How to Write a Website Migration Brief That Gets Useful Answers

When businesses ask for help moving a website, the first message is often a single sentence and a URL. That is a perfectly good start, but a short written brief helps anyone scoping the work give more specific and more reliable answers. It also helps the business clarify its own priorities.

Start with the why

Describe the main reasons for the move in a few sentences. Typical reasons include difficulty maintaining the current platform, concerns about the software it depends on, frustration with editing, a need for new capabilities or a design that no longer reflects the business. Rank them. Knowing which matters most shapes every later decision.

Describe the current site

Include what you know, and say when you do not know:

• The website address and any other domains or subdomains.
• The platform, if known, such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Craft CMS or custom PHP.
• Approximate number of pages and posts.
• Who hosts the site and who manages it.
• Known problems and recent incidents.

You do not need technical certainty. A review of public signals can fill in some gaps, and the rest can be discovered during scoping.

List what the site must do

Write the essential functions in plain language: contact forms, quote requests, bookings, payments, member areas, search, downloads, integrations with a CRM or email marketing tool. Mark which are essential at launch and which could follow later.

Content expectations

Say whether content should move as it is, be reviewed and trimmed, or be substantially rewritten, and who will do that work. Content is often the slowest part of a project, so being clear here helps planning.

Search and visibility priorities

Identify the pages and search terms that matter most to the business. If search traffic is a major source of enquiries, say so, so redirect and metadata work is scoped appropriately.

Design direction

Share whether you want to keep the current look, refresh it or redesign. Include examples of sites you admire and say what you like about them. Brand guidelines and logo files are useful if they exist.

Constraints and dates

Mention any real constraints: seasonal peaks to avoid, campaigns that depend on the site, contract end dates with current hosting, or approval processes. Distinguish hard deadlines from preferences.

Budget conversations

It is reasonable not to know what a migration should cost. If you have a range in mind, sharing it helps those scoping the work suggest options that fit, such as phasing or prioritising certain features. If you do not, ask for options at different levels of scope. A personalised quote after a review is more useful than a generic figure.

Who decides

Name the person who will approve scope, design and launch, and anyone else who must be consulted. Projects move faster when decision makers are clear.

What not to include

Do not send passwords, customer data or private keys in an initial brief. Access is arranged securely once a project is agreed.

A brief is a conversation starter

A one or two page brief is enough. It gives the scoping conversation a focus and helps everyone talk about the same priorities from the outset.