How to Write a Brief for a Website? What Is Considered?

You're going to have a website built, but don't have a brief to present to your agency? I have compiled this article for you. I compiled from different content, not all of which belong to me. Please read the article first,  then download the website design brief at the bottom of the article.

Entrance

The agency where you will make your new website should get to know you before starting the design. Thus, they can decide more easily what kind of design they should make. Below is a nice list we have prepared for this:

• A brief information about your company
• The products you sell or the services you provide
• The size of your company (like your number of employees and roughly turnover. If you don't want to share your turnover, think of it this way; there's a lot of difference between what a £100,000 company and a £100,000,000 company should look like)
• Are you an international company? If so, in which countries do you operate?
• When was your company founded?
• Describe your company in five or ten words (like young, vibrant or tech-based)

Old Website

If you already have a website, first share the url information with your design agency. Afterwards, answering the following questions will facilitate the process:

• What are the things you like on your website?
• What do you dislike about your website? (Like colors or outdated)
• When was it designed and who designed it?
• What is the current traffic of your website?
• What percentage of traffic comes from smartphones or tablets?
• What are the demographics of visitors?
• What are the most frequently used web browsers and platforms by visitors to your site? (Mac/PC/Android/iOS)
• Do you sell through your site? If you do, how often?
• Who is responsible for updating your site?

The bottom line is that the agency you will redesign your website needs to know why your old website is no longer suitable so that it can fully meet your needs.

New Website

You are at the stage of deciding what should be on your new website. The following list may help you get started:

• Identify the purpose of your new website (like increasing traffic, increasing awareness of products or services, increasing sales, advertising a new product or service)
• Who is your target audience? What are the demographics?
• Where do you want your target audience to access your site the most? (such as phone, tablet or desktop devices)
• Is your new website also part of the launch of your new products?
• What are the unique selling points of your company?
• In which area do you aim to take place with your new website?

Apart from these, examine your competitors' websites. For example, for an e-commerce site, even which bank you will work with is important. Because details such as which payment management you will use come into play.

Budget

It is very important that you share your budget with the agency. In this way, you can decide more easily which agency to work with. So you can separate apples from oranges.

• What is your budget for designing and developing your website?
• Do you have a budget for ongoing support and maintenance?
• Do you have a digital marketing budget for the next 6 months planning?

The Look of Your New Website

In order for your agency to have an idea about the site you want, give examples from your competitors' sites. Be sure to share color, navigation bars, or interactive elements with your agency.

Content of Your New Website

Start by first thinking about the content you want on your new website.

If you think there is something missing on your old site, you probably need to rewrite your content. J Consider your audience and consider whether your content meets their expectations and wishes.

Do not leave this part to the end of the project. Before you start designing your site, review your content. Do you have the resources or talent to create new content for your website? If your answer is no, you also need a copywriter.

• Do you have the skills and resources to conduct a content audit of your current website?
• Who will be responsible for creating the content?
• Can you really provide content that truly reflects your brand? (Producing content according to the target audience, such as the tone of the content)
• Do you have photos and videos that reflect your company?
• Can you share your logo and corporate identity with the agency? Of course in vector format.

Technical Requirements

Before starting to design your new website, be sure to share the technical details with your agency.

• Do you own the domain name?
• Will you get hosting service?
• Is your server Windows-based or Linux-based?
• Are there people in your target audience with special needs and needs? (Like people who are colorblind, deaf, or have learning disabilities)
• What is the percentage of mobile users when you consider your old website?

Care

The maintenance of the website is as important as its design. But brands often ignore it.

• Who will be responsible for maintaining your new website?
• You will maintain your website yourself, do you have enough skills and resources for this?
• What if the staff responsible for maintaining your new site leaves your company?

If your answers to the above questions are negative, it would be logical to agree with the agency that designed your new website for maintenance.

promotion

You spend money to build a new website, so you want your target audience to see it, right? But how will you market your new website? The marketing need of an online business is no different than a traditional business. Asking your agency for help in this regard would be the best decision.

Digital marketing

In the briefs for the website, the subject of digital marketing is often overlooked by the brands. However, promoting your website is vital for increasing visibility in search engines and maintaining the success of the site.

Below are a few of the digital marketing activities you can consider:

• Social media campaigns
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and Display Network ads on their respective websites
• Email marketing
• Content marketing (such as blog, videos, newsletters)
• Banner ads on related websites
• Affiliate marketing

Traditional Marketing

The website can be marketed in traditional ways apart from digital marketing strategies. Below are a few strategies you can use in traditional marketing:

• direct mail
• Brochures and flyers
• outdoor advertisements
• PR work
• Sponsorships

You may be thinking about why you need traditional marketing. However, for a coherent communication strategy, integrated communication channels should be used. The consumer decision-making process is complex. To keep it simple, you need to differentiate yourself in the eyes of the target audience, who are exposed to thousands of advertising messages every day. When people come across your products or services through various channels at different times of the day, it will be easier for them to make decisions. For this, you need to interact with them at the right time and place.

Conclusion

You can end your briefing to the agency with a short statement explaining exactly what you expect from your new website. Of course, don't forget to put a timeline on the brief. But when setting this timeline, remember that good work doesn't come out in 2 days.

Below is the sample brief we prepared for you. Download, fill and submit to your agency.

We finish by wishing you good luck with the design of your new website. Also, do not forget to include us among the agencies that you will consider for the design and development of your new website.