Specifications for a showcase website: template and checklist

A showcase site specification does not need to be fifty pages long. Above all, it must allow your company and the service provider to understand the same project: objectives, audiences, pages, functionalities, content, constraints, budget and responsibilities.

A clear document helps you get comparable quotes and reduces costly add-ons along the way. He should not set in stone all the technical solutions before even speaking to a specialist. Describe precisely the expected result and give the service provider the opportunity to recommend the best method.

What are web specifications for?

The document fulfills four functions:

• align the people who decide on the project;
• give service providers the same information;
• define what is included and what is not;
• serve as a reference during final validation.

Without this framework, two quotes may seem very different even though they simply do not cover the same tasks. One may include writing, SEO, and maintenance; the other only the design of the pages.

The guide from France Num on the specifications of an internet site recommends in particular specifying the context, objectives, targets, content, functionalities, calendar and budget. The model below transforms these elements into a directly usable brief for a showcase site.

1. Present the company and the context

Start with the information that helps you understand your business:

• company, sector, size and geographic area;
• main products or services;
• positioning and difference compared to competitors;
• reason for the project: creation, redesign, new offer or change of image;
• contact person who centralizes decisions;
• links to the current site and other useful materials.

Add what is working and what is problematic today. “The site is old” is less useful than “70% of visits come from mobile but the form is difficult to use.”

2. Set measurable goals

A showcase site can reassure, present expertise, attract requests, generate calls, facilitate reservations or recruit. Prioritize goals.

Then associate an indicator with each objective: form submissions, calls, reserved appointments, downloads, applications or traffic on a strategic page. Specify the current situation if you know it and the target sought.

Avoid “being first on Google”, which no serious service provider can guarantee. Instead, ask for a technically clean structure, pages aligned with priority searches and a tracking method.

3. Describe the audiences and their backgrounds

For each audience, indicate their needs, their objections, their level of knowledge and the desired action. A company management does not have the same questions as an individual or a candidate.

Example: “Managers of VSEs in Haute-Garonne, not very available, who want to understand the price and the deadline before requesting a quote. Main action: book a 15-minute call. »

This precision guides writing, the hierarchy of information and calls to action.

4. List pages and scope

Propose a first tree structure, even imperfect. For a showcase site, it may include:

• Home;
• Services and one page per priority offer;
• About or method;
• Achievements or case studies;
• Blog or resources;
• Frequently asked questions;
• Contact;
• legal pages required.

Specify the approximate number of pages at launch, the languages, the content to be migrated and what is voluntarily excluded. An English version doesn't just consist of adding a button: it requires translated texts, navigation, metadata and an update procedure.

5. Detail the features

Describe each function by its use rather than by a tool name:

• form with fields and recipient;
• appointment reservation;
• map or area of intervention;
• filterable portfolio;
• opinions or testimonials;
• subscribe to a newsletter;
• downloading a document;
• connection to a CRM or e-mailing tool;
• multilingual management;
• administrator access to modify content.

Indicate the tools already used and who owns the accounts. Any external integration may have subscription, technical limitations or data protection rules.

6. Distribute content production

The delay of a site often comes from the content. For texts, photos, videos, translations and legal notices, note:

• who supplies or produces each element;
• the expected format;
• delivery date;
• who rereads and validates;
• what should be taken over from the old site.

If the service provider writes, specify the number of pages, planned interviews and tone. If you are writing in-house, request a template and length limit before you begin.

7. Frame the visual identity and experience

Attach the logo, charter and examples of existing media. Show two or three sites that you like, explaining why: navigation, sobriety, tone, rhythm or presentation of the projects. A capture without explanation is confusing.

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

8. Set SEO, performance and quality requirements

For natural referencing, the specifications may include:

• Readable URLs and redirects in case of redesign;
• editable titles and meta descriptions;
• correct hierarchy of titles;
• XML sitemap and indexing rules;
• structured data when relevant;
• internal mesh;
• optimization of images and loading time;
• measurement tool configured with conversion events;
• hreflang tags for multilingual versions.

Add compatibility with priority browsers and devices, backups, HTTPS and a recipe procedure. For legal obligations, have the texts and mechanisms validated by a competent professional when the issue justifies it.

9. Clarify technique, ownership and post-launch

The document must answer these questions unambiguously:

• who registers and owns the domain name?
• where will the site be hosted?
• who owns the accounts, the model, the contents and the files?
• what access is given to the customer?
• what updates and backups are planned?
• what training is included?
• how long does the warranty last after being put online?
• how are maintenance and upgrades billed?

Also plan an exit solution: data export, domain transfer and content recovery. This discussion is much simpler before signing.

10. Indicate budget, schedule and validation criteria

Give a realistic budget range. It helps the service provider to offer the right level of solution. Specify whether this budget includes taxes, writing, translations, photos, hosting and maintenance.

For the calendar, indicate a desired date and the deadlines that cannot be reduced. Add the people who validate and the internal return deadline. A project cannot move forward if three decision-makers respond separately two weeks later.

Finally, list the acceptance criteria: pages present, forms tested, mobile display validated, active redirections, measurement of conversions and access transmitted. Going live occurs when these criteria are met, not simply on an arbitrary date.

Specification model to copy

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

SHOWCASE SITE PROJECT - [COMPANY NAME]

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

2. OBJECTIVES
Priority objective: [...] 
Actions expected from visitors: [...] 
Indicators of success: [...]

3. AUDIENCE
Main audience, need and objections: [...] 
Secondary audiences: [...]

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

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

6. CONTENTS
Texts: [client / service provider] - delivery: [...] 
Photos and videos: [...] 
Translations and validation: [...]

7. DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY
Existing charter: [...] 
Commented references: [...] 
Accessibility needs: [...]

8. SEO, PERFORMANCE AND MEASUREMENT
Priority research: [...] 
Redirections to be expected: [...] 
Conversions to measure: [...]

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

10. BUDGET AND SCHEDULE
Budget available: [...] 
Desired date and real constraint: [...] 
Validation steps: [...] 
Expected deliverables: [...]

Checklist before sending the document

• One person is responsible for validations.
• The main objective and expected conversion are self-explanatory.
• The number of pages and languages is estimated.
• Each content has a person responsible and a deadline.
• Existing integrations and subscriptions are listed.
• SEO, mobile, speed, accessibility and measurement are mentioned.
• Ownership, access, maintenance and exit are clarified.
• The budget clearly includes or excludes recurring costs.
• The calendar reserves time for internal returns.
• The final validation criteria are measurable.

Good specifications do not prevent dialogue: they make it more productive. Want to check your scope before requesting quotes? Book a free 15-minute consultation with VulcainDesign.