A website project is easier to plan when everyone agrees on what the site needs to achieve. A useful brief gives your designer a clear picture of your business, your customers, and the practical requirements behind the project. It does not need to be lengthy or polished. The goal is to answer key questions early, flag unknowns, and make decisions easier. Use this checklist to prepare a brief that helps your project get off to a focused start.
Set clear project goals
Describe what you want the website to help your business do. That might mean generating enquiries, encouraging bookings, explaining a service, selling products, or helping existing customers find information. Choose the most important outcome first, then list any secondary goals. Clear priorities help shape the site’s structure and make it easier to judge whether a proposed feature is worth including.
Add context about your current website, if you have one. Explain what works, what causes problems, and what you want to change. Share any relevant business plans, such as a new service or a move into another market. Avoid prescribing every design detail at this stage; focus on the problem to solve and the result you want.
Describe your audience
Explain who the site needs to serve. Include the customers you most want to reach, what they are looking for, and what might stop them from taking the next step. If you serve different groups, describe each one and note which audience matters most. Specific information is more useful than broad labels such as “everyone” or “small businesses.”
Share how customers typically find and choose your business. They may compare providers, look for credentials, check service areas, or need reassurance before contacting you. Include any accessibility or language needs you know about. These details can guide page priorities, wording, navigation, and the placement of contact options.
List content and features
Make an inventory of the pages and information you expect the site to include. Common examples are a home page, service or product pages, an about page, FAQs, testimonials, and contact details. Note which content already exists and where it lives. For anything still needed, identify who will write, review, or supply it, along with any images, logos, or brand guidelines.
List the features customers need, not just features you have seen elsewhere. Examples include enquiry forms, appointment booking, online payments, product listings, maps, or an email signup. For each one, explain what users should be able to do and whether you already use a related tool. Flag essential requirements separately from optional ideas so the project can be scoped sensibly.
Cover practical decisions
Include the practical details that affect planning: your preferred launch window, key business deadlines, budget range if known, and who will approve the work. Name the people responsible for providing content and feedback. Agreeing on a decision-maker and a clear review process can prevent conflicting comments and avoid delays.
Note any technical or operational requirements. These may include an existing domain, hosting, email setup, analytics, privacy notices, or connections to software your business already uses. Share access details securely when requested rather than adding passwords to the brief. If you are unsure about a requirement, mark it as a question for your designer to review.
A strong brief gives your designer the information needed to plan the right site without pretending every detail is already settled. Keep it specific, separate must-haves from preferences, and record open questions. Before work begins, review the goals, content responsibilities, and approval process together. London Pixel Studio can help turn your notes into a practical project plan.