Content briefs can make or break an article.
Particularly when you delegate tasks to writers who may not have the same level of understanding or passion about a specific subject as you do.
Although they take time, they’re tedious and can be annoying to create.
Thankfully AI makes this a thing of the past.
In this article, I’m going to show you how to create a strong content brief using ChatGPT and Link Miner.
Let’s get started.
What is a content brief and why do we need them?
A content brief is a detailed outline or document that provides writers with clear guidelines on what to write about, including the topic, objectives, target audience, and Key Points to cover. It’s a roadmap for content creation, ensuring your output is consistent and aligned with your message.
Without this writers tend to go on their own tangents or miss key points that are required for comeliness.
How do ChatGPT and Link Reader work?
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) language model trained on huge amounts of data to produce human-like responses. Link Reader is a tool that sits within the ChatGPT plugin marketplace. When integrated, ChatGPT can utilize Link Reader to access and understand external content, providing insights from linked sources.
This opens up the possibilities of what can produced. What you could only do with specialized tools such as Surfer SEO or Ahrefs you can start executing in ChatGPT with the right plugins and prompts.
And this is exactly what we’re about to do.
How to create a content brief using ChatGPT and Link Reader
Note: You will need a ChatPGT Plus account so you can access GPT4 and the Link Reader plugin.
Step 1: Identify the keyword or content idea you want to write about
You will need to conduct keyword research or competitor analysis to determine what you want to write about. Use tools like SE Ranking or Ahrefs to help you find opportunities. You can continue without this step but it works best when you have a content plan ready.
Step 2: Search for and enable the Link Reader plugin within ChatGPT
For this to work you need to ensure the Linked Reader plugin is installed and activated. Open a new chat window, click on GPT-4, and navigate to the plugins. Search for Link Reader and install it.
Once Link Reader is installed, hover over the plugins and make sure Link Reader is checked so that it remains active for new chats.
Step 3: Use the following template to create your ChatGPT content brief prompt
Template:
Overview: Pretend you’re an expert at SEO and a great writer. I need you to create an SEO content brief that will guide a content writer to create an article better than the existing articles ranking in the SERPs. Use best practices and ensure you follow Google’s Guidelines for producing helpful content.
What to include in the brief: The target audience, topics, detailed outlines with heading tags, key points, and other keywords or topics to cover for completeness.
Keyword: {keyword}
Purpose: {the purpose of the article}
Existing articles to reference as a baseline: {Site 1}, {Site 2}, {Site 3}
Here’s the example I used for the keyword “Scrum in Project Management”.
Project management example:
Overview: Pretend you’re an expert at SEO and a great writer. I need you to create an SEO content brief that will guide a content writer to create an article better than the existing articles ranking in the SERPs. Use best practices and ensure you follow Google’s Guidelines for producing helpful content.
What to include in the brief: The target audience, topics, detailed outlines with heading tags, key points, and other keywords or topics to cover for completeness.
Keyword: Scrum in Project Manager
Purpose: To help a reader learn about the scrum project management framework.
Existing articles to reference as a baseline:
- https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/faq/what-is-scrum-in-project-management/
- https://www.atlassian.com/agile/scrum
- https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/agile-project-management-scrum-6269
Make sure you verify that Link Reader opened and read all of the links you provided.
Step 4: Use the output or refine it to your requirements
The output was broken into four sections. The target audience, topics to cover, detailed outline, and best practices. This is the raw output I received, which needs to be cleaned up into a document before it can be used.
**SEO Content Brief for “Scrum in Project Management”**
—
**Target Audience**:
– Project managers new to Scrum.
– Professionals looking to transition into Agile methodologies.
– Teams considering adopting Scrum for their projects.
– Students studying project management.
—
**Topics to Cover**:
1. Introduction to Scrum in Project Management.
2. Scrum vs. Traditional Project Management.
3. Key Roles in Scrum.
4. Scrum Artifacts.
5. Scrum Ceremonies.
6. Scrum Values.
7. Benefits of Implementing Scrum.
8. Scrum vs. Agile: Clearing the Confusion.
9. Real-world examples of Scrum in action.
10. Conclusion and the future of Scrum.
—
**Detailed Outlines with Heading Tags**:
**H1**: The Comprehensive Guide to Scrum in Project Management
**H2**: Introduction to Scrum in Project Management
– Brief overview of Scrum.
