The 5-Box SEO Content Brief Template I Use
Five boxes you fill before anyone writes a word, human or AI. Copy it, fill it in 10 minutes, hand it over.
A copy-paste content brief with the five boxes I fill before any page gets written, a filled example, and a prompt to hand it to a writer or AI tool. Pages fail before they're written; this fixes that part.
For: Founders who write their own pages, hire freelancers or use AI writers, and keep getting pages that look fine but don't rank or sell.
- The blank 5-box brief · 1
- How to fill each box in 10 minutes · 5
- A filled example · 1
- Hand it to a writer or an AI tool · 2
- Copy the blank template in section 1.
- Fill each box using the 10-minute research steps in section 2. Box 2 first.
- Hand it to your writer or AI with the prompt in section 4, then check the draft against the brief.
The blank 5-box brief
Copy this into a doc. Every box must be filled before writing starts.
PAGE: [working title] MAIN KEYWORD: [the search this page targets] URL: /[slug] BOX 1. WHO IS SEARCHING AND WHAT DO THEY WANT? - Who: [type of person, their situation] - Intent: [learn / compare / visit / buy] - What they want to leave with: [one sentence] BOX 2. THE QUESTION AND THE TWO-LINE ANSWER - The one question: [question] - The answer in two lines: [write it here, with a number or condition] BOX 3. WHAT RANKS NOW, AND WHAT IT'S MISSING - Page type that wins: [guide / list / service page / map] - Top 3 results: [URL 1] [URL 2] [URL 3] - What they all cover: [list] - What they miss: [2-3 things we will add] - Headings (from People also ask + customer questions): [H2 list] BOX 4. WHY SHOULD THIS READER TRUST US? - Who writes or reviews it, and why they know this: [name, experience] - Proof we can show: [example, price, photo, steps, case] - Sources to cite: [links] BOX 5. THE ONE NEXT ACTION - The action: [book / call / quote / read next page] - CTA text: [exact words] - Internal links: [2-3 pages to link to and from]
How to fill each box in 10 minutes
- Box 1 (2 min): who and why
Search the keyword. The page types on page one tell you the intent. Then write who this person is in plain words: 'a homeowner with a leaking roof, wants to know if it's urgent and what it costs'.
- Box 2 (2 min): the answer
Write the answer you'd give on the phone in two sentences. Include a number or a condition. This becomes the page's opening.
- Box 3 (3 min): what ranks and the gap
Open the top 3 results. List what they all cover, then what none of them has: a price, a real example, a photo, a local detail. Copy People also ask questions as headings.
- Box 4 (2 min): trust
Google's helpful content guide asks who made the content, how and why. Write who and why they know this, and what proof you can show.
- Box 5 (1 min): next action
One action. Write the exact button or link text and the pages this one should link to.
A filled example
Example for a made-up local roofer, to show the level of detail. Replace every line with your own facts.
PAGE: How much does roof leak repair cost? MAIN KEYWORD: roof leak repair cost URL: /roof-leak-repair-cost BOX 1 - Who: homeowner who just found a leak, worried about cost and damage - Intent: compare, close to buy - Leaves with: a price range for their kind of leak and whether to call today BOX 2 - Question: How much does it cost to fix a roof leak? - Answer: [Your real price range] for most small leaks, more if decking or flashing must be replaced. The cause decides the price, so here's how to tell which one you have. BOX 3 - Page type that wins: guides with price tables - What they all cover: national averages, causes - What they miss: local prices, photos of each cause, 'is it an emergency?' check - Headings: What affects the price? / Is a roof leak an emergency? / Can I fix it myself? / Repair or replace? BOX 4 - Written by: [owner name], [years] fixing roofs in [city] - Proof: 3 photos of real jobs with what each cost - Sources: [manufacturer guide or local code link] BOX 5 - Action: get a free inspection - CTA text: 'Send a photo of your leak, get a price in 24 hours' - Links: /roof-repair, /emergency-roof-repair, /roof-replacement-cost
Hand it to a writer or an AI tool
You are writing a page for [business], a [type of business] in [city]. Follow the brief below exactly. Rules: - Open with the two-line answer from Box 2, word for word or very close. - Use the headings in Box 3, in that order. Answer each heading in its first sentence. - Include the proof from Box 4. Do not invent prices, numbers, reviews or experience. Where you need a fact I didn't give you, write [NEED: ...]. - End with the CTA from Box 5. - Simple English, short sentences, no filler intros. BRIEF: [paste the filled brief]
Here is a content brief and a draft. For each of the 5 boxes, tell me: does the draft deliver it? Quote the line that does, or say 'missing'. Then list any claim in the draft that isn't supported by the brief. BRIEF: [paste] DRAFT: [paste]
Unlock the full template
Everything above, plus the branded PDF to keep.