How to Write a Good Brief for an AI Content Tool
Context, goal, audience, tone, constraints, format, examples: the seven parts of a brief that gets posts that sound like you, with a full example.
· Content creation
A good brief for an AI content tool covers seven things: context (who you are), the goal of the post, the target audience, tone, constraints, the output format and one or more examples. Leave them out and the AI fills the gaps with generic filler, which is exactly how you end up with posts that could come from any brand. Here's how to write each part, with a complete example.
The brief is the centerpiece of any content automation: our guide on how to automate your social media shows where it fits in the bigger picture. This article focuses on writing the brief itself, whatever tool you use.
Why does an AI need a brief?
Because it only knows about your business what you tell it. Anthropic, the company behind Claude, puts it memorably in its prompting best practices: think of the model as a brilliant new employee who doesn't know your norms or how you work. The more precisely you explain what you want, the better the result.
Google says the same thing in its prompt design strategies for Gemini: include the information the model needs in the prompt instead of assuming it already has it. So a brief isn't a formality. It's the only source of what the AI knows about your brand, your customer and your intent.
What are the seven parts of a good brief?
| Part | The question it answers | Short example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Context | Who are you, what do you sell, where? | "Small-batch coffee roaster, one cafe plus online store" |
| 2. Goal | What should this post make happen? | "Fill the Saturday, October 17 tasting class" |
| 3. Audience | Who should read it, what do they already know? | "Coffee lovers, not experts, 25 to 45, local" |
| 4. Tone | How do you sound? | "Warm, precise, never snobby, plain English" |
| 5. Constraints | What's off-limits or required? | "No superlatives, no emojis, exact price: $40" |
| 6. Format | What shape, length and platform? | "Instagram caption, 80 to 120 words, plus 3 hook options" |
| 7. Example | What does a winning post look like for you? | A past post that performed well, pasted as is |
How do you write the context?
Context is everything a new hire would need to know before writing a single line: what you do, your best-selling products, what sets you apart, your typical customers, your location if it matters. Anthropic also recommends explaining the reason behind an instruction, not just the instruction: knowing why something matters helps the model aim better.
This context doesn't change from post to post. Instead of rewriting it every time, pin it down once in a brand reference document. We explain how to build one in brand DNA for social media.
How do you phrase the goal and the audience?
A useful goal is an action, not a vague intention. "Build brand awareness" guides nothing; "fill the Saturday, October 17 class" guides everything, from the hook to the call to action.
For the audience, describe what people already know and what holds them back. A coffee fan who finds tastings intimidating doesn't need the same copy as a professional barista. One sentence is enough, as long as it's specific.
How do you describe a tone without being vague?
"Professional yet friendly" says almost nothing: every brand describes itself that way. Tone is easier to pin down through concrete choices:
- casual or formal address;
- sentence length (short and punchy, or more measured);
- words you use and words you never use;
- how much humor (never, sometimes, often);
- one or two existing pieces that sound exactly like you.
Why do constraints and examples change everything?
Constraints prevent the flaws you keep fixing by hand. Google's guide points out that you can tell the model what to do and what not to do. List yours: no promised turnaround times, no made-up numbers, no mention of competitors, exact prices and hours supplied in the brief.
Examples are your strongest lever. Google recommends always including examples in prompts and notes that prompts without them are likely to be less effective. Anthropic calls examples one of the most reliable ways to steer the format, tone and structure of a response, and suggests three to five varied, relevant ones. Paste your best past posts: the AI will pick up their rhythm better than from any description.
What does a complete brief look like?
Fictional example for Slate & Ember Coffee Roasters:
Context: Slate & Ember, a small-batch coffee roaster since 2019. One cafe plus an online store. Specialty coffee, roasted every Tuesday. What sets us apart: we explain where each coffee comes from without jargon.
Goal: fill the tasting class on Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m., 8 seats, $40, booking on our website.
Audience: curious coffee fans who love good coffee but find tastings intimidating.
Tone: plain English, short sentences, warm, never snobby. We never say "complex tasting notes."
Constraints: no emojis, no superlatives, no numbers other than the ones given here.
Format: an Instagram caption of 80 to 120 words, then three possible opening lines, then a 40-word version for a Story.
Examples: [paste two past captions that performed well]
Note the last part of the format: asking for several opening lines lets you choose. For hook structures ready to test, see the best hooks for October.
How do you check that your brief is clear enough?
Anthropic offers a simple golden rule: show your prompt to a colleague with little context on the task and ask them to follow it. If they'd be confused, the AI will be too. Three more checks:
- Are the steps in order? When order matters (hook first, then caption, then Story), write them as a numbered list, as Anthropic advises.
- Is every number supplied? If the price, date or seat count isn't in the brief, the AI may invent one.
- Is the format explicit? Google notes you can ask for a specific shape: a table, a list, a paragraph, a length.
What if the result isn't right?
Don't start over; say exactly what's off. "Too long, cut to 90 words" or "the second sentence sounds like an ad, replace it with a concrete fact" beats "try again." Then add the fix to your reference brief so you never have to ask for it twice. That's also the honest limit of the exercise: AI drafts, a person reviews. We go deeper in can AI run my social media and more broadly in generative AI for social media content.
Frequently asked questions
Does a brief have to be long?
It has to be complete, not long. Your brand context can be written once; after that, each post's brief comes down to the goal, the audience, the format and specifics like price or date.
Should I give the AI examples of posts?
Yes. Google recommends always including examples, and Anthropic calls them one of the most reliable ways to steer tone and structure. Two or three of your best past posts are enough to start.
How do I stop the AI from making up numbers?
Supply every relevant number yourself in the brief and add an explicit constraint: no numbers other than the ones given. Then check every figure before you publish.
Does the same brief work for every platform?
Context, tone and constraints stay the same. The format changes: an Instagram caption, a LinkedIn post and a Pinterest title are written differently, so specify the platform and length each time.
A standing brief with Oposto
With Oposto you don't rewrite the context: it learns your brand from your website (voice, colors, products, audience) and keeps it in your content DNA. You give the post's goal to the AI assistant, it drafts the post adapted to each platform, reviews it before publishing with a score and recommendations, and publishes it at the scheduled time once you approve. The free plan doesn't require a credit card: get started at oposto.app.