The fastest way to waste money on a website is to start without a clear brief. Not a 30-page document — a usable brief that defines goals, scope, and decision-makers.

This template is what we ask for (or help clients build) before design begins.

1) Business context

• What do you sell, and to who?
• What’s the average deal size or customer value?
• What stage are you in (launch, growth, repositioning)?

2) Primary goal (pick one)

• Lead generation
• Direct sales
• Signups / demos
• Authority / SEO content

Everything in the website should serve this goal.

3) Audience and objections

• Top 3 audience segments
• Top 5 objections that stop them from buying
• What proof matters (results, credentials, case studies, reviews)

4) Required pages and features

List required pages (and what success looks like for each):

• Homepage
• Services
• Projects / case studies
• About
• Blog (optional)
• Contact / booking

And required features:

• CMS collections
• Integrations (CRM, email, analytics, scheduling)
• Forms + routing
• Multilingual (if needed)

5) Content: what you already have vs what you need

• Existing copy (yes/no)
• Brand guidelines (yes/no)
• Photos/videos (yes/no)
• Case studies (yes/no)

Pro tip: missing content is the #1 reason projects drag.

6) References (what “good” looks like)

Share 3–5 websites you like and explain why:

• Layout and structure
• Typography
• Brand feeling
• Interactions

7) Stakeholders + approvals

• Who makes final decisions?
• How many review rounds are expected?
• What is the launch deadline and why?

FAQ

Do I need to know exactly what I want?

No. But you do need clarity on goals, audience, and constraints. A good studio will help shape the rest.

Should I write the copy first?

Ideally, messaging and page structure are defined early. Final copy can be refined during design, but the direction should be clear up front.

What’s the minimum brief?

Goals, target audience, required pages/features, and a few reference sites. That’s enough to start a productive discovery.

Next step

If you want, send us your current website (or a competitor you admire). We’ll suggest a structure and scope that fits your goals.

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