Content Brief Template for Outsourcing Content Writers

Most in-house marketing teams find it hard to produce a lot of articles. Not only does it require proper management but also consistent planning.

In fact, B2B businesses that cater to numerous clients need effective results. To achieve this at mass level, they outsource content creation to writers.

But how can you manage the workload effectively? This is where a ready-made content brief template for outsourced writers comes in handy.

A content brief streamlines the goals of a writing project by outlining information about a topic and its target audience.

The brief includes necessary keywords, links, and various elements critical to SEO.

In a nutshell, it keeps outsourced writers on the right track, helping agencies optimize their content production efforts with ease.

If done right, you can obtain high-quality content and save valuable editing time.

If you’re looking for a quick start, integrate our FREE, downloadable content brief template when outsourcing content.

What Is a Content Brief Template for Outsourced Writers?

The biggest challenge in content outsourcing is quality control, especially when you’re dealing with outsourced writers. According to a report, content quality is still a major problem for 50% of brands.

This is because content managers forget that an outsourced writer may not understand the project requirements with just verbal dialogue.

Without proper guidance and the right set of resources, freelance writers don’t know how to formulate an article or optimize it.

But with a ready-made content brief template, you can simplify all processes before content production.

The purpose of a ready-made content brief template is to get your agency and the content writer on the same page.

In this case, a content brief template for outsourced writers is a precise description of the type of content you want to create.

It specifies what result you should expect from the content and what it should contain to achieve your business goals.

Here’s a better example.

What are the Benefits of a Content Brief Template for Outsourced Writers

The benefits of using a content brief template for outsourced writers are:

• Ensure top content quality and consistency: Focus on skill and industry expertise by eliminating poor writing or writers from the company. It ensures writing quality remains consistent across different projects.

• Save time on draft revisions: Reduce editing and proofreading efforts with a content brief that outlines every element of the project. This practice ensures you can deliver the content on time to your clients.

• Get SEO done right in content: Maintain SEO standards and goals of a content piece during writing and research. This improves your content optimization efforts when outsourcing content writing.

• Avoid misunderstandings over content: Clarify questions from your writers before the project begins. As a result, there’s no conflict over quality conditions when you outsource content writing.

• Reduce dependency on AI content: Aids freelance writers with crafting relevant and innovative content. It negates the need for an AI writing assistant by assisting real writers with content production.

What to Include in a Content Brief When Outsourcing Writers?

Most content briefs follow the same format, save for a few changes.

For instance, content briefs for a SaaS product will specifically include elements like the buying personas.

In contrast, a brief for an SEO pillar page will only consider your target readers (not buyers) in the same context.

When outsourcing any content writing service, include these key elements.

Content purpose

By mentioning the intent, you help content writers be fully aware of your business goals.

For instance, if the goal is to increase page traffic, you should aim for educational content. But to generate more leads, your content should be product-oriented.

Project description

This section should talk about the client and targeted industry.

Such information (website or social media links) allows an outsourced writer to understand your clientele and the kind of business they’re affiliated with better.

Tonality or voice

This part should describe what a content piece sounds like to a reader.

For instance, an authoritative or professional tone in a guide or resource. Clarifying the tonality helps content writers maintain brand consistency.

Target audience

You should always explain in brief what the target audience is for a particular client.

Writers need to understand who will read their content. It also allows them to use the right terminologies and make proper references in a text.

Main keywords

This section must include the primary keyword for the content piece.

You can add secondary search terms or long-tail phrases to establish SEO objectives.

It also helps writers with little to no experience in SEO to create quality content.

Word count or article length

This gives writers a basic target for completing the task. It helps them understand how long it will take to research, write, and deliver the content piece.

As a result of establishing the word count, businesses can budget content production effectively.

Title of the article

The headline or title is the main topic of the content. It’s best to create titles for beginners, but if you’re dealing with a seasoned content writer, take some feedback.

They can suggest topics and help you improve your content strategy.

Article outline

This section contains subheadings and other meta data.

It gives writers a basic idea as to how the content piece should look on SERPs.

