[To the blog](https://88lab.eu/en/blog/) [Websites](https://88lab.eu/en/category/ueb-sajtove/) # Business website brief: a template and worked example Evgeny Dimitrov 3 October 2026 7 min read  In this article + [Let's discuss your project](https://88lab.eu/en/contact/) ## In short A good brief for a company website explains who you are talking to, what the visitor should understand, and what you want them to do. You do not need to know how to program a website. You need decisions about the business, the content, and how the team works. You can use the next template before you even ask for quotes. ## “We want a modern website” is not enough to start The word “modern” can mean large images, less text, new colors, or scroll effects. None of these says why the business needs the change. Two designers can propose completely different solutions and both can have understood the request correctly. Start with the customer’s situation. A person is looking for service for a machine that has stopped. They want to know whether you service their model, work in their area, and how to send details about the fault. If the site shows only the company history and nice photos, they still have not gotten the answers they came for. Such a description is useful for the structure, copy, design, and form. It also helps with [comparing agencies and offers](https://88lab.eu/en/how-to-choose-a-website-agency/), because all candidates see the same task. ## The template: what to fill in Copy the table into a document and answer in simple sentences. If you do not know something, write “to be discussed.” That is better than a guess that will later be taken as a requirement. Part of the brief What to write Helpful question business Main services, products and regions What do we actually sell? Goal The most important result of the site Inquiries, purchases, bookings, or information? Audience Main customer groups and situations Who comes and what is holding them back? Bid Why would the customer choose you? What advantages can we prove? Pages Preliminary list and purpose What task does each page solve? Message Text, photos, documents, availability What is ready and who is preparing the rest? Features Actions performed by a person or employee How does each action start and end? integrations Email, CRM, payments, couriers, external systems What should the site exchange data with? Languages Required versions and translations Who will translate and approve? Existing site Addresses, content, access, important pages What do we need to preserve? Management Edits, roles, and training Who will work with the site after launch? Organization Responsible person, approvals, deadline, and budget Who makes decisions and when? Acceptance Checks before publishing How will we prove the task has been completed? Not every row requires a long answer. For a small brochure site, integration may mean only reliable inquiry reception. For a business with a catalog, this part may take several pages. The scope of the brief should follow the complexity of the work. ## Completed example: industrial equipment service The next example is for a fictional company. The goal is to show how specific the document can be without using technical jargon. **Business and clients.** The company repairs compressors and offers preventive maintenance for manufacturing businesses in Sofia and the region. Inquiries come from technical managers and owners. Some have an urgent breakdown, others are planning service. **Goal.** The visitor should determine whether we service their equipment and send enough information for an initial assessment. Calling remains possible, but the form should reduce exchanges of incomplete emails. **Pages.** Home page, repair, maintenance, serviced brands, about us and contacts. The repair page explains the process and the required information. The maintenance page describes how a visit is arranged. We do not create a separate page for every brand before we have useful content for it. **Content.** We have our own workshop photos, a list of serviced equipment and a description of the process. The texts should be edited for the website. The technical lead checks the facts, and the manager approves the final versions. **Form.** The customer chooses repair or maintenance, enters the model, location and contact details, describes the problem and can attach a photo. They receive confirmation that the request has been accepted. The staff member sees it at the agreed address. If sending fails, the entered data stays on screen and there is a clear message. **Management.** Two employees will edit the services and publish news. They should not have access to settings that could disrupt the website. We are planning training with adding a real news item and changing a photo. **Approval and launch.** The manager gathers feedback from the team and sends one joint decision. The design is approved before development. Launch happens after testing the form, mobile menu, main addresses and editing capability. In this example there is already enough information for a meaningful initial quote. Colors and the specific platform can be discussed afterward. If the contractor has a better suggestion for the structure, there is also a clear task to justify it against. ## Describe the function as an action “Form with file upload” is short, but leaves many gaps. What files are accepted? How many can there be? What happens if they are too large? Who receives them? It is more useful to describe the start, the normal outcome and one possible error. The same applies to “catalog,” “booking” and “customer profile.” For a catalog, specify how it is searched, which filters help and what is shown when a product is out of stock. For