9 Best Content Brief Software in 2023

Hey, are you looking for the best content brief software to streamline your content creation process and increase your chances of ranking high on search engines?

We all know how frustrating it can be to spend hours researching keywords and brainstorming content ideas.

By analyzing your competitors and identifying the best keywords, these content brief generator tools can help you create compelling and quality content that resonates with your target audience.

In this article, we’re going to explore the 9 best content brief generators and help you choose the best one for your needs, along with my top 3 picks.

Ready to optimize your content strategy and take it to the next level? Let’s dive in!

What Is The Best Content Brief Software?

Here are the 8 best content brief tools. These content planning tools are designed to help you craft content briefs that hit the mark, saving you valuable time and ensuring your content resonates with your target audience. 

• Surfer SEO
• Neuron Writer
• Frase
• Dashword
• Page Optimizer Pro
• MarketMuse
• Content Harmony
• WriterZen
• Swiftbrief    

1. Surfer SEO

Best Overall

Overview

Besides optimizing blog posts for SEO on-page, you can use this Surfer SEO's built-in Outline Builder for creating content briefs that shine with quality and performance. 

This content brief tool can help you:

• Get real-time feedback for structure, word count, NLP-ready keywords, and images to fine-tune your content. 
• Generate briefs with catchy headlines and create a detailed content structure effortlessly.
• Write and optimize content in any language, expanding your reach to global audiences.
• Access metrics

As you approach the final stages of content creation, Surfer ensures the authenticity of your articles by checking for plagiarism, you can rest assured that your work is original and free from potential penalties.

Plus, it effortlessly integrates with popular platforms like Google Docs, WordPress, and Jasper, seamlessly fitting into your content creation workflow, saving you time and boosting productivity.

My Experience With Surfer SEO

One of the things I absolutely love about Surfer SEO is its seamless functionality. One of my favorite features is the real-time feedback, it provides me without the need to reload the page.

Whenever I click on a suggested keyword located on the right-hand side, Surfer SEO instantly offers me the relevant context to effectively use that word.

But that's not all! Apart from its exceptional brief creation capabilities, it also enables me to discover relevant keywords that complete the topical cluster. 

This feature is particularly significant as we move into 2023 and beyond, as the importance of comprehensive topical clusters continues to grow.

Top Features

• Craft high-quality SEO-optimized articles that captivate readers
• Benefit from a personal writing assistant providing real-time feedback and relevant keywords
• Structure your content effectively with detailed outlines and unique headings
• Provide real-time feedback for structure, word count, NLP-ready keywords, and images
• Built-in plagiarism checker
• Integrates with popular platforms like Google Docs, WordPress, and Jasper

Product Update

In May 2023, Surfer SEO released its latest feature: Surfer AI. 

This update is all about utilizing artificial intelligence to create content. 

Along with the rise of other one-click AI article writing assistants like Koala Writer and ZimmWriter, which allow you to input the keyword and let the tool do the rest, Surfer SEO has joined the crowd and made a revolutionary addition to its existing features.

With Surfer AI ($29/article), you can:

• Analyze competitors and research topics easily
• Customize articles by selecting a tone of voice and adjusting competitors.
• Surfer AI is 10 times faster than the average writer, with an average article ready for review in just 20 minutes.
• Selects relevant organic competitors for tailored recommendations.

There are also new features about to be released, such as inserting links, inserting images, and "Ask Surfy".

Surfer SEO Pricing

Since May 17th 2023, Surfer SEO has updated its pricing plan like the following:

• LITE: $19/month (billed annually), 36 Content Editor credits included
• ESSENTIAL: $69/month (billed annually), 84 Content Editor credits included, 2 organization seats
• ADVANCED: $149/month (billed annually), 300 Content Editor credits included, 5 organization seats
• MAX: $249/month (billed annually), 600 Content Editor credits included, 10 organization seats, all add-ons included

What I Like/Dislike About Surfer SEO

2. Neuron Writer

Overview

NeuronWriter is like a more affordable version of Surfer SEO that allows you to analyze keywords and see what the top-ranking articles are for those keywords. This is important because you want to base your content on what's already successful.

Once you've chosen a keyword to target, NeuronWriter generates a content score that shows how well your article is optimized. The HIGHER the score, the BETTER your chances of ranking higher in search results. 

What I like about the content score feature of NeuronWriter is the ability to update in real-time whenever you type in an NLP term.

However, the score DOESN'T CHANGE immediately like Surfer SEO; it takes about 5 seconds. But it's better because you don't have to reload the content editor page again.