Additionally, it allows an outsourced writer to address the queries of a specific target audience.

Citing sources

This section will include both internal and external links for a given topic.

By providing citing sources, you direct a writer’s research process. As a result, you help writers link their anchor text to a credible site and enhance authority.

Competitor analysis

Adding competitor links from SERPs in a brief gives an outsourced writer a basic understanding of your industry and the type of content you want.

It can include competitor links to blogs, product pages, resources, and more.

Formatting style

It’s important to mention the format of the content so that an outsourced writer can structure it accordingly.

For instance, do you want a case study or a blog post? This also reduces editing time for your in-house content team.

Project deadline

This section clarifies the final date of submission for a content piece. It ensures an outsourced writer understands the delivery date for an assigned project.

Similar references

You can include single or multiple type references in a brief to ensure quality content.

It boosts a writer’s credibility over a domain and eliminates poor writing.

For instance, referencing a journalist on a news blog or an author on a research paper.

What to avoid

This information helps an outsourced writer understand what should not be included in a specific content piece.

For instance, competitor links in an anchor text or type of image. It can also include instructions on formatting style.

Download the Content Brief Template for Outsourced Writers

Below, you can find different free content brief templates for Outsourced Writers in your favorite format.

Google Docs Version

Google Docs provides many collaborative tools for creating a well-formulated brief.

It allows content managers to work in sync with an outsourced writer, offering sharing options and a comment section to fast-forward editing.

Download the Google Doc Version of the Content Brief Templates for Outsourcing Content Writers.

MS Word .DOCX Version

MS Word .docx is another user-friendly platform for creating briefs. It allows outsourced professionals to write, edit, and proofread offline.

This feature is an absolute must when you’re following stringent deadlines for a content project.

Download the MS Word .DOCX Version of the Content Brief Templates for Outsourcing Content Writers.

Speed Up the Creation of a Content Brief for Outsourced Writers with thruuu

thruuu content brief generator is a platform that boosts business operations, especially when you’re outsourcing content.

It streamlines content research using automated features and has filters that analyze the SERPs for fresh topics or make keyword suggestions.

Here’s why you should give it a try.

Simplify content brief production

This user-friendly platform provides a seamless browsing experience.

It has pre-filled elements that help content and SEO marketers identify the best topics, conduct competitor research, and more.

Additionally, a ready-made content brief with thruuu reduces editing and proofreading time for in-house writing teams.

Support content marketing efforts

It’s not easy to generate content briefs quickly, especially when you’re handling an outsourced team.

If your content marketing strategy is at a halt or delayed, the tool extracts information from SERPs that you can add to a brief.

As a result, it supports content marketing efforts by collecting data from competitors and automating outline creation.

Directs outsourced writers step-by-step

The platform delivers content brief templates that are SEO-friendly.

For instance, the tool provides keyword suggestions to optimize your research process.

As a result, it aligns even the most inexperienced writers in the right direction — those with zero expertise in SEO can also generate quality content using top-performing keywords.

Promote collaboration with writers

With this tool, you can share blog or page outlines with any writing professional, regardless of their location and industry.

Whether you’re outsourcing content to an independent contractor or collaborating with a content writing agency, the tool makes it easier to share your documents remotely with writers spread across the globe.

thruuu content brief generator allows you to create a public version of a content brief template, which is accessible to your content team.

Open the thruuu Content Brief of the Content Brief Templates for Outsourcing Content Writers.

Browse Our Library of Content Brief Templates

Based on the content type, you can remove or replace certain sections in a pre-made content brief template as per your project requirements.

Besides detailing your content requirements to an outsourced writer, you can access other content brief templates in our list below.

Content Brief Template for a Blog Post

This content brief template lists the key elements of a blog post, though topics may vary. It helps writers create an SEO-friendly blog that is fully optimized with essential keywords. The template is ideal for producing blog-related content for a client.

Content Brief Template for B2B SaaS Blog

This Content Brief Template is ideal for B2B SaaS seeking to enhance website traffic with their blog post content.