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Hey hey,

Happy August 1st!

Content teams are officially ramping up volume for Q4.

Everyone’s quick to publish more. But without a system behind the actual writing, your content process breaks.

Skip the outline, and you skip the ranking.

So this week I’m handing you the exact 12-part outline template my team runs on every single piece of content for every client.

One was JCS Refresh.

Brand-new site, almost zero backlinks. Ten months in: 20K organic users, 1.6M+ impressions, and 17K+ clicks.

Content briefs and outlines were core to it from Day 1. 

Want to see this same process on your site?

Step 1: Target Keyword

• The primary keyword the blog will rank for.

• Pulled from keyword research and SERP analysis.

• 1 keyword per blog, no exceptions.

I use Semrush or Ahrefs for this part. The goal is the keyword that matches what your ICP is searching for.

Step 2: Secondary Keywords

• 3 to 5 related keywords to weave in naturally.

• Helps Google understand topical depth.

Pull straight from “People Also Ask” and related searches at the bottom of the SERPs. That’s Google telling you exactly what else readers want answered.

Step 3: Search Intent

• TOFU, MOFU, or BOFU?

• What does the reader actually want?

• Match the format to the intent.

A TOFU reader wants a guide. A BOFU reader wants a comparison.

Google the keyword before you write a word and look at what’s already ranking. It’ll tell you the format it expects.

Step 4: SERP Research

• Analyze the top 10 ranking results.

• Note their H1s, H2s, word counts, formats.

• Find gaps you can fill better than them.

Study the top 10 to find what they’ve left out, such as a question they don’t answer, a section they gloss over. That’s your shot at outranking them.

Step 5: Title (H1)

• Includes the primary keyword.

• Under 60 characters.

• Hook-driven and click-worthy.

Under 60 characters keeps it from getting cut off in the SERP on mobile. But your H1 has to also earn the click, not just describe the page.

Step 6: Meta Description

• 150 to 160 characters.

• Includes the keyword + a clear value prop.

• Designed to drive clicks from the SERP.

Think of this as your ad copy. Google can rewrite it, and often does, but writing a strong one gives you the best odds it uses yours.

Step 7: Introduction

• Answers the reader’s question in the first 2 to 3 sentences.

• No throat-clearing, no fluff.

• Sets up what’s coming next.

Readers decide whether to keep scrolling in the first few seconds. If they don’t see themselves in your opening lines, they’re gone.

Go straight to the point.

Step 8: H2/H3 Structure

• Built from your SERP research + “People Also Ask” questions.

• Each header works as its own mini-answer.

• Follows a logical order, not a random one.

Each header should be able to stand on its own as a complete answer.

That’s also exactly what AI search tools and Google’s AI Overviews pull from when they cite a page. Structure it like you're answering a series of questions.

Step 9: Internal Links

• 3 to 5 links to your other money pages.

• Builds topical authority, not just page authority.

• Uses descriptive anchor text, never “click here”.

This is how you build a web of content instead of a pile of disconnected posts.

Every new article should point back to relevant pages, and every relevant older page should get updated to point forward to the new one.

Step 10: External Links

• Link to credible, authoritative sources.

• Builds trust with readers and with search engines.

• Never link out to a direct competitor.

Citing real, credible sources is part of how you demonstrate E-E-A-T. It tells Google and your reader that you’re not just making claims.

Step 11: CTAs

• One clear CTA per piece.

• Matches the reader’s intent at that point in the piece.

• Placed where the reader is actually ready to act.

Pick the one action you actually want the reader to take.

Step 12: Conclusion

• Reinforces the main takeaway in 2 to 3 sentences.

• Points the reader to their next step.

• No new information introduced here.

A conclusion that ends on a new idea instead of a clear next step wastes the only moment you have their full attention.

Teams that produce reliable rankings don’t start writing until the outline is locked.

Consistency in the system is what makes the output reliable. The writing is just execution at that point.

This same brief-and-outline process is one of the reasons TrioSEO now works with 40+ active clients and has generated $10M+ in client revenue.

It’s not a one-off. It’s a system behind every account.

You can read more of the stories behind those numbers in our case studies.

Cheers,

Connor

Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

1. My SEO Course: “The SEO System” teaches the exact daily, weekly, and monthly SEO processes I’ve used to scale multiple companies to 6, 7, & 8 figures in sales. Available for pre-sale now!

2. TrioSEO: Hire me & my team to create SEO content for your business. We’ll create a comprehensive SEO plan, execute, & keep you updated so your business gains more traffic, leads, & sales. Get a Free SEO Audit.

3. Promote yourself to 100,000+ SEOs, marketers, & entrepreneurs by sponsoring this newsletter and my social channels. (Booked out 1 month). Email me for info.

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