--- name: 36-content-brief-global description: "Use when ONE specific piece of content needs a brief before anyone writes — placement, angle plus the source insight behind it, key message, three hook options, CTA, format, brand voice reference, visual direction, and distribution. Trigger on 'content brief', 'brief for this post', 'brief a writer', 'what angle should this take', 'brief for the LinkedIn post', 'give the freelancer something to work from'. Also use when the user has a topic and no idea what to actually say about it. Not for — the month schedule of what posts when, see `01-content-calendar-global`; the finished caption text, see `37-social-caption-global`; a spoken video script, see `04-script-video-global`; the image spec, see `42-image-brief-global`." metadata: version: 1.0.1 category: content license: MIT triggers: - "content brief" - "brief for this post" - "brief a writer" - "angle for this piece" - "brief for the LinkedIn post" - "brief for a TikTok" - "post brief" - "brief today's content" output: "File .md — single-piece brief: placement, angle plus source insight, 3 hook options, key message, CTA, brand voice reference, visual direction, distribution. A writer can start immediately from it" related: - product-marketing-context-global - 35-brand-voice-global - 09-customer-insight-global - 01-content-calendar-global - 37-social-caption-global - 04-script-video-global - 42-image-brief-global - 43-carousel-brief-global - 44-video-editor-brief-global --- # Content Brief (Global) One brief per piece. This is the link between the calendar (`01-content-calendar-global`) and production (`37-social-caption-global`, `04-script-video-global`, `05-ad-copy-global`, `14-email-marketing-global`). The brief is good enough when the writer finishes without asking the lead a single question. ## Information gathering Read `.agents/product-marketing-context-global.md`, the Brand Voice Document (`35-brand-voice-global`), and the calendar (`01-content-calendar-global`) first. If something is missing, ask up to 4 questions: 1. **Where does this piece sit in the funnel (TOFU / MOFU / BOFU), and which campaign or weekly theme does it belong to?** 2. **Which channel and format?** (Instagram / LinkedIn / TikTok / Facebook / X / YouTube / email — video / carousel / static / text / newsletter) 3. **What is the intended CTA?** (comment / click / DM / book a demo / subscribe / buy) 4. **When is approval due, and who is writing it?** ## Principles 1. **One brief = one piece = one angle = one CTA.** Do not stack messages. If several points are needed, split into a carousel or a series. 2. **An angle is a specific point of view, not a topic.** "Skincare routines" is a topic. "Three morning habits that quietly make your skin worse — and everyone thinks they help" is an angle. 3. **The hook must stand alone.** Reading the first line should tell you what the piece is about without any context. 4. **The source insight must be quoted verbatim with its source.** Pull it from `09-customer-insight-global`: which internal monologue, pain, or objection is this piece aimed at. 5. **Evidence goes in the brief, not on the writer's to-do list.** Numbers, testimonials, and case studies are supplied here, already sourced. 6. **Maximum 3 body points.** More than that means it should be a different piece. 7. **Every claim must be substantiable.** If evidence cannot be cited, the claim does not go in the brief. ## Workflow ### 1. Place the piece in the system Take from the calendar (`01-content-calendar-global`): publish date, channel, format, funnel stage, pillar. Then set one — and only one — objective: reach / trust / conversion / engagement. ### 2. Lock the angle and the source insight - Read the insight file (`09-customer-insight-global`): where is the reader in the journey — unaware of the problem, evaluating solutions, or close to buying. - Pick one insight (an internal monologue, a pain, or an objection) as the anchor and quote it verbatim in the brief. - Write the angle: the specific point of view that works that insight, and that does not repeat a recently published angle. ### 3. Write 3 hook options - **Hook A — Pain**: opens on the reader's frustration. - **Hook B — Curiosity**: a question or statement that creates an open loop. - **Hook C — Contrarian / surprise**: contradicts the category's default belief. Recommend one with a short reason. The writer may choose differently if they can justify it. ### 4. Set