A good website brief describes the problem you want solved, who the site is for, what it must do and what limits apply. It doesn't describe the design. One or two clear pages beat a long document, and writing one forces decisions you would otherwise make halfway through the project.
What should a website brief do?
It should let someone who has never met you give a useful quote and start asking the right questions. It isn't a list of pages or colour wishes. "We want a modern look" tells a designer nothing. "Technical buyers think we are a small workshop, while we run complex projects" tells them almost everything.
What should the brief include?
Use this outline. It fits on one or two pages, and every line is a decision.
- The reason. Why now, and what is wrong with the current situation?
- The goal. What should the site make easier? Pick one main goal.
- The audience. Who are they, what do they already know, and what do they need to find?
- The message. What should people remember? If you can't say, look at your positioning first.
- Scope. Rough page types, languages, and connections to your CRM or other systems.
- Content. What exists, what needs writing, and who does that?
- Brand. Logo, guidelines, tone of voice, and how fixed they are.
- Examples. Three sites you like and one you don't, each with a reason.
- Limits. Budget, a real deadline, technical conditions, legal requirements.
- People. Who decides, who gives feedback, who maintains the site later?
Should you mention your budget?
Yes. A range is enough. Without one, you'll get quotes for different projects that you can't compare. A good supplier will use it to say what is realistic and what to drop. Our own starting prices are public, and what drives a website's cost explains which choices move the number.
What should you leave out?
- Design instructions like "blue, with big photos", unless they're a true brand rule
- A feature list copied from a competitor
- Company history nobody asked for
- The phrase "user-friendly". Everyone wants that
- Requirements you can't explain the reason for
Describe needs rather than solutions. "Customers should be able to find a local contact" leaves room for a better idea than "we want a map".
What separates a weak brief from a strong one?
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| We want more leads | We want more enquiries from logistics firms for service X |
| A modern, clean site | We look smaller than we are next to competitors A and B |
| About 20 pages | One homepage, four services, cases, about, contact |
| As soon as possible | Must be live before the trade fair, the date is fixed |
| Everyone will give input | One person decides, three people give combined feedback |
How do you use the brief once it's written?
Send the same brief to every supplier you ask, so their answers can be compared. Ask the same questions as well: which page types are included, how many feedback rounds, who writes, who owns the result, and what happens after launch. A good supplier will challenge parts of your brief. Take that as a good sign, not as difficulty.
If you're replacing an existing site, add a note on what has to survive and go through the redesign checklist. And before you write, a quick look at what makes a good website can sharpen your goal.
