ChatGPT prompt for building an SEO article outline

This is the prompt we run before writing an article meant to rank for a specific query. It does not draft: it builds the outline, reads the search intent, and asks you for the first-hand angle that keeps the piece from being a rehash.

The prompt to copy

Build an outline for an article targeting "{keyword/query}". Audience: {who}, searching because: {intent}.
Produce:
1. Search-intent read — what the searcher actually wants; state your assumption explicitly.
2. Three working titles (≤60 characters).
3. H2/H3 outline where every section answers a real sub-question — no filler sections.
4. FAQ block: 4–5 questions with one-line answer notes.
5. What unique angle, data, or first-hand experience we should add so this isn't a rehash — ask me up to 2 questions if you need material.
Don't write the article yet.

Replace the query, audience, and intent. The outline comes back ready to approve, with the intent assumption stated plainly and the questions left for you to settle.

When to use it

Before writing any article that targets a query. The outline is where you decide whether the page deserves to exist: clear intent, real sub-questions, an angle of your own. Starting from an approved outline saves you rewriting a whole piece because the intent was misread.

What you get back

1. An explicit read of the search intent.
2. Three working titles under 60 characters.
3. An H2/H3 outline where every section answers a real sub-question.
4. An FAQ block and a request for the first-hand angle to supply.

Real example: query → outline and questions

Input: Léa at Brightside, an 8-person brand agency, is prepping an article. What she gives, as-is:

query: small business rebrand
audience: owners of small craft businesses, searching because: they hesitate to rebrand for fear of losing customers

Output, the part that matters:

Search intent (assumption). The searcher is not after a definition: they want to know whether a rebrand is risky for a loyal customer base, and how to do it without breakage. I am building the outline that way.

First-hand angle to add. To avoid a rehash, I need your lived experience. Two questions: (1) on a recent project, did you measure the rebrand’s effect on existing customers? (2) one decision you would make differently?

Notice what the AI did not do: it invented no case study and no number to pad the article. It stated its intent assumption and asked you for the material it does not have. Léa answers with the Fernhill Coffee example, and the article rests on verifiable experience rather than generic filler.

This prompt ships inside the kit, alongside the other 49 in the library and the full Brightside worked examples.