Here’s the workflow for creating a MarketMuse Content Brief. After reviewing and selecting Content Ideas from the Planning Document you previously created, that data, plus more from its associated Content Group, is used to create individual content briefs.
You can also create a content brief directly, without creating a plan first. Information contained in the plan, such as search intent, will need to be added manually to the brief. Here are those steps:
1. Configure
Type
MarketMuse offers two types of content briefs:
- Create — for new content
- Optimize — for existing pages
Subtype
These Subtypes are only available in Strategy plan and above.
For Create briefs, you’ll need to select the Subtype (listicle, comparison, etc.) as it influences the Content Structure Outline. Here are examples of the different types:
- Comparison — for directly comparing two or more similar entities.
- FAQ Collection — for presenting an organized list of frequently asked questions and their associated responses.
- Guide — similar to a how-to tutorial but can cover a wider range of information on a topic. It might include background knowledge, explanations of concepts, and various approaches to achieving a goal.
- How-to Tutorial — laser-focused on providing a clear, sequential set of instructions to complete a specific task.
- Local — any content targeting a specific location.
- News/Events — provide current information about important or recent happenings.
- Product Review — reviewing an individual product.
- Roundup Listicle — to deliver concise, easy-to-digest information in a numbered list.
- Universal — for content not covered by any of the other listed content types.
At minimum, you’ll need to provide the topic of your content — what the page is about. Optimize briefs also require the URL of the page you wish to improve.
You’ll always get a detailed analysis and Content Structure Outline with every brief. However, the more specific the topic, the more likely the output will meet your expectations.
For example, using the topic “content marketing” will result in an in-depth output for that general term. But it won’t have the same nuance as choosing “content marketing for manufacturers”.
For best results, align the Content Type with your chosen topic. For example, the “Universal” content type is the best option for “what is”-terms like “what is content marketing”. Using the “Product Review” content type would not be a good choice in this case.
There are many other additional inputs which you can reference here. Include these to further customize your content brief.
2. Finalize
Submit the information and you’ll receive a detailed analysis and content structure outline within 5 minutes.
3. Review
After reviewing and editing the brief, you can use the shareable link, or export it to Google Docs or MS Word (coming soon)
Here’s what to do next.