CONTENT
Write the content brief before the first AI draft
Audience, intent, evidence, and a useful next step give your content a reason to exist.
4 min read
A fluent draft is easy to mistake for a finished piece of work. Before asking any writing tool for a first version, decide who the page serves and what it should help that person understand. A brief is where those decisions become visible.
Name the question
Write the reader’s main question in one sentence. Add the situation that brought them to the page, what they already know, and the uncertainty they need to resolve. A guide for someone exploring a category should not read like a comparison for someone choosing a supplier.
Plan the evidence
List the examples, original observations, sources, and subject expertise the article needs. Separate verified facts from hypotheses and opinions. If the team cannot support an important claim, change the claim or do the research before drafting. AI output does not replace that responsibility.
Define a useful finish
Decide what a reader should be able to do after the article: evaluate a tradeoff, complete a small task, or ask a more informed question. Let the structure serve that outcome. A short checklist or worked example may help more than another broad introduction.
Review the final piece against the brief, not just for style. Check the facts, links, examples, and audience fit. The goal is a page that earns its place on the website because it helps a real reader move forward.