Building a website without a proper brief is like trying to build a house without blueprints. You might get something that looks decent, but it probably won’t function the way you need it to.

At Slate, we’ve seen countless projects go smoother when clients come prepared with a solid brief. That’s why we always share a Creative Brief document and work through it with every client, ensuring all options are covered. It’s your roadmap that tells everyone involved what you’re trying to achieve, who you’re talking to, and what success looks like.

Start with your goals

Before you think about colours or layouts, get clear on what you want your website to do. Are you trying to generate leads? Sell products? Build brand awareness? Write down your main objective and two secondary goals. Be specific. “Get more customers” isn’t helpful. “Generate 50 qualified leads per month from organic search” is.

Know your audience

Who are you building this for? Create a simple profile of your ideal visitor. What do they do for work? What problems are they trying to solve? How do they prefer to consume information? Understanding what will make someone stay on your site and take action is crucial.

Define your key messages

What’s the most important thing you want people to know about your business? What makes you different? Write down your core message and three supporting points. This will guide all your content decisions later.

Set your scope and requirements

List what you actually need. Online shop? Booking system? Blog? How many pages? What integrations? Be realistic about your budget and timeline. 

Gather your assets

Pull together everything you’ll need: logo, brand guidelines, existing content, photos, and technical requirements. The more organised you are upfront, the smoother the process will be.

A good brief saves time, money, and headaches. It keeps everyone aligned and gives you something to measure success against. For more guidance on creating effective website briefs, visit helloslate.co.uk where we help businesses build websites that actually work.