Content Brief Template

Content Brief (Global)

One brief per piece. This is the link between the calendar (01-content-calendar-global) and production (37-social-caption-global, 04-script-video-global, 05-ad-copy-global, 14-email-marketing-global). The brief is good enough when the writer finishes without asking the lead a single question.

Information gathering

Read .agents/product-marketing-context-global.md, the Brand Voice Document (35-brand-voice-global), and the calendar (01-content-calendar-global) first. If something is missing, ask up to 4 questions:

1. Where does this piece sit in the funnel (TOFU / MOFU / BOFU), and which campaign or weekly theme does it belong to?
2. Which channel and format? (Instagram / LinkedIn / TikTok / Facebook / X / YouTube / email — video / carousel / static / text / newsletter)
3. What is the intended CTA? (comment / click / DM / book a demo / subscribe / buy)
4. When is approval due, and who is writing it?

Principles

1. One brief = one piece = one angle = one CTA. Do not stack messages. If several points are needed, split into a carousel or a series.
2. An angle is a specific point of view, not a topic. "Skincare routines" is a topic. "Three morning habits that quietly make your skin worse — and everyone thinks they help" is an angle.
3. The hook must stand alone. Reading the first line should tell you what the piece is about without any context.
4. The source insight must be quoted verbatim with its source. Pull it from 09-customer-insight-global: which internal monologue, pain, or objection is this piece aimed at.
5. Evidence goes in the brief, not on the writer's to-do list. Numbers, testimonials, and case studies are supplied here, already sourced.
6. Maximum 3 body points. More than that means it should be a different piece.
7. Every claim must be substantiable. If evidence cannot be cited, the claim does not go in the brief.

Workflow

1. Place the piece in the system

Take from the calendar (01-content-calendar-global): publish date, channel, format, funnel stage, pillar. Then set one — and only one — objective: reach / trust / conversion / engagement.

2. Lock the angle and the source insight

• Read the insight file (09-customer-insight-global): where is the reader in the journey — unaware of the problem, evaluating solutions, or close to buying.
• Pick one insight (an internal monologue, a pain, or an objection) as the anchor and quote it verbatim in the brief.
• Write the angle: the specific point of view that works that insight, and that does not repeat a recently published angle.

3. Write 3 hook options

• Hook A — Pain: opens on the reader's frustration.
• Hook B — Curiosity: a question or statement that creates an open loop.
• Hook C — Contrarian / surprise: contradicts the category's default belief.

Recommend one with a short reason. The writer may choose differently if they can justify it.

4. Set the key message and body structure

• Key message: exactly one sentence — the single thing this piece must land.
• Body: at most 3 points, one line each in the brief.
• Evidence and social proof: the specific number, testimonial, or case study to use, with its source noted.

5. Define CTA and distribution

• Primary CTA: a specific, performable action — not "get in touch".
• Micro-CTA (optional): comment a keyword, save, share to a colleague.
• Publish time by channel (see the calendar), hashtags per platform norms (Instagram 3-5 targeted, LinkedIn 3, TikTok 3-5 trend plus niche, Facebook 0-2, X 1-2), cross-post plan and what changes when cross-posting, and whether the post gets paid amplification afterwards.
• If the piece is a paid partnership or contains affiliate links, state the disclosure wording here — FTC endorsement rules apply to organic posts.

6. Visual direction and handoff

• Visual concept in 1-2 sentences, dominant colors taken from the brand guideline ([primary color], [secondary color] placeholders resolved from .agents/product-marketing-context-global.md), and any text overlay needed (a pulled quote or a number).
• For a detailed visual brief, hand off to 42-image-brief-global, 43-carousel-brief-global, or 44-video-editor-brief-global.
• Only brief visuals after the copy is approved. Briefing both in parallel means reworking both.

Output structure

File name: content-brief-[piece-name]-[YYYYMMDD].md

# Content Brief — [Internal title]

## Placement
| Item | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Internal title | |
| Channel | |
| Format | video / carousel / static / text / email |
| Funnel stage | TOFU / MOFU / BOFU |
| Pillar | |
| Target publish date | |
| Approval deadline | |
| Writer | |

## Angle and objective
- **Source insight (from 09):** "[internal monologue / pain / objection — verbatim]"
- **Angle:** [specific point of view — not a topic]
- **Objective:** [exactly one — reach / trust / conversion / engagement]
- **Reader's stage:** [unaware / evaluating / close to buying]

## Hooks — 3 options
- **Hook A — Pain:** [...]
- **Hook B — Curiosity:** [...]
- **Hook C — Contrarian / surprise:** [...]
- **Recommended:** [which one + short reason]

## Core content
- **Key message (one sentence):** [...]
- **Body (max 3 points):**
  1. [Point 1]
  2. [Point 2]
  3. [Point 3]
- **Evidence / social proof:** [specific number, testimonial, or case study + source]

## CTA
- **Primary CTA:** [specific, performable]
- **Micro-CTA (optional):** [comment keyword / save / share]
- **Disclosure required:** [none / paid partnership / affiliate — exact wording]

## Brand voice
- Tone: [reference Brand Voice Document, section II]
- Banned words to avoid: [reference section III]

## Visual direction
- **Concept:** [1-2 sentences]
- **Dominant colors:** [from brand guideline]
- **Text overlay:** [quote or number to place on the asset]
- **Detailed visual brief:** hand off to `42-image-brief-global` / `43-carousel-brief-global` / `44-video-editor-brief-global`

## Distribution
- **Publish time:** [per-channel peak]
- **Hashtags:** [per platform norm]
- **Cross-post:** [which channels, what changes]
- **Paid amplification after publish:** Yes / No

Related skills

• 01-content-calendar-global: supplies placement (date, channel, format, pillar) — runs before the brief.
• 09-customer-insight-global: supplies the source insight, quoted verbatim into the brief.
• 35-brand-voice-global: every brief cites tone and banned words from it.
• 37-social-caption-global, 04-script-video-global, 05-ad-copy-global, 14-email-marketing-global: production skills that take this brief as input.
• 42-image-brief-global, 43-carousel-brief-global, 44-video-editor-brief-global: detailed visual briefs, after copy approval.

Quality checklist

• One piece = one angle = one CTA — no stacked messages.
• Source insight quoted verbatim with its source noted.
• All 3 hooks are genuinely different directions (pain / curiosity / contrarian).
• Key message is exactly one sentence.
• Body has at most 3 points.
• Evidence is specific and sourced — nothing left as "writer to find".
• CTA is specific and performable, not generic.
• Brand voice referenced (tone plus banned words).
• Visual direction present, with the correct downstream visual brief named.
• Disclosure requirement stated where a material connection exists.
• A writer could start immediately without asking a follow-up question.