A website brief aligns everyone on what the new site must achieve, before any design work starts. Think of it as the document you would want to hand a new colleague on day one. If it answers their first twenty questions, it is doing its job.

Describe the business and the problem

Start with two or three paragraphs on what you do, who you sell to and why you are redesigning now. Be honest about what is not working: low enquiry numbers, an outdated look, a site that is hard to update or one that no longer reflects the business. A clear problem statement is easier to design against than a vague wish for something "more modern".

State the business goal

Say what the site should do for the business, whether that is more enquiries, better recruitment or clearer positioning. Where you can, attach a measure, such as "increase qualified enquiries from the contact form" rather than "get more traffic". Choose one primary goal and no more than two secondary ones. If everything is a priority, nothing is.

Describe visitors and their tasks

List the main audiences and what each wants to do. A prospective client, a job applicant and a supplier all need different things. For each one, note the question they arrive with and the action you want them to take. This guides page structure and navigation, and it stops the homepage trying to speak to everyone at once. If you are unsure what makes a homepage work, see what makes a good business homepage.

Include practical requirements

Note integrations such as booking tools, CRM or email platforms, content ownership, deadlines and your budget range. Include accessibility needs, ideally referencing the WCAG guidelines as the standard you expect. Our overview of website accessibility basics explains what that involves. Mention privacy and cookie needs too, and point to the ICO's UK GDPR guidance if you collect personal data through forms.

Protect existing search traffic

If your current site brings in visitors from Google, say which pages matter. Export performance data from Search Console and share it. A brief that asks for redirects, preserved page titles and a sitemap protects the visibility you have already earned. Google's SEO starter guide is a helpful reference for what to ask your team to preserve.

Show taste, not just requirements

Include three to five websites you admire and, crucially, say why. "Clear navigation" or "confident use of photography" tells a designer far more than "we like it". Add one or two examples you dislike too. Share your brand assets and guidelines, or flag that the brand needs work first.

Name the people and the process

Say who is the single point of contact, who approves each stage and how long you need for feedback. Projects stall when approval is spread across too many people. Agree this at the start, and it will help with timing, which we cover in how long a redesign takes.

What to share with a designer

• Current analytics and top pages

• Examples you admire and why

• Brand assets and guidelines

• A list of existing pages and who owns each

• Who approves the final work