Website relaunch checklist - How to make the agency briefing a success!

What does an agency briefing for your website relaunch actually include? The briefing is usually the first step in the collaboration between the company and the agency. This is where the agency receives specific information about the company and the planned website relaunch for the first time. But what are the points you need to address? We have put together a brief overview for you to ensure your agency briefing is a success!

Initial preparations

You will relaunch your website together with the web design agency. This means that you will be getting rid of your old website and starting afresh. It is worth analyzing the reason for this step in detail. What specifically prompted you to relaunch your website? What problems did you have with the old website? Was there any feedback from customers? Which functions do you want to completely discard? And which ones simply need to be optimized? Analyze your current website for its errors and flaws so that you can target the right areas with the relaunch. This will also enable you to better explain to the agency which old and new functions your website should have in the future.

Before the agency briefing, you should already think about the framework conditions. This includes the size of your budget for the relaunch and an idea of the timeline. Also consider what other resources you have at your disposal to successfully carry out the website relaunch.

As with the smooth running of any project, communication with the agency plays a major role in the briefing. Make sure you convey general information about the project clearly. As well as your strategy and goals. Open and honest communication ensures transparency. This way, everyone knows what the ideas and goals are, as well as what expectations and problems are seen. Regular feedback helps to leave little room for misunderstandings. Focus on clear and precise core statements.

It also pays to be as well prepared as possible in terms of content. So take a close look at the relevant topics of a website relaunch. Which content management system (CMS for short) do you want to use for your website in the future? How do you envision your new design? And what about the competition on the market? Which keywords do you want to use in the future? ...

Here is an overview of the topics that will help you to be optimally prepared for the agency briefing.

Content for the agency briefing

Company

You know your company and know exactly what kind of image you want to convey via your new website. In case of doubt, the agency does not. At least not as well and in as much detail as you do. Therefore, present the "personality" of your company. Make sure you formulate everything as concretely as possible. This will give the agency a quick and clear impression of your company.

Give the agency a precise definition of your target group. Your new website should be designed to appeal to them in the best possible way. Therefore, tell the agency as much as possible about your desired customers. You can use buyer personas for this or involve someone from your company who is very familiar with your defined target group.

Carry out a precise analysis of your market position. Who is your competition on the market? Observe the online presence of your competitors. In this way, you may find further opportunities to optimize your website with the relaunch. Or you can generate new ideas on how to emphasize your unique selling point more clearly.

Your own online presence is of course also important. Create an overview of your company's current communication campaigns. Which advertising campaigns are currently running? Are you using other channels to generate the attention of your target group? And, of course, an overview of your social media behavior should not be missing in this context. On the one hand, the agency needs to know which profiles to integrate into your website during the relaunch. On the other hand, this will give them an even better insight into your company and how you present yourself on the Internet.

For optimal cooperation, also introduce the contact persons in your company at the agency briefing. Who can the agency turn to with content-related issues? Who is responsible for legal matters, such as data protection? Who for technical issues? If the agency knows who to ask detailed questions to, this makes communication easier for both sides.

Goals

Present your company's goals and clearly define them. The same applies to the goals of the new website. What do you want to achieve with the new website and how? Why does the old website no longer fit in with these plans? The more precisely you define your plans during the agency briefing, the easier it will be for the agency to align your new website accordingly.

Content

As far as the specific content of your new website is concerned, the most important question is probably: what can go and what should stay?

Get an overview of the current content on your website before the briefing. This way you can easily answer these questions during the agency briefing. Also consider what is really relevant for your target group. If you know the number of visitors to your old website, analyze which content your visitors stick to. Where do they tend to click away? This will tell you which current content is a good customer magnet. And which ones need to be revised or completely recreated.

There may also be old content that is no longer up to date or no longer fits your company. Explain to the agency why you do not want to include certain content in the website relaunch.

In contrast: do you have new topics that should be included? What are your ideas? The more precisely you communicate your expectations and ideas in the agency briefing, the better the agency can take your wishes into account during implementation.

If you have a precise overview of the content on your new website, it makes sense to look at search engine optimization (SEO for short). Which keywords do you want to use so that your website can be found by your target group? Which ones make sense? This is where the agency can help you.

Finally, ask yourself which content should be accessible to which users. What content do you only want to make visible to certain website visitors? What about a password-protected area for customers or employees?

Technology

Have you already decided on a content management system? Options for this include HubSpot or WordPress. Before the agency briefing, think about which CMS meets your technical requirements for the new website. Where do you still see any problems?

Think about what other functions your new website should have. Which languages should it be designed for? What about the application for mobile devices? Accessibility on websites is also a current topic.

Think about how you want to integrate your social media channels. It is also important to consider on which other pages your website is integrated or where and which links to your website may need to be adapted.

Finally, ask yourself whether you want to integrate tracking pixels such as Google Analytics on your new website. This will give you a good overview of how your website is used in the future. This will make it easier to keep the website up to date after the relaunch and to optimize it further.

Design

Think about the design of your new website before the agency briefing. Is there a corporate design for your company? How should this be taken into account when relaunching the website? How can you best implement it on your new website?

In general, collect websites that you like. This will give the agency examples of the direction your ideas are taking. This will make the design process easier.

If you want to use certain images, logos or infographics on your new website, gather them together before the agency briefing. Then you will have all the materials ready to be integrated into the new website.

What else you should pay attention to

Now you have all the relevant information for the agency briefing on your website relaunch. There are only two things left to consider.

Firstly: clarify exactly what further preparations need to be made. Who is responsible for which tasks? There is often material that still needs to be procured. Texts for the new website, photo shoots and other documents - who is responsible for what? A clear division of responsibilities will help you avoid chaos. Tasks are often simply left undone because no one feels responsible. Precise allocation prevents these mistakes.

On the other hand, always be open to suggestions from the agency. For example, when it comes to ideas for the design or technology.

Do you want to be well prepared before the agency briefing? We have a website briefing checklist for you here: