> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.snowdoughnut.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Write an article

> How an article moves from idea to published and registered: which brief to fill, how it's structured for search and retrieval, what to check before publishing, and when to review it again.

Use this for long-form content that has to be found: blog posts, guides, comparison pages. For ads and emails use [write copy](/write-copy).

## Before you start

| You need                                  | Where it lives                                                                                               |
| :---------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| An authority area this belongs to         | [Article library overview](/article-library-overview)                                                        |
| How the brand sounds                      | [Brand voice and tone](/brand-voice-and-tone)                                                                |
| Whether it's a hero or supporting article | [Hero article register](/hero-article-register), [supporting article register](/supporting-article-register) |

## The path

<Steps>
  <Step title="1. Read the concepts once">
    [SEO and GEO concepts](/seo-and-geo-concepts) covers why articles are structured the way they are, for both search results and model-generated answers. [Article brief concepts](/article-brief-concepts) covers why articles are briefed separately from campaign copy.
  </Step>

  <Step title="2. Confirm the article belongs">
    Check it maps to an authority area and isn't already covered. See [article library overview](/article-library-overview).
  </Step>

  <Step title="3. Fill in the article brief">
    Work through the [article brief](/article-brief): the question it answers, what new information it carries, who it's for, and the section structure.

    Full detail: [article process](/article-process).
  </Step>

  <Step title="4. Gather the proof">
    An article that restates what already ranks has no reason to exist. Record where each claim comes from as you go.
  </Step>

  <Step title="5. File the brief and draft">
    Save the brief to the [article brief library](/article-brief-library), then draft in the [article writing template](/article-writing-template). Structure follows [article standards](/article-standards): each section answers its own heading, so it survives being pulled out on its own.
  </Step>

  <Step title="6. Brief any creative">
    Diagrams, screenshots and images go through a [creative brief](/creative-brief). See [brief creative](/brief-creative).
  </Step>

  <Step title="7. Check before publishing">
    Run the [article pre-publish checklist](/article-pre-publish-checklist), then the [GEO checklist](/geo-checklist).
  </Step>

  <Step title="8. Publish and register">
    Record it in the [hero article register](/hero-article-register) or [supporting article register](/supporting-article-register), with its review date. Link it from related articles and from the library.
  </Step>

  <Step title="9. Set the review date">
    Articles decay without announcing it. The [article maintenance process](/article-maintenance-process) covers the review cycle, and the [article update checklist](/article-update-checklist) covers what to check when the date comes up.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What you should have at the end

* A brief in the article brief library.
* A published article registered as hero or supporting, with a review date.
* Internal links both to and from related articles.

## Related resources

* [**Article brief**](/article-brief) The workbook.
* [**Article process**](/article-process) The detailed process.
* [**Article standards**](/article-standards) How an article is structured.
* [**SEO and GEO concepts**](/seo-and-geo-concepts) Why it's structured that way.
* [**Article maintenance process**](/article-maintenance-process) What happens after publishing.
* [**Article best practices**](/article-best-practices) What makes an article worth publishing.