How to Write a Website Brief: Client Checklist

A solid brief saves weeks and prevents rework. It locks goals, constraints and expectations so the team executes instead of guessing. Use this checklist to gather everything before kickoff.

Why a proper brief matters

• Clear goals: why the site is needed and how success will be measured.
• Realistic budget & timeline: fewer surprises, fewer hidden tasks.
• Shared responsibility: who owns what on client and vendor sides.
• Lower risk: integrations, content and legal readiness are planned.

Brief structure: sections

1. Business goals & KPIs: expected outcomes (leads/sales/demos/subs) and timeframe.
2. Audience & journeys: segments, jobs-to-be-done, objections.
3. Offer & positioning: value prop, differentiators, guarantees.
4. Competitors/references: links with what/why you like or dislike.
5. Scope & features: site type (landing/multipage/e-commerce/account), page list and features (prioritized).
6. Content: what exists, what’s missing, who creates and when.
7. Brand & tone: logo, brand guide, colors/type, constraints, tone of voice.
8. Integrations: CRM, payments, email, chat, analytics, ERP, maps, delivery, etc.
9. Tech: domain/SSL, hosting/CDN, CMS/headless/none, i18n, performance/security targets.
10. SEO/analytics: keywords, regions, redirect map, schema, GA4/GTM goals.
11. Legal: privacy/terms, cookies/GDPR/CCPA, accessibility.
12. Timeline: MVP vs full launch, target dates.
13. Budget & engagement model: fixed/sprints/T&M, range, out-of-scope handling.
14. Team & roles: owners, response SLAs, comms channels.

Prioritization: must-have vs later

• Use MoSCoW: Must / Should / Could / Won’t (now).
• Ship an MVP first to get traffic and feedback sooner.
• Heavy modules (configurators, accounts, advanced analytics) as a later iteration.

Client deliverables checklist

• Copy (draft/final), photos/videos, case studies, testimonials with name/title.
• Logo (vector), brand guide, licensed fonts.
• Access to domain, hosting/cloud, GA4, GSC, GTM, CRM.
• Legal pages & company details.
• Integrations list and tech contacts (API, keys).

Typical risks & how the brief reduces them

• Content delays — agree on placeholders and deadlines.
• Vague integrations — document data flows and responsibilities.
• Different taste in design — 3–5 references and principles (contrast, density, illustration policy).
• Endless revisions — cap iterations, define feedback format, lock design before build.

Sample page template

• Hero: offer (what/for whom/result) + supporting visual + CTA.
• Problem → Solution → Benefits (3–5 crisp bullets).
• Proof: logos/cases/numbers/testimonials.
• How it works: 3–4 steps.
• FAQ (FAQPage schema) and final CTA.

Questions for the briefing call

1. Primary business goal for the next 3–6 months?
2. Top 1–2 audience segments and why?
3. How do leads/sales happen today? What works/doesn’t?
4. Any mandatory integrations or partner deadlines?
5. Who creates/approves content and how often?
6. Key risks you see? What must not happen?

Process & tangible outputs

• Signed brief (Doc/Notion), sitemap, prioritized feature list.
• Release plan: MVP/iterations, acceptance criteria, demo cadence.
• Phase budget: design, build, integrations, QA, launch, support.

Wrap-up

A brief isn’t paperwork — it’s the foundation for budget, timeline and quality. The tighter it is, the faster you launch and the fewer misses you have.