The tool also provides an article layout with suggested headings and subheadings based on what your competitors are using. 

You can use these suggestions as a starting point and customize them to fit your own writing style. Just keep in mind that it's important to write your own unique and valuable content.

What's cool about NeuronWriter is you can use AI right in the content editor to:

• Start a paragraph with AI
• Expand on existing content
• Rephrase sentences to make them sound more natural. 

Key Features

• Generative AI templates: help you build content  briefs quickly and effortlessly
• Related keywords suggestions
• Advanced draft mode: Collaborate and iterate on your drafts with advanced editing and revision capabilities.
• Internal linking: Improve website navigation and user experience 
• Schema explorer: Optimize your content with structured data markup for enhanced search engine visibility.
• SERP analysis: Analyze search engine results to understand competition and optimize your content strategy.
• Chrome extension: Access Neuron Writer's features conveniently on Google Docs, WordPress editor, Shopify
• Content plan + New ideas: Plan and brainstorm content ideas to ensure a strategic and creative approach.
• Plagiarism checks: Maintain originality and quality in your content.
• Content management: Efficiently organize, store, and manage your content within Neuron Writer's platform.
• Integrates with Google Search Console 

What I Like/Dislike About NeuronWriter

NeuronWriter Pricing

NeuronWriter offers an exciting lifetime deal on AppSumo starting at $69. 

With this deal, you can get unlimited access to NeuronWriter without any monthly fees. It's a one-time investment that gives you lifetime access to all the features and benefits of NeuronWriter.

It's an amazing opportunity for those who want to enjoy the benefits of NeuronWriter for a long time without worrying about recurring payments.

If you don't want to opt for the lifetime deal, you can totally go with the monthly pricing plans that NeuronWriter offers.

Here are the options:

• Bronze Plan: $19/month (2 projects/folders, 25 content writer analyses, and 15,000 A.I. credits)
• Silver Plan: $37/month (5 projects/folders, 50 content writer analyses, and 30,000 A.I. credits)
• Gold Plan: $57/month ( 10 projects/folders, 75 content writer analyses, 45,000 A.I. credits, and 75 plagiarism checks)
• Platinum Plan: $77/month (25 projects/folders, 100 content writer analyses, 60,000 A.I. credits, and 100 plagiarism checks)
• Diamond Plan: $97/month (50 projects/folders, 150 content writer analyses, 75,000 A.I. credits, and 150 plagiarism checks)

3. Page Optimizer Pro

Best for optimizing unlimited pages

Overview

Page Optimizer Pro (POP) is a powerful SEO tool that takes your website’s pages and content to the next level in search engine rankings. It analyzes your content and provides data-driven insights to optimize it effectively.

This tool was developed by Kyle Roof, a renowned SEO specialist who mastered the art of beating the Google search algorithm.

His expertise led to the creation of Page Optimizer Pro, which tested over 400 times on the Google Algorithm, proving its reliability for website owners and content creators.

One standout feature of POP is “secret key access,” allowing your content writers to access powerful optimization features without compromising your account security.

Its Chrome extension seamlessly integrates with Google Docs and website editors, enabling effortless optimization while you work.

My Experience With Page Optimizer Pro

POP's user-friendly interface and integration with Google Chrome extension made optimization seamless, whether I was working on Google Docs or my Wordpress editor. 

The tool's comprehensive analysis provided data-driven insights for improving on-page SEO, enhancing keyword research, and increasing content relevancy. It saved me time by automating various SEO tasks and allowed me to optimize an unlimited number of pages. 

Nevertheless, my personal experience with POP was overwhelmingly positive. Within just two months of using the tool, my website ranked on the first page of Google when it was just a 1-month old blog. 

Top Features

• Analyzes factors like keyword usage, page titles, meta descriptions, and more to optimize your website’s on-page SEO.
• Conducts detailed keyword research and identifies related terms and variations to boost your content on-page SEO optimization
• Streamlines the optimization process, automating SEO tasks such as identifying keyword gaps and suggesting improvements, ultimately saving you valuable time.

Product Update

Page Optimizer Pro has just introduced POP AI Writer in response to the surging demand for AI writing assistants by integrating the advanced GPT-4 32k AI writing engine with their data-driven on-page optimization tool.

What's so special about POP AI Writer?

