So you’re thinking about revamping your website and you want a professional to pour their genius into the project. Whether it’s a total rebuild or merely adding some sparkle to your internet presence, it’s something that we absolutely love to be a part of. When it comes to writing a website design brief we want you to be fully prepared, so we can effectively help you transform your website.
Tell us about the business!
Firstly and often overlooked, we want to know everything about your business. From staff numbers to the products or services you provide. Let us know what makes your business tick and even more importantly, we want to know the values you hold dear.
Make sure we know the deadline
We understand that in some instances the designer will have no restrictions, however, if you have a deadline, please let us know. No designer will ever want to detriment your business if they are unable to make a strict deadline. So, please, let us know sooner rather than later!
What are your goals, and who are you targeting?
When you propose your brief to a designer, you must know who your website is targeting and what you are aiming to achieve. Goals are pivotal when it comes to the design process; for example, an e-commerce website would focus on strategy and usability, whereas the designer would prioritise aesthetics if your goals are brand awareness.
Who are you up against?
Knowing your competition allows you to discuss their websites with your designer. When competing for sales online, you should aim to take the attributes that work well in your sector and do the things that your competitors are failing at, better! If there are sites you like, you should reference them within the brief. A designer would always prefer to have the guidance of some sort, even if it’s only the theme or typography.
Content is king!
The content of your website ties in directly with the SEO and online marketing. If you are planning to write your own content, it would be advisable to summarise this within your brief. Create a miniature sitemap of sorts, including the number of pages needed. It is also essential that the designer knows who will be producing the content further down the line. For example, if you have a photographer, this will allow the designer to tailor the site to high-quality photographic content.
Will you need analytics?
Make all the in-house requirements that you may have, clear within the brief. What information will you be needing to pull from within your website at a later date? For example, visitor demographics etc.
Technical requirements
Possibly the most critical part of your brief is the list of technical requirements. Make sure you are as thorough and in-depth as possible. Let’s be honest; you want to avoid any unnecessary costs that may pop-up further down the line, therefore don’t keep anything hidden away from your designer.
You need to include information regarding the type of website, for example, if your website is an e-commerce site, how will the customer be able to pay for the goods/services. If you are going to have users or agents how many log-ins will you need? Who will manage these log-ins? If you need to take online bookings or want an interactive map integrating within your site, these are things you must also mention with the technical requirement section of the brief.
Feel free to speak to our team if you are unsure on any of these elements for your website. We’re happy to help and advise on the best options for you and your site.
The future
Finish your brief with all the goals you would like your new website to achieve; visitors or sales? A great design agency will always offer suggestions regarding how to achieve your goals and advice for the future development of your website.
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