Free editorial planning tool · Version 1.0.0

Generate a source-mapped SEO content brief

Build an editable writer brief that separates reader intent, evidence claims, official guidance, original contribution, limitations, and publishing checks.

No account or payment. The builder makes no network request with your field values; CSV and JSON files are created locally.

18

schema fields

4

official sources

5

stable assets

Evidence thesis

A brief should show where its requirements come from

A keyword and outline can organize a draft, but they do not explain which claims need evidence, which sources are admissible, what the page adds, or who checks it before publication. This builder records those decisions without treating them as a ranking forecast.

RankOps AI’s v1 content-brief builder separates 18 planning and publication fields into official-source-mapped requirements and disclosed editorial design choices, with an owner, validation method, and limitation recorded for every field.

Interactive worksheet

Build the brief

Complete the fields in reader order. You can export an unfinished worksheet, or load the synthetic example to see the intended level of detail.

01Reader and intent

The single subject this page will explain or help a reader complete.

Required

Owner: Editor · Check: One concrete topic; no bundled keyword list.

The specific person who should find the page useful.

Required

Owner: Editor · Check: Names one reader role and relevant context.

What the reader needs to understand, decide, or do after using the page.

Required

Owner: Editor · Check: Starts with an observable reader action or decision.

The useful outcome the page should produce for the reader and publisher.

Required

Owner: Content strategist · Check: Defines one reader outcome and one editorial outcome.

The likely reason someone would search for this page.

Required

Owner: SEO editor · Check: Uses plain language and matches the reader task.

One working query used to keep naming and scope consistent.

Optional

Owner: SEO editor · Check: Contains one query, not volume, KD, or competitor claims.

02Evidence plan

What the page covers, excludes, and cannot conclude.

Required

Owner: Editor · Check: States at least one inclusion and one exclusion.

The material claims that need evidence before publication.

Required

Owner: Writer · Check: Each line is a checkable claim, not a vague theme.

Which source classes may support the claims and why they are suitable.

Required

Owner: Researcher · Check: Names source classes, selection reasons, and recency needs.

The analysis, method, example, or synthesis this page adds.

Required

Owner: Writer · Check: Names a concrete contribution the team can produce.

Relevant experience, observations, or method evidence available to the team.

Optional

Owner: Subject owner · Check: Identifies real access or says why it is not applicable.

Who drafts the page and who is accountable for evidence review.

Required

Owner: Managing editor · Check: Names accountable roles without fictional credentials.

03Publication checks

Where checked sources should appear beside the claims they support.

Required

Owner: Researcher · Check: Every material claim has a source owner or unresolved marker.

A flexible reading order for answering the task without forcing a full outline.

Required

Owner: Editor · Check: Sections follow the reader task and avoid duplicate jobs.

A descriptive page title and summary aligned with visible content.

Required

Owner: SEO editor · Check: Title and summary describe the page without unsupported outcomes.

Useful crawlable links into and out of the planned page.

Optional

The page-level checks needed before a publisher makes the URL public.

Required

Owner: Publisher · Check: Checklist has an owner and a verifiable pass condition.

Limits readers should know and a route for reporting material errors.

Required

Owner: Managing editor · Check: Names at least one limit and one correction route.

Export this worksheet

Incomplete fields remain blank and keep their source metadata.

Canonical crosswalk

18-field source map

Every row identifies its owner, validation method, and limitation. Official-source-mapped means the field responds to public guidance; it does not mean the field is required or certified by a search engine.

Source class, owner, validation method, and limitation for all 18 content brief fields
FieldBasisOwnerValidationLimitation
Page topicpage_topicRankOps editorial design

RankOps design choice: one planning object needs one bounded topic.

EditorOne concrete topic; no bundled keyword list.A topic does not prove demand or ranking potential.
Primary readerprimary_readerOfficial-source-mapped

Who the content is for; intended audience self-assessment.

google-helpful-content

EditorNames one reader role and relevant context.This is a planning hypothesis until validated with real users.
Reader taskreader_taskOfficial-source-mapped

People-first purpose and whether readers leave with a satisfying result.

google-helpful-content

EditorStarts with an observable reader action or decision.A stated task does not guarantee the page will satisfy it.
Page goalpage_goalRankOps editorial design

RankOps design choice: separate the page outcome from the search query.

Content strategistDefines one reader outcome and one editorial outcome.The brief cannot forecast business or search performance.
Search intent hypothesissearch_intentRankOps editorial design

RankOps design choice: intent is recorded as an editorial hypothesis.

SEO editorUses plain language and matches the reader task.No live SERP analysis is performed or implied.
Primary queryprimary_queryRankOps editorial design

RankOps design choice: a working query is not an official requirement.

