A good website brief template turns a vague idea (“we need a new website”) into a clear plan that designers and developers can price accurately and build well. Whether you’re launching your first site or redesigning an old one, this guide explains what a brief is, why it matters and how to fill one in, section by section, with example answers from a hypothetical business. You can copy the full template at the end.
Quick answer: A website brief is a short document describing your business, goals, audience, required pages and features, content, design direction, technical needs, budget and timeline. Write it before contacting providers. Use the 12-section template below, answer each prompt in plain language and include priorities, a budget range and one decision-maker.
On this page
- Key takeaways
- What is a website brief?
- Why does a website brief matter?
- How do you use this website brief template?
- The website brief template, section by section
- Copy-and-paste website brief template
- What mistakes should you avoid when writing a website brief?
- What happens after you send the brief?
- Frequently asked questions
- Next steps
Key takeaways
- A website brief is the single most useful document for getting accurate quotes and avoiding costly mid-project changes.
- Focus on goals and problems, not solutions; let your provider propose how to achieve them.
- Always include a realistic budget range and timeline, even if it’s approximate.
- List features as must-have, nice-to-have or later, so scope can flex to fit budget.
- For redesigns, protect existing search traffic by including SEO and redirect requirements from day one.
What is a website brief?
A website brief is a document that explains what your website project needs to achieve and the constraints it must work within, written by the client for the people who will design and build it. It describes the “what” and “why,” leaving the detailed “how” to the specialists.
It’s often confused with related documents, so here’s how they differ:
| Document | Who writes it | Purpose | Level of detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website brief | Client | Explain goals, needs and constraints | Medium; plain language |
| Request for proposal (RFP) | Client, usually larger organizations | Invite formal, comparable bids | High; includes evaluation criteria and legal terms |
| Proposal | Provider | Recommend an approach, price and timeline | Medium to high |
| Statement of work or specification | Provider, agreed with the client | Define exact deliverables and acceptance criteria | Very high |
For most small and mid-sized businesses, a strong brief is enough to start conversations. Larger organizations often turn the brief into the core of a formal RFP.
Why does a website brief matter?
A website brief matters because the quality of what you get back, whether quotes, designs or the final site, depends on the quality of what you put in. Without one, providers fill gaps with assumptions, and assumptions become delays, change requests and surprise costs.
A clear brief helps you:
- Get comparable quotes. Every provider prices the same scope, so you can compare like with like.
- Align your own team. Writing it forces owners, marketing and sales to agree on priorities before money is spent.
- Reduce revisions. Designers who understand your audience and goals get closer on the first round.
- Control scope. Prioritized features make it easier to cut or phase work if the budget is tight.
- Measure success. Agreed goals give you a way to judge the finished site.
- Protect existing SEO. Redesign briefs that mention rankings and URLs prompt providers to plan migrations properly.
How do you use this website brief template?
You use this website brief template by working through each section, answering the prompts in plain language and marking anything you’re unsure about as a question for providers. Follow these steps:
- Copy the template from the end of this article into a shared document.
- Fill in what you know, leaving “Not sure” where you need advice.
- Ask key colleagues (sales, operations, customer service) to review and add input.
- Attach supporting files: brand guidelines, logo files, analytics screenshots, sample content.
- Share it with two to four providers and invite questions.
- Update the brief after those conversations, and send the final version to your chosen provider.
Most businesses can complete a first draft in a few hours. Larger projects with several stakeholders usually take longer, mainly because of internal review.
The website brief template, section by section
Each section below includes the prompts to answer and an example answer. The examples use a hypothetical business, “Harbor Lane Physiotherapy,” a two-clinic physiotherapy practice redesigning an outdated website. All names, figures and details are invented for illustration.
Section 1: Company and project overview
Prompts:
- Business name, website address and location(s): ______
- What we do, in one or two sentences: ______
- Project type (new website, redesign, landing page, migration): ______
- Why now? What’s prompting this project: ______
- What works and doesn’t work on our current site: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): Harbor Lane Physiotherapy runs two clinics offering sports injury rehab, back and neck pain treatment and post-surgery recovery. This is a redesign. Our current site is eight years old, isn’t mobile-friendly and has no online booking, so most enquiries arrive by phone during busy clinic hours. Our blog posts on back pain still bring in visitors, and we want to keep that traffic.
If you’re unsure whether you need a full site or a single campaign page, read landing page or a full website before choosing your project type.
Section 2: Goals and success metrics
Prompts:
- The top three business goals for the site: ______
- How we’ll measure success (leads, bookings, sales, calls): ______
- Current baseline, if known: ______
- Target and timeframe: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): (1) Increase online bookings, (2) reduce phone calls for routine questions, (3) attract more post-surgery rehab patients. Currently about 40 booking requests per month arrive via the contact form; we’d like 70 per month within six months of launch. We’ll track bookings, calls from the site and form submissions as key events.
Make sure conversions can actually be measured; our guide to GA4 explains how to track form submissions and bookings as key events.
