But the most important aspect of website creation is mutual understanding with clients. No technology can replace it. And especially important is briefing or obtaining all the data needed to start working on the client's website.
In this article, together with the Weblium website builder , you will learn what the ideal brief should be and how not to miss a single important detail.
Content
What is a website development brief. In a nutshell
A brief is a document or correspondence that sets out the details of a project: business specifics, audience profile, required website features, design and branding requirements, budget and deadlines.
Key Elements of a Website Development Brief. 13 Questions You Can't Avoid
We have prepared a brief for you. It is universal. You can add your questions or remove unnecessary ones, rewrite it a little in a style close to you. And then adapt it to the required format (for example, an online form or table - read about receiving a brief in the next section of the article).
Elements of a brief for website development
1. The purpose of the site
Do you have a website now? What do you like and dislike about it?
What is the ultimate purpose of your website (e.g. direct sales, providing information about your company, serving as a product showcase).
If there are additional goals for the site, please indicate them.
To help the client, you can attach a list of reasons and goals for creating a website (the list is also useful if the client already has a website):
— Improving the logical structure of the site;
- Attracting more clients;
— Implementation of modern design trends;
— Creation of a multilingual website;
— Increased brand awareness;
— Promotion of a new product or service;
— Increase in sales;
— Informing (informational purpose);
— Rebranding or redesign of the previous website;
— SEO website optimization, error elimination.
2. Features of business
Please describe the characteristics of the business niche you operate in. What determines the competition in the niche?
Tell us about the growth points that your business may have in the future.
3. Competitors
Tell us about your competitors. What unique things do you offer compared to your competitors, what advantages do your competitors have?
List competitor sites that you like. Describe what you like and dislike about competitor sites?
What features of your competitors' websites would you like to see on your website?
4.Target audience
Determine the demographics and characteristics of your site's target audience: age, gender, geography, and interests.
If you have a profile of your ideal client, please tell us more about it.
Describe the needs and motivations of your target audience and how the site will address them.
Elements of a brief for website development
5. Design preferences
Can you tell me if there are specific colors , fonts, or types of images that should be included on the site?
Give examples of websites or design styles that you like or dislike. Why do you like or dislike them?
What mood should your website design evoke? List these emotions.
As a hint for the client, you can attach such a map of emotions. The client will choose what is characteristic of his future site and what is not:
- Strict corporate style
- Bright, eye-catching design
- Positive and cheerful
— The design is rich in images
— Dynamic website: animations and video backgrounds
— Static site: no animations or distracting elements
— Design with an emphasis on minimalism
- Design with an emphasis on functionality
6. Branding
Do you have a brand book? If so, upload it. How relevant is it, and to what extent should we adhere to its requirements?
Do you have any ideas on how the website should reflect the brand personality and brand message? Tell us how.
Elements of a brief for website development
7.Content
Do you have a copywriter who could prepare text content for the website?
Can information from your other materials be used on the site? Attach publications, presentations, articles, social media posts, marketing documents, reviews.
Please indicate whether we can take photos, illustrations and videos from paid stocks or only from free ones? If you have photos that should be on the site, send them.
8. Opportunities
List the features that the site should have. Should latvia phone number material your site be in one language or does it need to be multilingual?
Is there a need for ready-made integrations or third-party widgets? What exactly are you interested in?
Is it necessary to add feedback forms, pop-ups , news subscriptions, an online store module , downloadable files, FAQ to the site?
Do you need a blog? Add a feed of publications to the main page, place a link to it in the footer or header of the site?
Weblium has such ready - made integrations. You can offer their connection to the client for an additional fee:
— CRM systems: Snov.io, OWOX BI
— Bulk mailings: Mailchimp, SendPulse, AWeber
— Chats and telephony: LiveChat, Tawk.to, Binotel
— Analytics: Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, Hotjar
Elements of a brief for website development
9.Navigation and site map
What should the user's path be (for example, should they get as much information about us as possible or move on to the target action as quickly as possible)?
Which pages on the site are mandatory? Which of them should be unique, and which ones should differ only in content?
Example: About us (unique), team (unique), “Express Course” service page, “Intensive” service page (typical, structurally the same as “Express Course”, but with different content).
10.Main page
What should the home page be : minimalist or detailed?
What features should be implemented on the home page (e.g., going to the store, submitting forms, detailed presentation of services)?
What exactly should be included on the home page of a website?
Elements of a brief for website development
11. Budget and deadlines
Set a budget and timeline for the project (including specific milestones that need to be completed by a specific time).
Do you need support after the site launch? What does it consist of, how long does it take?
12. Acceptance of works
Identify those responsible for each stage of work acceptance? Provide their contact information and positions.
Tell me, how many stages of editing would you like to see? After what stages of website development would you like to give feedback?
