When you invest in a new website, your developer’s job is to turn your vision into a functional, attractive, and results-driven online presence. But here’s the catch: they can only work with the information you provide.
A clear, detailed brief is the difference between a smooth, successful project and a frustrating game of “guess what I meant.” It’s also the best way to make sure your site launches on time, on budget, and ready to deliver ROI.
Here’s how to give your web developer a comprehensive brief that sets your project up for success.
Quick answer: A website brief is a document that outlines your business goals, target audience, content, features, design preferences, budget, and success metrics – giving your web developer a clear blueprint for building the right website.
🧭 Jump to:
1️⃣ Start with Your Business Overview
Your developer needs to understand your business before they can design a site that reflects it.
- What your business does and who you serve
- Your mission or brand values
- The products or services you offer
- Your Unique Selling Points (USPs)
- Your competitors (and what you like/don’t like about their sites)
💡 Tip: The more your developer understands your brand personality, the better they can capture it in design and content.
2️⃣ Audit Your Current Website (if you have one)
If you’re redesigning, don’t skip this step. Share what’s working, what isn’t, and what users are saying.
- Loading speed & mobile responsiveness
- Navigation strengths and weaknesses
- Pages that drive enquiries or conversions
- Problem areas (broken links, thin content, poor SEO rankings)
This gives your developer a clear picture of where to improve – and prevents past mistakes being repeated.
3️⃣ Define Your Website’s Purpose
Every site needs a job. Is yours a lead generator, an online shop, a portfolio, or primarily an information hub?
Be clear on your primary and secondary goals – because they’ll influence structure, features, and calls to action.
4️⃣ Identify Your Target Audience
A site built for corporate executives won’t look or behave like one designed for young consumers.
- Demographics (age, profession, location)
- Interests and online habits
- Pain points you solve for them
- What they’re looking for when they visit your site
5️⃣ Clarify the Look and Feel
Give your developer a creative compass.
- Brand colours, fonts, and logo
- Style preferences (e.g. clean and minimal, bold and dynamic, modern, traditional)
- Example websites you admire – and why
- Photography or imagery preferences
If you already have brand guidelines, share them. If not, this is where a creative agency like Media Village can help establish them.
6️⃣ Detail the Features and Functionality You Need
Think beyond “pages” – what should your website actually do?
- Contact forms and lead capture
- Blog or news section
- E-commerce functionality
- Booking or scheduling tools
- CRM or email marketing integrations
- Members-only areas or logins
7️⃣ Provide Content (or Plan for It)
Content delays are one of the biggest reasons projects run late. Decide early: are you supplying the copy, images, and video – or do you need your agency to handle it?
- Draft or final copy for each page
- High-resolution images and graphics
- Any downloads, PDFs, or resources
- Video content
8️⃣ Outline Your Sitemap
Give your developer a simple list of pages you expect, e.g.:
- Home
- About Us
- Services (with subpages)
- Portfolio
- Blog
- Contact
This helps them plan the build and navigation flow.
What Does a Good Website Brief Look Like?
A strong website brief doesn’t need to be complicated. At its simplest, it should cover the following:
- Business overview – who you are and what you do
- Website goals – what success looks like
- Target audience – who the site is for
- Design direction – style, tone, inspiration
- Features & functionality – what the site needs to do
- Content plan – what exists and what’s needed
- Sitemap – key pages
- Budget & timeline
If your brief answers these clearly, your developer can plan accurately and avoid costly revisions later.
9️⃣ Set Your Budget and Timeline
Your budget range determines what’s realistic in terms of design and features.
- Project start date
- Launch deadline (and whether it’s fixed or flexible)
- Key milestones or events the site needs to be live for
👉 Consider design requirements too – see our Graphic Design Services.
🔟 Share Technical Details
The practical stuff matters. If you already have these, include:
- Domain name and registrar details
- Hosting provider details
- Email provider information
- Any existing analytics or tracking codes
1️⃣1️⃣ Define Success and Measurement
A website should earn its keep. State how you’ll measure success:
- Enquiries or sales generated
- Improved SEO rankings
- Reduced bounce rates
- More time spent on site
- Positive feedback from customers
This helps your developer (and agency partner) focus on results, not just design.
1️⃣2️⃣ Keep Communication Clear
Nominate a single point of contact within your business. This avoids crossed wires and ensures consistent feedback.
Don’t Forget SEO and Marketing
A website without visibility is just an online brochure. Build digital marketing and SEO into your brief from the start:
- Do you want to rank locally in Lancashire?
- Should service pages be optimised for Google search?
- Will you need blog functionality to support ongoing SEO?
At Media Village, we design with search in mind – so your site looks great and gets found.
Final Thought
A comprehensive brief isn’t just a to-do list – it’s a roadmap that ensures you and your developer are aligned from day one. The more detail you provide, the more likely you are to get a site that matches your vision, meets your goals, and delivers a strong return on investment.
In short: A clear brief = a better website, built faster, with fewer surprises.
FAQs: How to Write a Website Brief
Still unsure what to include in your brief? These quick answers cover the most common questions business owners ask when planning a new website.
What is a website brief?
It’s a document that outlines your goals, audience, content, features, and design preferences – giving your developer a clear plan to work from.
Why is a website brief important?
Because it prevents miscommunication, keeps projects on budget, and ensures the final site actually supports your business objectives.
What should a website brief include?
At minimum: business overview, site purpose, target audience, look and feel, required features, sitemap, content plan, budget, and success metrics.
Is there a free website brief template?
Yes – many agencies (including Media Village) can provide templates or guided workshops to help you structure your brief.
How do you measure success from a new website?
Look at leads or sales generated, SEO improvements, time on site, and customer feedback. These metrics show whether your site is working as intended.
Is a website brief the same as a creative brief?
They’re related, but not identical. A website brief focuses on structure, functionality, content, and goals, while a creative brief is more about visual style, tone, and brand expression. Most web projects benefit from elements of both.
What is a website content brief?
A website content brief focuses specifically on messaging – outlining page goals, key topics, tone of voice, SEO priorities, and calls to action. It’s often created alongside the main website brief.
Can a website brief be short?
Yes. A brief can be one or two pages if it clearly covers goals, audience, features, and success criteria. Clarity matters more than length.
👉 Ready to brief your next website project? Talk to Media Village about Web Design
Written by Austin
Head of UI & UX and Web Design at Media Village
Austin leads the UI, UX and web design side of projects at Media Village. He works closely on website structure, user experience, and front-end design decisions that influence how a site feels, functions, and performs commercially. His input helps ensure new websites are not only visually strong, but properly aligned with the goals, complexity, and growth plans behind each project.
