content-production

---
name: content-production
description: Use when writing a blog post, article, or guide end-to-end — from research and brief through drafting to SEO and readability optimization.
category: Marketing
version: 1.0.0
tools: []
---

# Content Production

Take a topic from zero to a finished, optimized piece that ranks, converts, and actually gets read — across B2B SaaS, developer tools, and technical audiences. This is the execution engine, not the strategy layer: build, don't plan.

## Before Starting

Search the Knowledge Base for brand voice, target audience, keyword targets, and writing examples before asking questions; use what's there and only ask for what's missing.

Gather in one shot, don't drip: topic/working title; target keyword (primary search term, if SEO matters); audience and what they already know; goal (inform, convert, build authority, drive trial); approximate length (800 words? 2,000? long-form?); existing content this piece should link to. If the topic is vague ("write about AI"), push back for the specific angle — who's the reader, what problem are they solving.

## Three Modes

Run all three in sequence, or jump directly to any one.

1. **Research & Brief** — no content yet; research, map the competitive landscape, define the angle, produce a brief before writing a word.
2. **Draft** — a brief exists (provided or from Mode 1); write the full piece following its structure and targeting.
3. **Optimize & Polish** — a draft exists; run the full pass — SEO signals, readability, structure audit, meta tags, internal links, quality gates — to a publish-ready version.

---

## Mode 1: Research & Brief

**Competitive content analysis.** For the target keyword: identify the top 5–10 ranking pieces, map their angles (listicle, how-to, opinion, comparison), find what's missing or underserved, and check search intent. Intent signals: "What is/How to" dominating the SERP → informational (write a comprehensive guide); product pages/reviews → commercial (comparison or buyer's guide); news/updates → navigational (skip unless there's a unique angle); forum results (Reddit, Quora) → discovery (write an opinionated piece with real perspective).

**Source gathering.** Collect 3–5 credible, citable sources before drafting — original research/studies/surveys, official documentation, attributable expert quotes, and data with specific numbers. If a specific number can't be cited, don't make the vague claim; "studies show" without a named study is a red flag.

**Content brief.** Define: target keyword plus secondary keywords, reader profile and their job-to-be-done, the angle and unique point of view, required H2 structure, key claims to prove, internal links to include, and the competitive pieces to beat.

---

## Mode 2: Draft

**Outline first.** A good outline has a hook-worthy, keyword-included H1; 4–7 H2 sections in logical progression; H3s only where a section genuinely needs subdivision; and a CTA-adjacent conclusion. Don't over-engineer — if stuck on structure for more than 5 minutes, start writing and restructure later.

**Intro principles.** The intro's only job is to make the reader believe this piece answers their question, in 3–4 sentences: name the problem or situation, name what the piece does about it, and optionally earn trust on the topic. Avoid opening with "In today's digital landscape...," a weak rhetorical question, or 3 sentences of throat-clearing before the point.

**Section-by-section.** For each H2: state the main point in the first sentence, prove it with an example/stat/comparison, and add one actionable takeaway before moving on. Readers skim — every section should deliver value on its own.

**Conclusion.** Three elements only: a 1–2 sentence summary of the core argument, the single most important next step, and a CTA if relevant. Don't pad it.

---

## Mode 3: Optimize & Polish

Run each pass in order.

**SEO pass.** Title tag contains the primary keyword, stays under 60 characters, and is curiosity-driving. H1 differs from the title tag, is keyword-rich, and reads naturally. At least 2–3 H2s contain secondary keywords. The primary keyword appears in the first 100 words. Image alt text is descriptive and includes the keyword where natural. URL slug is short, keyword-first, and drops stop words.

**Readability pass.** Target a readability score of 70+. Average sentence length 15–20 words with variation; no paragraph over 4 sentences; no unexplained jargon for non-expert audiences; flip passive constructions to active.

**Brand voice pass.** Compare the draft against the brand's established voice profile — tone markers, sentence-rhythm, vocabulary fingerprint — and rewrite sections that drift (e.g., formal tone creeping into a casual brand).

**Structure audit.** Does the intro deliver on the headline's promise? Is every H2 earning its place (cut if not)? Are there at least 2 concrete examples? Does the conclusion feel earned?

**Internal links.** Add 2–4 minimum: link from high-traffic existing pages into this piece, and from this piece to related existing content. Anchor text should describe the destination — never "click here."

**Meta tags.** Meta description 150–160 characters, includes the keyword, ends with a hook or action. OG title/description can differ, optimized for social sharing. Set the canonical URL even when it seems obvious.

**Quality gates — don't publish until these pass:** primary keyword appears naturally 3–5 times, not stuffed; every factual claim has a source or is clearly labeled opinion; at least one image, table, or visual breaks up the text; the intro avoids clichés; all internal links work; readability score ≥ 70; word count within 10% of target. A failing gate blocks publish — fix and recheck.

## Proactive Triggers

Flag without being asked: thin-content risk (high-authority competitors run 2,000+ word pieces and a 600-word post won't rank — surface this before drafting); keyword cannibalization (existing content already targets this keyword — a second piece splits authority instead of building it); intent mismatch (a brand-awareness angle written for a transactional keyword gets traffic that won't convert); missing sources (any "many companies" or "studies show" without a citation); and CTA/goal disconnect (the stated goal is trial signups but there's no CTA, or it's buried deep in the piece).

## Output Artifacts

Research & brief: keyword targets, audience, angle, H2 structure, sources, competitive gaps. Full draft: complete article with H1, H2s, intro, body, conclusion, and inline source markers. SEO optimization: annotated draft with title tag, meta description, keyword-placement audit, OG copy. Readability audit: score plus specific sentence-level edits. Publish checklist: completed gate checklist with pass/fail per item.

## Communication

Bottom line first. Every finding states what, why, and how — never "improve readability," always "paragraph 3 averages 32 words per sentence; break the second sentence into two." Actions get owners and deadlines. Tag confidence: 🟢 verified / 🟡 medium / 🔴 assumed.

## Related Work

Hand off to content-strategy for deciding *what* to write — topics, calendar, pillar structure — this skill executes, it doesn't plan. Hand off to content-humanizer after drafting if the piece sounds robotic, before the optimization pass. Layer in answer-engine optimization when the piece should also target AI search citation (ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews). Hand off to copywriting for landing pages and conversion copy instead of long-form. Hand off to a technical-SEO skill when auditing an existing library rather than producing a single piece.