It empowers you to:

• Generate and optimize your content easily
• Update and revitalize neglected pages in minutes with a few clicks
• Follow POP's Content Brief instructions for guidance
• Refresh, rewrite, and optimize your content with ease
• Regenerate specific sections of your article without regenerating the entire piece
• Fine-tune and optimize your content precisely
• Streamline your optimization process

What I Like/Dislike About Page Optimizer Pro

Pricing

Page optimizer pro offers a 7-day free trial and has 4 pricing plans for you to choose from:

• Basic: $27/mo, 12 reports, unlimited domains
• Premium: $38/mo, 25 reports, unlimited domains
• Unlimited: $49/mo, unlimited reports, unlimited domains
• Team plan: $120/mo, unlimited reports, unlimited domains

Related Article: Surfer SEO vs PageOptimizer Pro Comparison

4. Frase

Best for who is seeking an all-in-one solution

Overview

We all know how daunting it can be to go from keyword research to the final draft. But don’t worry, because Frase makes it quick and painless. It’s like having a magic wand for your SEO content workflow!

Imagine curating well-researched content briefs in just minutes instead of hours. With Frase, it’s totally possible!

You can now goodbye to endless hours of searching through search engine results pages.

This tool analyzes, dissects, and centralizes the best content on the internet, all in one place. It’s like having a personal research assistant at your fingertips.

But that’s not all. Frase goes above and beyond by helping you:

• Generate quality, high-converting copy with a simple click of a button.
• Frase’s automated outlines, blog introductions, product descriptions, FAQs, and more will banish your creative roadblock.
• Provides you with a blueprint for creating content that ranks high in search results. Its intuitive text editor uses a topic model to score your content against your competitors. You’ll know exactly what keywords to include and how to stand out from the crowd.
• Its dashboard automatically identifies and categorizes your best content opportunities. It uses data from your Google Search Console to provide actionable insights on what you should focus on next.

Top Features

• It saves editorial time by researching topics and generating content outlines
• AI content writing assistant
• The research tool provides an overview of SERP, potential headings, resources, and statistics
• Generates valuable questions based on competitors' articles
• Content outline generation is easy and efficient
• Provides keyword recommendations and content score
• Integrations with Google Docs, Google Search Console, Hubspot CRM, and upcoming WordPress integration
• Multiple language support and deadline management
• Templates for questions and answers, SEO, marketing copy, rewrite, and shorten
• Frase helps with researching the competition, generating content outlines, and optimizing content

Pricing

You can get started with a 5-day trial for only $1 and explore the benefits of our platform. Here’s a concise overview of Frase.io pricing plans:

• Solo: $14.99/mo or $12.66/mo if paid annually
• Basic: $44.99/mo or $38.25/mo if paid annually
• Team: $114.99/mo or $97.75/mo if paid annually

You can also purchase the add-on that offers unlimited AI-generated words, along with other premium features, for an additional $35 per month.

What I Like/Dislike About Frase.io

5. Dashword

Best for bloggers and hobbyists with its affordable plan

Overview

With Dashword's user-friendly interface and powerful features, you can write great content in no time and optimize it for SEO. This tool compiles all the information you need to create content briefs and even suggests ideas from your competitors.

The interactive builder lets you easily organize and edit your content, while sharing it with your writers is just a click away.

Not only that, Dashword helps you optimize your content before publishing, ensuring it's SEO-friendly and providing real-time feedback.

After publication, you can rely on Dashword for content monitoring, keeping track of underperforming pages, and generating automated keyword reports. 

Top Features

• Create content briefs in minutes, cutting research time in half.
• Access comprehensive content ideas from competitors' outlines in one place.
• Easily organize and edit content with an interactive builder.
• Share briefs with writers, providing them with all the necessary resources.
• Receive real-time feedback on content readiness through content scoring.
• Maintain consistent quality with the help of the content editor.
• Monitor content after publication to identify underperforming pages.
• Get automated keyword reports for continuous content evaluation.
• Track page rankings to identify optimization opportunities.
• Automatically import pages through the web crawler for monitoring.

Pricing

• Startup: $99/mo, 20 reports, 5 users, Content Briefs, AI Writer (50k words)
• Business: From $349/mo, 100+ reports, 10 users, Content Briefs, AI Writer, Content Monitoring, Bulk reports, API access,...

What I Like/Dislike About Dashword

6. MarketMuse

Best for medium to larger agencies 

Overview

One of my favorite features of MarketMuse is its content briefing functionality. With this feature, you'll no longer have to leave your writers guessing about what to cover in an article.

