The Website Brief Template: What to Prepare Before You Talk to an Agency

Define Your Goals

An agency can't hit a goal you haven't named, so start here even if the answer feels obvious.

• Write the single primary goal of the new site in one sentence (get leads, sell online, take bookings, build credibility, replace an outdated site).
• List the top 3 actions you want a visitor to take, in priority order.
• Note specifically what's wrong with the current site, or why you're starting fresh.
• Pick one thing you'll watch after launch (form submissions, calls, bookings) â you don't need a target number yet, just what you'll track.
• Decide who has final sign-off on the finished site internally.

Know Your Audience

• Describe your 2-3 main customer types in a sentence each: who they are and what problem brings them to you.
• List the questions these visitors ask most before buying or getting in touch.
• Note the objections or doubts your sales team or front desk hears repeatedly.
• Flag which pages or services matter most to which audience.
• Pull together any existing customer feedback, reviews or FAQs you already have on file.

Map the Pages You Need

• List every page the site needs â go beyond "home, about, contact" and name each service or product page.
• For each page, write the one job it has to do (inform, convince, capture a contact, sell).
• Mark which pages are must-have for launch versus nice-to-have for a later phase.
• List pages on your current site that must redirect somewhere new, so you don't lose links or rankings.
• Note if you need more than one language version.

Gather Your Content

This is usually the slowest section to complete â start it first, in parallel with everything else.

• Collect any text you already have â About page, service descriptions, old proposals â even if it's rough.
• List what's missing and who will write it: you, the agency, or a freelance copywriter.
• Gather logo files, ideally vector formats (.ai, .eps, .svg), plus your brand colors and fonts if defined.
• Collect photos and videos you own the rights to use, and flag anything that needs new photography.
• Pull together testimonials, reviews, certifications, awards and client logos you want to show.
• Confirm what legal text you'll need: privacy policy, terms, industry-specific disclaimers.

Collect Visual References

• Save 2-3 websites you like (competitors or not) and write exactly what you like about each one.
• Save 1-2 sites you dislike and why â this narrows things down as much as the ones you like.
• List any brand guidelines that must be followed strictly (colors, fonts, tone of voice, logo usage).
• Decide whether this is a redesign that keeps parts of the current site, or a full rebuild from zero.

Define Features and Integrations

• List anything beyond static pages: online booking, e-commerce, quote calculators, a blog, gated downloads, multilingual content.
• Note existing tools that must connect to the new site: CRM, newsletter platform, booking software, payment gateway, accounting system.
• Confirm who owns the domain and current hosting, and whether you plan to keep or move them.
• List analytics or tracking already installed (Google Analytics, Meta Pixel) so it can be carried over, not lost.

Set Timeline and Budget

• Note any fixed deadline (launch event, seasonal campaign, trade show) and why it matters.
• State a budget range, even approximate, rather than leaving it open â it saves everyone from mismatched quotes.
• List who internally will review and approve drafts, and how quickly they can realistically turn feedback around.
• Decide who will update content after launch: you, your team, or the agency.
• Send this same brief to every agency you ask for a quote, so the quotes you get back are answering the same questions and can be compared fairly.