Website Project Brief Template: Copy, Fill In and Send to Your Developer
A free website project brief template with a filled example: goals, pages, features, budget, timeline and handover. Copy it and send it to a developer.
Quick Answer
A website project brief is a short document that tells a developer what the site must achieve, who it is for, which pages and features it needs, what you can spend, when it must launch and who provides content. Writing one takes about an hour and leads to quotes you can actually compare.
When owners skip the brief, they get vague quotes, surprise costs and revisions that drag on. A good website project brief template fixes most of that before work starts.
Below is a website project brief template you can copy, a filled example for a fictional bakery and notes on why each section matters. I am Muhammad Muheet, a WordPress developer in Multan, and I ask for exactly this information at the start of every project.
Why a Brief Is Worth an Hour
- You get quotes that cover the same scope, so you can compare them fairly.
- The developer asks better questions on day one.
- Disagreements about what was included become rare.
- You are forced to decide what matters most, which usually saves money.
If you are still choosing who to hire, read how to hire a WordPress developer and send your brief to two or three people.
The Website Project Brief Template (Copy and Fill In)
1. About the business
- Business name and what you do:
- Website address (if one exists):
- Location and areas served:
2. Goals
- Main goal of the site (leads, sales, bookings, credibility, information):
- Second goal:
- How will you know it worked (for example, number of enquiries per month):
3. Audience
- Who is your ideal visitor or customer:
- What do they need to find or do within the first minute:
- Countries or languages:
4. Pages
- Pages you need (home, about, services, contact, blog, shop, etc.):
- Who writes the content for each:
5. Features
- Must-have features (contact form, booking, payments, shop, memberships):
- Nice-to-have features for later:
- Tools it must connect with (email, CRM, calendar):
6. Design
- Brand colours, logo and fonts (attach if you have them):
- Three websites you like, and what you like about each:
- Anything you definitely do not want:
7. Content and assets
- Do you have text, photos and product data ready:
- Who provides what, and by when:
8. Competitors
- Two to three similar businesses:
9. Budget and timeline
- Budget range:
- Ideal launch date and any hard deadline:
10. Technical and access
- Do you already own a domain and hosting:
- Who will own the accounts (it should be you):
- Platform preference, if any:
11. After launch
- Who updates the site day to day:
- Do you want a maintenance plan or support period:
Why Each Section Matters
| Section | What to write | Why it matters | Example answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | One main outcome | Drives layout and calls to action | "Get 15 cake order enquiries a month" |
| Audience | Who and what they need | Shapes content and navigation | "Local families and office managers" |
| Pages | A list, with content owner | Defines scope and effort | "Home, Menu, Order, About, Contact" |
| Features | Must-have vs later | Controls cost | "Order form now, online payments later" |
| Design | Examples and dislikes | Avoids guesswork | "Warm colours, large photos, simple menu" |
| Content | Who provides what | Content delays are the top cause of late launches | "I supply photos, developer writes copy" |
| Budget | A range, not a secret | Lets developers propose the right fit | "Mid-range, open to phases" |
| Timeline | Ideal and hard dates | Sets realistic planning | "Launch before the holiday season" |
| Access | Who owns accounts | Protects you | "I register domain and hosting" |
| After launch | Who maintains | Prevents orphaned sites | "Monthly care plan wanted" |
Filled Example (Fictional)
This example is invented to show how a brief looks. "Rosewater Bakery" is not a real business.
About the business: Rosewater Bakery, a small neighbourhood bakery selling custom cakes and daily bread. No website yet, only a social media page.
Goals: Main goal: get custom cake enquiries online. Second: show the daily menu and opening hours. Success: 15 cake enquiries a month within six months.
Audience: Local families planning birthdays, plus offices ordering for events. They mostly visit on phones and want to see photos, flavours and a price guide quickly.
Pages: Home, Menu, Custom Cakes (with enquiry form), Gallery, About, Contact. Owner writes the About text. Developer drafts the rest from the owner's notes.
Features: Must-have: enquiry form with date and size, opening hours, map, photo gallery. Later: online payments and a deposit system.
Design: Warm cream and rose colours, large food photos, simple menu. Likes: three local food sites with clean menus. Does not want: pop-ups or auto-playing video.
Content: Owner supplies logo and 30 photos in two weeks. Menu text and prices supplied as a document.
Competitors: Two bakeries in the same town.
Budget and timeline: Mid-range budget, open to doing it in two phases. Launch in six weeks, before the holiday season.
Technical: No domain yet. Owner will register the domain and hosting in her name. WordPress preferred, for later growth.
After launch: Owner updates the menu herself. Wants a light monthly care plan.
Tips for Filling It In
- Be specific about goals. "More traffic" is vague. "Fifteen enquiries a month" is useful.
- Give a budget range. It helps a developer suggest the right approach instead of guessing.
- Show examples. Three sites you like say more than a page of adjectives.
- Separate must-have from later. A smaller first version can launch sooner and cost less.
- Decide who provides content. Late content is the most common cause of late launches.
- Keep ownership. Register the domain and hosting yourself.
How to Send It
Paste the brief into an email or shared document and send the same version to each shortlisted developer. Ask each one to confirm scope, timeline, what is not included and the support period. Compare answers side by side. If a quote ignores parts of your brief, ask why.
If you are not sure which platform to build on, see WordPress vs Wix vs Squarespace. For budget expectations, read how much a WordPress website costs. Before launch, run through the website launch checklist. If you are considering hiring from Pakistan, see find the best WordPress developer in Pakistan.
Send Me Your Brief
If you want a second opinion on your brief or a quote, send it over. I offer a free initial audit, flexible installments, competitive pricing and 4 weeks of post-development support on website projects. Book a free consultation or message me on WhatsApp through the contact page.
A good website project brief template takes an hour to fill and often saves weeks of confusion later.