Brochure website brief: template and checklist

A brief for a brochure website does not need to run to fifty pages. Above all, it must allow your business and your provider to understand the same project: goals, audiences, pages, features, content, constraints, budget and responsibilities.

A clear document helps you obtain comparable quotes and reduces costly additions along the way. It should not lock in every technical solution before you have even spoken to a specialist. Describe the expected result precisely and leave the provider free to recommend the best way to achieve it.

What is a website brief for?

The document serves four purposes:

• aligning the people who make decisions about the project;
• giving every provider the same information;
• defining what is included and what is not;
• serving as a reference at final sign-off.

Without this framework, two quotes can look very different when they simply do not cover the same tasks. One may include copywriting, SEO and maintenance; the other only the design of the pages.

The France Num guide to website specifications (in French, from the French government’s digital programme for small businesses) recommends setting out the context, goals, target audiences, content, features, schedule and budget. The template below turns these elements into a brief you can use straight away for a brochure website.

1. Introduce the business and its context

Start with the information needed to understand your business:

• company, sector, size and geographical area;
• main products or services;
• positioning and what sets you apart from competitors;
• reason for the project: new website, redesign, new offer or change of image;
• the person who centralises decisions;
• links to the current website and any other useful material.

Add what works and what causes problems today. “The website is old” is less useful than “70% of visits come from mobile but the form is hard to use there”.

2. Set measurable goals

A brochure website can reassure, showcase expertise, attract enquiries, generate calls, make bookings easier or help with recruitment. Rank your goals by priority.

Then assign an indicator to each goal: form submissions, calls, booked appointments, downloads, job applications or traffic to a strategic page. State the current situation if you know it, and the target you are aiming for.

Avoid “be number one on Google”, which no serious provider can guarantee. Ask instead for a technically sound structure, pages aligned with priority searches and a method for tracking results.

3. Describe your audiences and their journeys

For each audience, state its needs, objections, level of knowledge and the action you want it to take. A company director does not have the same questions as a private individual or a job applicant.

Example: “Owners of small businesses in the Haute-Garonne area, short on time, who want to understand price and timescale before requesting a quote. Main action: book a 15-minute call.”

This level of detail guides the copywriting, the hierarchy of information and the calls to action.

4. List the pages and the scope

Propose an initial site structure, even an imperfect one. For a brochure website, it might include:

• Home;
• Services, with one page per priority offer;
• About or approach;
• Work or case studies;
• Blog or resources;
• Frequently asked questions;
• Contact;
• any required legal pages.

Specify the approximate number of pages at launch, the languages, the content to be migrated and anything deliberately excluded. An English version is not just a matter of adding a button: it requires translated copy, navigation, metadata and an update process.

5. Detail the features

Describe each feature by what it is used for rather than by the name of a tool:

• a form, with its fields and recipient;
• appointment booking;
• a map or service area;
• a filterable portfolio;
• reviews or testimonials;
• newsletter sign-up;
• a document download;
• a connection to a CRM or email marketing tool;
• multilingual management;
• administrator access to edit the content.

List the tools you already use and who owns the accounts. Every external integration may come with a subscription, technical limits or data protection rules.

6. Allocate responsibility for content

Website delays often come from content. For text, photos, videos, translations and legal notices, note:

• who supplies or produces each element;
• the expected format;
• the delivery date;
• who reviews and approves it;
• what should be carried over from the old website.

If the provider writes the copy, specify the number of pages, any interviews planned and the tone. If you write it in-house, ask for a template and a length limit before you start.

7. Frame the visual identity and the experience

Attach your logo, brand guidelines and examples of existing material. Show two or three websites you like and explain why: navigation, restraint, tone, pace or the way projects are presented. A screenshot without an explanation is open to misinterpretation.

Ask for a responsive experience on desktop, tablet and mobile. Mention any known accessibility needs: contrast, keyboard navigation, alternative text, subtitles or the expected level of compliance. Accessibility is most effective when it is built in from the design stage.

8. Set requirements for SEO, performance and quality

For search engine optimisation, the brief can include:

• readable URLs and redirects in the event of a redesign;
• editable title tags and meta descriptions;
• a correct heading hierarchy;
• an XML sitemap and indexing rules;
• structured data where relevant;
• internal linking;
• optimised images and loading times;
• an analytics tool set up with conversion events;
• hreflang tags for multilingual versions.

Add compatibility with your priority browsers and devices, backups, HTTPS and an acceptance testing procedure. For legal obligations, have the texts and mechanisms checked by a qualified professional when the stakes justify it.

9. Clarify technology, ownership and what happens after launch

The document must answer these questions unambiguously:

• who registers and owns the domain name?
• where will the website be hosted?
• who owns the accounts, the design, the content and the files?
• what access will be handed over to the client?
• what updates and backups are planned?
• what training is included?
• how long is the warranty after launch?
• how are maintenance and further developments charged?

Also plan an exit route: data export, domain transfer and recovery of the content. This conversation is much easier before signing.

10. State the budget, schedule and acceptance criteria

Give a realistic budget range. It helps the provider propose the right level of solution. Specify whether the budget includes taxes, copywriting, translations, photos, hosting and maintenance.

For the schedule, give a target date and any deadlines that genuinely cannot move. Add the people who approve the work and your internal turnaround time. A project cannot move forward if three decision-makers reply separately two weeks later.

Finally, list the acceptance criteria: pages in place, forms tested, mobile display approved, redirects active, conversion tracking working and access handed over. The website goes live when these criteria are met, not simply on an arbitrary date.

A brief template to copy

Copy this block into your document and replace the notes in square brackets:

BROCHURE WEBSITE PROJECT - [COMPANY NAME]

1. CONTEXT
Business: [...]
Positioning and geographical area: [...]
Current website and main problem: [...]
Decision-maker and project contact: [...]

2. GOALS
Priority goal: [...]
Actions expected from visitors: [...]
Success indicators: [...]

3. AUDIENCES
Main audience, needs and objections: [...]
Secondary audiences: [...]

4. SCOPE
Planned pages: [...]
Languages: [...]
Excluded items: [...]

5. FEATURES
Forms, booking, integrations and administration: [...]

6. CONTENT
Copy: [client / provider] - delivery: [...]
Photos and videos: [...]
Translations and approval: [...]

7. DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY
Existing brand guidelines: [...]
Annotated references: [...]
Accessibility needs: [...]

8. SEO, PERFORMANCE AND TRACKING
Priority searches: [...]
Redirects needed: [...]
Conversions to track: [...]

9. TECHNOLOGY AND FOLLOW-UP
Domain and hosting: [...]
Expected access and ownership: [...]
Maintenance, training and warranty: [...]

10. BUDGET AND SCHEDULE
Available budget: [...]
Target date and real constraint: [...]
Approval stages: [...]
Expected deliverables: [...]

Checklist before sending the document

• One person is responsible for approvals.
• The main goal and the expected conversion are explicit.
• The number of pages and languages has been estimated.
• Every piece of content has an owner and a deadline.
• Existing integrations and subscriptions are listed.
• SEO, mobile, speed, accessibility and tracking are covered.
• Ownership, access, maintenance and exit are clarified.
• The budget clearly includes or excludes recurring costs.
• The schedule allows time for internal feedback.
• The final acceptance criteria are measurable.

A good brief does not stop the conversation: it makes it more productive. Would you like to check your scope before requesting quotes? Book a free 15-minute consultation with VulcainDesign.