SEO editorContains one query, not volume, KD, or competitor claims.The builder does not verify metrics, relevance, or competitiveness.
Scope boundaryscope_boundaryOfficial-source-mapped

Clear purpose, sufficient value, and avoiding unsupported expertise.

google-helpful-content

EditorStates at least one inclusion and one exclusion.Boundaries still require editorial and subject-matter review.
Claims to supportkey_claimsOfficial-source-mapped

Clear sourcing, expertise, accuracy, and trust self-assessment.

google-helpful-content

WriterEach line is a checkable claim, not a vague theme.The builder does not fact-check or approve any claim.
Admissible source plansource_planOfficial-source-mapped

Sourcing and evidence of expertise or first-hand knowledge.

google-helpful-content

ResearcherNames source classes, selection reasons, and recency needs.A planned source is not a verified or accepted citation.
Original contributionoriginal_contributionOfficial-source-mapped

Original information, reporting, research, analysis, or added value.

google-helpful-content

WriterNames a concrete contribution the team can produce.Originality must be reviewed against the finished page.
First-hand valuefirst_hand_valueOfficial-source-mapped

First-hand expertise and the Who, How, and Why disclosure prompts.

google-helpful-content

Subject ownerIdentifies real access or says why it is not applicable.Do not invent experience, credentials, tests, or observations.
Author and review ownerauthor_review_ownerOfficial-source-mapped

Who created the content and whether authorship is clear where expected.

google-helpful-content

Managing editorNames accountable roles without fictional credentials.A named role does not establish expertise by itself.
Citation plancitation_planRankOps editorial design

RankOps design choice: claim-to-source adjacency is recorded explicitly.

ResearcherEvery material claim has a source owner or unresolved marker.This plan does not create, validate, or certify citations.
Structure notesstructure_notesRankOps editorial design

RankOps design choice: the brief stays distinct from a rigid outline.

EditorSections follow the reader task and avoid duplicate jobs.The writer may change structure when evidence requires it.
Title and snippet plantitle_meta_planOfficial-source-mapped

Descriptive titles, metadata, and words visible on the page.

google-developer-guide

SEO editorTitle and summary describe the page without unsupported outcomes.Search engines may display different titles or snippets.
Internal link planinternal_link_planOfficial-source-mapped

Crawlable links and discoverability guidance.

google-developer-guide · bing-webmaster-guidelines

PublisherUses real destinations and descriptive link purposes.The builder does not crawl the site or verify URLs.
Technical publishing checkstechnical_publish_checksOfficial-source-mapped

Technical requirements, visible content, crawlability, links, and index controls.

google-search-essentials · google-developer-guide · bing-webmaster-guidelines

PublisherChecklist has an owner and a verifiable pass condition.Passing checks cannot guarantee crawling, indexing, or ranking.
Limitations and correctionslimitations_correctionsRankOps editorial design

RankOps design choice: limitations and correction ownership stay in the handoff.

Managing editorNames at least one limit and one correction route.A corrections route does not guarantee factual or legal completeness.

Synthetic worked example

The example plans a fictional publication’s corrections-policy page. It contains no customer data, private analytics, live keyword metrics, competitor findings, or performance result.

Synthetic · not a customer case

A fictional editorial team planning a public page about its corrections policy. No performance result, customer data, or live search evidence is used.

Page topic
How a small publication handles article corrections
Primary reader
Managing editor at a small independent publication
Reader task
Decide what a public corrections policy should explain and assign the people responsible for reviewing reports.
Original contribution
A decision table that routes factual errors, broken links, attribution concerns, and style edits to the appropriate review owner.
Limitations and corrections
This synthetic plan is not legal advice and does not establish factual completeness. The finished page should name a monitored correction contact and review owner.

Versioned downloads

Use the live buttons for your current entries, or download the stable v1 schema, empty template, source map, example, and limitations files.

Brief handoff checklist

Before a writer starts, verify that the brief can answer these handoff questions.

  • One reader and one concrete task are named.
  • Material claims have evidence owners.
  • Sources are planned, not presented as already verified.
  • The original contribution can be produced.
  • Publishing checks have observable pass conditions.
  • Limitations and a correction route are visible.

Evidence ledger

Citation claim → Evidence object → Reader page

Generate the worksheet, source map, example, CSV, JSON, and limitations from one versioned 18-field schema. Scope: The public v1 builder and its stable downloadable artifacts only. Status: validated. A source label explains provenance; it never certifies the resulting page.

Limitations, version, and corrections

This builder is a planning aid. It does not predict rankings, certify compliance, or verify the facts and sources entered by a user.

  • This planning tool does not predict rankings, traffic, crawling, or indexing.
  • It does not run live keyword research, SERP analysis, competitor analysis, or source verification.
  • It does not fact-check user entries or establish legal, editorial, or search-engine compliance.
  • Official-source mapping explains why a field is present; it is not Google or Bing approval.
  • Editors remain responsible for sources, claims, authorship, publishing decisions, and corrections.

Schema version 1.0.0. Stable v1 asset URLs are preserved. Report a material issue through the Editorial Policy correction path.

Use the schema, keep the judgment

Prepare a writer handoff that shows its evidence work instead of hiding it.

Build a brief
SEO Content Brief Generator | Source-Mapped Brief Builder