CLAUDE.md Template

What is a CLAUDE.md and why does your team need one?

Claude Code reads a file called CLAUDE.md from your project folder at every start. This file contains everything Claude needs to know about your client, your rules, and your workflows. Without a CLAUDE.md, every session starts from scratch. With one, every session is immediately in context. Consistent output from the first prompt.

Think of it as the handbook you give a new hire on day one. Brand voice, tone, forbidden terms, product names, target audiences, content formats, SEO keywords, workflow definitions. All in one place. Written once, loaded automatically at every start.

Why generic AI output is the biggest problem for agencies

The most common client feedback: "This sounds like AI." And they are right. When ten agencies use ChatGPT with similar prompts, all ten produce similar-sounding output. Brand identity dissolves. Superlatives, empty promises, nested sentences, em dashes everywhere.

The CLAUDE.md solves this at the root. You define once how the output should sound and how it should not. Forbidden phrases, tone rules, vocabulary constraints. Claude follows them in every session, on every prompt. New team members produce on-brand output from day one because the rules live in the system, not in a senior's head.

What goes into a good CLAUDE.md

Our template has six sections proven in practice. The first section defines project context: Who is the client, what are the products, who are the competitors, what are the USPs. Claude needs this context to build relevant arguments and address the right audience.

The second section sets the brand voice. Formal or casual? Which words are off-limits? Which style is encouraged? Concrete rules, not vague descriptions. "No superlatives" works better than "be modest." "Active voice, no passive constructions" works better than "write with energy."

Section three contains content rules per format. Blog posts get their own length requirements, structure rules, and SEO specifications. LinkedIn posts have different character limits and hook rules. Google Ads have strict character caps. Email sequences need clear subject line rules. Each format has its own constraints, and Claude needs to know them.

Organizing SEO keywords as clusters in your CLAUDE.md

One of the underrated features of the CLAUDE.md: keyword clusters with internal link targets. You define which keywords belong to which pages. When Claude writes an article, it automatically knows which internal links to set and which keyword cluster to serve.

This saves time on briefing and systematically improves internal linking. Instead of hoping the editor remembers to add links, the linking strategy is embedded in the system. Every article Claude creates follows the same SEO logic.

Workflows: Automating recurring tasks

The fifth section of the CLAUDE.md defines workflows for recurring tasks. "Write an article about [topic]" triggers a multi-step process: research the keyword cluster, create an outline, get approval, write the article, generate metadata, suggest internal links. Every step is defined, nothing gets forgotten.

A LinkedIn post workflow might create three variants with different hooks and flag the strongest one. A reporting workflow reads performance data via MCP, compares with the previous month, highlights wins and action items. Workflows get better over time as you iterate on them.

The technical section: CMS, file paths, MCP integrations

Claude Code works in your file system. It needs to know where drafts go, where finished articles are stored, which CMS you use, and which MCP integrations are configured. The technical section of the CLAUDE.md documents exactly that.

WordPress users specify their staging and production URLs, the SEO plugin, and the language. Those using Sanity, Contentful, or another CMS document the content types and API endpoints. MCP integrations (Google Analytics, Search Console, HubSpot) are referenced here so Claude knows which live data sources are available.

Build your first CLAUDE.md in 2 hours

Take our template, open it in your editor, and replace the placeholders. Start with project context and brand voice. Those two sections have the highest impact. Add content rules and SEO keywords once you start creating your first articles with Claude. Workflows come later, when you notice which tasks you repeat regularly.

The most important tip: do not write everything on day one. The best CLAUDE.md files grow over weeks. Every time Claude gets something wrong, you add a rule. Every time a workflow works, you document it. After a month, you have a system anyone on the team can use.

For agencies: One CLAUDE.md per client

Agencies managing multiple clients create one CLAUDE.md per client project. Each client has their own brand voice rules, their own keywords, their own workflows. Claude Code switches context automatically when you change project folders. No manual toggling, no forgotten briefings.

In-house marketing teams use a single CLAUDE.md for all marketing activities. All content rules, SEO strategies, and workflow definitions in one place. New team members read the CLAUDE.md and immediately understand how content works in the company.