Content Brief QA Checklist

# Content Brief QA Checklist

Brief: Untitled brief
Content type: article
Writer type: in-house
Readiness: needs-briefing
Score: 0/100
Completed: 0/21

## Checklist

### Keywords and intent
- [ ] Primary keyword - Does the brief name one primary keyword or search topic?
- [ ] Secondary keywords - Are secondary keywords, entities, or subtopics listed without turning the brief into keyword stuffing?
- [ ] Search intent - Does the brief define the expected search intent and page format?
- [ ] Audience defined - Does the writer know who the reader is and what decision they need to make?
- [ ] Angle and promise - Does the brief explain the page angle, promise, or point of view?

### Structure
- [ ] Outline headings - Does the brief include the expected H1/H2/H3 structure?
- [ ] Required sections - Are must-have sections, examples, tables, FAQs, or comparison blocks specified?
- [ ] Depth boundaries - Does the brief explain what to cover deeply and what to avoid?
- [ ] Word count range - Is there a useful word count range or section-level depth guide?

### Evidence
- [ ] Source requirements - Does the brief specify source quality, citation rules, and unsupported-claim limits?
- [ ] Competitor references - Does the brief show what competing pages cover and where this page should be better?
- [ ] Brand expertise - Does the writer have internal data, product notes, expert quotes, or first-hand proof to use?
- [ ] Fact and claim rules - Are claims, statistics, comparisons, and YMYL statements controlled?

### Links and conversion
- [ ] Internal links - Does the brief include target internal links and anchor guidance?
- [ ] External links - Does the brief define when external links are required or forbidden?
- [ ] CTA defined - Is the target CTA or next step clear?
- [ ] Metadata brief - Does the writer need to draft title, meta description, OG copy, or FAQ/schema notes?

### Writer handoff
- [ ] Tone and style - Does the brief define tone, brand voice, formatting, and reading level?
- [ ] Submission format - Does the writer know the delivery format and naming rules?
- [ ] Review criteria - Are acceptance criteria and reviewer responsibilities clear?
- [ ] Asset requirements - Does the brief explain image, screenshot, table, chart, or downloadable asset needs?

## Missing priorities
- Search intent: State whether the page should be informational, commercial, transactional, comparison, or support-led.
- Source requirements: Add source requirements, minimum evidence count, allowed source types, and fact-checking rules.
- Primary keyword: Add one primary keyword, target URL, and the page that should win for the query.
- Outline headings: Provide a scannable outline with required heading levels and logical section order.
- Required sections: List required sections and call out any table, FAQ, proof, or comparison block that must appear.
- Internal links: List required internal links, preferred anchors, and pages that should not be cannibalized.