Direct answer
A content brief should explain who needs the page, what decision it supports, what original evidence is available, what claims require sources, how it differs from existing pages and how success will be evaluated.
Practical steps
- State audience and task.
- Map existing intent owners.
- Collect primary sources and first-party evidence.
- Define sections, examples, limitations and review.
Common mistakes
- Starting from a word count.
- Copying competitor headings.
- Leaving authorship and update triggers undefined.
Limitations
- A brief cannot guarantee quality.
- Research may reveal that no new page is needed.
Primary sources
- Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content — Google Search Central; 2025-12-10; 2026-08-14.
- Search Engine Optimization — MDPI; 2021-02; 2026-08-14.