1. Define the job of the website.
Write one sentence describing what should be different after launch. “Explain our services and generate qualified inquiries” is clearer than “make it modern.” Identify the primary action a visitor should take and what information they need before taking it.
2. Name the audience and their questions.
List the people who will visit, how they might arrive and what they already know. A referral may want proof of fit; a search visitor may first need to understand your service. Include language needs, the likely devices and any accessibility requirements.
3. Inventory the content you actually have.
Collect approved service descriptions, original photos, brand files and permission to use any project examples. Separate finished content from content that still needs to be written. Assign an owner for approvals. Missing content can delay an otherwise ready website.
4. List the systems and constraints.
Document the domain registrar, hosting, existing URLs, forms, CRM and any booking or payment system. Record who controls each account. If an old website exists, decide which URLs should remain and which need redirects. Share credentials through a secure channel, not inside the brief.
5. Define completion and handover.
Agree on the page types, language versions, mobile behavior and form outcomes. Identify who will test, approve and publish. Include a plan for backups, updates and future content changes. Your final checklist should make it possible to decide whether the project is ready.
A short template to start with.
Use these headings in your own document and fill in what you know. Unknowns are useful too: they show where discovery is needed.
- Business goal and primary visitor action
- Audience, languages and key questions
- Pages and approved content available
- Integrations and existing accounts
- Budget range, timing and decision-maker
- Launch checks, ownership and support