How to Write a Website Brief for a Web Developer

Learning how to write a website brief is the single cheapest thing you can do to get a good website for a fair price. A brief is just a short, plain-language document that tells the developer what you want, who it's for, and what you're trying to achieve — before anyone talks numbers. Get it right and you'll receive accurate quotes you can actually compare, fewer surprises halfway through, and a finished site that matches what was in your head. Get it wrong — or skip it entirely — and you'll get vague estimates, endless back-and-forth, and a developer building one thing while you pictured another. This guide gives you a website brief template you can fill in an hour, written for the business owner in Lebanon, not the developer.

What a website brief actually is (and why it saves you money)

A brief is not a technical document. You don't need to know code, hosting, or design jargon. It's a page or two that answers a few simple questions so any developer reading it understands the job the same way you do.

Here's the money part: when two developers quote off the same clear brief, you can compare their prices fairly — because they're pricing the same thing. When your brief is vague ("I want a nice website for my shop"), each developer imagines something different, quotes a different scope, and you end up comparing apples to oranges. Worse, a low quote based on a vague brief almost always balloons later with "that wasn't included" charges.

Think of the brief as the thing that protects you. It's what you point back to when the work drifts, and it's the foundation of a clear contract. If you want to go deeper on turning a brief into a proper agreement, we have a full guide on how to scope a freelance project with a clear contract.

What to include in a website brief

Here's the core of the template. Fill each section in plain language — bullet points are fine, full sentences are optional.

• About your business: one paragraph — what you do, where (e.g. Beirut, Tripoli, online across Lebanon), and who your customers are.
• The goal of the site: what should it do for you? Get phone calls? WhatsApp orders? Bookings? Show a menu? Build trust so people visit the shop? Be specific — "get more delivery orders on WhatsApp" beats "look professional".
• Who visits the site: are they Lebanese locals, diaspora, Gulf clients? On a phone or a computer? Do they read Arabic, English, French, or a mix?
• The pages you need: list them. For example: Home, About, Services, Menu/Products, Contact. If you're not sure, say so and let the developer suggest.
• Must-have features: WhatsApp button, contact form, Google Maps location, photo gallery, online booking, a blog. Mark which are essential and which are "nice to have".
• Languages: Arabic only, English only, or bilingual? This affects the work a lot (Arabic needs right-to-left support).
• Look and feel: two or three words — clean, warm, luxury, playful. Colors you like or already use in your logo.
• Content: do you already have text and photos, or does the developer need to help with those? This is a huge cost factor people forget.
• Budget range: yes, put a range. It's not a weakness — it helps the developer propose the right solution instead of guessing.
• Timeline: when do you need it live? Is there a real deadline (a Ramadan campaign, a shop opening)?

You don't need fancy tools for any of this. A WhatsApp note, a Google Doc, or a page in your notebook is enough. What matters is that it exists in writing.

Show examples: the fastest way to be understood

Words like "modern" and "clean" mean different things to different people. Your "elegant" might be the developer's "boring". The fix is simple: show, don't just tell.

Pick two or three websites you like — they can be anything, even a big international brand or a competitor down the street — and note what you like about each one. Not "I like this one," but "I like how the menu is easy to find on the phone," or "I like that the prices are clear," or "I like these calm colors." One example of something you dislike is just as useful, because it draws a boundary.

This single step removes more misunderstandings than any amount of description. A developer who sees three sites you love instantly understands your taste, your expectations for quality, and roughly the level of work involved — which also makes their quote more accurate.

Be honest about budget and content

Two things quietly blow up website projects in Lebanon, and both belong in your brief.

Budget. People hide their budget thinking they'll get a lower price. It usually backfires. When the developer knows you have, say, roughly $150–$600 fresh for a simple site, they can shape the offer to fit — fewer pages, a ready template, phased work. Hide it, and they either over-quote to be safe or under-quote and cut corners. Be clear too about paying in fresh dollars versus old bank dollars (lollars); the difference in value is huge and the developer needs to know exactly what they'll receive.

Content — the text and photos. This is the most underestimated cost. A beautiful empty website is useless. Ask yourself honestly: will you write the text and provide good photos, or do you need the developer (or a copywriter and photographer) to handle it? If the developer has to chase you for content for three weeks, the project stalls and everyone gets frustrated. Decide this up front and write it in the brief.

Turn the brief into offers and a fair contract

Once your brief is ready, it becomes the thing you send to developers to get comparable quotes. Read the offers against your brief point by point: did they address your goal, your pages, your languages, your budget?

A good brief naturally flows into a good contract. The pages, features, languages, and timeline you listed become the deliverables you both agree on — and the milestones you pay against. If you want a hiring walkthrough that pairs with this, see our how to hire a web developer checklist, and to understand the service scope itself, our web development services page lays out what's typically involved.

Here's a practical tip for Lebanon: split the payment into staged milestones — a deposit at kickoff, a payment when the design is approved, and a final payment only when the site is live and working on your own phone. Never pay everything upfront. This keeps you protected and reassures the developer they'll be paid for each stage.

How Furrsati protects both sides

This is where the platform helps. When you post your project on Furrsati and hire a developer, your money sits in escrow — held safely — until you confirm each milestone is actually done. The developer knows the money is there and committed, so they work with confidence; you don't release a cent until you've seen the work on your screen. If something goes wrong, disputes are handled fast.

And payouts land the way freelancers in Lebanon actually get paid: fresh dollars via OMT, Whish, bank transfer, or USDT — no Payoneer or PayPal needed. Profiles are verified, so you're not hiring a stranger off the internet. Your clear brief plus escrow protection is the combination that gets small businesses in Lebanon a site they're happy with, without the horror stories.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a website brief be?

One to two pages is plenty. The goal is clarity, not length — a page that clearly states your business, your goal, the pages you need, your languages, and your budget beats ten pages of vague description. If you can explain it to a friend in five minutes, you can write it in an hour.

Do I need to know technical terms to write a brief?

No. Write in plain language about what you want the site to do and look like, and leave the technical decisions to the developer. If anything, avoid technical words you're unsure about — describe the outcome ("customers can order on WhatsApp") and let the developer choose how to build it.

Should I put my budget in the brief?

Yes. A budget range helps the developer propose the right solution instead of guessing, and it lets you compare offers fairly. Hiding it usually leads to over-quoting or corner-cutting. Also state clearly that you're paying in fresh dollars, not old bank dollars.

What if I don't know exactly what pages I need?

That's fine — say so in the brief and list what you think you need, then ask the developer to suggest. A good developer will look at your goal and recommend a sensible page structure. The important thing is that your goal and your customers are clear; the pages follow from those.

What's the difference between a brief and a contract?

A brief is what you write before hiring — it describes what you want so developers can quote. A contract comes after you choose one — it locks in the agreed scope, price, milestones, and ownership. A clear brief makes writing a fair contract much easier because the details are already decided.

Can I write the brief in Arabic?

Absolutely — write it in whatever language you think best, Arabic, English, or a mix. What matters is that the developer understands it. If your site itself will be in Arabic, mention that clearly, since Arabic needs right-to-left (RTL) support and not every developer has experience with it.

Ready to brief the right developer?

A good brief is an hour of work that saves you weeks of confusion and real money. Write down your goal, your pages, your languages, your budget, and two or three example sites you like — that's genuinely most of it. When you're ready, post your project on Furrsati with your brief and receive offers from trusted, verified Lebanese developers, with your money protected in escrow until you're fully happy. Your project starts on solid ground, and so does your website.