A website project can go off track before a designer opens a laptop. The usual cause is not a lack of creativity. It is a vague brief: “We need a modern website” or “Our current site looks dated.” Those comments may be true, but they do not tell a web team what the new site needs to achieve for your business.
Knowing how to write a website brief gives your project a stronger commercial starting point. It helps your chosen agency understand your priorities, recommend the right functionality and create a website that does more than look the part. For businesses in Blackpool, Lancashire and beyond, that usually means a site built to generate enquiries, bookings, sales or stronger brand confidence.
Start with the business problem
A good website brief begins with the reason for the project, not a list of colours or competitor websites. Explain what is currently holding your online presence back. Perhaps your website is difficult to update, does not work well on mobiles, fails to show up in search results or gives visitors no clear reason to get in touch.
Be specific about the impact. “We are losing leads because customers cannot quickly find our services” is far more useful than “The navigation needs improving.” It gives the web designer context and gives them room to solve the right problem.
You should also state what success looks like. Your goal might be to increase quote requests, fill appointment slots, sell products online, attract higher-value clients or bring several disconnected marketing activities under one clear brand. A website can support more than one goal, but there should be a primary outcome guiding every key decision.
Set clear website objectives
Objectives turn a general wish into a project with direction. They should be realistic, measurable where possible and linked to the way your business actually wins work.
For example, a local trades business may want more calls from homeowners in a defined service area. A health and fitness brand might need online class bookings and a clearer route into membership. A professional services firm may be focused on credibility, case studies and qualified consultation enquiries.
Avoid treating traffic as the only measure of success. More visitors are valuable only if they are the right visitors and they take meaningful action. It is often better to receive 30 well-qualified enquiries each month than 3,000 visits from people who will never become customers.
Decide what action matters most
Your brief should identify the main conversion action. This could be a phone call, contact form, quote request, online purchase, booking, newsletter sign-up or brochure download. If there are several actions, rank them.
This matters because the primary action should influence page layouts, calls to action, form design and the information users see before they are asked to commit. It also makes performance reporting much clearer once the site is live.
Describe your audience properly
“We want to target everyone” is rarely helpful. Different audiences arrive with different concerns, levels of knowledge and reasons to trust you. Give your web team a useful picture of the people you want to reach.
Include the type of customer, where they are based, what they are trying to solve and what may stop them from choosing you. A restaurant might be appealing to local families looking for a relaxed meal, while also targeting visitors searching for somewhere reliable near the promenade. The website needs to answer both audiences without becoming cluttered.
Mention how people usually find you too. If customers search Google for a service, local SEO and service-page structure will matter. If most leads come through social media, the landing experience on mobile becomes even more important. If referrals are common, visitors may need reassurance that validates a recommendation quickly.
Define the scope before discussing design
One of the most useful parts of a website brief is a clear list of what needs to be included. This prevents assumptions, controls budgets and makes it easier to compare proposals fairly.
Start with the pages you expect to need. Most service-led websites include a home page, about page, individual service pages, contact page and privacy information. You may also need team profiles, case studies, testimonials, FAQs, locations, careers, a blog or a portfolio.
Then explain any special requirements. These might include online booking, e-commerce, membership areas, event listings, quotation tools, integrations with your CRM, multilingual content or downloadable resources. Not every feature belongs in phase one. If a function is useful but not essential, say so. A phased approach can protect your budget while leaving room to grow.
Separate essentials from nice-to-haves
A clear brief distinguishes between what the website must do at launch and what would be beneficial later. This is particularly valuable when you are working to a fixed budget or deadline.
Be honest about priorities. A polished booking system may be more valuable than an extensive blog at launch. For another business, the reverse may be true because search visibility is the main route to growth. It depends on your customers, sales process and wider marketing plan.
Provide the content and brand materials you have
A website cannot persuade visitors without strong content. Tell your agency whether you have existing copy, professional photography, product information, videos, testimonials, logos and brand guidelines. If the material is outdated, incomplete or inconsistent, include that in the brief too.
Do not assume old website copy should simply be moved across. A redesign is a chance to make your message clearer, cut jargon and focus on customer benefits. Your web team may recommend copywriting, photography or branding support where gaps could weaken the finished site.
Share examples of websites you like, but explain why you like them. Is it the clear layout, confident tone, use of imagery, simple booking journey or strong product presentation? A visual reference is useful; copying another business is not. Your site should look and sound like your brand, not a competitor with a different logo.
Include SEO and marketing from the beginning
Your website should not be designed in isolation from the way customers find you. If organic search is important, your brief should mention the services, products and locations you want to be known for. That gives the project a foundation for well-structured pages, relevant content and local search visibility.
The same applies to paid advertising, email campaigns and social media. Landing pages may need to support PPC campaigns. Tracking should capture calls, forms, purchases and bookings. Social content may require flexible pages that can be shared easily and read well on a phone.
At Fylde Digital, we see the strongest websites as part of a joined-up marketing engine. Design, content, search visibility and conversion tracking work better when they are considered together rather than added as an afterthought.
Be open about budget, timing and decision-making
Budget conversations can feel uncomfortable, but a realistic range helps an agency recommend an appropriate solution. A brochure website, e-commerce platform and custom booking system require very different levels of planning, design and development. Without a budget indication, you may receive proposals that are either too limited or far beyond what you intended to invest.
Include any fixed launch date and explain why it matters. A seasonal campaign, new premises, rebrand or event may create a genuine deadline. Leave sensible room for content approvals, feedback rounds and testing. Rushing a website live with missing information or untested forms can cost more than taking an extra week to get the details right.
Also name the people who will approve key decisions. Projects move faster when there is one main contact, a defined feedback process and agreement on who has final sign-off.
Use this website brief checklist
Before sending your brief, check that it covers these essential areas:
- Your business background and the problem the website needs to solve.
- The primary goal, target audience and key conversion action.
- Required pages, functionality and launch priorities.
- Existing content, branding and examples that show your preferences.
- SEO, marketing, budget, timeline and decision-makers.
A brief does not need to be a formal twenty-page document. Two or three well-considered pages can be enough for a straightforward project. What matters is giving your web partner enough information to ask better questions and build a recommendation around your commercial goals.
The best website brief is not a set of instructions for where every button should sit. It is a clear explanation of where your business needs to go next. Give your agency that direction, and they can turn it into a digital presence that earns its place in your marketing.
