--- name: seo-content-brief description: "Use this skill when you need a B2B SEO content brief that a writer can turn into a page that ranks and converts: \"write an SEO brief\", \"content brief for this keyword\", \"plan a blog post that ranks\", \"outline for a landing page\". Analyses search intent, what currently ranks and what it misses, picks the angle and format, builds the outline with headings, questions to answer, entities, internal links, schema and the conversion path, and sets the success metrics." license: MIT metadata: title: SEO content brief category: content-seo tags: "Marketing, Founders, Demand Gen" author: prosyo version: "1.0.0" keywords: "seo content brief template, b2b content brief, keyword content outline, claude seo brief skill, blog post brief" inputs: "Target keyword or topic, Product and audience, Existing pages on the site" outputs: "Content brief, Outline with headings, Questions and entities, Internal links and schema, CTA plan" --- Use this before any page is written for search. A good brief makes the writer's job specific: who it is for, what it must answer better than what ranks today, and what the reader should do next. ## Inputs - The target keyword or topic. - Product, audience and the problem it connects to. - Existing pages on the site (to link and avoid cannibalising). ## The play ### 1. Read the intent Look at what ranks today and classify the intent: informational (how to, what is), commercial (best, vs, alternatives, tools), transactional (pricing, template, free tool) or navigational. The format of the top results is the format searchers expect; fight it only with a reason. ### 2. Find the gap For the top results, note what they cover, how deep they go, what they miss, and how fresh they are. Your page wins on one of: depth, original data, a better tool or template, expert experience, or clearer structure. ### 3. Choose angle and format One sentence: "The that for ." ### 4. Build the outline Read [references/brief-template.md](references/brief-template.md) for the full template. It covers: - Title tag (under 60 characters) and meta description (under 155). - H1 and H2/H3 structure, each with what it must say. - Questions to answer (from search suggestions and buyer calls), each answered in the first sentence of its section. - Entities and terms that should appear naturally. - Original value: data, examples, screenshots, templates. - Internal links to and from the page; schema (FAQ, HowTo, SoftwareApplication, Article). - The conversion path: a CTA that fits the intent (template download, free tool, demo for commercial intent). ### 5. Set success metrics Target position and traffic, plus what matters more: sign-ups, demo requests or assisted pipeline from the page. ## What good looks like - The brief says exactly why this page will be better than what ranks. - Every heading has a job; no "Introduction" or "Conclusion" sections. - Answers lead each section (good for featured snippets and AI answers). - The CTA matches the intent: nobody searching "what is an ICP" wants a demo. - The common mistake is a brief that is a keyword list plus "write 2,000 words", which produces the same page as everyone else. ## Rules - MUST base the outline on actual intent and the current results. - MUST include something original (data, template, expert view, example). - NEVER target a keyword an existing page already covers without a consolidation plan. - NEVER recommend keyword stuffing, doorway pages or fake reviews. ## Example prompts - "Write an SEO brief for 'cold email templates for SaaS'." - "Brief a comparison page for 'Acme alternatives'." - "Plan a cluster of 8 pages around 'sales prospecting'." --- # SEO brief template ``` Keyword: Secondary: <3-6 variants> Intent: informational / commercial / transactional Audience: Angle: "The that for " Format: guide / list / template / tool / comparison / landing page Length guide: Title tag (≤60): <...> Meta description (≤155): <...> URL: // H1: <...> Outline: H2

- must say: - answer first sentence: <...> H3 <...> H2 ... Questions to answer: <5-10, each mapped to a section> Entities and terms: <...> Original value: Internal links out: <3-6 pages with anchor text> Internal links in: Schema: CTA: | Secondary: <...> Success: Refresh: ``` ## Intent to CTA map | Intent | Example query | Fitting CTA | | --- | --- | --- | | Informational | "what is lead scoring" | Template or checklist download | | How-to | "how to warm up a domain" | Free tool or step-by-step checklist | | Commercial list | "best cold email tools" | Comparison table, free trial | | Comparison | "x vs y", "x alternatives" | Side-by-side, migration help, demo | | Transactional | "cold email template" | Instant copy, then a related product CTA | ## Writing rules to hand the writer - Answer the section's question in the first sentence; then explain. - Use the reader's terms; define jargon once. - Short paragraphs, tables for comparisons, numbered steps for processes. - Real examples and numbers beat adjectives. - Date-sensitive facts carry a "last checked" note in the brief so they get refreshed.