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How to Write a Content Brief Template

Set You and Your Team Up For Success

When it comes to marketing, content briefs are your key to transforming scattered ideas into laser-focused campaigns. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or part of a dynamic marketing team, content briefs are valuable strategic blueprints that align your team, clarify objectives, and tees your content up for success.

What is a Content Brief?

A content brief is your project’s north star answering: What are we making, who is this for, and what is the goal?

A comprehensive content brief should cover:
  • What the content piece is, including format and tone
  • Target audience details
  • Project goals and objectives
  • Key message or takeaway
  • Specific content requirements (i.e. keywords, CTA, etc.)
  • How success will be measured

Different Brief Types for Different Needs

Here’s a breakdown of the most common types:
  1. Project Brief: High-level overview of an entire project’s scope (i.e. a new campaign or product launch)
  2. Content Brief: Specific guidelines for creating individual pieces of content (i.e. blog posts, emails, or social captions)
  3. Creative Brief: Focuses on creative direction and design elements (i.e. visuals, branding, or video content).
  4. Content Calendar Brief: For planning out content across weeks or months.

Why Content Briefs Are Worth It

Even if you’re a team of one, writing a quick content brief before you start helps you:

  • Stay focused
  • Organize your ideas
  • Avoid the dreaded mid-project rewrite
  • Make sure your content actually matches your goal

And if you’re working with others, these documents ensure everyone’s on the same page, reduces revision cycles, and outlines a clear path from concept to final draft. 

What to Include In Your Content Briefs

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Here’s a quick checklist:
  1. Goal – What do you want this content to accomplish?
  2. Audience – Who are you talking to? What do they care about?
  3. Tone – Formal? Conversational? Clever? Warm?
  4. Message – What’s the one big idea you want to get across?
  5. CTA – What’s the next step for your reader?
  6. Details – Word count, format, must-use keywords, examples, etc.

Pro tip: Include crystal-clear directions, but make sure to leave room for creative navigation and variation so your content isn’t too repetitive. 

Bringing It All Together

Start by clearly defining your audience, understanding their pain points, and mapping out exactly how your content will provide value. Be specific, be concise, and always keep your end goal in mind.

At the end of the day, content briefs are a low-effort, high-impact tool for anyone creating content, especially if you’re juggling multiple projects or switching between writing yourself and collaborating with others (yes, even AI). 

Want a content brief you can reuse?