How to write a website brief
A useful brief explains the job the website needs to do. You don't need technical language or a finished page design. Fill in what you can and leave the rest for discussion.
Download the plain-text briefFree to read, copy and use. No signup. Updated 30 September 2026.
What should the website achieve?
Describe your business or project in a few sentences. Name the main action you want a visitor to take, whether that's enquiring about a service, booking a stay, seeing an artwork or trying a product. If the site has more than one audience, explain what each group needs.
What needs to be included?
List what people need to know before they act. Note any booking, payments, accounts or integrations. Separate what's essential now from what can wait. A list of jobs the site needs to do is more useful at this stage than a list of effects.
What do you already have?
Share your current website, logo, brand rules, words and images. Note which material can be reused and which still needs work. A few reference websites help, as long as you explain the particular thing you like rather than asking for a copy of the whole site.
What happens after launch?
Explain who will update the site after launch and how often. Note any accessibility, language or device needs. If you already have a domain, say who manages it, but don't send passwords. Include any old pages or links that need to keep working once the new site goes live.
What are the budget and timing?
A rough budget range helps me shape the right scope. If a date matters, explain what is happening then and what needs to be ready. It is much better to know about a fixed launch requirement before design starts than to discover it near the end.
You don't have to finish it first
If you're still working out the answers, send what you have. I can work out what needs scoping before anything gets built. Sending the brief doesn't place an order or add you to a marketing list.
Discuss your website