NTG STUDIO WEBShort answer
A website brief is two to five pages long. It presents the business and its goals, target clients, list of pages, expected features, available content, reference sites, technical constraints, budget and deadline. It gets you comparable quotes and avoids misunderstandings.
Key takeaways
- Two well-filled pages beat a thirty-page document
- Describe expected results, not just features
- Give examples of sites you like and why
- State a budget so proposals are realistic
A project brief isn’t paperwork reserved for big companies. It’s your website’s roadmap. It forces you to clarify what you want and gets you quotes you can compare. Here is a ready-to-fill template, then an example.
The 10-section template
1. About the business. Activity, city, founding date, size, what sets you apart.
2. Website goals. Two or three measurable goals: number of quote requests, bookings or sales per month.
3. Target clients. Who are they? Individuals, companies, diaspora? On phone or computer? French, English or both?
4. Site map. The list of pages: home, about, services (one page per service), work, pricing, blog, contact, legal notice.
5. Expected features. Form, WhatsApp button, booking, online quote, store, Orange Money and MTN MoMo payment, client area, chatbot, English version.
6. Content. What you already have (text, photos, logo, videos) and what needs producing.
7. Design. Three sites you like and why, your colours, the image to convey (luxury, warm, technical, institutional).
8. Search. The searches you want to be found for, for example "paediatric clinic Douala".
9. Technical constraints. Existing site to take over, domain, hosting, tools to connect (POS, calendar, CRM).
10. Budget and schedule. A budget range, the desired launch date and who approves.
NTG Studio Web does it for you (Custom website design, Website redesign). Free 30-minute audit, reply within 24 hours, payment by Orange Money or MTN MoMo.
Filled-in example (accounting firm in Yaoundé)
- Business: chartered accounting firm, 8 staff, Bastos, SME and NGO clients.
- Goals: 8 qualified requests a month; fewer calls for repetitive questions.
- Clients: SME owners, often on phones; international NGOs in English.
- Pages: home, firm, 6 services, industries, tax news, contact, legal notice.
- Features: qualifying form (company type, turnover, need), booking, client area to upload documents, English version.
- Content: copy to write; team photos to shoot; existing logo.
- Design: sober and reassuring, navy and gold.
- Search: "accounting firm Yaoundé", "SME tax return Cameroon".
- Constraints: existing domain with a former provider, to be recovered.
- Budget: 600,000 to 900,000 FCFA; launch before 15 January.
Mistakes to avoid
- Listing fifty features with no priorities: separate must-haves from nice-to-haves.
- Copying a competitor’s site: take inspiration, then say what makes you different.
- Forgetting mobile: most of your visitors will be on a phone.
- Forgetting aftercare: who updates the site, who answers messages?
What next?
Send this document to two or three providers and compare their answers with our guide Website quotes: how to read them and avoid the traps. If you prefer, we fill it in with you during the free audit, then you receive a detailed quote.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a brief for a small site?
A one-page document is enough: business, goal, pages, features and budget. It already avoids most misunderstandings.
Should I share my budget?
Yes. A range lets the provider propose the best solution within it, rather than a random offer.
Can the provider write the brief?
Yes. During our free 30-minute audit, we ask the right questions and write the summary with you.
Founder of NTG Studio Web in Douala. Master’s in international public law, IBM Data Analytics and Anthropic AI Fluency certified. He designs websites and visibility strategies for African businesses. Learn more →