a booking, state when the time slot is considered confirmed and who can change it. Do not describe every mouse movement. Describe the decisions that affect the work. If file uploads are involved, secure implementation is also part of the scope. [OWASP recommends checks for allowed types, sizes and storage method](https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/File_Upload_Cheat_Sheet.html). It is enough for the client to state the business need; the contractor should propose the right restrictions. ## Content is the most common hidden dependency Development can easily stall when there are no approved texts, photos or product data. “We’ll send them later” sounds harmless, but it affects the layout, page lengths and required components. A page with three short services is designed differently from a page with technical specifications and detailed terms. Create a list of materials with an owner and status: ready, to edit, to shoot, to translate. For photos, also specify usage rights. If the texts will be written by the agency, provide someone who can confirm the facts. No designer can guess the terms a business actually offers. References also help when you explain what you like. “I like this website” is broad. “I like how the services are separated and how you get to the inquiry” gives useful direction. Separate structure from colors, photos and animations so you do not end up copying another business. ## Add acceptance conditions For every important function, write a short check. For example: “On a phone, I fill in the form, attach an allowed photo, receive confirmation and the request reaches the staff member.” Add a check with an invalid file or a missing required field as well. That way, the word “works” gets a concrete meaning. When updating an old website, note which addresses and materials must remain. If addresses change, you need a mapping plan, not random redirects of everything to the home page. A useful starting point is [Google’s documentation for site migration](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/site-move-with-url-changes). Include basic usability checks as well: visible focus when using a keyboard, readable field labels and sufficient contrast. [W3C Easy Checks](https://www.w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/preliminary/) shows how initial checks can be done. Full accessibility requires a broader assessment, but these tasks can already be described in the brief. ## The document must be editable The brief is not a promise that you will not learn anything new during the project. One function may turn out to be unnecessary, another more important than expected. Record the decision, the reason and the impact on price and deadline. That way change is managed instead of appearing as a surprise at final payment. Before sending the document, read it as someone who does not know your company. Can they understand what you sell, to whom, and what should happen on the website? If yes, you already have a basis for discussion. If not, start with those three answers and leave the technical details for the meeting. ## frequently asked questions ### How long should the brief be? For a simpler company website, a few well-filled pages may be enough. A catalog, customer profiles, and integrations require more detail. The value of the document depends on clear decisions, not on the number of pages. ### Do we need to choose the platform in advance? Not necessarily. Describe the features, content, and how it will be managed. The contractor can suggest a platform and explain the costs, limitations, and support needed for those requirements. ### Can the agency help with the brief? Yes. A working session can clarify the structure, scenarios, and missing materials. But the business must confirm the goals, real conditions, and the person who approves decisions. ### What if we add a feature later? Record the new requirement and discuss the impact on the current work, price, and timeline. If it changes an already approved stage, that should be clear before implementation. Keep one up-to-date version of the brief.  About the author ## Evgeny Dimitrov the founder and manager of 88Lab He has worked in web technologies, digital marketing, and information security for more than two decades. His path began back in **2001 with LinuxExpress** - his first web project, dedicated to Linux. Later, under the pseudonym **KByte** , he published technical materials and articles on Linux-BG.org, and in **2002 he founded Security-BG** - a project for learning and sharing knowledge in the field of computer security. Today, he is **the founder and manager of 88Lab** , where he works on web platforms, SEO, Google Ads, AI solutions, and online business optimization. The agency’s projects include **Banker, Pulse Fitness & Spa, CoolFit, and the Bulgarian Construction Chamber** . His expert opinions on **web technologies, digital marketing, and online business** have been published in the newspaper **Banker and Actualno.com** . [More about 88Lab](https://88lab.eu/en/za-nas/) ## Share the post [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2F88lab.eu%2Fen%2Fbusiness-website-brief-template%2F)[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2F88lab.eu%2Fen%2Fbusiness-website-brief-template%2F) CONTINUE READING ## More on this topic [](https://88lab.eu/en/how-to-choose-a-website-agency/) Websites / 6 MIN ### [How to choose a website agency and compare proposals](https://88lab.eu/en/how-to-choose-a-website-agency/) Two website quotes can look the same while covering very different work. How to compare tasks, ownership, and handover before choosing an agency. 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