Write a Website Brief in 20 Minutes
(A Checklist That Gets You Accurate Quotes)
February 12th, 2026
by Olympia
Most website quotes are “off” because the brief is vague. If you want accurate pricing and fewer surprises, you need a short, clear brief. This checklist takes 20 minutes and works for any business.
What you’ll get from this 20-minute brief
- Quotes that are comparable (same scope)
- Faster timelines (less back-and-forth)
- A website built around outcomes (leads, demos, sales).
The 20-minute Website Brief Checklist
1) One-sentence goal
Pick one primary goal:
- Book calls / demos
- Sell online
- Capture leads (forms)
- Educate + build trust (service business)
Example: “Increase demo requests from 12 → 30 per
2) Audience + job-to-be-done
- Who is this for?
- What are they trying to achieve?
- What are they worried about?
Prompt
Example: “Teams like [role] need [outcome] without [pain].”
3) Your offer in 3 bullets
- What you do
- Who it’s for
- Why you’re different
Tip: “Avoid “modern, clean, premium.” Say what users should do.”
4) Must-have pages
Tick what you need now (you can add later):
- Home
- Product / Service
- Pricing (or “Plans”)
- About
- Contact
- Blog / Resources
- Case studies / Customers
- Careers (optional)
- FAQ (highly recommended)
Website must-have Example: Product + Pricing + Use cases/Industries.
5) Key sections per page
For each page, list sections (just bullets):
- Hero (headline + CTA)
- Benefits (3–6)
- Features (optional)
- Social proof (logos, testimonials)
- How it works
- FAQ
- Final CTA
Website CTA Example: “Book a demo” / “Start free trial” / “Get pricing.”
6) Content you already have
For each page, list sections (just bullets):
- Existing website URL
- Copy docs (Google Docs / Notion)
- Brand assets (logo, colors, fonts)
- Product screenshots / videos
- Testimonials
- Case studies
If content is missing, state it. (That affects quotes.)
7) Competitors + references
- 2–3 competitor sites (what you like / hate)
- 2–3 reference sites (for vibe, layout, UX)
Write why you like them (speed, clarity, structure).
8) Functionality checklist
Tick what applies:
- CMS (WordPress) or custom
- Multilingual (EN/GR)
- Blog
- Newsletter signup
- Booking (Calendly or similar)
- Forms + routing (different inquiry types)
- CRM integration (HubSpot, etc.)
- Analytics (GA4) + events
- SEO basics (metadata, redirects)
- Performance (Core Web Vitals)
- Cookie banner
- Accessibility basics
Website Extras Example: pricing table logic, integrations page, gated content.
9) SEO & tracking
- Top 5 keywords you care about (even rough)
- Locations (if relevant)
- Conversions to track (submit form, book demo, purchase)
10) Timeline + decision process
- Target launch date
- Who approves
- How fast you can provide feedback/content
Common mistakes that inflate quotes
“We’ll decide pages later”
No content plan (copy, photos, case studies)
Undefined integrations (CRM, booking, forms)
No primary goal (everyone wants “everything”)
The Blue Mango factor
Why work with us? Because we’re not just here to make your brand and website look good, we’re here to make them work. Most of our clients stick with us long-term because we stay involved, we communicate clearly, and we care about the details that actually move the needle. We’ll take your brand and translate it into a site that feels sharp, intentional, and built for results. And yes, we’re very easy to work with. You’re part of the process from day one to launch (and beyond).