Social Media Content Brief Template (Free, Filled)

Free, no signup · Updated 15 October 2026 · Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers

Download

Content brief: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
Platform versions: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
Feedback log: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)

In Google Sheets: File, Import, Upload, then pick the CSV.

What's inside

A one-page brief: goal, audience, key message, hook options, format, must-haves, things to avoid, call to action, visuals, accessibility, deadline and approver
Platform versions: how the same idea changes for each platform's format, caption and call to action
A feedback log so every round of changes is written down with who asked for it
A filled example for Saltmarsh Swim School, a fictional swim school (every detail is made up), and a blank CSV of each sheet

How to use it

Write the goal in one sentence. If a post has two goals, it's two posts.
Name the audience as a person in a situation, such as a parent whose child has just finished their first term of lessons.
Write the one thing the audience should remember. Everything else in the post supports it.
Draft two or three hooks and let the reviewer pick one.
List what must be included and what must not, such as prices, permissions or claims you can't back up.
Fill the platform versions so whoever makes the post knows what changes for each platform.
Send the brief for approval before anything is made, and log every round of feedback.

Preview: Content brief

A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 19 rows.

Field	Brief	Note
Working title	Five signs your child is ready to move up a swimming level	Example business, made up for this template
Goal	Parents book the right level for next term, so fewer children are moved after the first week.	One goal
Audience	Parents of children aged 5 to 9 who've finished at least one term with us
Pillar	Helpful advice	From our content pillars
Key message	You can spot readiness yourself, and our teachers will confirm it at the end of term.	The one thing to remember
Hook options	1. Is your child ready for the next level? Five signs. 2. What our teachers look for before moving a child up. 3. Moving up a level: five things to watch for.	Reviewer picks one
Format	Carousel of seven slides; a 30-second Reel cut from the same material
Must include	The five signs in plain words; that teachers make the final call; the date term bookings open (Mon 30 Nov)

Preview: Platform versions

A filled example for a made-up small business.

Platform	Format	Size	Caption notes	Call to action	Hashtags
Instagram	Carousel, 7 slides	4:5 portrait	Two lines; the slides do the work	Book from Mon 30 Nov: link in bio	3 from the brief
Instagram	Reel, 30 seconds	9:16 vertical	One line, with the hook on screen	Save this for the end of term	Same 3
Facebook	Same carousel as images	4:5 portrait	A little longer; parents ask questions here, so invite them	Book next term (direct link)	None
Google Business	Update with one image	Slide 1	The five signs as a short list	Book	None
TikTok	Not this time	n/a	The Reel could be reused later	n/a	n/a

Preview: Feedback log

A filled example for a made-up small business.

Round	Date	Reviewer	Feedback	Change made	Approved?
Brief	Mon 16 Nov	Mia	Add the date bookings open	Added to must include	Yes
Draft 1	Thu 19 Nov	Owen	Sign 3 sounds like a promise; say teachers confirm it	Reworded sign 3	No
Draft 2	Mon 23 Nov	Owen	Accurate now	None	Yes
Draft 2	Mon 23 Nov	Mia	Use hook option 2	Slide 1 changed	Yes

Tips

Saltmarsh Swim School, its staff and every detail in the example are made up.
A content brief is for one piece. For a launch or a seasonal push across many posts, use a campaign brief instead.
Keep the brief to one page. If it needs more, the post is probably trying to do too much.
Write down who approves what. Accuracy, prices and permissions often need different people.
Brief the accessibility work at the start: alt text and captions are easier to plan than to add at the end.
If you use Zolyp, our product, you can paste a brief like this into Create or Composer and it writes the post from it, using the tone and banned topics saved in your Brand Brain. You approve each post before it's published.

Common questions

What should a social media content brief include?

The goal, the audience, one key message, hook options, the format, what must and mustn't be included, the call to action, visual direction, accessibility, the deadline, the publish date and who approves it.

What's the difference between a content brief and a campaign brief?

A content brief covers one post or video. A campaign brief covers a time-limited push, such as a launch, with many posts across several weeks. A campaign usually has several content briefs inside it.

Who should write the brief?

Whoever knows why the post is needed, often the owner or marketing lead. The person making the post should read it before starting and ask questions then, not after the first draft.

Is the swim school real?

No. Saltmarsh Swim School, its staff and its dates are made up to show how a filled brief reads.

Social media content brief template for a single post or video