A website development brief is a short document that turns "we need a nice website" into a concrete task: for whom, why, what should happen after the visit, and what materials you already have. A good brief saves weeks of back-and-forth and tens of thousands of rubles in rework.

NUGU is a full-cycle digital agency in Sochi. Every project starts with a brief or structured call. From it we build the technical specification, estimate, and timeline.

Why You Need a Brief

Without a brief, the contractor fills gaps for you. Sometimes they guess right, often not. Typical outcomes:

  • Site looks good but does not drive enquiries — target audience and action were never named.
  • Endless revisions — structure was not agreed before mockups.
  • Deadlines slip — copy and photos are "almost ready" for three weeks.
  • Budget grows — "one more section" and CRM integration added mid-project.

The brief locks expectations before start. More on typical mistakes in errors when ordering a website.

Block 1: Goal and Outcome

Answer in writing:

  • **Why the site?** Enquiries, sales, bookings, image, ad support.
  • **One primary visitor action.** Fill a form, call, place an order.
  • **How will you measure success?** N enquiries per month, cost per lead, share of search traffic.
  • **Launch deadline.** Hard date (season opening) or "when ready."
  • **Budget.** Range you are working within.

Example: "Service website for a clinic in Sochi. Goal — 20 bookings per month via online form. Launch by September 1. Budget up to 80,000 ₽."

Block 2: Audience and Competitors

  • Who is your client: age, city, query, what they arrive with.
  • What they already tried: competitors, old site, social media.
  • 2–3 sites you like — and **why** (not "pretty," but "clear service structure," "price visible").
  • 1–2 sites you dislike — and why.

This helps discuss solutions, not abstract "modern design."

Block 3: Structure and Features

  • Which pages: homepage, services, about, contacts, blog, case studies.
  • How many services or product categories.
  • Need: form, calculator, catalog, account, payment, multilingual.
  • Integrations: CRM, Telegram, WhatsApp, Metrica, online booking.
  • Who will update content after launch.

Do not cram everything into v1. Better to launch core and expand — that is how the Quick Start package at 35,000 ₽ / 7 days works.

Block 4: Content and Materials

Checklist to gather:

  • Copy or bullet points for each page.
  • Logo, brand colors, fonts (if brand book exists).
  • Photos: team, office, work, product. Own photos where possible, not stock.
  • Legal details, privacy policy, terms.
  • Reviews, case studies, numbers.
  • Access: domain, hosting, current site (if any).

If something is missing — write "need agency help." That affects the estimate.

Block 5: Constraints and Process

  • Who makes decisions and approves mockups.
  • How many revision rounds you expect.
  • Legal or industry constraints (medicine, finance).
  • Need SEO, GEO, or ads after launch.

Sample Brief (Shortened)

**Company:** NUGU, digital agency, Sochi. **Goal:** enquiries for website development. **Action:** "Discuss project" form. **Audience:** small business, Sochi and Russia. **Pages:** homepage, services (4), portfolio, articles, contacts. **Features:** form, Metrica, messengers. **Materials:** copy ready, team photos available. **Timeline:** 14 days. **Budget:** service website from 50,000 ₽.

What Happens After the Brief

  1. Agency clarifies unclear points.
  2. Proposes format: landing (from 30,000 ₽), service website (from 50,000 ₽), corporate (from 80,000 ₽), store (from 140,000 ₽).
  3. Drafts technical specification and timeline.
  4. Approves mockups, copy, development, testing, launch.

Choosing a Contractor by Brief

Send the same brief to 2–3 agencies. Compare not only price but questions they ask, scope of work, and timelines. Full guide — how to choose a contractor.

NUGU replies within one business day. See the portfolio and services. Fill out the brief or start with a call via contacts.

Mini Template: 15 Brief Questions

  1. Company name and industry.
  2. Main site goal in one sentence.
  3. Target visitor action.
  4. How you will measure results in 3 months.
  5. Client geography.
  6. Typical client profile.
  7. List of pages and sections.
  8. Required features and integrations.
  9. Current site — what is wrong with it.
  10. References (2–3 links).
  11. Which materials are ready, which need creation.
  12. Who approves and accepts work.
  13. Desired launch date.
  14. Budget or range.
  15. Plans after launch: SEO, ads, support.

Copy the list, fill it in — and the first call goes twice as fast. Next we turn the brief into a technical specification with concrete timeline and cost.

Brief vs "Make It Like Them"

A competitor site link without context is a weak brief. More useful: "I like the service structure at example.ru, but our product costs more — need emphasis on guarantees and case studies." That tells the contractor what to adopt and what to adapt. NUGU always asks "why" for each reference — it saves revision rounds at the design stage.

What to Send With the Brief

Domain and hosting access (or registrar contacts), logo in vector or high-res PNG, copy in Google Doc or Word, photos without watermarks, competitor list, contact for approvals. The fuller the package at start — the more accurate the estimate and fewer surprises in process. If materials are missing — say so in the brief; we include copy and photos in scope.