AI Content Brief with Prompt Instructions Template
A structured template for creating reusable AI content briefs that function as modular building blocks—the 'Lego brick method'—enabling marketing teams to generate consistent, on-brand content across multiple channels from a single source. Use this to document content intent, audience context, and AI prompt instructions so any team member can execute without tribal knowledge or hero dependency.
How to Use This Template
- 1.## Step 1: Define Your Hero Content & Audience
- 2.**Start by identifying the core piece of content** you want to create and the specific audience it serves. Fill in the Content Overview section with your hero content title, type (blog, whitepaper, webinar), and primary channel. Then define your audience with precision—job title, industry, company size—and articulate the exact pain point this content solves. This clarity prevents AI from generating generic content and ensures every derivative piece stays aligned. Spend 10-15 minutes here; this foundation determines everything that follows.
- 3.## Step 2: Build Your Content Pillars & Structure
- 4.**Break your hero content into 3-4 modular sections** using the Content Pillars table. Each pillar should be a self-contained argument or insight that can stand alone and be repurposed. For example, if your hero content is about AI-driven marketing automation, your pillars might be: "Why AI Matters Now," "Common Implementation Mistakes," "Quick Wins You Can Deploy Today," and "Measuring ROI." This modular approach is the Lego brick method—each section becomes a building block for LinkedIn posts, email snippets, and social content. Write 1-2 sentences per pillar describing the key message and supporting detail.
- 5.## Step 3: Document Brand Voice & Establish AI Guardrails
- 6.**Define how your brand should sound** in the Brand Voice & Style Guidelines section. Be specific: Is your tone authoritative or conversational? Do you use industry jargon or avoid it? What clichés or competitor language should AI avoid? Include must-have elements like specific product names, differentiators, or proof points. This section becomes your AI safety net—it prevents the tool from generating off-brand content and reduces revision cycles. The more detailed you are here, the better your AI outputs will be.
- 7.## Step 4: Write Master Prompt & Derivative Prompts
- 8.**Create a comprehensive master prompt** for your hero content that includes audience context, structure, tone, and constraints. Then write 3-4 derivative prompts for LinkedIn, email, webinar, and social media. Each prompt should reference the hero content or key sections and include specific formatting requirements (word count, character limits, CTAs). These prompts become reusable templates—when you create similar content in the future, you can adapt these prompts rather than starting from scratch. Test each prompt with your AI tool and refine based on output quality.
- 9.## Step 5: Map Distribution & Assign Ownership
- 10.**Use the Distribution & Derivative Content Plan table** to map how your hero content becomes multiple pieces across channels. Assign each derivative piece to a team member, set publish dates, and track status. This prevents silos and ensures consistent execution. The table also documents which prompt was used for each piece, creating a feedback loop—if a LinkedIn post underperforms, you can trace it back to the prompt and refine it for next time. This is how you build a scalable content operating system without hero dependency.
- 11.## Step 6: Establish Quality Checks & Iterate
- 12.**Before publishing any AI-generated content, run it through the Quality Checklist.** Verify factual accuracy, brand alignment, and CTA clarity. Document feedback in the Notes & Revisions section—this becomes institutional knowledge. If AI output requires significant revision, update the relevant prompt and note what changed. Over time, your prompts become more refined and require less editing. This iterative approach transforms AI from a one-off tool into a repeatable system that your entire team can use independently.
Template
# AI Content Brief with Prompt Instructions
## Content Overview
**Content Title:** [Hero Content Title]
**Content Type:** [Blog Post / Whitepaper / Case Study / Webinar / Video Script / Email Series]
**Primary Channel:** [LinkedIn / Email / Website / Webinar / Partner Channel]
**Content Owner:** [Name]
**Status:** [Draft / Ready for AI Generation / In Review / Published]
**Target Publish Date:** [Date]
---
## Audience & Intent
**Primary Audience:** [Job Title, Industry, Company Size]
**Secondary Audience:** [Optional]
**Audience Pain Point:** [Specific problem this content solves]
**Content Objective:** [What should the reader do after consuming this? E.g., understand a concept, request a demo, download a resource]
**Key Takeaway (1-2 sentences):** [The single most important message]
---
## Content Pillars & Structure
Outline the main sections or arguments. This becomes the modular foundation for derivative content.
| Section | Key Message | Supporting Detail | Tone |
|---------|-------------|-------------------|------|
| [Pillar 1 Title] | [Main point] | [1-2 supporting facts/examples] | [Conversational/Authoritative/Educational] |
| [Pillar 2 Title] | [Main point] | [1-2 supporting facts/examples] | [Conversational/Authoritative/Educational] |
| [Pillar 3 Title] | [Main point] | [1-2 supporting facts/examples] | [Conversational/Authoritative/Educational] |
| [Pillar 4 Title] | [Main point] | [1-2 supporting facts/examples] | [Conversational/Authoritative/Educational] |
---
## Brand Voice & Style Guidelines
**Brand Voice:** [E.g., thought leader, approachable expert, data-driven, conversational]
**Tone:** [E.g., professional but warm, technical but accessible, authoritative]
**Avoid:** [Jargon to skip, clichés, competitor names, etc.]
**Must Include:** [Company differentiators, specific terminology, proof points]
**Length Preference:** [Word count or duration]
---
## AI Prompt Instructions
Provide clear, detailed instructions for AI tools to generate or draft this content. Include context, constraints, and quality expectations.
