Build a search content brief around the reader’s actual task

State the question and the intended outcome

Describe one primary task, such as preparing a virtual assistant handover. Identify what the reader should know or be able to create after reading. Review relevant existing pages to understand the context, but do not turn their headings into a writing template.

Google’s people-first guidance emphasises content made to benefit readers. Use that principle to decide which details deserve space rather than treating every related phrase as a required paragraph.

Plan the substance before the wording

List the examples, source material and internal expertise needed. Separate stable process advice from statements that need checking. Explain the scope of the article and the adjacent topics that belong elsewhere. Link to those topics where helpful instead of expanding the page indefinitely.

• Main question and intended reader.
• Specific information or demonstration the page must provide.
• Sources and reviewer for factual claims.
• Relevant service or supporting article links.

Make the title and review criteria concrete

For example, “How to prepare a customer support handover” gives the writer a clearer job than “Ultimate business success guide.” Draft a title that accurately describes the page, then review whether the actual article fulfils that promise. Search appearance may differ from your preferred wording; avoid treating a title as a guaranteed display or ranking outcome.

Ask a reviewer to attempt the task using the draft. Missing steps, unclear examples and unsupported claims matter more than hitting an arbitrary word count. Update the brief when those checks reveal a better way to answer the question.