Most bad writing is caused by a bad brief, not a bad writer. When a piece comes back generic, off-target or needing three rounds of edits, the problem usually started before anyone typed a word: nobody wrote down who the reader is, what they need to walk away knowing, and what makes this piece different from everything already published. A good brief fixes most of that, and it fits on one page.
I’ve written and edited content for a long time, on both sides of the brief. Here’s the one I keep coming back to.
Why most briefs don’t work
The typical brief is a title and a keyword. Sometimes there’s a word count. Occasionally, “make it engaging”. The writer, with nothing else to go on, produces the safest possible version of the topic, which reads exactly like every other article on page one of Google. Then the feedback arrives: “It’s fine, but it doesn’t really sound like us.” Of course it doesn’t. Nobody said what “us” sounds like.
The other common failure is the opposite: a twelve-page brand document attached to every request. Nobody reads it. The useful information is in there somewhere, but the writer has to dig it out every time.
The one-page brief
1. Who is reading this?
Be specific. Not “small business owners” but “owners of trade businesses with two to ten staff who handle their own marketing and are sceptical of agencies”. The more specific the reader, the more specific the writing.
2. What question are they asking?
Write the actual question in the reader’s words. “How do I get more Google reviews without being pushy?” is far more useful than “Google reviews”. This also tells the writer what the first paragraph needs to answer.
3. What should they know or do afterwards?
One or two sentences. “They should understand that asking at the right moment matters more than the method, and they should have a simple script they can use this week.” If you can’t write this, you’re not ready to brief the piece.
4. What’s our angle?
This is the part most briefs skip, and it’s the most important. What do you know, believe or have seen that other articles on this topic don’t say? A strong opinion, a client story, internal data, a mistake you’ve made. Without an angle, you get a summary of the internet.
5. What must be included, and what must be avoided?
Key points, facts that need checking, products to mention, competitors not to name, claims you can’t make. Keep it to bullet points.
6. Sources and examples
Link to two or three pieces you like the tone of, and any reliable sources the writer should use. Showing beats describing every time.
7. The practical details
Target keyword if relevant, rough length, deadline, who gives feedback, and where it will be published. Put these last, because they matter least to the quality of the writing.
A quick example
Reader: Café owners in regional towns who run their own social media.
Question: “Is it worth paying to boost Facebook posts for a small café?”
Afterwards: They’ll know when boosting is worth a small spend and when it’s wasted, and how to test it with $50.
Angle: Most café boosting fails because people boost their best-looking photos rather than their most useful posts, like new opening hours or a weekly special.
Include: A simple test plan. Avoid: naming specific agencies.
Examples: Two links to posts with a friendly, practical tone.
Details: About 900 words, due Friday, feedback from the owner only.
That took five minutes to write. It will probably save an hour of edits.
The brief is also a test
If you can’t fill in the angle and the outcome, that’s useful information. It usually means the piece isn’t worth writing yet, or it needs a conversation with someone who knows the subject. Killing a weak idea at the brief stage is far cheaper than killing it after it’s been written, designed and approved.
FAQ
What should a content brief include?
The target reader, the question they’re asking, what they should know or do afterwards, your unique angle, must-include and must-avoid points, example links and sources, and practical details such as length, keyword and deadline.
How long should a content brief be?
One page is enough for most articles. Long brand guidelines are useful as background, but the brief itself should be short enough that the writer reads all of it.
Who should write the content brief?
Ideally, the person who understands the reader and the business goal best, often a marketer or subject expert. The writer can help shape it, but shouldn’t have to invent the angle alone.
Why does my content all sound generic?
Usually because the brief doesn’t include an angle: an opinion, story or piece of data only your business has. Without one, writers fall back on what’s already been published.