A Project brief is the first thing a Freelancer sees about your work. If it is vague, you get vague Proposals back: round-number prices, generic cover notes and questions you thought you had already answered. If it is clear, Freelancers can tell quickly whether the work suits them, and the ones who respond can give you a realistic price and timeline.
You do not need to be an expert in the work to write a good brief. You need to explain what you want, why you want it and how you will judge the result. This guide walks through each part, with examples you can adapt.
Start with the outcome, not the task list
Many briefs open with a list of tasks: “Build five pages. Add a contact form. Make it mobile friendly.” That tells a Freelancer what to do, but not what success looks like.
Open with one or two sentences about the result you need and who it is for. For example:
“We run a small accounting firm in Leeds. We need a simple website that explains our three services and makes it easy for local business owners to book a free 20-minute call.”
A Freelancer reading that already knows the audience, the purpose of the site and the main action a visitor should take. That context shapes every decision they make, from page structure to wording.
Describe the scope clearly
Scope is where most misunderstandings start. Be specific about what is included and, just as importantly, what is not.
What to include
- Deliverables. What will you receive at the end? For example: “Five pages built in WordPress, a booking form connected to our calendar, and a short handover video.”
- Quantities. Number of pages, designs, articles, revisions or hours, where that applies.
- Format. File types, platforms or tools the work must use. If you already use WordPress, Shopify or a particular design tool, say so.
- What you will provide. Text, logos, photos, account access or existing brand guidelines.
What to leave out, and say so
If you do not need something, write it down. “We already have a logo and do not need branding work” or “Copywriting is not part of this Project” saves Freelancers from pricing work you do not want.
Share your budget, even as a range
Some Employers leave the budget out, hoping to see what people offer. In practice this makes Proposals harder to compare. One Freelancer prices a basic version, another prices a full build, and you cannot tell which is the better fit.
A range is enough: “Our budget is $400 to $600.” Freelancers can then decide whether they can do good work within it, and explain what they would include at that price. If your budget is flexible for the right person, say that too. Our guide on how much it costs to hire a freelancer explains how to set a sensible range.
On Tasksyy, Freelancers can filter Projects by budget when they search, so a clear budget also helps the right people find your Project in the first place.
Be honest about the timeline
Give a date if you have one, and explain why it matters. “We need the site live before our open day on 14 March” is more useful than “ASAP”. It tells Freelancers whether the deadline is fixed or flexible, and lets them plan the work realistically.
If you have milestones in mind, such as a first draft for review before the final version, include them. It helps Freelancers plan, and it helps you catch problems early.
Explain how you will judge the result
Think about how you will decide the work is finished and good. Write that down as a short checklist. For example:
- All five pages display correctly on phones, tablets and desktops.
- The booking form sends a confirmation email to the client and to us.
- Page titles and descriptions are set for each page.
- We can edit the text ourselves after handover.
A checklist like this makes reviewing the delivery much easier. It also gives Freelancers a clear target, which usually means fewer revision rounds.
Add examples and references
Words like “modern”, “clean” or “professional” mean different things to different people. Show rather than describe where you can:
- Link to two or three websites, designs or documents you like, and say what you like about each.
- Mention anything you have seen that you do not want.
- Attach your current material if the Project is an update or redesign.
Ask for the information you need in Proposals
If you want Freelancers to answer specific questions, ask them in the brief. This makes Proposals easier to compare because everyone covers the same points. Useful questions include:
- “How would you approach this Project?”
- “What would you need from us to get started?”
- “Can you share one or two examples of similar work?”
- “How long would the first draft take?”
Keep it to three or four questions. A long questionnaire puts good Freelancers off. When Proposals arrive, our guide on choosing the right Freelancer explains how to compare them.
A simple brief template
You can adapt this structure for most Projects:
- About us: one or two sentences about your business and audience.
- The goal: what this Project should achieve.
- Scope: deliverables, quantities, tools and what is not included.
- What we will provide: content, access and materials.
- Budget: a range, and whether it is flexible.
- Timeline: key dates and why they matter.
- How we will review the work: a short checklist.
- References: examples you like or dislike.
- Questions for your Proposal: three or four at most.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Writing too little. A two-line brief attracts guesses, not Proposals.
- Writing too much. Long background stories bury the important details. Keep context short and put the scope near the top.
- Changing the scope after hiring. If the work changes, agree the change and the price with your Freelancer before they start on it.
- Using internal jargon. Explain any terms or acronyms that only your team uses.
Before you post
Read your brief as if you were a Freelancer seeing it for the first time. Could you give a confident price and timeline from what is written? If not, add the missing detail.
A clear brief takes a little longer to write, but it saves time when you compare Proposals and when you review the finished work.
