It takes more than several meetings on budget and design for a company to be ready to launch a website. To create a killer website, your company would need an equally killer brief. This is the road map that details your company's vision and goals for its website, and writing the brief is the first phase of the company's entire web development project.
Not sure how to write a website brief? We’re here to help.
An effective brief has to be clear and thorough. Focus on the details and provide information as plainly as possible. There shouldn't be any room for misinterpretation. A simple error can lead to website design revisions, which can cost a lot of time and money.
As such, you need to work closely with your digital agency to translate the company's goals eloquently. The more comprehensive the material you provide, the better the output your digital agency will be able to deliver.
It might be overwhelming, but the good news is that no agency worth their salt expects you to have a complete plan for your company's website without any input from them. All you have to do is try and create a framework that you and the digital agency can develop into a solid plan for the project.
Listed below are some key points that will help you create your brief.
A detailed primer is the first step to a well-crafted web brief. The company profile helps the digital agency become familiar with the business. The profile includes the company's history, core beliefs, ethics, brand, missions, goals and visions – all of which determine the direction and purpose of the project.
It doesn't matter if it's a new website from the ground up or a redesign of an outdated one – a brief must include a product overview. Outline the scope of the project and all its deliverables. This encompasses expected outputs like fast-loading web pages or supplementary assets like a custom email address.
The overview is particularly crucial for a website redesign because it helps assess which features work and which ones don’t.
The new or newly redesigned site is an extension of the brand's offline presence. The look and feel of it must be cohesive. Any visual element on the company's marketing literature should align with the website's feel. Determine which voice you want to use overall too. The tone goes for both visual and textual content.
Itemise web features like social media integration, a call-to-action button and a dedicated Customer Experience page. Be as explicit and systematised as possible. Make a priority list of these features.
Describe your ideal clients. Identify your preferred end-users. Gather pertinent demographics like age, gender, job titles, values, social media habits and other details to pinpoint what might resonate the most with them.
You can also expand upon this with market research with the help of your existing clients. Ask about their customer journey. Explore what they want to see more of. Inquire how you can better help them with the services you provide.
A website is an optimum marketing tool, and a brief is its backbone where you underline its goals and objectives. You can prioritise increasing brand awareness and generating more leads and inquiries. You can also make the website a tool to establish the company's online presence and improve search engine rankings. Your goal can also be to simply increase sales. Just make sure to specify both the short- and long-term goals of the website.
Make a list of your competitors. Explain why you think they are better or worse than your company. Analyse what you feel works for them and what makes them stand out. You can even venture out of your niche. Look for a website design or features that catch your interest and see if you can incorporate them into your branding.
The budget influences several aspects of the website. You are limited to basic web designs that heavily rely on templates if you have a low budget. You can choose specific tools and complex structures to build a more impressive website if you have a sizable one.
As for the timeline, set a deadline and account for delays and eventualities. Having a schedule upfront will help you use your available resources over the development period more effectively. It also keeps everyone working within the budget.
Use specific metrics to measure the success of the new website. They can help the digital agency use algorithms and tools efficiently. Make a checklist of the goals you'd like the website to hit over specific periods.
Finish the website brief with a conclusion that includes precise details of what you need to receive from the digital agency. Add a timetable of when you'd expect a proposal from them.