I've created 63 content briefs in 2022. The biggest dilemmas I face when creating them include:
What to cover as subheadings?
What goes in H2 and H3?
Should I add an FAQ?
When do we need video or infographics?
Where is the gap and how do we make this content stand out?
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1. Deciding what to cover as a subheading
Look through the top 15 content pieces on SERP. What are the recurring questions everyone is answering? That's usually a good idea of what to cover as subheadings.
I prioritize subheadings that offer an opportunity to discuss the client's use case or those I think are the biggest problems and flow down from there.
2. What goes in H2, H3, or H4?
I look at the secondary keywords, especially those with high search volume, and figure out how to include them as h2 subheadings.
H3 and h4 subheadings usually derive from the H2.
Think of it like a mini topic and use the H3s to really dig into the question or problem and answer in detail.
3. Should I add an FAQ section?
Generally, I tend to avoid using an FAQ section, except when it’s a pillar page and there’s so much I want to cover. A good rule of thumb is to ask:
Are competitors using an FAQ section? Or would it be better to answer the FAQ questions in the main body of the text as an h3?
Usually, the latter question is the right answer. You can still use FAQ schema to optimize the content when your H2s and H3s are in a question format
4. When do we need video or infographics?
Semrush keyword research tool does a great job of providing SERP information, telling you what sort of properties are ranking, what format your content needs to be and the asset you’ll need to rank.
I look to the SERP to tell me what to do. If video is ranking, I’ll create one. If competitors have infographics, I’ll create one.
5. Where is the gap and how do we make this content stand out?
This is where critical thinking is a massive asset.
Based on what you’ve seen on SERP, your understanding of the user, and your empathy for their problems, do you think competitors have done a great job of satisfying search intent?
What information is missing?
Which subheading lacks meat?
Under each H3, add questions you want to answer and follow that structure to ensure you’re covering subheadings like a mini-article. It makes your content more comprehensive than competing content.
If you found this useful, there's more information on how to create detailed content briefs (plus a template to work with) when you purchase the 10x topic authority course
This is probably gonna be one the best threads you'll see about internal and external linking
I'll be answering these questions and sharing my strategy 👇
What is the ideal number of internal and external links to add to each blog post?
Who should you link to externally?
What is the thought process that goes into adding internal links to a piece?
How do you determine anchor text for links?
On a recent podcast with Erin Balsa, I said that most of the hard work of creating great content happens in the planning stage and by extension, the content brief.
How to fall in love with a brand before creating content assets for them
A thread🧵
There's a lot of groundwork that happens before building content briefs
The first thing to do is to take time to understand the brand and its story
I call this the first step in planning - falling in love with the brand and becoming an advocate.
I can do this by taking the time to learn about:
- Why the founders created the brand
- The biggest problems they face
- Their personal experiences with the problem
- Existing solutions
- The problems with existing solutions
In March I conceived the idea for the Tech SEO Cohort when I realized that most Black and Brown skin folks in the FCDC community didn't know what tech SEO was.
They signed up for mentorship thinking it meant writing technical content optimized for search.
But we realized that..
Most were specializing in content because they thought it was their only option.
Content had minimal barriers to entry, so they went for it
I was also dissatisfied with the lack of diversity in SEO, specifically the absence of Black people in:
Major publications like Search Engine Journal and Search Engine Land
SEO events
SEO awards (except when they're dishing out token diversity awards)