Writing a website design brief is an essential first step towards creating your new website.
Here we look at what your website brief should cover, what your web agency needs to know and the crucial questions to answer before you start.
A website design brief is simply a document that sets out what you want from your website design project.
It deals with areas including what the website will cover, how it will work, how you’ll update it and how people will find it.
A website design brief helps to focus your thinking on what you really need from your web design, so you don’t waste time and resources later on.
When you are choosing a web design agency, your brief also helps them understand what you want, resolve any questions and give you an accurate cost.
The better the briefing, the smoother the project – and the better the end result.
These days, every company is expected to have a website of some sort. But beyond that, why do you need a new one? What website objectives do you want to achieve?
Specifically, do you want to increase sales and leads, target new customers or promote new products and services? Do you want to build your brand’s profile or offer people a better source of information?
Or is it more about polishing up the design, improving performance, smoothing the user experience or making the site easier to update?
Take an honest look at your existing website – or ask your customers, if you can. What do you like and dislike about it? What is working well, and what needs to change?
A website is a commercial tool – whether you’re using it to sell online, generate enquiries or just build your brand. So your agency needs to understand how your new website will fit with the rest of your business.
In your website design brief, sum up your company history, your products and customers, your markets, your strengths or weaknesses and your future plans.
What is your position within your marketplace? Are you a best-value option, a premium choice – or somewhere in between?
Do you have a marketing plan already? If so, let your agency know what part your new website will play in it.
