Instructions defining an assignment’s audience, purpose, scope, sources, and expected coverage.
A content brief sets the direction for a writing or editing assignment. It identifies the audience, the question to answer, the intended purpose and the limits of the piece. A useful brief tells the writer what the reader should understand or be able to do after reading.
The brief should also clarify the evidence available. Separate confirmed business facts from proposed examples and questions requiring research. Specify relevant sources, the perspective of the business and any claims that need expert review. This reduces the risk of a polished draft inventing services, results or promises.
An outline can help organize the work, but it should leave room for judgment. Keyword lists, a required length and a set of headings do not establish that an article will be useful. Include the reason for each major section and explain how the proposed page differs from existing content.
Takeaway: Use a brief to resolve purpose and evidence before drafting. A clear assignment makes review more focused and helps avoid expensive revisions caused by an unclear audience or unsupported claims.
Example
A landscaping company briefs a guide about preparing a site for a patio consultation. The brief names the homeowner audience, lists the actual information the team needs and marks the photographs available for use. It does not authorize the writer to promise a fixed installation timeline the company has not confirmed.
What to check
Include the page’s role, useful internal links, review owner and acceptance criteria. Update the brief when new evidence changes the assignment. Distinguish a draft example from a real case study throughout the handoff.
For more detail, see Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content.