How to Write a Website Brief That Gets Results

In today's digital age, a well-designed and functional website is crucial for businesses and individuals. However, creating a website without a clear plan can lead to confusion, delays, and unsatisfactory results. This is where a website brief comes in.

What is a Website Brief?

A website brief is a document that outlines the goals, requirements, and scope of a website project. It is a valuable tool for both the client and the web development team, as it helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the project is completed successfully.

Here are some of the benefits of writing a website brief:

• It helps to clarify the project goals. The website brief should clearly state the project's goals, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or driving sales. This helps to ensure that the web development team is aligned with the client's objectives and that the project is focused on achieving those objectives.
• It identifies the target audience. The website brief should also identify the target audience for the website. This helps the web development team create a website tailored to the needs and interests of the target audience.
• It defines the website requirements. The website brief should define the specific requirements for the website, such as the number of pages, the features and functionality, and the design elements. This helps to ensure that the web development team understands what is needed and that the project is delivered on time and within budget.
• It helps to avoid scope creep. Scope creep is when the project requirements change or expand during the course of the project. This can lead to delays and cost overruns. The website brief can help to avoid scope creep by clearly defining the project scope at the outset.
• It serves as a communication tool. The website brief can serve as a communication tool between the client and the web development team. It can be used to track the project's progress, identify any issues, and make decisions about the project.

A website brief serves as a roadmap for your web design project, outlining your goals, expectations, and requirements. It provides a clear direction for you and the web designers or developers you work with, ensuring everyone is on the same page from the start.

Benefits of Writing a Website Brief

Writing your website brief offers numerous benefits. Firstly, it helps you define and clarify your goals and objectives for your website. By clearly stating what you want to achieve with your site, you can ensure that it aligns with your overall business or personal objectives.

A well-written website brief lets you communicate your vision effectively to web designers or developers. It provides them with essential information about your target audience, competitors, branding guidelines, and content strategy so they can create an effective and visually appealing website that meets your needs.

Finally, having a comprehensive website brief helps manage expectations by setting realistic timelines and budgets for the project. It ensures that all parties involved know what needs to be done within specific timeframes and financial constraints.

But do you know how to write a website brief? It's not as tricky as it sounds. Read on!

Understanding the Website Brief

Macro Website Template from Strikingly

Defining the Purpose and Goals of Your Website

When writing your website brief, it is crucial to define the purpose and goals of your website clearly. Consider what you want to achieve with your website: sell products, provide information, or promote a service. Clearly articulating your objectives will help guide the design and development process.

Identifying Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is another critical aspect of creating a website brief. Take the time to research and identify who your ideal customers or users are. Consider their demographics, interests, and needs. This information will help you tailor your website's design, content, and functionality to effectively engage with your target audience.

Researching Competitors and Market Trends

To stand out in today's competitive online landscape, it's essential to research your competitors and stay up-to-date with market trends. Analyze what other websites in your industry are doing well and identify areas where you can differentiate yourself. Additionally, keep an eye on market trends that may impact how users interact with websites or expect certain features.

By understanding the purpose and goals of your website, identifying your target audience, and researching competitors and market trends, you can lay a solid foundation for creating an effective website brief that will guide the design and development process.

Remember that writing a comprehensive website brief is crucial for ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned on project expectations.

Components of a Website Brief

Lotus Catering Website Template from Strikingly

To communicate your website project effectively to web designers and developers, including key components in your website brief is important. These components will provide a comprehensive project overview and set clear stakeholder expectations.

Executive Summary: Overview of the Project

The executive summary is an introduction to your website brief, providing a concise project overview. It should include information such as the website's purpose, its target audience, and any specific goals or objectives you have in mind.

Scope of Work: Detailed Description of the Project

The scope of work section outlines what needs to be done for the website project. It includes specific features, functionalities, and requirements that you expect from the final product. This section helps ensure everyone understands the project's scope and avoids misunderstandings.

Timeline and Budget: Setting Realistic Expectations

Setting a realistic timeline and budget is crucial for successful website development. This section clearly states the desired timeline for completion and any budget constraints or considerations. This will help manage expectations and ensure all parties agree regarding deadlines and financial resources.

Design and Branding Guidelines: Creating a Consistent Look and Feel

Design plays a significant role in creating an impactful website that aligns with your brand identity. Provide guidelines on preferred colors, fonts, imagery, and overall aesthetic to maintain consistency throughout the site. Including examples or references can help convey your vision effectively.

Content Strategy: Planning and Organizing Website Content

Content is essential for engaging visitors on your website. Outline your content strategy by specifying what types of content will be included (e.g., text, images, videos) and how they should be structured or organized within different pages or sections. Consider SEO keywords to optimize content for search engines.

Remember, a well-crafted website brief acts as a roadmap for your project, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned and working towards the same goals. You can effectively communicate your vision and expectations to web designers and developers by including these components in your website brief.

Creating a Website Brief

Train with Cathy Website Template from Strikingly

When it comes to creating a website brief, there are several vital steps to follow to ensure its effectiveness. Let's take a closer look at each of these steps.