MarketMuse's Content Briefs provide detailed blueprints that outline the topics to cover, questions to answer, links to include, and more. This streamlines the writing process, minimizes edits, and allows you to publish faster with confidence.

What sets MarketMuse apart is its ability to consolidate keyword and topic research with your content audit, making everything conveniently accessible in one place. With personalized data guiding your decisions, you can create content that resonates and drives results.

When it comes to on-page optimizations, MarketMuse will be your secret weapon. With Google's removal of organic keyword data in analytics, SEO can feel like a shot in the dark. But with MarketMuse's AI technology, you can confidently make data-driven optimizations that deliver real results.

Moreover, MarketMuse can help you gain more exposure for your website through cluster creation and analysis. By answering search intent and addressing your audience's questions, you can tell the whole story and establish authority.

MarketMuse helps you identify the right topics to include, their value, and even provides insights on ranking difficulty.

Last but not least, when it comes to understanding your competition, MarketMuse's competitive content analysis is a game-changer. It goes beyond simply identifying what your competitors include; it reveals the gaps they missed. With this knowledge, you can leverage those gaps in the SERP and structure your content more effectively.

Top Features

• Content briefing functionality for a streamlined writing process and faster publishing
• Personalized, objective insights for confident content planning
• All-in-one platform for consolidated keyword and topic research with content audit
• Automated content audits for faster and more informed decision-making
• AI-powered on-page optimizations that deliver real results
• Prescriptive insights for quick content planning based on page-level, site-level, and SERP insights
• Cluster creation and analysis to gain more exposure and establish authority
• Competitive content analysis to identify gaps and optimize the content structure
• Organize keyword data and prioritize keywords with ease
• Ensure helpful and high-quality content with real-time feedback on quality

Pricing

• Free plan: $0, limited insights, 10 queries/month, best for individuals with low content volume.
• Standard plan: $149/month or $1,500/year, full insights, 100 queries/month, best for regular content publishers.
• Team plan: $399/month or $3,900/year, full insights, unlimited queries & briefs, best for agencies and teams.
• Premium plan: Custom pricing, advanced insights and tracking, best for large teams.

What I Like/Dislike About MarketMuse

7. Content Harmony

Overview

With its data-driven workflow and AI-driven topic model, Content Harmony can help you build exceptional briefs and optimize your content easily.

Detailed keyword reports provide valuable insights, which can save you time and provide essential data for compelling content.

Content Harmony streamlines content optimization by grading drafts against its AI-driven model, ensuring comprehensive and high-quality content.

With streamlined keyword research, standardized brief formats, easy sharing, and content grading, Content Harmony will be sure to cater to all your needs, eliminating manual processes and boosting efficiency.

Top Features

• Provide valuable insights for effective content creation.
• Generate robust briefs that provide all the critical details for your writers.
• Optimize your content using Content Harmony’s AI-driven topic model.
• Save time with a consolidated keyword report that meets all your research needs.
• Produce consistent notes with standardized brief formats.
• Collaborate seamlessly by sharing briefs with clients, writers, and other team members.
• Evaluate drafts and existing content against the AI-driven topic model for comprehensive publishing.

Pricing

Content Harmony has plans to suit every content creation need, from weekly to daily content calendars and even enterprise-scale operations. 

• Standard: $99 per month
• Pro: $299 per month (Switch to annual & save 10%)
• Enterprise: Custom Pricing (Starting from $1,000 per month)

You can also start a free trial with Content Harmony for $10

What I Like/Dislike About Content Harmony 

8. WriterZen

Overview

More than just creating content briefs, WriterZen’s tools have been instrumental in helping you assert topical authority and streamline your content workflow.

With the ability to uncover new content ideas and build contextual support, you can confidently demonstrate your expertise and provide valuable information to your audience.

WriterZen’s content creator provides a user-friendly and SEO-optimized text editor, making it easy for you to piece together a comprehensive content brief for your writers while leveraging competitor knowledge and incorporating relevant NLP terms suggested by Google.

Additionally, the platform’s keyword explorer enables you to zero in on curated keywords that align with customer intent, boosting your credibility and enhancing your visibility in search results.

The AI writing assistant powered by GPT-3 will be sure to take your writing to the next level, offering endless possibilities for content development and providing built-in templates for outlining and auto-writing.

To top it off, WriterZen’s plagiarism checker ensures the originality of your work, safeguarding you against penalties from search engines. Rest easy knowing your content is unique and engaging, setting you apart from the rest.