– Its evolution and importance in today's dynamic project environments.
**H2**: Scrum vs. Traditional Project Management
– Comparison of Scrum with Waterfall and other traditional methodologies.
– Highlighting the flexibility and adaptability of Scrum.
**H2**: Key Roles in Scrum
**H3**: Scrum Master
– Duties and responsibilities.
– Importance in facilitating the Scrum process.
**H3**: Product Owner
– Role in defining the product vision.
– Managing the product backlog.
**H3**: Development Team
– Cross-functional teams.
– Their role in delivering the product increment.
**H2**: Scrum Artifacts
**H3**: Product Backlog
– Definition and importance.
– How it's maintained and prioritized.
**H3**: Sprint Backlog
– How it's derived from the product backlog.
– Its role in guiding the sprint.
**H3**: Increment
– Definition of “Done”.
– Delivering value at the end of each sprint.
**H2**: Scrum Ceremonies
**H3**: Sprint Planning
– Setting the goal for the sprint.
– Selecting items from the product backlog.
**H3**: Daily Stand-up
– Purpose and structure.
– Ensuring alignment and addressing blockers.
**H3**: Sprint Review
– Demonstrating the increment.
– Gathering feedback.
**H3**: Sprint Retrospective
– Reflecting on the sprint.
– Identifying areas of improvement.
**H2**: Scrum Values
– Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect.
– Their importance in guiding Scrum teams.
**H2**: Scrum vs. Agile: Clearing the Confusion
– Scrum as a subset of Agile.
– Differences and similarities.
**H2**: Real-world examples of Scrum in action
– Case studies showcasing the success of Scrum.
– Lessons learned.
**H2**: Conclusion and the future of Scrum
– The growing importance of Scrum in diverse industries.
– Predictions for how Scrum might evolve.
—
**Key Points**:
– Scrum's adaptability makes it suitable for various industries, not just software development.
– The importance of continuous feedback and iterative improvement in Scrum.
– The collaborative nature of Scrum and its emphasis on team empowerment.
—
**Other Keywords or Topics to Cover for Completeness**:
– Scrum Guide.
– Agile Manifesto.
– Scrum Board.
– User Stories.
– Velocity in Scrum.
– Challenges in implementing Scrum.
– Tools commonly used in Scrum (e.g., Jira).
– Scrum certifications and training.
—
**SEO Best Practices**:
1. Use the primary keyword in the title, meta description, introduction, and conclusion.
2. Incorporate secondary keywords naturally within the content.
3. Use H2 and H3 headings for sections and subsections.
4. Include internal links to other relevant articles or pages on your website.
5. Ensure the content is user-friendly, easy to read, and provides value to the reader.
6. Use high-quality images with relevant alt text.
7. Ensure the content is mobile-friendly.
8. Encourage user engagement through comments, shares, and feedback.
And that's it! You've created a content brief using AI in 2 minutes.
Summary
This isn’t a foolproof way of generating the world's best content brief, although it will save you time and identify gaps you could have missed. You might realize that this prompt isn’t effective for what you require, so feel free to tweak it until you’re satisfied with the result.
Frequently asked questions
What should a content brief include?
This will depend on the complexity of the article and the writer assigned. I like to include the purpose of the article, target audience, topics to cover, detailed outlines (with heading tags), key points, and specific keywords to include. If you want to go a step further then create a content brief using Surfer SEO and include the output so the writer knows which keywords and phrases to use.
How do you write an effective content brief?
The most effective content briefs are clear, concise, and complete. The writer should be able to produce a complete article without asking for further clarification.
Here are some tips:
1. Clearly define the objective or goal of the content, ensuring it aligns with your target audience's needs and interests.
2. Provide a concise overview of the topic. This includes key points, themes, or messages to be covered.
3. Specify the desired format, tone, and style, referencing any brand guidelines or examples for clarity.
4. Highlight essential keywords or phrases for SEO, you can use Surfer SEO for this.
5. Include logistical details for the writer. Things like content length, deadline, and any relevant sources or references to be consulted.