Gathering Information and Ideas

Before you start writing your website brief, gathering all the necessary information and ideas is crucial. This includes understanding the purpose of your website, the goals you want to achieve, and any specific features or functionalities you require. Take the time to brainstorm and collect all relevant details that will shape your website brief.

Using a Website Brief Template to Get Started

Consider using a website brief template as a starting point to make the process easier. A template provides a structured framework that ensures you cover all the essential elements of a website brief. It can help you organize your thoughts and streamline the writing process, saving time and effort.

Collaborating with Stakeholders

Creating a website brief is not something that should be done in isolation. It's essential to involve key stakeholders such as business owners, marketing teams, designers, and developers. Collaborating with these individuals will help ensure everyone's expectations are aligned, and all necessary inputs are considered.

Refining and Finalizing the Website Brief

Once you have gathered information, used a template, and collaborated with stakeholders, refining and finalizing your website brief is time. Review each section carefully for clarity and completeness. Ensure all goals are clearly defined, timelines are realistic, budgets are established, design guidelines are provided, and content strategies are outlined.

Communicating the Website Brief

Byte Sized Blog Website Template from Strikingly

When communicating the website brief, several necessary steps must be considered. This section will guide you through presenting the website brief to web designers and developers, providing clear instructions and expectations, and incorporating feedback and revisions into the process.

Presenting the Website Brief to Web Designers and Developers

Once you have finalized your website brief, it's time to present it to the web designers and developers working on your project. This step is crucial in ensuring that everyone involved understands the website's goals, requirements, and vision.

During this presentation, it is essential to communicate the purpose of your website, its target audience, and any specific design or branding guidelines that need to be followed. You should also provide an overview of the project scope, timeline, and budget to set realistic expectations for all parties involved.

Remember that effective communication is key in this process. Be prepared to answer any questions or concerns from the designers and developers so they clearly understand what is expected.

Providing Clear Instructions and Expectations

Providing clear instructions and expectations to your web designers and developers is essential to ensure a successful outcome. This includes providing detailed information on design elements such as color schemes, typography preferences, layout preferences, and any required functionalities or features.

Additionally, communicate any content requirements or guidelines for your website. This includes providing information on how you want your content structured, any keywords or SEO considerations that need to be considered, and any specific tone or style preferences.

You can avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations by providing clear instructions and expectations.

Incorporating Feedback and Revisions

Throughout the web development process, it is important to maintain open lines of communication with your designers and developers. This allows for the incorporation of feedback and revisions as necessary.

As you review the progress of your website, provide constructive feedback to address any areas that may need improvement or adjustment. This could include design, layout, functionality, or content changes.

By incorporating feedback and revisions into the process, you can ensure that your website aligns with your vision and meets your goals. Remember to communicate any changes or updates clearly to avoid confusion.

Using Strikingly Website Builder

Strikingly Landing Page

Strikingly is a user-friendly website builder that can help you bring your website brief to life. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, you can easily create a professional-looking website that aligns with your goals and brand identity.

What is Strikingly?

Strikingly is a popular website builder known for its simplicity and ease of use. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced web designer, Strikingly offers a range of tools and templates to suit your needs. It provides a hassle-free way to build stunning websites without any coding knowledge.

Exploring Templates and Customization Options

One of the key advantages of using Strikingly is its extensive collection of templates. These templates are professionally designed and cover various industries and styles. You can choose from different layouts, color schemes, fonts, and more to create a unique look for your website.

Customization options in Strikingly allow you to personalize your website further. To match your branding requirements, you can easily modify the template's elements, such as text, images, buttons, and backgrounds. This flexibility ensures that your website reflects your business's personality and resonates with your target audience.

Building and Managing Your Website on Strikingly

Building your website on Strikingly is straightforward, thanks to its drag-and-drop editor. Simply select the elements you want on each page and position them as desired. You can add sections for About Us, Services, Contact Information, or any other content relevant to your business.

Strikingly also offers features like contact forms, social media integration, blog functionality, e-commerce capabilities (for online stores), analytics tracking, SEO optimization tools, and more. These features make it easy to manage different aspects of your website without relying on external plugins or third-party services.

With Strikingly's user-friendly interface and comprehensive support resources, you can easily update and manage your website even after it's live. Whether you need to add new content, make design changes, or track performance metrics, Strikingly provides a seamless experience.

Get Started Today: Create a Website Brief for Success

Personal Life Coach Website Template from Strikingly

Learning how to create a website brief is not as difficult as it sounds. Writing your website brief is an essential step in the web design process. It helps you clearly define the purpose and goals of your website, identify your target audience, and research competitors and market trends. By creating a detailed website brief, you can set realistic expectations for your project and ensure all stakeholders are on the same page.

Using a website brief template can streamline creating a website brief. It provides a structured framework for gathering information and ideas, ensuring no critical details are overlooked. A template saves time by providing pre-designed sections covering all necessary website brief components.

Don't wait any longer to create your website brief! Start by gathering information and ideas about your project, including its purpose, goals, target audience, competitors, and market trends. Then, use a website brief template to structure your document and collaborate with stakeholders to refine and finalize it.