If you’re looking to hire a web designer/developer or put the work out to tender, you may want to write a website brief document which is the key to putting your vision into words and giving the design team the information they need to create an amazing website.
A well-crafted brief ensures clear communication with your web designer or developer, ultimately leading to a website that truly reflects your brand and achieves your business objectives. Plus, it can also help achieve an accurate quote prior to signing any contracts or handing over a deposit.

Given all that, writing a website brief document can seem intimidating but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips for writing an effective and creative website brief document for your business:

What is a Website Brief Document?

Wether you’re a small business, a charity or a not-for-profit, a website brief document is essentially an outline of your business goals and expectations for the new website. It should include basic information about your company/organisation, what services or products you offer, who your target audience is, and what objectives you want the new website to achieve – for example is your main goal to get someone to purchase a big-ticket item, collect information, book a service or just get in touch with you via the telephone or email?
Putting it all in writing will help you organise all of these elements in one place so that the web design team has everything they need to quote for the work.

What Should Your Website Brief Include?

Here’s a breakdown of the key elements to include in your website brief document:

1. Business Overview

Company Name and Description: Briefly introduce your business, it’s history, and what it does.
Mission and Values: What are your core principles and what drives your business?
Target Audience: Who are you trying to reach with your website? Be as specific as possible with demographics, interests, and online behaviour.

2. Website Goals and Objectives

What are your primary goals for the website? Do you want to generate leads, increase sales, or simply establish a strong online presence?
What Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will you use to measure success? This could be website traffic, lead conversions, or online sales.

3. Website Content and Functionality

What content do you want to include on your website? This could be product information, blog posts, about us pages, contact information, etc.
What functionalities do you need? Do you need an online store, appointment booking system, or a contact form?
Do you have any existing content you want to migrate to the new website?

4. Design and Branding

What is your brand identity? Describe your brand voice, tone, and any specific design elements you want to incorporate (colours, fonts, logos).
Do you have any existing style guides or brand assets?
What websites do you admire for their design and functionality? Providing examples helps your web designer understand your aesthetic preferences – and it’s just as important to provide examples of aspects you don’t like, too!

5. Technical Specifications

Do you have a preferred website hosting platform or Content Management System (CMS)? If not, discuss your needs with your web developer.
Do you have any specific technical requirements? This could be mobile responsiveness, accessibility features, or integration with existing software.
Have you already purchased a domain or hosting? If you already have a domain name, or your own hosting, advise of the details of where they are held for reference.

6. Budget and Timeline

What is your budget for the website project?
Do you have a desired timeframe for completion? Be realistic but clear about your expectations and put in writing any deadline dates.

7. Next Steps and Approvals

Outline the approval process for different stages of the project, such as design mockups and content drafts.
Specify how you would like to communicate with your web designer or developer.

Collating Information and Website Content

The most important step in writing a successful website brief document is collecting all of the necessary information before starting. You should gather any existing branding materials such as logos, colours, fonts, etc., that will be used on the new site (if applicable). Additionally, make sure to think about who your target audience is; put together any research or data related to them that will help inform decisions down the line. It may also be helpful to compile some examples of websites that you like or dislike; these can serve as inspiration and guidance when creating your own design.

Be Specific and Creative

When it comes time to actually write out your website brief document, try not to be too vague or generic in your descriptions—be specific! That being said, don’t be afraid to get creative with how you phrase things either; this process should reflect both your business goals and personality!

Be sure to include any ideas, features or functionality that you want incorporated into the design; this could range from incorporating branded graphics and visuals or specific content and tools. The more detailed and specific you can be with each feature request, within reason —the better it will help guide and inform decisions throughout the entire development process later on down the line!

Think long-term!

It may be useful for the website developer or designer to be aware of your long-term goals so they can help you make the right choices now to make development in the future easier and less costly. For example, if you’re planning to open a web-shop in 3 years time, with the right platform choice it doesn’t have to mean rebuilding the website, perhaps just adding a plugin or choosing a to upgrade a package.

It’s also worth-while advising how you plan to use the website, will you be updating it regularly, occasional one-off updates or it’s unlikely the content will change that much over the years?

Beyond the Brief: Ensuring a smooth website build

Remember, your website brief is a starting point for collaboration. The more information you provide, the better your web designer can understand your vision. Be open to suggestions and feedback throughout the development process.

By investing time and effort into crafting a well-defined website brief, you’ll be well on your way to launching a website that is not only visually appealing but also drives results for your small business. And, creating a thorough yet creative website brief document helps ensure that every aspect of your project goes smoothly from start to finish.

By gathering all necessary materials beforehand, being as specific as possible in regards to each feature request, and using creative language when describing elements throughout –you can ensure that everyone involved in developing your new site has everything they need from day one. This will help the quoting to be more accurate and ultimately ensures success by providing clear objectives. But try not to be too prescriptive to allow plenty of room for creativity and to ensure the web designer can implement ‘best practice’ design techniques to make sure you get a website that will work hard for you and your business.