Section 3: Target audience
Prompts:
- Who are our main customer groups: ______
- What problems or questions bring them to us: ______
- What makes them hesitate before buying or booking: ______
- Devices, accessibility needs or languages to consider: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): Active adults aged 25–55 with sports injuries; older adults recovering from joint replacement surgery, often researched by adult children; and office workers with back or neck pain. Common hesitations are cost, insurance coverage and whether they need a doctor’s referral. Many older patients use larger text settings, so readability matters.
Section 4: Competitors and inspiration
Prompts:
- Three to five competitors and what they do well or badly: ______
- Websites we like (any industry) and why: ______
- Websites or styles we want to avoid: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): Competitor A has clear online booking but a cluttered design. Competitor B explains treatments well but hides prices. We like the calm, spacious layout of a boutique hotel site we’ve shared, and the step-by-step “what to expect” sections on a dental clinic site. We want to avoid stock photos of models in gym clothes.
Section 5: Pages and sitemap
Prompts:
- Pages we know we need: ______
- Existing pages to keep, merge or remove: ______
- Number of services, locations or products that need their own page: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): Home, about, team, one page per treatment (six treatments), one page per clinic, pricing and insurance, FAQ, blog, contact and booking, plus legal pages. Keep all 30 blog posts, merging three that overlap.
If you’re unsure which pages to include, start from our list of must-have pages for a small business site.
Section 6: Features and functionality
Prompts:
- Must-have features at launch: ______
- Nice-to-have features: ______
- Later-phase features: ______
- Tools and systems the site must connect to: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): Must-have: online booking integrated with our existing practice management software, mobile-friendly layouts and a contact form. Nice-to-have: online intake forms and a clinician filter on the booking page. Later: a patient exercise video library. Integrations: booking software, email marketing tool and Google Business Profile links.
Section 7: Content and assets
Prompts:
- Who will write new copy (us, provider, freelance writer): ______
- Existing content to reuse: ______
- Photos, video and graphics available: ______
- Content deadline we can realistically meet: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): We’d like the provider to write service pages based on interviews with our clinicians; we’ll write the team bios. We have a logo but no professional photos, so we need a half-day photo shoot at both clinics. We can deliver bios and approvals within three weeks of kickoff.
Section 8: Brand and design direction
Prompts:
- Existing brand assets (logo, colors, fonts, guidelines): ______
- Three words describing how the site should feel: ______
- Brand elements that must stay, and what can change: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): We have a logo and two brand colors but no formal guidelines. The site should feel calm, professional and encouraging. The logo stays; colors can be refined if they improve contrast and readability.
Section 9: Technical, SEO and accessibility requirements
Prompts:
- Preferred platform, or “open to recommendation”: ______
- Who will update the site after launch, and how often: ______
- Hosting, domain and email arrangements: ______
- SEO needs (keep rankings, redirects, local SEO): ______
- Accessibility standard: ______
- Privacy, cookie consent and security needs: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): Open to recommendation; our office manager will update opening hours and blog posts weekly, so editing must be simple. We own our domain; email stays separate. We need all existing blog URLs redirected properly and our clinic pages optimized for local search. Target WCAG 2.2 Level AA. The booking flow must handle patient data securely.
Platform choice affects cost and editing; it helps to compare Webflow, WordPress and custom code before you state a preference. For the accessibility standard, our WCAG accessibility guide explains what Level AA involves. If you’re redesigning, attach a list of your top pages and point providers to a redesign SEO checklist so redirects and tracking are planned upfront.
Section 10: Budget
Prompts:
- Budget range for design and build: ______
- Ongoing monthly or annual budget (hosting, maintenance, licenses): ______
- Is the budget fixed or flexible for the right solution: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): $12,000–$18,000 for design and build, plus up to $300 per month for hosting, maintenance and booking software. Slightly flexible if a provider can show a clear return on additional features.
Not sure what’s realistic? Our breakdown of typical website costs shows price ranges by site type. Sharing a range doesn’t weaken your negotiating position; it lets providers propose a solution that fits instead of guessing.
Section 11: Timeline and milestones
Prompts:
- Ideal launch date and whether it’s fixed: ______
- Key dates to work around (seasonal peaks, events, campaigns): ______
- Our availability for feedback and approvals: ______
Example answer (hypothetical): We’d like to launch by early March, before spring sports season, but the date is flexible by a few weeks. We want to avoid launching during the January peak. Our practice manager can review designs within three working days of each delivery.
Section 12: Stakeholders, approvals and post-launch support
Prompts:
- Main contact and final decision-maker: ______
- Others who must review or approve: ______
- How we prefer to communicate (email, calls, project tool): ______
- Support needed after launch (training, maintenance, updates): ______
Example answer (hypothetical): The practice manager is the main contact; the clinic owner makes final decisions. Both lead clinicians review service page content. We prefer a weekly 30-minute call plus email. After launch, we need training for two staff members, monthly updates and backups, and a small number of support hours each month.
