A website brief is a short document that tells a developer or studio what the site must achieve, who it is for and what is in and out of scope. A good one lets several providers quote on the same terms and prevents the most expensive kind of misunderstanding: discovering mid-project that you meant something different. Two to four pages is usually enough.
Why the brief comes first
Government small business guidance starts here too. The Small Business Development Corporation in Western Australia recommends writing a clear brief and collecting three to five quotes, and checking that each quote states who supplies images and written content. The business.gov.au guide also begins with deciding what the website should achieve and aligning it with your business and marketing plans.
The template
Copy these headings and fill them in.
1. About the business
Two or three sentences on what you do, who you serve and where. Include your current website address if one exists, and what you like and dislike about it.
2. Goals and success measures
State the one main purpose and up to two secondary ones. For example: generate quote requests, take bookings, sell products or support existing customers. Then say how you will know it worked, such as number of enquiries or completed bookings. Our guide on what makes a business website convert helps you choose realistic measures.
3. Audience
Describe the main visitor groups, what they want to do on the site and what might worry them. A paragraph per group is enough. Mention device habits if you know them, and any language needs.
4. Scope: pages and features
List the pages you expect and the features each needs. A table keeps it scannable:
| Page or feature | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Explain the offer, direct to next step | Existing content or new? |
| Services | One page per service | Who writes the copy? |
| About | Build trust honestly | Photos supplied by you? |
| Contact | Enquiry form and details | Where do enquiries go? |
| Blog or resources | Ongoing content | Who will publish? |
Add a list of things you do not want, so nothing is assumed.
5. Content
Say who will write text, who will supply photos and video, and who approves them. Note the deadline for your content, since late content delays launch. If anything needs to be created, say so and ask the quote to include it.
6. Design and brand
Attach logos, colours, fonts and any brand guidelines. Share three sites you like and what you like about each. If branding is incomplete, say so: it may need work first. Our article on website redesigns and SEO explains why existing URLs and content also matter if you already have a site.
7. Technical requirements and integrations
List the tools the site must connect to: booking system, payment provider, email marketing, customer database, analytics, maps. Say whether you have a preferred platform or are open to advice, and whether you want to edit content yourself. For a plain-language comparison, see Astro versus WordPress. Ask providers to explain how the platform will be hosted and maintained, since business.gov.au notes that a cloud-based CMS bundles hosting and templates while a self-hosted CMS offers more flexibility but needs more setup and maintenance.
8. Accessibility, speed and security
State your expectations: mobile-friendly, accessible to people with disability, and reasonably fast. The W3C’s WCAG is the technical standard for accessibility, with WCAG 2.2 the current version, so ask which conformance level the provider will build to and how they test. Ask about security basics such as updates, strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
9. Search visibility
Say whether you need search engine optimisation built in, such as page titles, clean URLs and redirects, and whether ongoing support is required.
10. Budget, timeline and decision process
Give a budget range if you can, because it helps providers propose something realistic. List key dates such as a campaign or event, who approves work, and how fast they respond. Note payment preferences, such as milestone instalments.
11. After launch
Ask what training, handover documents and support are included. Ask who owns the domain, code and content, and make sure you receive all logins.
How to use the brief
- Send the same brief to three to five providers.
- Ask each to respond in writing with questions, a scope and a quote.
- Compare not just price but how well they understood the problem.
- Meet your shortlist and ask about process and ownership.
Providers’ questions are a good signal: a team that asks sharp questions about your customers is usually a better fit than one that quotes immediately.
Common brief mistakes
- Describing solutions (“a slider on the home page”) instead of problems.
- Leaving content responsibilities unclear.
- Forgetting integrations until late.
- No success measure, so every opinion carries equal weight.
- Changing scope after approval without updating the quote.
Where Radiance Impact fits
Radiance Impact’s Technology division builds business websites, redesigns and landing pages, with maintenance and care. If you have a draft brief and want a second set of eyes, see Technology or contact us.
Sources
- Choosing a website professional, Small Business Development Corporation (Western Australia)
- Set up a business website, business.gov.au
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview, W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
