A WordPress website brief often starts with a theme, a colour palette and a list of pages. Start one step earlier: who will change the content, how often, and what should they be able to change safely? Defining that workflow helps a developer build an editing experience your team can actually use.

List recurring updates, not just launch pages

Write down the changes you expect over the next few months. Examples include publishing an article, changing a service description, replacing a staff photograph and adding a project example. Beside each task, name the responsible role and the person who approves the information.

A business owner updating a paragraph occasionally has different needs from a team publishing several articles a week. Avoid asking for unlimited flexibility without explaining the work. A predictable set of editing controls may be more useful than a page builder with dozens of options nobody wants to manage.

Define your reusable content types

A service page, a team profile and an article contain different information. For each type, list the fields that must be present. A project example might need a client-approved summary, the work completed, images and a relevant next step. Decide which fields are optional so empty sections do not appear in the finished layout.

WordPress supports themes, plugins and different user roles, but the exact editing experience depends on how a site is configured. Ask the developer to show a representative page using the proposed setup. A generic WordPress demonstration is not enough to confirm how your particular website will work.

Describe the publishing process

Explain who drafts, checks and publishes content. Ask for permissions that suit those responsibilities, rather than giving everyone the same account and access. Include the process for urgent corrections when the usual editor is unavailable. Document where approved images and source material are stored.

Use a sample article to rehearse the workflow. Add a title, headings, an image description and a useful link, then preview it on a phone. Check whether the editor can spot an unfinished section before publication. The rehearsal should use content representative of the work your team will do.

Make migration part of the brief

If an existing website has articles, collect their URLs and decide which content will be retained, improved or retired. Request a mapping for any URLs that change. Keep titles and image references with the content so migration does not become a last-minute exercise in copying text.

Also list integrations that support the website, such as enquiry handling, booking and email. Name who owns those accounts and what should be tested after the move. A successful homepage preview does not demonstrate that an old article or an enquiry workflow survived migration.

Decide how much layout freedom you need

Some businesses want editors to change text and images inside a stable design. Others need to build campaign pages from approved sections. Describe the intended level of freedom and ask how it affects training, consistency and support.

For instance, you might allow an editor to reorder a small set of tested sections while keeping fonts and button styles consistent. This is a project choice, not a universal WordPress rule. The right arrangement is the one that supports useful updates without making every change a design decision.

Set an acceptance task before launch

Ask the future editor to publish a draft, revise an existing page and locate the instructions for restoring content. Record any steps that require help. Include responsibility for software updates, backups and support in the handover, with a clear way to report a problem.

Bring this brief to a website development discussion before committing to a theme or plugin list. For a Melbourne small business, the practical result should be a site that serves customers and a team that can keep its information accurate.

Plan your next step with CodeMax

Explore our Melbourne web design service, or send CodeMax your website brief with the customer task you want to improve.

Sources and further reading

Research checked 30 September 2026. Provider features and limits can change.