How to brief a web agency: what to know, decide and put in writing beforehand

Many website projects run late because of something that could have been solved before the start: an unclear assignment. A brief does not have to be a twenty-page document. It is a short, honest description of why you want a site, for whom, what it must do and what you supply yourself. This article walks through the questions a good agency asks, and which you had better answer before you request the first quote. It is also meant to show where the agreements on ownership, hosting and privacy belong. This is general information, not legal advice; have a lawyer look at a contract if a lot is at stake.

1. Start with the goal, not the design

“A nicer website” is not a goal. A goal is: more enquiries for a certain service, a web shop that takes orders, a site that gives new customers confidence or a system that schedules appointments. Write down one to three, in order of importance, and how you want to know later whether it worked (number of enquiries, orders, calls). Then an agency can propose a design and structure that fits. How measuring works is in privacy-friendly web analytics.

2. Describe who you are doing it for

Who are your customers, what are they looking for and what holds them back? A few real examples (anonymous) say more than a list of characteristics. Also describe where they come from: searching in Google, ads, referrals or social media. In its SEO Starter Guide, Google describes that search engines need content and structure that help people; the agency cannot invent that without knowing who those people are.

3. What exists already, and what stays?

An agency wants to know what it can reuse:

• Brand identity and logo (and in which files you have them).
• Copy and photos: what can you supply yourself and what has to be written or photographed?
• An existing website: which pages draw traffic, what must absolutely be kept, what can go?
• Accounts: domain name, hosting, email, Google Business Profile, ad accounts. Who is the owner?

If there is an existing website with search traffic, moving URLs is a separate subject. In its documentation Google describes that in a move with URL changes you must set up permanent redirects and keep them long enough; see migrate a website without losing SEO. Have the agency say beforehand how it handles that.

4. Features and content: distinguish ‘must’ from ‘nice to have’

Make a list of what the site must be able to do (contact form, booking appointments, multiple languages, news posts, payments, links to your administration) and split it into three groups: necessary at the start, afterwards, maybe. That helps when judging quotes, because every feature affects lead time and cost. More on that in What does a website cost? and How long does it take?.

5. Conditions: accessibility, speed, privacy

These are requirements that are often forgotten and later prove expensive.

• Accessibility. The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative advises including accessibility from the start of planning and management rather than afterwards. Ask the agency how it does that; see also accessible website and the European Accessibility Act.
• Speed. Ask which metrics the agency checks after delivery. web.dev describes Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS) as the standard; see Core Web Vitals explained.
• Privacy. Which tools are loaded, which data does the form collect, where is it stored? The GDPR requires a contract for a processor (article 28) and appropriate security (article 32). See cookies and GDPR.

6. Ownership and rights: put it in writing

Who owns what at the end? Under the Dutch Copyright Act (Auteurswet, article 2, paragraph 3), a transfer of copyright must be in writing; without a written deed it does not apply, and a transfer covers only the rights expressly stated or those that follow from the nature of the agreement. In practice: record what your company gets (design, code, copy, illustrations), whether it is a full transfer or a licence, and what happens to third-party components such as fonts, stock photos and plug-ins (which have their own licences). Also ask who holds the domain name. This belongs in the quote or the agreement.

7. Hosting, maintenance and what happens after launch

A website is not finished at delivery. Ask:

1. Where does the site live, and who is responsible for uptime, backups and updates? See hosting and uptime for business owners.
2. What is covered by maintenance and what is extra work? See the maintenance checklist.
3. Can you take the site with you if you want to switch agency, and in what form?
4. How quickly does the agency respond to an outage, and how do you reach it?

8. What belongs in a quote?

A good quote makes comparison possible. Watch for:

• Scope in words. Which pages, features and copy are included, and what is not?
• Number of feedback rounds and what happens with extra wishes.
• A schedule with milestones, including what the agency needs from you and when.
• Price structure and what is variable. We work with prices on request, after an intro call, because the content of a project differs; see price on request after an intro call.
• Ownership, hosting and maintenance as above.
• Payment moments and terms.

Compare quotes on content, not on amount. A cheap quote where half is missing is not cheaper.

9. Practical agreements in the project

Agree who your point of contact is, how fast you give feedback (delay on your side is the most common reason a project overruns) and how you record decisions. An agency that offers an intro call in the evening, as we do between 18:30 and 20:30, makes it easier to discuss this calmly without disturbing your working day. See also preparing a website project.

Signals to watch for in a proposal

A brief works both ways: it also shows how an agency responds. Watch for the following, without immediately drawing a verdict:

• The agency asks no questions. A proposal that arrives without anyone having asked about your goals or visitors is a standard proposal.
• Everything is “included”. Ask what exactly is covered, such as the number of pages, texts and feedback rounds.
• Ownership stays vague. If the agency cannot say who owns the code, the design and the domain name, ask for it on paper.
• Not a word about after launch. Who will do updates, check backups and fix problems?
• References you cannot check. Ask for live sites you can open yourself, and look at them on a phone.

A good agency finds these questions normal and answers them without detours.

A brief in ten lines

1. What is the company and what does it do?
2. What is the goal of the site, and how do we measure it?
3. Who are the visitors?
4. Which pages and features are needed, and which are extra?
5. What exists already (brand identity, copy, photos, existing site)?
6. What requirements apply for accessibility, speed and privacy?
7. Who owns what?
8. Who hosts, who maintains?
9. What is the desired period and why?
10. Who decides on your side?

In conclusion

A good brief is a conversation, not a form. You do not need to know everything; what matters is recognising the questions. Have an idea but no brief? Come to our free intro call, or read more about our websites and packages.

Sources

Reviewed on 28 October 2026 against the sources below. Rules and guidelines change; this article is general information, not legal or tax advice.

• Auteurswet (wetten.overheid.nl)
• General Data Protection Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (EUR-Lex)
• Planning and Policies Overview (W3C Web Accessibility Initiative)
• Web Vitals (web.dev)
• SEO Starter Guide (Google Search Central)
• Site moves with URL changes (Google Search Central)

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