader, and which are repeated filler?
Related questions can reveal missing context, but not every question belongs on the same URL. Use keyword mapping to separate a new reader task from a useful subsection. If the existing page already serves the task, consider a content refresh before commissioning another article.
Copy this brief and fill in the blanks
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Page and decision | Existing or proposed URL; what the reader should understand or decide |
| Reader | Experience level, country, language and relevant constraints |
| Main search need | Primary query group and the page type expected in the results |
| Questions to answer | Essential questions and useful follow-ups, with a reason for including them |
| Missing information | What current pages do not explain well; evidence, examples or business input needed |
| Sources | Reliable references and any claims that require confirmation |
| Structure | A suggested order, not a requirement to match competitors heading for heading |
| Links | Useful incoming links, related destinations and the appropriate next step |
| Review | Who checks facts, business claims, copy and the published page |
Do not fill the “missing information” field with assumptions about the company. If the writer needs a price, specification or policy, name the person who can confirm it.
Example: a service page, not a generic article
For an illustrative industrial-enclosure supplier, the task could be: help a buyer decide whether the supplier can provide the right enclosure and request a quote.
The brief would ask for verified materials, dimensions, installation options, intended environments, lead-time information and the inputs needed for a quote. A relevant standards claim would need a source and business confirmation. It would not ask the writer to invent certifications or repeat “best industrial enclosures” throughout the copy.
The opening should establish the offer quickly. Supporting sections should resolve buying questions. A specification table may be more useful than another introductory paragraph. This is an example of a brief, not a client case study.
Use AI without outsourcing the judgment
AI can help organize research and draft sections against the brief. I check the source material, facts, repetition, tone and proposed links before accepting a draft. Plausible wording is not proof that a specification or claim is true.
For search and AI answers, clear definitions, explicit conditions and well-supported explanations help the reader understand what applies. There is no sentence format that guarantees a Google AI Overview citation.
Review the page after publication
Check that the approved text, title, headings and links survived publication. Test the page on a phone, including tables and the contact path. Record the change date before comparing the relevant queries and landing-page results.
If you need research, briefs and the edits themselves, see my content optimization service. For another approach to a concise writer-focused brief, see Ahrefs’ content brief guide.