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
- Which free tool fills which box · 7
- A filled example · 1
- The 20-minute brief workflow · 5
- Change Box 3 by page type · 5
- Hand it to a writer or an AI tool · 2
- Check the draft before it goes live · 8
- Common brief mistakes · 5
- Copy the blank 5-box brief into a Google Doc (File > Make a copy works if you paste it into your own Doc).
- Use the "which free tool fills which box" table and the 20-minute workflow to fill it.
- Hand it to a writer or AI with the prompt, then check the draft with the review checklist.
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.
Which free tool fills which box
| Box | Free tool | What to copy from it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Who is searching and why | Google results page (incognito) | The page types on page one: guides, lists, shops, map pack |
| 1. Who is searching and why | Search Console > Performance | The exact query wording people used to find you |
| 2. Question + two-line answer | People also ask + autocomplete | The question in the searcher's own words |
| 3. What ranks and what's missing | Top 3 results, read by hand | Headings they all share, and what none of them has |
| 3. What ranks and what's missing | Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator (Questions) | Extra questions to use as headings |
| 4. Trust | Your own files: photos, prices, reviews, licences | Proof only you can show |
| 5. Next action | Google Analytics 4 or your CRM | Which page or button already turns readers into leads |
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
The 20-minute brief workflow
Ten minutes to fill the boxes (see "How to fill each box"), ten to make it writer-ready.
- Minute 0 to 10: fill the 5 boxes
Follow the box-by-box steps above. Don't polish. Rough notes in every box beat a perfect Box 1 and four empty ones.
- Minute 10 to 13: write the outline
Turn Box 3 headings into H2s, in the order a buyer would ask them. Put the Box 2 answer at the top.
- Minute 13 to 16: list the facts only you have
Prices, timings, photos, a real customer question. Mark each [HAVE] or [NEED]. Writers and AI can't invent these.
- Minute 16 to 18: set the limits
Word range (match the top results, roughly), reading level (simple), banned claims (anything you can't prove).
- Minute 18 to 20: send it
Paste into the AI prompt below or send to your writer with a deadline. Keep a copy to check the draft against.
Change Box 3 by page type
Same 5 boxes. What "winning" looks like changes with the page.
| Page type | Box 2 answer should include | Box 4 proof that works | Box 5 action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service page | What you do, for who, where, price range | Photos of real work, licences, reviews | Call, book, get a quote |
| Location page | Which areas you cover and how fast you arrive | Local jobs done, local photos | Call this branch |
| Comparison (A vs B) | Who should pick A and who should pick B | Hands-on use, real specs | Try the one that fits |
| Problem page ("why is my AC leaking") | The most likely cause and whether it's urgent | Step photos, the fix you do most | Call if it's X, else try Y |
| Price guide | A real range and what moves it up or down | Your own price list or recent quotes | Get your exact price |
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]
Check the draft before it goes live
- The first two lines answer Box 2's question.
Readers and AI answers both pull from the opening.
- Every H2 from Box 3 is there, in order.
Those are what searchers expect to find.
- At least one thing the top 3 results don't have.
If it matches them, there's no reason to rank it above them.
- Every number, price and claim is true and from your notes.
Google's helpful content guide asks if content is trustworthy and shows real expertise.
- No [NEED: ...] placeholders are left.
Those mark facts the writer or AI didn't have.
- The author is named and shown on the page.
Google suggests making it clear who created the content.
- One clear next action, with the exact button text from Box 5.
A page with three asks gets none.
- Title is specific and under about 60 characters.
Google's title link guide recommends descriptive, concise titles.
Common brief mistakes
- Writing the brief from the keyword alone, without opening page one.
The results show the intent. Skip them and you build the wrong page type.
- Leaving Box 4 (trust) empty.
It's the box AI and cheap writers can't fill. It's also why your page beats theirs.
- A brief longer than the article.
One page. If it needs more, the topic is two pages.
- Copying competitors' headings and stopping there.
Box 3 has two halves. What they miss is the half that wins.
- Not checking the draft against the brief.
Use the review checklist or the check prompt every time.
Unlock the full template
Everything above, plus the branded PDF to keep.