How to write a website brief: what to include + free template

A good website brief is one or two pages that answer five things: why you need the site, who it's for, what it must contain, what it must do, and what your limits are (budget and deadline). That's it. You don't need technical language or a 30-page spec — you need clear answers, so a developer can give you an honest estimate and build the right thing the first time.

Below: what to put in a brief for a website or a mobile app, the mistakes that cause misquotes and delays, and a template you can copy, fill in and send today.

#Why a brief saves you money

Without a brief, every developer fills the gaps with their own assumptions. One imagines a simple landing page, another a full CMS with integrations. You get quotes that differ several times over and have no idea which one is realistic.

A brief fixes that:

• Comparable quotes. Everyone estimates the same scope.
• Fewer rewrites. Misunderstandings get caught on paper, not after the design is done.
• Faster start. The first call is about details, not about "so, what do you do?".
• Control over scope. When something new comes up mid-project, you can see clearly that it wasn't in the brief — and decide consciously.

If you want to understand what actually drives the price, read how much a website or app costs — the brief is where those cost drivers become visible.

#What to include in a website brief

#1. About the business

Two or three sentences: what you do, where, for whom. Add your current site (if any) and what's wrong with it.

#2. Goal of the project

The single most important section. What should the site do for your business? Examples: "get requests for repair quotes", "sell products online in Moldova", "show investors we're serious", "let clients book appointments". If there are several goals, rank them.

A measurable goal is even better: "more calls from the site", "online orders instead of phone orders". You don't need exact numbers — just a direction you can check later.

#3. Audience

Who are the users? Age, city, language, device. "Mostly women 25–45 in Chișinău, on phones, RU and RO" tells a developer more than a page of general text. If the audience speaks several languages, say which ones — it affects structure and SEO (more in the post on multilingual websites).

#4. Pages or screens

A rough list is enough: Home, Services, About, Prices, Blog, Contacts. For an app: onboarding, login, catalog, cart, profile. For a one-page site, list the blocks you expect — the landing page structure guide can help.

#5. Features

Split them honestly into two columns:

This split is the best tool you have to hit a budget.

#6. Integrations

Payments, delivery services, CRM, Google Maps, messengers, email service, accounting. Name the specific services if you know them.

#7. Content

Who writes the texts, who provides photos, is there a logo and brand colors? Content that isn't ready is the most common reason projects stall.

#8. Design references

Two or three sites or apps you like — and what exactly you like: colors, layout, a specific animation, simplicity. Also one you don't like, if you have one. It's often more useful than a long description.

#9. Budget range and deadline

Even a rough range helps pick the right approach: a template-based solution, a custom site or a phased launch. The same goes for the deadline — is it fixed (an event, a season) or flexible?

#10. After launch

Who will update content? Do you need hosting, backups, small fixes? Say it upfront so it's part of the plan, not a surprise.

#Website brief template (copy-paste)

Copy this, fill in what you know, leave blanks where you're unsure — "don't know yet" is a valid answer.

PROJECT BRIEF

1. Business
   Company / project name:
   What we do (2–3 sentences):
   Current website (link, what's wrong with it):

2. Goal
   Main goal of the site/app:
   Secondary goals:
   How we'll know it works:

3. Audience
   Who are the users:
   Cities / countries:
   Languages (RO / RU / EN):
   Main device (phone / desktop):

4. Structure
   Pages or screens:
   
5. Features
   Must-have for launch:
   Nice-to-have later:

6. Integrations
   Payments / delivery / CRM / other:

7. Content
   Texts ready? (yes / partly / no)
   Photos, logo, brand colors:

8. References
   Sites/apps we like and why:
   What we don't want:

9. Limits
   Budget range:
   Deadline (fixed or flexible):

10. After launch
   Who updates content:
   Need support / hosting:

Contact person and preferred channel:

#Common brief mistakes

• Describing solutions instead of problems. "We need a chatbot" is a solution. "Clients ask the same five questions all day" is the problem — and there may be a simpler fix.
• Everything is must-have. If everything is priority one, nothing is.
• No budget at all. You don't have to show your maximum, but "no idea" makes it impossible to suggest the right approach.
• Copying a competitor 1:1. Use competitors as references, not as a spec. You'll pay for their mistakes too.
• Writing a novel. Long, vague text hides the important parts. Short and specific wins.

#Skip the writing: use the builder

If filling in a document isn't your thing, there's a faster route. In the project builder on this site you pick a website or an app, start from a preset, stack blocks or screens, tick the features you need and get a rough estimate right away. The result is a structured skeleton — basically sections 4 and 5 of the brief (plus a hint of 6), done visually. The send step asks for your budget, timeline and contact; add a line about your goal, and we have everything to start the conversation.

You can also check what's included in website development or app development before you send it.

#FAQ

#How long should a website brief be?

One or two pages is plenty for most small and medium projects. What matters is that the goal, audience, must-haves and budget range are clear.

#What's the difference between a brief and a technical specification?

A brief describes the business side: goals, audience, content, limits. A technical specification describes how it will be built. You write the brief; the developer usually turns it into a spec or a plan.

#Can I send a brief without knowing the budget?

Yes, but give at least a range or say what you're comparing it to. Otherwise the developer can only guess which approach fits.

#Do I need a brief for a mobile app too?

Yes — even more so. List the screens, who the users are, whether you need iOS and Android, push notifications, payments or offline mode. The template above works for apps too.

#Ready to send yours?

A clear brief is the cheapest investment in your project: an hour of thinking that saves weeks of back-and-forth. Copy the template, fill in what you know, or just sketch the project in the builder and send it over — I'll reply with questions and a realistic estimate, fr.