13 September 2026
What to include in a website development brief
A useful website brief does not need technical language or a finished design. It needs to explain what your business does, who the site is for and what should be easier when the project is complete.
Start with the action that matters
“We need a modern website” describes a preference. “We need visitors to understand our three services and request the right quote” gives the project a direction. Write down the main action you want a visitor to take. Then identify what they need to know before taking it.
A booking business may need service availability and appointment information. A specialist supplier may need product specifications and a clear enquiry route. Those requirements should shape the page structure.
Describe the people using the site
Explain who your customers are, what they tend to ask and how familiar they are with your offer. Include any practical constraints: visitors using phones, customers comparing specifications or an audience that needs information in more than one language.
List the essential pages and features
Separate the content from the functionality. An About page is content; a booking system is a feature. Both need planning, but they carry different design, integration and maintenance requirements.
- The main services or product groups to explain.
- The forms, payments, bookings or integrations required.
- Existing pages or addresses that should be retained.
- Content, photographs and brand assets you already own.
- Anything that belongs in a later phase.
Explain who will update it
If you need to change prices, add posts or replace images yourself, say so before development starts. An editing requirement affects how pages are built. Ask which areas will be editable and what handover support is included.
Make the constraints visible
Share the available budget, preferred launch window and any fixed dependencies. A deadline tied to an event matters differently from a date chosen for convenience. Identify who can approve content and designs, and whether another supplier controls hosting or domain access.
Finish with a short list of things you want to be able to check at delivery: the key form reaches the right mailbox, navigation works on a phone and routine text can be edited. A shared definition of “finished” makes the brief more useful than a long collection of screenshots.
Need help turning your notes into a scope? Explore our website development service or tell us about the project.