A good web design brief fits on one or two pages and covers: your business in two sentences, goals for the site, target customers, pages needed, must-have features, sites you like and why, brand assets, content status, budget range, deadline, and who decides. A clear brief gets you accurate quotes, better designs and fewer revisions. Use the template below.
- One or two pages is enough.
- Goals and customers matter more than colours.
- Share a budget range for realistic proposals.
- Examples with reasons are better than adjectives.
- Send the same brief to every designer you compare.
What is the brief template?
| Section | Write |
|---|---|
| About us | What you do, where, for whom, in two sentences |
| Goals | Top three outcomes, such as more bookings |
| Customers | Who they are and what they need to know |
| Pages | List, marking must-have and nice-to-have |
| Features | Forms, booking, shop, blog, languages |
| Examples | Three sites and what you like about each |
| Brand | Logo, colours, fonts, tone |
| Content | Ready, partly ready, or need help |
| Budget and deadline | Range and launch date |
| Decision maker | Name and how quickly they can respond |
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Why include a budget range?
Picture an owner who asks five designers for “a website” with no budget. Quotes range from $150 to $8,000 for completely different things, and comparing them is impossible. With a range, designers propose what fits, and you compare like with like.
What makes examples useful?
“Modern and clean” means different things to everyone. “I like how this site shows prices clearly, and how that one has big photos of the team” gives the designer something concrete. Include one site you dislike, too.
Next, compare quotes with what a quote should include, or get an instant estimate with the cost calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
What should a web design brief include?
Business summary, goals, customers, pages, features, examples, brand, content status, budget, deadline and decision maker.
How long should a website brief be?
One or two pages.
Should I share my budget with web designers?
A range helps designers propose realistic options and makes quotes comparable.
How do I describe the design I want?
Share example sites and explain what you like about each.
Sources
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Tanvir H is a Bangladesh-based WordPress and Elementor web designer with 7+ years of experience, 650+ projects and a 4.9 client rating. New websites, redesigns, fixes, speed, security and SEO, handled by one expert who explains everything in plain English and works with clients worldwide.
