SEO content brief template

An SEO content brief template a writer can use without a call: target query, intent, what ranking pages cover, outline, facts, links and meta copy.

How to use it: one brief per page. Send the writer the link, and have them comment on the brief rather than asking questions by email, so the answers stay with the page.

Example brief: sewer line replacement cost page for Northwind Plumbing. Prepared by Ridgeline Search, September 2026. Both companies are fictional.

The page#

Who's searching and why#

Homeowners who've just been told their sewer line needs replacing, often after a camera inspection, and want to know whether the quote is fair. Some are comparing trenchless and traditional digging. They want a number, the reasons it varies, and whether insurance pays.

What the top results cover#

• A national average range. Most give $3,000–$25,000 without explaining the spread.
• Cost per foot for trenchless and traditional methods.
• A thin section on permits.

Where we can do better: real Denver prices from Northwind's last 40 jobs, by method and length, and a plain answer on homeowner's insurance.

Outline#

1. Short answer first — the typical Denver range, in one sentence, with the per-foot figures.
2. Price table — trenchless vs traditional, by length (25, 50 and 100 feet), including permit and restoration.
3. What pushes the price up — depth, driveway or tree roots, city tie-in, access.
4. Trenchless or dig? — when each makes sense; what trenchless can't fix.
5. Does insurance cover it? — usually not for age or roots; when a service line rider helps.
6. How to check a quote — five line items a fair quote should show.
7. FAQ — 4–5 questions from People Also Ask.

Facts the page must include#

• Northwind's median job cost by method (from the job sheet in the shared folder).
• Denver permit fee for a sewer repair, with the date it was checked.
• The typical time each method takes.

Internal links#

• From: /drain-cleaning, /blog/sewer-camera-inspection, /emergency-plumber-denver.
• To: /sewer-camera-inspection (booking), /financing.

Meta copy (draft)#

• Title: Sewer Line Replacement Cost in Denver (2026 Prices) | Northwind
• Description: What sewer line replacement costs in Denver, trenchless vs traditional, by length, from 40 recent jobs, plus what insurance covers.

Don't#

• Don't use the national averages as the headline. Our own numbers are the reason to rank this page.
• Don't promise a price. Give ranges, and say what changes them.