How to write a website brief

A website brief is a short document that explains what you want a new website to do, for whom, and within what limits. It doesn't need to be technical or long. Two to four pages is plenty for most small and mid-sized businesses.

Writing one takes an afternoon. Skipping it can cost weeks of back and forth, quotes you can't compare and a finished site that solves the wrong problem.

Why a brief saves time and money

When agencies quote without a brief, each one fills the gaps with its own assumptions. One imagines eight pages and a contact form, another imagines thirty pages and online booking. The quotes look wildly different because they describe different projects.

A brief puts everyone on the same page. It also forces useful decisions inside your own team before money is spent, such as who signs off on the design and whether the site really needs that customer portal right now.

A good brief is also a reference point during the project. When a new idea comes up halfway through, you can check it against the goals you wrote down and decide whether it belongs in this phase or the next.

What a good brief contains

• Background: who you are, what you sell and who you sell it to
• Goals: what the website must achieve for the business
• Audience: the people who will use it and what they need from it
• Scope: the pages, features and integrations you expect
• Content: what exists already and who will create the rest
• Constraints: budget range, deadlines and technical requirements
• People: who makes decisions and who the day-to-day contact is

Goals and audience: the heart of the brief

Goals should describe business outcomes, not design preferences. "Get more quote requests from commercial clients" is a goal. "Look modern" is a hope. If you can, say how you'll measure success, such as form submissions, bookings, online sales or fewer repetitive phone calls.

For audience, describe two or three types of visitor in plain words. What problem brings them to your site? What do they need to see before they trust you? A property manager looking for a maintenance contractor wants proof of reliability and a fast way to get in touch. A first-time buyer may want more explanation and reassurance.

Scope, features and content

List the pages you think you need and any features beyond basic pages, such as booking, e-commerce, a resource library or a client login. Name the tools the site must connect to, like your CRM, email marketing platform or accounting software. Mark each item as must-have or nice-to-have so agencies can price options separately.

Be honest about content. Say whether you'll provide final copy and photos, need help writing, or have an old site whose content should move across. Content readiness affects the timeline more than almost anything else.

Constraints and practical details

Include anything that limits or shapes the project. That might be a launch date tied to a trade show, a requirement to stay on your current platform, French-language content, or accessibility obligations. Some accessibility rules are legal requirements in certain provinces, so check what applies to your organization with the official source.

Also name your decision makers. Projects slow down most when approvals bounce between people who were never in the room.

If you have existing systems the site must work with, mention them by name, along with who manages them. An agency can then flag early whether a connection is simple or needs extra budget, instead of discovering it during the build.

A simple outline you can copy

Use these headings and write a few short paragraphs or bullet points under each.

• 1. About us: business, products or services, location and customers
• 2. Why now: what isn't working with the current site, or why you need one
• 3. Goals: two or three measurable outcomes
• 4. Audience: the main visitor types and what each needs
• 5. Scope: pages, features and integrations, marked must-have or nice-to-have
• 6. Content: what exists, what's needed and who will produce it
• 7. Examples: a few sites you like and what specifically you like about them
• 8. Budget, timeline and decision makers

Our recommendation

Write the brief before you contact any agency, even if it feels rough. Send the same version to everyone you're considering, and invite them to challenge it. The agencies that ask thoughtful questions about your brief are usually the ones worth talking to further.

Written by Vishal Singh

Founder of Byte Harbor and a senior frontend and web platform engineer. He builds websites, custom software and AI automation for businesses across Canada and the US.

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