Website Brief — How to Write It Correctly

Brief vs. Technical Specification: What's the Difference

A brief should be completed by the potential client at the very start of the collaboration — since the outcome may determine exactly how to approach the project.

The result is a clear but fairly general description of the project ahead. Well-crafted questions allow both parties to identify key issues and align on most objectives at the outset — defining timelines, costs, required competencies, and the client's specific goals. In short, the brief lets the client explain what they want and why, while the contractor gains an understanding of the resources needed.

If a brief is filled out superficially, everyone suffers: the client faces a barrage of follow-up questions, the contractor wastes time, costs grow, and mutual frustration compounds.

A brief should not be confused with a technical specification. Unlike a tech spec, a brief is broader in scope. A website brief, for instance, is completed by the client themselves — it describes goals and objectives, core functionality, and the site's value to the business. It does not include technical design details or specific structural solutions.

While the client fills out the brief, a technical specialist typically writes the tech spec. The spec contains the most detailed information for each team member involved — from copywriters to developers.

Simply put: the brief is what you want to achieve; the tech spec is the detailed instruction for how to get there.

Website Brief: What to Include

If you're the one writing and filling out the brief, keep these key points in mind — they should be carefully covered in any website project brief:

Why you need a website

Explain what specific business problem you're trying to solve. A corporate portal and a direct-sales tool like an e-commerce store will have completely different functionality and require very different scopes of work.

Describe your business

Beyond the company name and contact details, the contractor needs to understand the nature of your business and your target audience — who should visit the site, for what purpose, and what actions they should take. These goals should ideally be clear and measurable.

Name your competitors

List the companies you consider your main competitors, and try to highlight what makes your business different and what competitive advantages the site should reflect.

Provide references

Point to specific websites you like. They can be from any industry — what matters is that they include functionality or design elements you want. Concrete examples make it far easier to explain what result you're after.

Specify technical requirements

If you need a specific platform, hosting, or third-party integrations (CRM, etc.) — mention it upfront. Also clarify what type of content you plan to publish and how often you'll be updating it.

Project timeline

A key element that helps both parties gauge whether they're a good fit. Timelines also matter because projects are often delivered in phases.

Contact details

Provide all necessary contact information and communication channels for the project — transparency and accessibility are essential.

Five Mistakes When Writing a Brief

A poorly written brief, rather than serving as a guiding document, can become a source of problems. Here are the most common mistakes.

Requirements that are too vague

A brief doesn't need to go into minute detail — but the questions the client answers should give the contractor a clear sense of the main tasks. Questions should be easy to understand, not leave the client stumped.

Missing business context

Beyond a standard set of questions, a good brief includes questions tailored to the client's specific industry and type of work. Without a general understanding of the client's business, diving into specifics is pointless.

One-size-fits-all brief

The brief's structure should be tailored to the type of project: the questions for a website build versus a commercial shoot will differ significantly. Using the same template for every project won't give an accurate picture of the client's needs.

An overly detailed brief

Don't confuse a brief with a tech spec by asking redundant or repetitive questions. An overloaded brief implies you want the client to write the spec themselves. Filling out a multi-page document is exhausting, and much of the information will likely be unnecessary.

Complex language and phrasing

Your questions and logic must be understandable to the client. Drop the jargon — your client is likely writing their first website brief and won't be familiar with industry terminology. Aim for plain language, and when technical terms are unavoidable, explain them with a definition or an example.