Small business website brief: a practical UK template
Collect the facts, decisions and materials a web professional needs before design starts.
Define the job of the website
Read the note
Begin with the action a suitable visitor should take and the information needed to feel comfortable taking it. Write a primary action, such as calling for an estimate, and one sensible alternative for people who are not ready. Date the define the job of the website review. Record the primary visitor next action. Record define the job of the website beside primary visitor: who needs the service and what situation brings them to the website. Compare primary visitor evidence with define the job of the website; give each define the job of the website disagreement to the workshop owner for primary visitor. Publish define the job of the website after defining its primary visitor boundary. Date the define the job of the website review. Record the primary visitor next action.
Set an honest service area
Read the note
State where the business normally works and how travel, call-out boundaries or remote delivery affect enquiries. Use recognisable counties, towns or districts only where the team really serves them, then explain any exceptions plainly. Date the set an honest service area review. Record the service scope next action. Record set an honest service area beside service scope: work offered, work excluded and any important prerequisites. Compare service scope evidence with set an honest service area; give each set an honest service area disagreement to the workshop owner for service scope. Publish set an honest service area after defining its service scope boundary. Date the set an honest service area review. Record the service scope next action.
Describe services in customer language
Read the note
List the real services offered, the jobs declined and the words customers use when describing the problem. Group closely related work where one explanation is enough, but give a distinct service its own page when scope, process or questions genuinely differ. Date the describe services in customer language review. Record the primary action next action. Record describe services in customer language beside primary action: the single action the site should make straightforward. Compare primary action evidence with describe services in customer language; give each describe services in customer language disagreement to the workshop owner for primary action. Publish describe services in customer language after defining its primary action boundary. Date the describe services in customer language review. Record the primary action next action.
Gather proof and practical details
Read the note
Collect original photographs, accreditations that can be verified, trading details, opening information and the steps a customer should expect. Add captions that explain what a photograph shows rather than treating images as decoration. Date the gather proof and practical details review. Record the coverage next action. Record gather proof and practical details beside coverage: normal service area plus travel or remote-work boundaries. Compare coverage evidence with gather proof and practical details; give each gather proof and practical details disagreement to the workshop owner for coverage. Publish gather proof and practical details after defining its coverage boundary. Date the gather proof and practical details review. Record the coverage next action.
Agree ownership and launch boundaries
Read the note
Name the owner of the domain, hosting, website copy, mailbox and future updates before anyone starts building. Agree what is included at launch, what can wait, and how corrections will be requested and approved. Date the agree ownership and launch boundaries review. Record the available evidence next action. Record agree ownership and launch boundaries beside available evidence: original photographs, registrations and verifiable qualifications. Compare available evidence evidence with agree ownership and launch boundaries; give each agree ownership and launch boundaries disagreement to the workshop owner for available evidence. Publish agree ownership and launch boundaries after defining its available evidence boundary. Date the agree ownership and launch boundaries review. Record the available evidence next action.
Practical brief-sheet
Website brief handover sheet
Complete these lines before requesting a proposal or approving a page map.
Primary visitorWho needs the service and what situation brings them to the website.
Primary actionThe single action the site should make straightforward.
Service scopeWork offered, work excluded and any important prerequisites.
CoverageNormal service area plus travel or remote-work boundaries.
Available evidenceOriginal photographs, registrations and verifiable qualifications.
OwnershipNamed holders for domain, hosting, mailbox and website access.
Launch boundaryMust-have pages and functions versus a clearly labelled later list.
