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Module 04 / Lesson 22 · Read, apply, check
Write a content brief that gives an author enough audience context, evidence and boundaries to produce a useful answer.
Begin with the person, situation and question the content must address. Specify what the reader should understand or be able to do afterward. A title and keyword are insufficient instructions because they do not establish depth, assumptions or useful next steps. Include what the article should deliberately leave outside its scope.
List the questions the draft must answer and the evidence each section needs. Identify original data, expert input, examples and primary sources before writing. If evidence is unavailable, change the claim or plan research. Do not ask the author to make a confident assertion and hope a citation can be found after the fact.
Specify tone, terminology, intended format, accessibility needs and useful visual explanations. Explain the purpose of proposed links and distinguish factual requirements from editorial suggestions. Add the reviewer and update owner. A word range can help scope the assignment, but it should not encourage filler or override the amount of explanation the task requires.
Describe how the draft will be judged: accurate answers, supported claims, useful examples, clear limitations and a relevant next step. Include the deadline and a route for resolving unanswered questions. A brief should enable informed judgment, not replace it with a checklist of repeated phrases or a required keyword density.
Facilities manager comparing commercial flooring.
Verified specifications, cleaning requirements and installation constraints.
Compare conditions → explain tradeoffs → show a worked choice.
Technical reviewer checks claims; editor checks clarity; named owner maintains changes.
Hypothetical example: a security software company commissions a guide for small organizations choosing access-management software. The brief names the intended decision, the reader’s limited technical knowledge and the features that need explanation. It requires an expert to check claims, a worked example of adding and removing staff access, and sources for technical assertions. It excludes unsupported comparisons with named competitors and asks for a diagram showing the account lifecycle. The author raises a missing evidence question before drafting, allowing the product team to clarify the claim. The final review checks whether the guide enables a sensible choice, rather than merely counting terms or accepting a long article because it looks comprehensive.
A weak brief says write fifteen hundred words about the best software and include five sales links. It does not identify the buyer, comparison criteria or evidence. The author can satisfy every instruction while producing generic promotion. Adding more keywords will not solve that problem; the commissioning team needs to define the reader’s task and the factual basis for the recommendation.
Misconception: detailed briefs eliminate editorial creativity. Correction: clear audience goals and evidence boundaries free the author to choose effective explanations. Overprescribing every sentence and anchor can constrain judgment without improving accuracy or usefulness.
An expert opinion piece needs different constraints from a regulated product guide or a technical tutorial. Match review intensity and evidence requirements to the stakes, while keeping ownership and factual accountability explicit in every format.
Do this today · 30 minutes
Write a brief for one customer question using purpose, scope, required evidence, example, visual, reviewer and acceptance criteria. Ask a colleague to identify what they would still need to know before writing.
Use an authorized page or campaign relevant to this lesson, or work entirely from the illustrative sample below. Record proposed changes as drafts until they are approved and implemented.
A writer must explain how to measure a staircase before ordering furniture, with verified delivery-team input.
Before: “Write 1,500 words about staircase delivery.”
After: A brief specifying measurements, a worked example, a diagram and factual review.
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Evaluate the draft against the brief’s acceptance criteria rather than only its word count.
Before you move on
An author receives a keyword, a word target and five required links but no audience or evidence. The draft is long and generic. The commissioning manager wants to add more target phrases. What revision to the brief would most directly improve the next draft?
Next lesson →Google: Helpful, reliable content
Lesson edition 2 · References reviewed 14 October 2026 · Practical exercise reviewed 15 October 2026. Examples are illustrative teaching scenarios.
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