Stop spending hours researching and writing content briefs manually. This workflow takes keyword data from Ahrefs, analyzes top-ranking content, and uses AI to generate comprehensive content briefs that your writers can immediately use to create SEO-optimized articles.
Import keyword data and SERP analysis from Ahrefs
The workflow starts by importing your target keyword along with key metrics from Ahrefs including search volume, keyword difficulty, and SERP features. It also pulls data on the top 10 ranking pages including their word count, backlink profiles, and content structure.
Analyze top-ranking content structure with OpenAI
Using OpenAI, the workflow analyzes the top-ranking content to identify common patterns. The AI examines heading structures, content depth, topics covered, questions answered, and unique angles that help these pages rank. This competitive analysis informs your content strategy.
Generate comprehensive content brief with AI
The AI generates a detailed content brief including a suggested title, meta description, heading outline, key topics to cover, questions to answer, internal linking opportunities, and word count recommendations. The brief is tailored to outperform existing content.
Create formatted brief in Google Docs
Finally, the content brief is formatted and exported to a new Google Doc with a clean, professional layout. The document includes all sections your writers need: target keyword, search intent, outline, competitor insights, and SEO requirements.
Why automate content brief creation with AI?
Creating thorough content briefs is essential for SEO success, but it's incredibly time-consuming. Most SEO teams spend 1-2 hours researching and writing each brief. AI automation can reduce this to minutes while maintaining or improving brief quality.
Save hours on every piece of content
Instead of manually analyzing competitors and structuring briefs, let AI do the heavy lifting. A typical content brief that takes 90 minutes to create manually can be generated in under 5 minutes with this workflow.
Create consistent, high-quality content briefs
Manual briefs vary in quality depending on who creates them and how much time they have. AI-generated briefs follow a consistent structure and always include competitive analysis, ensuring your writers have everything they need.
Scale your content production without scaling your team
With automated brief generation, one content strategist can support multiple writers without becoming a bottleneck. Produce more content without sacrificing the research that makes it rank.
How to set up automated SEO content briefs
Setting up this Ahrefs content brief workflow takes about 10 minutes. You'll connect your Ahrefs account, configure your brief template preferences, and link your Google Docs output folder.
What you need to get started
- An Ahrefs account for keyword and SERP data
- OpenAI API key for content analysis and brief generation
- Google Workspace account for document output
- Your content brief template preferences defined
Customizing your content brief template
- Define which sections to include (outline, word count, etc.)
- Specify your brand voice and style guidelines
- Set default internal linking rules
- Configure competitor analysis depth
- Add any custom fields your writers need
Tips for best content brief results
- Provide clear search intent guidance in your keyword submission
- Review the first few briefs to calibrate AI output
- Adjust prompts based on writer feedback
- Include secondary keywords when relevant
Frequently asked questions about AI-powered content brief generation
How accurate are the AI-generated content recommendations?
The AI recommendations are based on actual data from top-ranking content, so they reflect what's working in the SERPs. However, they should be treated as a starting point. Your writers may identify opportunities to differentiate that the AI doesn't catch.
Can I customize the content brief format?
Yes, the brief template is fully customizable. You can add or remove sections, change the formatting, include your brand guidelines, and tailor the output to match your existing content workflow.
Does this work for any type of content?
This workflow is optimized for blog posts and articles. With modifications to the AI prompts, you can adapt it for product pages, landing pages, or other content types. The core Ahrefs data analysis works for any keyword.
What if the top-ranking content is low quality?
The AI is trained to identify quality patterns, not just copy what exists. If current SERPs are weak, the brief will highlight opportunities to create something significantly better. This is often where the biggest ranking opportunities exist.