Top Features

• Start your content workflow with targeted topics and content pillars that satisfy Google’s E-E-A-T.
• Uncover new content ideas and demonstrate your expertise with diverse topics
• Build a knowledge hub with contextually connected articles that stimulate search engine bots to scan your website.
• Use topic secrets from your competitors to boost your SERP rankings.
• Extract user insights from ‘Google Suggest’ to identify questions and ideas of interest.
• Keyword Explorer
• Leverage Allintitle data to identify keywords with high conversion rates and low competition.
• Automate the process of grouping keywords based on ranking attributes with a single click.
• Choose from suggested NLP terms to boost your content’s relevancy in the eyes of Google bots.
• Elevate your writing with GPT-3 powered A.I. that evolves its grasp on language and offers endless possibilities.

Pricing

WriterZen offers a 30% discount on annual plans.

• Lite: $19/month, ideal for solo users managing single projects
• Plus: $79/month, perfect for power users with unlimited AI support
• Pro: $199/month, designed for small teams working on multiple projects
• Ultra: $359/month, tailored for medium teams handling scalable projects

What I Like/Dislike About WriterZen

 9. Swiftbrief

Overview

Swiftbrief takes the hassle out of generating briefs. Now you don’t have to spend 30 minutes or more on each brief – with Swiftbrief, you can cut that time down to less than 2 minutes, allowing you to focus on what really matters.

One of the greatest benefits of Swiftbrief is the consistent output it delivers, so you don’t have to worry about inconsistent feedback. This is important because when your writers have clear instructions, brands thrive.

It automates the entire process from A to Z, eliminating over 90% of the busy work that usually comes with it. You’ll spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on actual content creation.

Swiftbrief also lets you build powerful outlines directly within your briefs. It streamlines the process, allowing you to create structured and well-organized content effortlessly.

Keeping track of topics is made simple with Swiftbrief. You’ll receive direct suggestions for topics to include in your briefs and can easily organize and track them in clusters. It’s a game-changer for staying organized and maximizing efficiency.

And let’s not forget about brand consistency. With Swiftbrief, you can create your own brands and enforce your style guide across hundreds of content briefs all in one place. 

Top Features

• Create high-quality briefs, track progress, and easily share them.
• Build powerful content outlines directly within your briefs.
• Add root topics and receive suggestions to create your own topic clusters.
• Enforce brand consistency across multiple pieces with just a few steps.

Pricing

Swiftbrief offers a free 7-day trial and three simple plans designed for busy content marketers and editors:

• Early Bird Starter: $19/mo
• Early Bird Professional: $49/mo
• Early Bird Agency: $99/mo

What I Like/Dislike About Swiftbrief

What Is A Content Brief Software?

Content brief software is atool that helps content marketers and writers identify the best keywords to target and create content that resonates with their target audience.

By analyzing the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) and your competitors’ content, these tools provide insights that help you craft better content briefings.

In essence, a content brief is a document that outlines the key elements of a content piece, such as the headings, keywords, and targeted word count.

With content brief software, you can create SEO content briefs quickly and easily, which helps you save time and resources while improving the overall quality of your content.

Why Content Brief Software Is Important?

If you’re working with a writer, you know how crucial it is to have a clear and concise content brief. It sets the foundation for your writer's work, guiding you through the entire creative process. That’s where content brief tools come in!

Content brief software takes the guesswork out of creating briefs and empowers you to produce exceptional content.

With its user-friendly interface and intuitive features, it simplifies the entire process. Gone are the days of struggling to gather relevant keywords or spending hours researching search intent.

Content brief software does all the heavy lifting for you, providing detailed keyword reports and analyses that give you valuable insights.

But it doesn’t stop there. This software ensures consistency and accuracy in your briefs. It helps you standardize your formats, making sure every writer has the necessary information they need to craft compelling content. 

Another great aspect of content brief software is its ability to optimize your content. By leveraging AI-driven technology, it helps you identify overlapping keywords, study competitor document structures, and build outlines that cover key questions your readers may have.

So, if you’re serious about taking your content creation to the next level, don’t underestimate the importance of content brief software. 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the importance of content brief software cannot be overstated. It’s the secret weapon that separates exceptional content from the rest.

And when it comes to finding the best content brief software, Surfer SEO stands head and shoulders above the rest. With its advanced features, data-driven insights, and user-friendly interface, Surfer SEO empowers you to create exceptional content briefs that drive tangible results.

Ready to elevate your content game? Visit Surfer SEO today and experience the power of the best content brief software firsthand. Your content success story starts here!