Copy-and-paste website brief template
Use this blank version to start your own brief. Replace each line with your answers and delete prompts that don’t apply.
WEBSITE BRIEF: [Business name] Date: [ ] Version: [ ]
1. COMPANY AND PROJECT OVERVIEW
Business, website and locations:
What we do:
Project type:
Why now:
What works / doesn't work today:
2. GOALS AND SUCCESS METRICS
Top three goals:
How we'll measure success:
Current baseline:
Target and timeframe:
3. TARGET AUDIENCE
Main customer groups:
Their problems and questions:
Their hesitations:
Devices, accessibility, languages:
4. COMPETITORS AND INSPIRATION
Competitors (strengths / weaknesses):
Sites we like and why:
Styles to avoid:
5. PAGES AND SITEMAP
Pages needed:
Pages to keep, merge or remove:
6. FEATURES AND FUNCTIONALITY
Must-have:
Nice-to-have:
Later phase:
Integrations:
7. CONTENT AND ASSETS
Who writes copy:
Existing content to reuse:
Photos, video, graphics:
Content deadline:
8. BRAND AND DESIGN DIRECTION
Brand assets:
Three words for the feel:
What must stay / can change:
9. TECHNICAL, SEO AND ACCESSIBILITY
Platform preference:
Who updates the site:
Hosting, domain, email:
SEO and redirect needs:
Accessibility standard:
Privacy and security needs:
10. BUDGET
Build budget range:
Ongoing budget:
Fixed or flexible:
11. TIMELINE
Target launch date (fixed or flexible):
Dates to avoid:
Our review turnaround:
12. STAKEHOLDERS AND SUPPORT
Main contact:
Final decision-maker:
Other reviewers:
Communication preferences:
Post-launch support needed:What mistakes should you avoid when writing a website brief?
The most common brief mistakes are vagueness, missing constraints and prescribing solutions instead of describing problems. Watch out for these:
- Vague goals. “A modern website” isn’t a goal. “More online bookings from mobile visitors” is.
- No budget. Hiding the budget leads to proposals that are wildly over or under what you can spend, wasting everyone’s time.
- An unprioritized wish list. If every feature is essential, nothing can be trimmed when costs rise. Label must-haves clearly.
- Ignoring content. Content is the most common cause of launch delays. Decide early who writes what, and by when.
- Forgetting SEO in a redesign. Changing URLs without a redirect plan can wipe out years of search visibility. Google Search Central’s documentation on site moves explains why mapping old URLs to new ones matters.
- Design by committee. Too many approvers with no final decision-maker leads to endless revisions.
- Unrealistic timelines. Setting a launch date without allowing time for your own reviews and content creates pressure and shortcuts.
- Prescribing the solution. Saying “we need a chatbot” is less useful than “patients keep calling with the same five questions.” Describe the problem and let experts suggest options.
What happens after you send the brief?
After you send the brief, good providers respond with questions before they send a price. Those questions are a useful signal: they show who has read the brief carefully and is thinking about your goals.
A typical sequence looks like this:
- Clarifying questions by email or a short call.
- Proposals outlining approach, scope, timeline and cost, often with options.
- Comparison of proposals against your goals, budget and priorities, not price alone.
- Discovery or kickoff, where the chosen provider explores details and refines scope.
- A final statement of work, turning the brief into agreed deliverables.
Frequently asked questions
What should a website brief include?
A website brief should include a company and project overview, goals and success metrics, target audience, competitors and inspiration, required pages, features, content responsibilities, brand and design direction, technical, SEO and accessibility requirements, budget, timeline and stakeholders. Together, these sections give providers enough context to quote accurately and propose the right solution.
How long should a website brief be?
Most effective briefs are two to six pages. That’s long enough to cover goals, scope, budget and timeline, but short enough that busy providers will read every word. Use bullet points and plain language, and attach supporting materials such as brand guidelines or analytics data separately rather than packing them into the main document.
Should I include my budget in a website brief?
Yes. Including a budget range is one of the most helpful things you can do. It allows providers to recommend a solution that fits your means, rather than guessing and quoting too high or too low. A range, such as $10,000 to $15,000, is fine if you’re unsure of the exact figure.
What’s the difference between a website brief and an RFP?
A website brief is a plain-language summary of your goals, needs and constraints, used to start conversations with providers. An RFP, or request for proposal, is a more formal document, often used by larger organizations, that requests structured, comparable bids and includes evaluation criteria, submission deadlines and contractual terms. A brief often becomes the core of an RFP.
Who should write the website brief?
The person who will manage the project day to day should write it, usually the owner, marketing manager or operations lead. They should gather input from colleagues in sales, customer service and leadership. One person should own the document and have authority, or clear access to the decision-maker, to approve the final version.
Can I use this template for a website redesign?
Yes. The template works for both new websites and redesigns. For a redesign, give extra attention to what works on the current site, which pages bring traffic and leads, and your SEO and redirect requirements. Attaching analytics data and a list of top-performing pages helps providers protect what’s already working.
