A content outline lays out a piece before it is written. It fixes the angle, the headings, the key points and the questions to answer, so the writer does not have to guess and the editor has something to check against.
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What to include
- The reader and the question they arrive with
- A working title and the angle
- Headings in order, with a line on what each covers
- Facts, examples and sources to use
- The next step you want the reader to take
Outline versus brief
A brief covers the whole assignment, including keyword and audience. The outline is its structural core. Many teams fold one into the other.
Common mistakes
Copying the top result's headings
You end up with a duplicate of what already exists and no reason to prefer yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed enough that two writers would produce pieces with the same structure and claims.
Keep reading
- Content Brief: A content brief is the plan for a single page: the search it targets, who it is for, what it must cover and how it should lead readers to the product.
- Header Tags: Header tags (H1 to H6) are the HTML headings that structure a page. They help readers scan and help search engines understand how the content is organized.
- Content Strategy: A content strategy is the plan for what content a company creates, who it serves, how it is distributed and how its success is judged.
- Inverted Pyramid: The inverted pyramid is a writing structure that puts the most important information first, then supporting detail, then background.
- Above the Fold: Above the fold is the part of a page visible before scrolling. It decides first impressions and whether a visitor sees the answer or a wall of ads.
- AI-Assisted Writing: AI-assisted writing uses language models to help research, outline, draft or edit content. Google judges the result on quality, not on how it was made.
- Anchor Text: Anchor text is the clickable text of a link. It tells readers and search engines what to expect on the page the link points to.
- Answer-First Writing: Answer-first writing puts a direct, complete answer to the reader's question at the start of a page or section, then adds context and detail.
