Kristina ;D
What to Put in a Website Brief Before Hiring a Designer
A good website brief is a short document that explains who the site is for, what it should achieve and what you already have. It does not need to be long or formal. A page or two is enough, as long as it answers the questions a designer would otherwise have to ask you one by one.
Why a brief matters more than it used to
Tools now make it quick to change a page, but they do not decide anything for you. The part that still takes real thought is deciding what the site is for, what visitors are looking for and what they should do next. A designer cannot guess those answers, and a beautiful site built on guesses often fails to bring customers.
Start with the goal
Write one sentence that finishes this phrase: "After a visitor reads this page, I want them to ...". It might be to send an inquiry, book a call, buy a product or listen to a sample. If you have several goals, rank them. A page that tries to do five things at once usually does none of them well.
Describe the people you want to reach
Say who your visitors are and what they need. Use plain language, such as "small business owners who need a simple site and have never hired a designer". Add the questions they are likely to ask before they trust you. Those questions often become the sections of the page.
List what you already have
- Logo, colors and fonts, or a note that you need them created
- Texts that are written, and texts that still need writing
- Photos, videos or music you can use, and who owns them
- Examples of work, reviews or results you can show
- The domain name and hosting, if they exist
Content is where projects most often stall. If your text is not ready, say so, and agree early who will write it.
Show examples you like and dislike
Send two or three websites you like and one or two you do not, and explain why in a sentence each. "I like how simple the menu is" tells a designer more than "make it modern". Examples set direction faster than adjectives do.
Define the sections and the next step
Sketch the order of the page, for example: a short headline, what you offer, examples of work, how it works, prices or a request for a quote, and a contact form. Mark the single action you want on every screen. If you are unsure how the page should flow, what a landing page is explains one structure that works for a single offer.
Agree on the practical details
| Topic | What to settle |
|---|---|
| Timeline | Your deadline and the dates you need to give feedback |
| Approvals | Who gives the final yes, so feedback does not arrive from five people |
| Revisions | How many rounds are included and what counts as an extra |
| Ownership | Who owns the domain, the files and the design after delivery |
| Budget | The range you are comfortable with, so the proposal fits it |
The cost side is explained in how much a one-page website costs, and the handover side in working with a freelancer.
If you only have a few minutes
Write five lines: the goal of the page, the visitor, what you have ready, two example sites and your deadline. Even this small version helps a designer give you a realistic quote, and it shows you where you still need to make decisions.
A short template you can copy
If you prefer a ready structure, paste these headings into a document and fill each one with a sentence or two.
- About the business: what you do and who you do it for.
- Goal of the site: the one action a visitor should take.
- Visitors: who they are and what they want to know.
- Pages and sections: the list in the order you imagine it.
- Content: what is ready, what is missing and who will provide it.
- Look and feel: examples you like, examples you dislike, colors and fonts if you have them.
- Practical details: deadline, approvals, revisions and budget range.
Common mistakes in briefs
The most frequent problem is describing taste instead of purpose, for example "modern and clean" with no mention of the goal. The second is leaving content for later, which delays the whole project. The third is sending feedback from several people at different times. Naming one decision maker avoids a lot of rework.
Keep the brief alive during the project
A brief is not frozen after the first version. As the project moves forward, you will learn what works and what you want to change. Update the document and share the new version, so that everyone works from the same text. Mark changes clearly, and agree what they mean for time and cost. This habit prevents arguments about what was promised.
FAQ
How long should a website brief be?
One or two pages is plenty. A short brief that is clear is more useful than a long one that nobody reads.
Do I need a brief if I use a website builder?
Yes. A brief helps you decide the structure and the text before you start dragging blocks around, which saves rebuilding later.
Should I include my budget?
It helps. Naming a range lets a designer propose something that fits instead of sending a quote that is far from what you can spend.
What if I do not know what I want?
Write down the goal and the audience, collect a few examples and ask the designer to suggest a structure. Part of their job is helping you decide.
When should content be ready?
As early as possible. Texts and images often take longer than the design, so start them while the design is being made.