Create an SEO content brief and first draft for the target keyword below. Write for the searcher’s actual job, not for keyword repetition. Do not invent product capabilities, statistics, rankings, customer stories, expert quotes, citations, or firsthand testing. Target keyword: [TARGET KEYWORD] Search intent and reader: [SEARCH INTENT AND READER] Page goal and conversion action: [PAGE GOAL] Source material and claims we can support: [APPROVED SOURCES] Competitor or SERP observations: [SERP OBSERVATIONS] Brand voice and constraints: [BRAND GUIDELINES] First, state the primary intent, likely secondary questions, and the page angle that would be materially more useful than a generic overview. Create a brief with a proposed title, meta title, meta description, URL suggestion, search-intent summary, H2/H3 outline, internal-link opportunities, evidence needed, and conversion placement. Then write a draft of 1,000 to 1,400 words using that outline. Open with a direct answer or useful framing, then develop the topic with concrete steps, decision criteria, examples, limitations, and next actions appropriate to the intent. Use the target keyword naturally in the title, opening, one relevant heading if useful, and metadata; use close variants only where they clarify meaning. Do not pad sections to hit a word count. Mark any fact that needs a source as [SOURCE NEEDED]. For a commercial page, explain who the offering is and is not for, rather than making unsupported superiority claims. Before answering, check that every section earns its place by answering a likely searcher question. Check that all factual claims are supported by my sources or marked for verification. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [TARGET KEYWORD] | Enter the primary search phrase you want the page to rank for. | employee onboarding checklist |
| [SEARCH INTENT AND READER] | Describe what the searcher wants to accomplish and who they are. | HR managers need a practical checklist for onboarding office and remote hires. |
| [PAGE GOAL] | State the business goal and the action a qualified reader should take. | Build organic traffic and invite teams to download our editable onboarding template. |
| [APPROVED SOURCES] | Provide product documentation, subject-matter notes, research, and claims you can substantiate. | Our HR specialist's checklist, product help center, and a 2025 internal survey of 180 customers. |
| [SERP OBSERVATIONS] | Summarize useful gaps, competing page patterns, and related questions from your search results. | Top results offer generic day-one lists; few separate preboarding, manager tasks, and 30/60/90-day follow-up. |
| [BRAND GUIDELINES] | Give the desired voice, reading level, prohibited claims, and formatting requirements. | Helpful and practical, grade-9 reading level, no claims of being the leading platform. |
How to use
- Collect the top-ranking pages and related searches yourself, then summarize the gaps rather than asking AI to guess the SERP.
- Paste only substantiated product and subject-matter claims into the source field.
- Check the draft against the search intent: an informational query should not become a sales page after the introduction.
- Follow up with: “Create a fact-check list for every [SOURCE NEEDED] marker and propose primary-source links.”
Variations
Content brief
Use when a writer needs a detailed brief before drafting the page.
Build an SEO content brief for [TARGET KEYWORD]. Reader and intent: [READER AND INTENT]. SERP notes: [SERP NOTES]. Approved expertise and sources: [SOURCES]. Conversion goal: [GOAL]. Produce a brief with searcher questions, differentiated angle, title options, metadata, outline, word-range by section, internal links, original examples needed, and fact-check requirements. Identify content gaps without claiming rankings or competitor facts I did not provide. Ask up to 3 questions only if an essential input is missing.
Content refresh
Use to improve an existing article that has fallen behind searcher needs.
Create an SEO refresh plan for this page: [EXISTING ARTICLE]. Target keyword and current performance data: [KEYWORD AND DATA]. New source material: [NEW SOURCES]. SERP changes observed: [SERP CHANGES]. Produce a prioritized edit plan: keep, cut, update, add, consolidate, and internal-link changes. Then rewrite only the three highest-impact sections. Preserve claims that are supported, mark unverifiable claims for review, and do not fabricate new statistics or examples. Ask up to 3 questions only if needed.
Product comparison
Use for a comparison page that must be useful and defensible.
Write a fair SEO outline and draft for [PRODUCT A] versus [PRODUCT B] targeting [KEYWORD]. Verified information about each option: [VERIFIED FACTS]. Reader and decision context: [READER CONTEXT]. Produce a comparison with use cases, feature differences, implementation considerations, pricing only if supplied, limitations, and a decision guide. Attribute all claims to supplied sources, avoid declaring a winner without stated criteria, and label unknowns clearly. Ask up to 3 questions only if essential facts are missing.
Tips
- Match the page format to intent: a checklist query needs a usable checklist, while a comparison query needs decision criteria and limitations.
- Keep a claim ledger while drafting so product assertions, data points, and examples can be traced to an approved source.
- Use headings to answer distinct questions; do not create near-duplicate sections for keyword variants.
- Refresh pages when the product, search results, or reader decision process changes, not merely because a calendar date passed.
FAQ
Will this prompt guarantee rankings?
No. It helps create a stronger page, but rankings also depend on competition, technical accessibility, authority, links, and how well the page satisfies searchers.
How often should the target keyword appear?
Use it where it improves clarity, especially the title and opening. Repetition that makes the copy unnatural does not help the reader.
Can AI add citations for me?
It can identify where evidence is needed, but you should supply and verify the actual primary sources before publishing.