A content brief template for adult brands, with a filled-in example

§1Why briefs decide quality

A writer can only use what they are given. A brief that says "1,000 words on vibrators" invites generic, search-first filler; one that names the reader, the answer and the evidence invites a page someone will actually find useful. The brief is also where first-hand knowledge enters the process, which is exactly what separates good pages from the thin ones described in our note on thin AI content.

§2The template, filled in

Copy the headings, replace the answers, and keep the whole thing to about a page. The product example and figures in brackets are placeholders.

§3The two fields people skip

The answer, in two lines. If the person commissioning the piece cannot say what the answer is, the writer will not find it either. Writing it first keeps the piece focused and puts the answer where search engines and readers look.

Never include. For adult brands this field protects the business: no explicit description, no unsupported health claims, no named competitors if that is your policy. It saves an editing round and a lot of risk.

§4From brief to page

The writer drafts to the brief; the editor checks the draft against it line by line; whoever owns the facts signs off the claims. Search intent, which shapes the "reader" and "intent" fields, is explained in our note on search intent, and the whole process is part of content marketing.

§5The fields of a good brief

§6A filled-in example

Reader: someone buying their first lubricant, slightly embarrassed, shopping on a phone. Question: is this lubricant safe with my toys and with condoms? Answer: our water-based range works with every toy material we sell and with latex condoms; the silicone range lasts longer but should be kept away from silicone toys. Evidence: the manufacturer's guidance for our range, and a sexual health organization's page on condom compatibility. Boundaries: no health claims, nothing explicit. Format: short guide with a comparison table, around 900 words. Links: the lubricant category and the toy care guide. Owner: the product manager checks facts.

§7Briefs for writers who are new to adult topics

Good writers can be nervous or overly coy about adult subjects, or swing the other way into innuendo. Add a short section to the brief on tone: the clinical terms to use, the euphemisms to avoid, and an example paragraph in the right register. Point to two or three existing pages that get it right. Most writers settle into the voice quickly once they can see it.

§8Using the brief to edit

The brief is also the editor's checklist. Does the draft answer the question in the opening? Does it match the agreed answer? Is every claim covered by the evidence listed? Has it stayed inside the boundaries? Does it link where the brief says? An edit that works through the brief line by line is faster and fairer to the writer than one based on taste, and disagreements can be settled by pointing to what was agreed.

§9Keeping briefs after publishing

Store each brief with the page it produced. When the page is reviewed months later, the brief shows what it was meant to do, which evidence it relied on, and who owns the facts. If a product changes or a source is updated, the brief tells you which pages need revisiting. A folder of briefs becomes a record of what your brand has said and why. Our services that use this process are on SEO content and copywriting.

§10A brief for a product page

Product pages need a shorter brief: the product, who it suits, the specifications from the manufacturer, any certifications, the care instructions, the price and the returns position, plus anything your customer service team hears often about it. The writer turns that into copy using the same layout for every product. Our product copy guide shows the layout, and the brief makes sure the facts are right before a word is written.

§11Common brief mistakes

• A keyword instead of a question, which produces pages written for search engines rather than people.
• No agreed answer, so the writer guesses and the editor disagrees.
• No evidence listed, so claims are invented or left vague.
• No boundaries, so the draft strays into claims or language the brand cannot use.
• No owner, so facts go unchecked and the page waits for sign-off.

§12How long a brief should take

For most pages, a brief takes fifteen to thirty minutes to write, and saves several hours of rewriting later. Longer briefs are worth it for pages that carry legal or health weight, such as subscription terms, age verification explanations or care advice, where the evidence and boundaries need more care. Keep a shared template so every brief has the same fields, and let writers ask questions against it before they start rather than after they finish. When a brief keeps producing the same questions, add the answers to the template itself, so the next writer does not have to ask.

§13Who writes the brief

The person who knows the reader and the facts best should write the brief, which is often someone in product, customer service or the shop floor rather than marketing. A writer can then do what writers do well: turn clear facts and a clear answer into readable copy. When the same person both briefs and writes, the brief still helps, by forcing the answer to be decided before the first sentence.

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