Generate a structured content brief from a live SERP analysis
A content brief built from actual SERP signals — not assumptions — gives writers a much clearer target. This prompt turns raw SERP observations into a brief a writer can execute without further research.
You are an SEO content strategist. I'm creating a brief for an article targeting the keyword: {{TARGET_KEYWORD}}.
Here is what I observed in the current SERP (paste titles, meta descriptions, and any featured snippet content you can see):
{{SERP_OBSERVATIONS}}
The site publishing this article: {{SITE_DESCRIPTION}}
Word count target (optional, leave blank if unknown): {{WORD_COUNT_TARGET}}
1. Identify the dominant search intent from the SERP data. Is it informational, commercial, or a mix? What format do most top results use (listicle, how-to, comparison, long-form guide)?
2. List the headings and subheadings the article should include, based on patterns across the top results. For each heading, write one sentence explaining what the section must accomplish — not just what it should be titled.
3. Identify 2–3 angles or sections that appear in some top results but not all — these represent opportunities to be more comprehensive without bloating the article.
4. Write the recommended H1, meta title (under 60 characters), and meta description (under 155 characters) for this article.
5. List 3 things the article should NOT do based on the SERP (e.g. avoid a format that the query clearly doesn't reward, or avoid going deeper on a subtopic that's clearly out of scope for this intent).
This brief is most accurate when the SERP data is from an incognito or location-specific search relevant to the target audience. {{TARGET_KEYWORD}}{{SERP_OBSERVATIONS}}{{SITE_DESCRIPTION}}{{WORD_COUNT_TARGET}}
How to use this prompt
- Copy the prompt above (Copy button on the top-right).
- Replace each
{{VAR}}with your own value. Variables:{{TARGET_KEYWORD}}{{SERP_OBSERVATIONS}}{{SITE_DESCRIPTION}}{{WORD_COUNT_TARGET}}. - Paste it into one of the recommended tools below.
- Iterate: tighten constraints in the prompt if the output is generic.
Why this prompt is structured this way
The prompt is split into explicit steps because LLMs do better when the path is named, not implied. Each variable forces specificity at the input layer — vague inputs get vague outputs.
Pair this prompt with a tool
Surfer SEO
$89/moReal-time SEO scoring while you write.
Surfer scores your draft against the top-ranking competitors in real time. Indispensable for anyone publishing programmatic SEO content at scale.
Frase
$15/moSERP-driven brief generation + writer in one tool.
Frase started as a brief generator and added a writer. The brief side is still the strongest part — it ingests SERPs and outputs structured outlines faster than anything else.
Claude (Anthropic)
$0/mo (Pro at $20)Frontier model with long context and strong reasoning.
Claude (Opus / Sonnet / Haiku tiers) is the assistant favored by writers and engineers who care about reasoning quality and tone. 1M token context on Opus.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
$0/mo (Plus at $20)The category-defining general-purpose AI assistant.
ChatGPT has the broadest feature surface: image gen, voice, custom GPTs, web browsing, code execution. Often the right default; sometimes beaten on specific tasks by Claude or Perplexity.
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