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Why your website brief matters

Your website is often the first impression of your business. A clear, focused brief helps your design agency understand what you need – and deliver a website that works for you. A good brief saves time, avoids miscommunication, and leads to better results.

Here’s how to write one that gets attention.

1. Start with your business overview

Begin with the basics:

  • What does your business do?
  • Who are your target customers?
  • What sets you apart from competitors?
  • Where are you based?

Tip: If you’re a medium-sized business in Ireland, say so. Local context helps with design and SEO planning.

2. Set clear website goals

What do you want your new website to achieve? Common goals include:

  • Increase online sales
  • Get more enquiries or leads
  • Improve brand visibility
  • Share company updates and news
  • Launch a new product or service

Tip: Prioritise your goals. Your designer needs to know what matters most.

3. Define your target audience

Be specific:

  • Age range
  • Job titles or sectors
  • Pain points or problems
  • Preferred devices (mobile, desktop, etc.)

Knowing your audience shapes design decisions.

4. List your must-have features

Here are common website features you might need:

  • Blog or news section
  • E-commerce functionality
  • Booking or enquiry forms
  • Interactive maps or location finders
  • Content Management System (CMS)
  • Integration with external api or system

Tip: Rank features by importance. If budget is limited, this helps prioritise.

5. Share examples you like (and don’t like)

  • Include a few links to websites you admire – and explain why. Is it the layout? The colours? The tone of voice?
  • Also include a few links to websites you don't like – and explain why.
  • Finally, include any competitor sites you want to avoid mimicking.

Tip: The websites you like/dislike do not have to be from the same industry as yours, they can be from any industry. 

6. Provide brand guidelines or design preferences

If you have branding guidelines, send them over. Remember to include:

  • Logos and colour palettes
  • Fonts and typography preferences
  • Any imagery or icons you use

If you don’t have formal guidelines, describe your visual style (or sent samples of previous marketing material):

  • Clean and modern?
  • Friendly and approachable?
  • Corporate and formal?

7. Think about content

Who will write the text? Will you …

  • Write it in-house
  • Ask your agency to provide copywriting
  • A mix of both

And who will provide the images and/or video? Do you need stock photography or custom visuals?

8. Set a realistic budget and timeline

Even if your budget isn’t fixed, give a ballpark figure or a budget range. This helps your agency propose the right solution for you.

For the timeline, don’t forget to include:

  • Your preferred project start and end dates.
  • Any deadlines (such as a product launch or event) that you need to meet.

9. Ask the right questions

Before you hire any web design agency, you should always ask them:

  • Have you worked with businesses like ours?
  • What platforms do you build on?
  • Do you offer ongoing support and maintenance?
  • How do you approach SEO during design?
  • What’s your design and approval process like?

10. Include contact details and next steps

Make it easy for the agency to respond to your proposal request:

  • Your name and role.
  • Contact number and email.
  • Preferred method of communication.
  • Deadline for proposals (if any).

Remember – Keep it short and focused

You don’t need a 20-page brief. One or two clear pages is often enough. Make sure it’s:

  • Easy to read.
  • Organised with headings and bullet points.
  • Free of jargon or internal-only terms.

Designit builds websites that work for Irish businesses

At Designit, we’ve built websites for companies all across Ireland. We know what questions to ask – and how to turn a simple brief into a high-performing website. From brochure sites to eCommerce platforms, we can help your business:

  • Define your goals.
  • Improve your user experience.
  • Optimise for Google.
  • Create custom design and functionality.

Need help writing your brief? Talk to us today.

Let’s build something that works

A great website starts with a clear plan. Your brief sets the tone for the entire project.

Let’s make sure it’s built for success

Web Design, Design Brief, Design Costs, Project Management.

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