seo-content-brief

Content Brief Generator

Content Intelligence First

Before generating a brief, run scripts/analyze-keywords.ts (local-first, no API key) on the target or a top competitor URL. Use the result to shape target keywords, semantic variants, heading coverage, local modifiers, and stuffing warnings.

bun run scripts/analyze-keywords.ts <url-or-path> --keyword "<primary keyword>" --synonyms "<syn1,syn2>" --locations "<city1,city2>" --format markdown

Metadata and Heading Rules

• Meta title must be 60 characters or less.
• Meta description must be 150 characters or less.
• Do not include the company or brand name in the meta title unless the client explicitly asks. If useful, provide a branded variant as an option or exception.
• Meta title and H1 should be semantically similar, but not necessarily identical.
• Meta title and H1 need the primary keyword or a strong variant.
• H2/H3 headings should distribute synonyms, long-tail phrases, questions, and sub-intents.
• Avoid repeating the exact keyword across every heading.

Long-Tail by Buyer State (2026)

Layer keywords by buyer state, not by surface similarity:

Layer	State	Intent signal	Example phrasing
L1	Awareness	"what is", "why", symptoms, problems	broad informational, conversational
L2	Comparison	"vs", "alternatives", "best for"	options weighing
L3	Evaluation	"pricing", "reviews", "is X worth it"	scrutiny, objections
L4	Decision	"buy", "near me", "demo", "signup"	transactional/local

One brief targets one buyer state per URL. Cluster by buyer state + intent, never by lexical surface similarity.

Citation eligibility

AI Overviews capture ~30-60% of the informational CTR. Optimize for verbatim LLM extraction, not raw traffic alone: every section must yield a self-contained, quotable answer. A brief that ranks but is not extractable loses the AI Overview slot.

Brief Structure

# Content Brief: <topic>

## Target Keywords
- Primary: <kw> (vol, KD, intent)
- Secondary: <kw1>, <kw2>, <kw3>
- Long-tail: <lt1>, <lt2>, <lt3>

## Search Intent
- Type: informational | navigational | commercial | transactional
- User question: "<exact question>"
- Expected format: guide | listicle | comparison | tutorial

## Outline
- Meta title: <primary keyword or strong variant, <=60 chars, no brand unless requested>
- Meta description: <benefit + intent match, <=150 chars>
- H1: <semantic match to title, primary keyword or strong variant>
- H2: <synonym, long-tail phrase, question, or sub-intent>
  - H3: <supporting sub-intent>
- H2: <section 2>
- H2: FAQ
- H2: Conclusion

## Answer Capsules (per H2)
<40-60 word self-contained answer opening EACH H2, not only the first 100 words — citation-eligible for AI Overviews>

## Word Count Target
<based on top 10 SERP average>

## Internal Links (5-10)
- → <pillar page>
- → <related cluster pages>

## Schema
- Article + BreadcrumbList (always)
- FAQPage (if FAQ section)
- VideoObject (if video embed)

## GEO Requirements
- Answer capsule (40-60 words) opening every H2
- One hyperlinked statistic to its primary source every 150-200 words
- Name key entities explicitly (no pronouns for the primary entity)
- Cite 3-5 authoritative sources
- Use tables/lists for comparison data

References

• seo-geo — AI Overviews / LLM readiness
• seo-content — copywriting 2026 (answer capsules, named entities)
• seo-entity — entity salience and knowledge graph
• skills/seo/04-geo-2026/content-structure.md
• skills/seo/06-content-strategy/keyword-research.md