### Master Prompt (Hero Content)
```
You are a [industry/role] content writer creating [content type] for [company name].
Context:
- Audience: [Specific audience description]
- Objective: [What should readers do/understand?]
- Key message: [Main takeaway]
- Tone: [Brand voice]
Structure the content with these sections:
1. [Section 1]
2. [Section 2]
3. [Section 3]
4. [Section 4]
Include:
- [Specific data point, statistic, or example]
- [Proof point or case study reference]
- [Call-to-action type]
Avoid:
- [Jargon/terminology to skip]
- [Competitor mentions]
- [Clichés or overused phrases]
Target length: [Word count]
```
### Derivative Content Prompts
**LinkedIn Post (from hero content):**
```
Condense the following [content type] into a LinkedIn post (150-200 words) that:
- Opens with a hook or question related to [audience pain point]
- Highlights the key insight from [specific section]
- Ends with a call-to-action: [CTA type]
- Uses [1-2] relevant hashtags
- Maintains tone: [Brand voice]
Content to adapt:
[Paste hero content or key section]
```
**Email Subject Line & Preview:**
```
Create 3 subject line options for an email promoting [content type].
Each should:
- Be under 50 characters
- Speak to [specific pain point]
- Avoid spam trigger words
- Include optional personalization: [First name / Company / Role]
Preview text (55 chars max): [Hint at the key benefit]
```
**Social Media Snippet (Twitter/X, Instagram, etc.):**
```
Create a [platform]-optimized snippet (under [character limit]) from this content:
[Paste key section or quote]
Requirements:
- Conversational tone
- Include [1-2] relevant hashtags
- Add emoji if appropriate for brand
- Include link or CTA: [Type]
```
**Webinar Invite/Email:**
```
Write a webinar invitation email (200-300 words) promoting a session on [topic].
Include:
- Compelling subject line
- Hook: Why should [audience] attend?
- 3 key learning outcomes
- Speaker credentials: [Name, title, expertise]
- CTA: Register link [URL]
- Tone: [Brand voice]
```
---
## Source Materials & References
- **Research/Data:** [Links to studies, reports, internal data]
- **Previous Content:** [Related blog posts, case studies, webinars]
- **Competitor Insights:** [What competitors are saying on this topic]
- **Internal Resources:** [Product docs, customer testimonials, sales collateral]
- **Visual Assets:** [Images, charts, video links to reference]
---
## Distribution & Derivative Content Plan
Map how this hero content becomes modular building blocks across channels.
| Channel | Content Format | Prompt to Use | Owner | Publish Date | Status |
|---------|----------------|---------------|-------|--------------|--------|
| [Website] | [Blog post] | Master Prompt | [Name] | [Date] | [Status] |
| [LinkedIn] | [Post + article link] | LinkedIn Post Prompt | [Name] | [Date] | [Status] |
| [Email] | [Newsletter feature] | Email Prompt | [Name] | [Date] | [Status] |
| [Webinar] | [Invite + session] | Webinar Prompt | [Name] | [Date] | [Status] |
| [Twitter/X] | [Thread or snippet] | Social Snippet Prompt | [Name] | [Date] | [Status] |
---
## Quality Checklist
Before publishing, verify AI-generated content meets these standards:
- [ ] Aligns with brand voice and tone guidelines
- [ ] Addresses stated audience pain point
- [ ] Includes all required proof points, data, or examples
- [ ] CTA is clear and relevant to objective
- [ ] No jargon or terminology on the avoid list
- [ ] Factually accurate (verify claims, statistics, quotes)
- [ ] SEO keywords naturally incorporated (if applicable)
- [ ] Links and CTAs are functional
- [ ] Reviewed by [stakeholder/subject matter expert]
- [ ] Ready for publication
---
## Notes & Revisions
**Version History:**
| Version | Date | Changes | Reviewed By |
|---------|------|---------|-------------|
| 1.0 | [Date] | Initial brief | [Name] |
| [Version] | [Date] | [Changes] | [Name] |
**Feedback & Iterations:**
[Document feedback from reviewers and AI output iterations here. This becomes institutional knowledge for future content on this topic.]
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Get the Full AI Marketing Learning Path
Courses, workshops, frameworks, daily intelligence, and 6 proprietary tools — built for marketing leaders adopting AI.
Trusted by 10,000+ Directors and CMOs.