the key message and body structure - Key message: exactly one sentence — the single thing this piece must land. - Body: at most 3 points, one line each in the brief. - Evidence and social proof: the specific number, testimonial, or case study to use, with its source noted. ### 5. Define CTA and distribution - Primary CTA: a specific, performable action — not "get in touch". - Micro-CTA (optional): comment a keyword, save, share to a colleague. - Publish time by channel (see the calendar), hashtags per platform norms (Instagram 3-5 targeted, LinkedIn 3, TikTok 3-5 trend plus niche, Facebook 0-2, X 1-2), cross-post plan and what changes when cross-posting, and whether the post gets paid amplification afterwards. - If the piece is a paid partnership or contains affiliate links, state the disclosure wording here — FTC endorsement rules apply to organic posts. ### 6. Visual direction and handoff - Visual concept in 1-2 sentences, dominant colors taken from the brand guideline (`[primary color]`, `[secondary color]` placeholders resolved from `.agents/product-marketing-context-global.md`), and any text overlay needed (a pulled quote or a number). - For a detailed visual brief, hand off to `42-image-brief-global`, `43-carousel-brief-global`, or `44-video-editor-brief-global`. - Only brief visuals after the copy is approved. Briefing both in parallel means reworking both. ## Output structure File name: `content-brief-[piece-name]-[YYYYMMDD].md` ```markdown # Content Brief — [Internal title] ## Placement | Item | Detail | |------|--------| | Internal title | | | Channel | | | Format | video / carousel / static / text / email | | Funnel stage | TOFU / MOFU / BOFU | | Pillar | | | Target publish date | | | Approval deadline | | | Writer | | ## Angle and objective - **Source insight (from 09):** "[internal monologue / pain / objection — verbatim]" - **Angle:** [specific point of view — not a topic] - **Objective:** [exactly one — reach / trust / conversion / engagement] - **Reader's stage:** [unaware / evaluating / close to buying] ## Hooks — 3 options - **Hook A — Pain:** [...] - **Hook B — Curiosity:** [...] - **Hook C — Contrarian / surprise:** [...] - **Recommended:** [which one + short reason] ## Core content - **Key message (one sentence):** [...] - **Body (max 3 points):** 1. [Point 1] 2. [Point 2] 3. [Point 3] - **Evidence / social proof:** [specific number, testimonial, or case study + source] ## CTA - **Primary CTA:** [specific, performable] - **Micro-CTA (optional):** [comment keyword / save / share] - **Disclosure required:** [none / paid partnership / affiliate — exact wording] ## Brand voice - Tone: [reference Brand Voice Document, section II] - Banned words to avoid: [reference section III] ## Visual direction - **Concept:** [1-2 sentences] - **Dominant colors:** [from brand guideline] - **Text overlay:** [quote or number to place on the asset] - **Detailed visual brief:** hand off to `42-image-brief-global` / `43-carousel-brief-global` / `44-video-editor-brief-global` ## Distribution - **Publish time:** [per-channel peak] - **Hashtags:** [per platform norm] - **Cross-post:** [which channels, what changes] - **Paid amplification after publish:** Yes / No ``` ## Related skills - `01-content-calendar-global`: supplies placement (date, channel, format, pillar) — runs before the brief. - `09-customer-insight-global`: supplies the source insight, quoted verbatim into the brief. - `35-brand-voice-global`: every brief cites tone and banned words from it. - `37-social-caption-global`, `04-script-video-global`, `05-ad-copy-global`, `14-email-marketing-global`: production skills that take this brief as input. - `42-image-brief-global`, `43-carousel-brief-global`, `44-video-editor-brief-global`: detailed visual briefs, after copy approval. ## Quality checklist - One piece = one angle = one CTA — no stacked messages. - Source insight quoted verbatim with its source noted. - All 3 hooks are genuinely different directions (pain / curiosity / contrarian). - Key message is exactly one sentence. - Body has at most 3 points. - Evidence is specific and sourced — nothing left as "writer to find". - CTA is specific and performable, not generic. - Brand voice referenced (tone plus banned words). - Visual direction present, with the correct downstream visual brief named. - Disclosure requirement stated where a material connection exists. - A writer could start immediately without asking a follow-up question.