Start with a short brief, not a perfect document

You can start a useful website conversation with a one-page brief. Describe your business, your customers, the main action visitors should take, and any requirements you already know. A salon might need services, location, opening hours, and appointment enquiries. It might not need online payments or a custom booking system at launch.

Mark each item as essential for launch or a possible later addition. Include any genuine deadline and explain why it matters. The designer can then identify dependencies and propose a realistic scope; a delivery date should be agreed after the work and content responsibilities are understood.

Domain name: the address people use

A domain is a name such as example.com that people use to reach your site. It is separate from the website files. Choose something easy to spell, check the exact spelling before purchase, and register it in an account controlled by the business. MDN’s domain explanation describes how names connect to internet addresses.

Check renewal terms as well as the introductory offer. Record the registrar, expiry date, recovery email, and who manages renewals. If you already have a domain, share its name and invite access securely when needed. Do not buy a second one simply because you cannot find the first account; investigate ownership and recovery first.

Hosting: where the website is served

Hosting is the service that makes the site’s files or application available to visitors. Some website builders include it; other sites use a separate provider. MDN’s web server overview explains the underlying job: responding to requests with website content.

Ask what the proposed hosting includes: HTTPS, backups if needed, storage, support, and limits that matter to your features. Understand what happens if you move to another provider. Business email may be a separate subscription even when it uses the same domain. A shop or booking application has different hosting and integration needs from a small information site.

Branding and photographs: supply what you have permission to use

Gather your logo in the best available format, brand colours, any typography guidance, and examples of a style you like. A full branding package is optional; a consistent basic visual direction is enough to begin planning. If the logo needs repair or redesign, name that work separately so it is included in the scope.

Collect photographs of the business, products, or work where appropriate, and record permission to use them. Check stock-photo licences before downloading. Ask customers or staff before publishing identifiable images when permission is needed. Avoid using a generic stock team image as if it showed your own staff. Useful photos should explain the offer, not just fill space.

Page content and contact details: answer customer questions

Prepare a business introduction, service or product details, service area, hours, and the next step for customers. Make a simple page list and assign someone to supply and approve each page’s text. You can provide rough notes for a writer, but clarify whether writing and editing are included.

Confirm the exact public phone number, email, address if appropriate, and official social links. Include relevant policies for the features you offer, and get appropriate advice when legal wording is required. If customers visit a location, check that directions and opening hours match the information elsewhere. Avoid publishing private contact details by accident.

Features: separate launch essentials from extras

An essential feature enables the main customer task. For a tradesperson, clear service information and a working call or enquiry route may be enough. For a shop taking orders online, product management, checkout, payment integration, and order notifications belong in the initial requirements. “Optional” depends on the business, not on how impressive a feature looks.

  • Usually essential: readable pages, mobile layouts, usable navigation, secure hosting, accurate contact details, and a tested customer action.
  • Essential when the business needs them: checkout, booking, member access, multilingual content, or integrations with existing systems.
  • Often optional at first: elaborate animation, live chat, advanced reporting dashboards, or a frequently updated blog without someone to maintain it.
  • Specify integrations early: name the payment, booking, email, or customer-management service and identify who controls its account.

Budget and maintenance: plan beyond the build

Ask for an itemized proposal separating setup work from recurring costs. Domain renewals, hosting, email, paid software, stock assets, and support can have different billing arrangements. Do not compare only the first invoice. Ask which subscriptions are required and what happens if you stop paying for an optional service.

Decide who updates opening hours, replaces content, maintains software when applicable, and checks backups and contact routes. A simple static site and a shop with plugins need different maintenance plans. Agree the response process for faults and the cost of new features. A budget range helps the designer prioritize; it does not require you to accept an unexplained package.

Credentials and access: keep the business in control

Keep an inventory of the domain registrar, hosting, site editor, business email, analytics, and any payment or booking accounts. Store credentials in a password manager, enable multifactor authentication where available, and retain recovery details. Share access through invitations or a secure method, not a public brief or a website contact form.

At handover, confirm that you can sign in yourself, that the recovery email belongs to the business, and that you know how to remove access you no longer need. Ask for editing instructions and exports or backups appropriate to the platform. Ownership and access are practical launch requirements, even when someone else maintains the site.

Your ready-to-start checklist

Send this information to your designer without passwords. Flag gaps so they can be planned rather than hidden.

  • Business description, audience, main visitor action, and an essential-versus-later feature list.
  • Domain status and the person who controls the registrar account.
  • Existing hosting or platform, or a request for a suitable recommendation.
  • Logo, visual guidance, licensed photos, and a list of content still needed.
  • Page outline, service information, public contact details, and relevant policies.
  • Budget range, recurring-cost questions, and any real deadline or dependency.
  • Reviewer, content owner, maintenance plan, and secure handover expectations.